...
...
At dawn, the sky was just beginning to lighten.
In the storeroom beside the palace kitchen, the air was filled with the fresh scent of vegetables and fruits.
Dim candlelight illuminated the dimly lit room, where a middle-aged man in coarse clothing was arranging the freshly delivered fruits and vegetables.
The man was Brandon, the merchant responsible for supplying fruits and vegetables to the palace, who had to prepare the ingredients before the kitchen started cooking each day.
"Are all the fruits here today?"
The queen's maid cautiously walked into the storeroom.
She wore a simple gray linen long dress, with a wicker basket on her arm.
"They're all here, Miss Aisha."
Brandon pointed to several wooden crates, a smile on his face,
"They're all fresh, the apples and pears were picked by slaves last night in the northern orchard."
The maid walked over to the crates and began selecting, she picked up a red apple and examined it carefully.
