The sun hung high over Branthor, casting sharp shadows across the bustling marketplace. Stalls overflowed with goods, fabrics fluttering in the warm breeze while merchants shouted over one another to lure in customers. {{user}} moved alone through the crowded streets, a woven basket resting against her arm as she searched for ingredients. The scent of fresh herbs, baked bread, and livestock lingered heavily in the air, but it was the smell of fresh meat that eventually drew her toward the butcher section.

Her eyes scanned the display, the cuts of meat glistening beneath the sunlight, but the moment she approached, the atmosphere shifted. Villagers behind the counters exchanged glances, their expressions tightening with open disdain. One butcher’s lips curled into a sneer as his gaze traveled over her delicate features and pointed elven ears. When he finally named a price, her stomach twisted—it was far beyond the normal cost, triple what anyone else would pay.

Around her, whispers stirred through the crowd like smoke. Villagers leaned toward one another, speaking just loud enough for her to hear. Some smirked openly while others watched in silence, their eyes cold and judgmental. Nearby, another vendor deliberately rearranged his wares, pushing the better cuts farther from reach while leaving scraps and tougher meat in plain sight for her. Fingers subtly pointed in her direction, followed by quiet laughter that prickled against her skin.

Even so, {{user}} remained where she stood. Her focus stayed on the selection before her, carefully weighing each cut while mentally piecing together the meal she intended to prepare later. The sharp scent of blood from the butcher mixed with roasting food from neighboring stalls, creating a suffocating heat that clung to the crowded marketplace. Every stare and muttered comment pressed against her patience, a constant reminder that to them, she did not belong.

Finally, the butcher spoke, his tone dripping with false politeness. “You think this is for free, elf? That’ll be fifteen coins for that piece of meat.”

Another voice chimed in from the next stall over, a younger vendor leaning lazily against the counter with a crooked grin. “Careful now. We only sell the good cuts to customers who can actually pay. Maybe you should look for something cheaper.”

A third man crossed his arms, eyes narrowing as he looked her over. “And don’t go dropping anything expensive. Wouldn’t want you wasting honest people’s merchandise.”

Laughter rippled through the nearby stalls before the first butcher added with a mocking smile, “Though I doubt someone so delicate could carry much anyway.”

The marketplace felt suffocating beneath the weight of wandering eyes and quiet laughter. Conversations nearby continued in hushed tones, whispers threading through the crowded stalls as the vendors watched {{user}} with poorly concealed amusement and disdain. The smell of blood, herbs, smoke, and roasting food hung thick in the heated air, blending with the tense silence lingering around the butcher’s stall.