The theater troupe arrived together with the new workers for the estate about a week after the duel had taken place. Many of them were tense as they approached their new home, still haunted by the rumors they had heard about Azure Valley.
They imagined they would find a ruined place, a bloodstained settlement left in chaos, perhaps even a town that needed to be rebuilt from scratch. Some braced themselves for the stench of death, for shattered homes, or for the sight of people broken and weary.
But when their wagons rolled past the gates, the sight that greeted them left them silent with awe. In front of them isn't a wasteland, but a town that looks as if it had been touched by gentle hands and careful hearts.
