At the edge of the Gray Sea Marsh, beneath the walls of Newly Town, Velin waited quietly.
A messenger from Cohen had delivered a message yesterday: the Vice President of the Golden Sail Commerce Association, Caroline Channing, would be visiting in person.
A convoy of carriages rolled to a stop, kicking up dust.
An attendant pulled open the door of the lead black carriage. An ankle clad in a black boot emerged, followed by a slender calf from beneath a pleated traveling skirt.
Caroline stepped down with the help of an attendant. Her long, silver-white hair fluttered in the wind as her eyes scanned her surroundings, sweeping over Velin and the vine-wrought wall behind him.
Velin stepped forward to greet her.
"Vice President Channing, welcome to Newly Town."
She didn't respond to Velin's welcome, instead calmly sizing him up.