Even Katniss was disgusted at how the poor of this city lived. "These pot shops and bowls of brown make Greasy Sae's soup stall in the Hob seem like respectable cuisine," she muttered. She thought she would have had to explain the District Twelve black market references to Peeta, but he understood, and to people from elsewhere, it may as well have been just another shop.

The Man Grown With The Bread

Peeta was also shocked by the depths of poverty here, either although or because he had observed instead of lived District Twelve deprivation. He saw some fellow tributes partaking of King's Landing luxuries and developed a rather nobler idea for using some of his gold. He'd become the man grown with the bread. Katniss of all people would know what even a couple loaves could mean. Now they had the money for as many as they could buy. There was no Mrs. Mellark in the way either, no witch of District Twelve who had spiteful hate for poor swarthy people in general and Everdeens in particular.

The streets here at least had descriptive names. Flour Street was just a bit further up the hill, and there they found several bakeries. Katniss and Peeta both went in one of them, and she listened while he placed the order. "Two loaves," her district partner said. With his sense of humor, he probably knew full well he was making an inside jape.

"Four stars," the clerk responded. For once Peeta was receiving a price quote instead of giving one. Katniss remembered what Mr. Poole had quickly explained. Those were the big copper coins. They weren't quite so big as Panem's half assarions, but it was hard to tell, since the coins here were so lumpy. A few credits for the bread seemed reasonable. Even Priscilla Mellark wasn't so stingy, rather she had it in for the daughter of the woman her husband couldn't get over.

He threw one to Katniss. Of course he did. She held it in the middle and bit into the end. Even that grip was somewhat painful after she had strained her arm so at the archery range earlier in the day. She wasn't used to drawing a bowstring at such long ranges so many times in a row. Her attention back on the bread, she noticed the grain was smoother than she was used to. As Peeta munched on the other loaf, he reported that it was rougher than the stuff he made back home. Either way, it was suitable to buy in large quantities and distribute to at least some of the beggars who lined the alleyways nearby.

Peeta went back up to the counter. "How many loaves for a dragon?" he asked. Seven stars to the silver stag and 210 stags to the dragon made for confusing math. Ten upon itself made for much easier arithmetic, and that's how most counting was done there as in Panem. However, they literally worshipped the number seven here, and their money was just one reflection of that. Most people in the south thought that way; the few in the north who did often came from elsewhere, like Mrs. Stark.

Katniss finished the math - there were 1,470 stars to the dragon, so at two stars per loaf, a dragon could buy 735 loaves. The merchant could do at least that much math himself, and did not try to cheat Peeta by offering less than that. Instead, he had the sense to offer more, an even thousand.

A crowd quickly gathered, but it stayed under control thanks to its recent lesson on what Cato could do with a sword and what Marvel could with a spear. Jory's lance and Katniss' bow were not suited to these confined spaces, but all the same, respect for the charitable tourney stars accomplished as much as the threat of force. Jory, remaining on the Stark staff, led a backup squad of other Stark guards.

Peeta wanted a look at how their bakeries worked, and that would help with an even larger iteration of this project. The main differences seemed to be ovens fueled by wood fires instead of gas, and cookware that decidedly did not have nonstick surfaces. So the morning rush was especially grueling, but people just as much needed to eat here, and he was glad to help them do that. Katniss admired his caring going even beyond the woman he loved.

Another Move

The new Hand suggested that the new residents of Westeros move yet again. Most of them seemed pleased with any place that entailed remaining aboveground.

"Bear Island is one of the few areas in this realm governed by a woman in her own right. Lady Mormont is one of my trusted vassals. That seems like a good place for you," Ned said to Katniss amongst his assembled guests. "I assume your lover wishes to follow you." They both gladly confirmed.

Clove added "sounds like a good idea to me too". That environment would probably be good for what passed for Miss Hawkins' sanity. It ought be an improvement over how women were treated in much of the rest of the country. Also, Glimmer and Cato would not be there. While those three had remained civil so far, keeping their distance would help make sure of it.

"Can I go with Miss Katniss too?" Rue asked.

"I'm with the little one," Thresh announced.

Logroll Sawyer had a different 'little one' in mind. "Do you how where that Tyrion Lannister lives?"

"Casterly Rock," he answered. "You're a woman grown" Here at least "so seek him out if you insist. The road there is the one that starts just north of the tourney ground." Sawmill also figured he should follow a district partner.

"Nathan, I agree that the Maesters' Citadel is the place for a bookish young man, especially one without lands or titles to forsake," Ned went on.

"May I become a wise old man like Luwin," he assented. "Sad they don't allow smart girls like Regina there."

"They indeed don't," Ned replied. "You'll be shown along the Roseroad to the southwest. The two from your fishing town would mayhaps want to go to a port, which Oldtown is, one of the greatest."

"I shall seriously consider if life on that Wall suits me," Marvel thought aloud. Because the woman you'd most want didn't want you and with good reason.

"Aye, many men have found the Night's Watch honorable, like two of my recent relatives. Like them, you have no position of nobility to forsake, no crimes to run from." Their black castle was at the other end of this country from the red castle they were currently in, back up north, but so was Bear Island. So this part of the group of tributes wouldn't split up for awhile.