The timid merchant's eyes widened as Jamie spoke. "Th-the Queen?" she asked. "You mean, Her Majesty sent you? She doesn't condone what happened to me?"
Raine simply nodded, sure that Jamie had gotten through to the poor girl. Though, to help drive the point home, she held up the letter with the royal seal, signifying that it came from the Queen herself.
"Okay. I'll talk." Lydia finally said. "But not here. Inside."
The merchant stepped away from her stall, locking her goods away in a heavy iron safe before leading the two adventurers down the street a short distance. Unlocking the door to a house, Lydia ushered the other two women inside.
"I was just running my stand, as usual, when these guards showed up." Lydia began. "They said they were just browsing. They did more than that, though. I sell fine jewelry, and I always keep note of what I have in stock. They all tried on different necklaces and rings, and then put them back. All except one. I'm guessing she was their captain, she put on my finest necklace, checked herself in the mirror, and told her troops to get back to patrol."
"She was going to leave without paying, so I tried to stop her. I said she'd have to pay for that, and she got this look on her face. So did the rest of them. Suddenly, they claimed that my goods matched the descriptions of jewelry stolen from a noblewoman's private collection! They said I was a fence, selling stolen property, and that it was all now evidence of my crime!" Lydia continued, blushing at the memory.
"They... pulled me out from behind my stall. Their captain drew her sword and... it was all so fast... the next thing I knew, I was naked! Then one of them shackled my hands behind my back! Said this was just a warning, and next time I'd be sent to the Arena for breaking the law. I didn't get any names, except one; one of the guards called their leader 'Captain Adaya'."
The room was silent for a few moments. The merchant trailed off as she finished her story, blushing bright red as she remembered her humiliation. Raine was the first to speak.
"Well, I guess we need to find this Captain Adaya, then." the sorceress said. "Don't worry, miss. These guards will pay for their crimes. Soon enough, they'll be the ones paraded around naked."
With that, Raine turned to her companion. "So, if you were a corrupt guard, where would you be when not on patrol?"
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