I step over the unconscious bodies and walk toward the trembling mother. Reaching down, I offer her my hand. She hesitates, then weakly takes it as I help her to her feet.
"Are you okay?" I ask softly, bending down to pick up the dropped piece of bread and pressing it gently back into her hands.
She nods frantically, her eyes darting around the dark alley. I look down at the crying baby bundled in her arms. The poor thing is probably starving, but looking at the mother—so painfully skinny it looks like she hasn't eaten a proper meal in weeks—I doubt she can even produce milk anymore to nurse.
"Grandpa," I say, turning back.
Grandpa Eldric, who has just finished efficiently tying up the unconscious idiots with some stray rope, looks over. He reaches deep into his oversized, ragged tunic, pulls out a few silver Imperial coins, and hands them to me.
I turn back to the mother, holding out the silver. "Please, take this. Have something real to eat for you and your baby—"
