Isen Valnev, the old herbalist and brewer, was startled as his neice burst through the door. He dropped the book he was reading, Herbs of the South, and almost spilled his tea. He was always jumpy when he was reading, for to be cought, would mean great trouble.
Even though most of the guards didn't agree with the Shadow's mandates, in fact, he didn't think any of them did, they still upheld them. If even one villager broke one of those laws, it could spell doom for many. The forces of the Shadow were nothing if not thorough. They might punish everyone in a small village like this one, just to make an example of the harshness of their justice. It was brutal, but effective. If you broke a mandate, you not only had to worry about yourself, but your friends and family as well.
Wiping a bit of tea from his sleeve, he looked up at Ilsha. "You startled me las. What is thats got you in such a ruckus?" He listened, his head cocked to the side, as Ilsha explained the lightning.
"Lightning? Thats it? You'd think you'd never seen lightning before." He paused a moment. Maybe the cool morning air would do Ilsha good. It always seemed to calm his nerves to get out away from town and collect his thoughts. "Old Man Bailey said a few days ago that he found some Ungulok Stems growing out by his barn. Why don't you go check on the old goat and bring those stems back?" He stood and walked over to a small shelf stocked with rows of bottles filled with different brews. He popped the stopper on one, smelled it, nodded in satisfaction, and handed it to Ilsha. "This should do him."