Chapter 62: Gorgon 5

The once bustling marketplace of Stonegate was a study in disquiet. Gone were the jovial haggling and the rhythmic hammering of artisans. In their place, a tense silence hung heavy in the air, punctuated only by the occasional hushed whisper and the nervous shifting of feet. News of Lord Kensington's belligerent siege had spread like wildfire, igniting a spark of fear and uncertainty within the hearts of Stonegate's commoners.

Groups huddled together, their faces etched with worry as they exchanged anxious speculations. "Do you think they'll attack?" a young woman with trembling hands whispered to her friend.

"The Lord hasn't said anything yet," the other replied, her voice barely above a murmur. "What if he can't stop them?"

"We're doomed," a grizzled old man chimed in, his voice raspy with despair. "Those nobles, they only care about power, not the lives of innocent folks like us."