"Lady Kitsune," Tomoe offered a respectful nod. "The Lord is tied up with the garrison commanders. He asked me to show you the inner workings of the fortress today. If you are up for it?"
"Absolutely," I agreed, grabbing a sweet bun. "Lead the way."
For the next two hours, Tomoe gave me the grand tour.
The Kurogane Fortress was practically a small city enclosed by iron walls. We walked through the bustling courtyards, the noisy blacksmith forges, and the massive underground armory. Every time we passed a group of northern people, they stopped what they were doing and bowed to me.
"They like you," Tomoe noted as we climbed a set of stone stairs toward the storehouses. "Usually, capital nobles look at us like we are dirt on their shoes. You look at us like we're people."
"I was a floor-scrubber three days ago, Tomoe," I laughed dryly. "If anyone is dirt, it's me."
Tomoe stopped walking. She turned to me, her scarred face completely serious.
