He was really rather pleased with how this design was turning out. The filigree only needed another few taps with his hammer, and the shield would be finished. He was doing just this when an angry commotion startled him, making his chisel jump and scratch an ugly mark into the metal. He ground his teeth so hard he thought they’d crack, and whirled around to see what had made such a fuss. There was an overturned cart in the street, heads of cabbage rolling about, and a woman picking herself up from the dirt. People were all shouting at her, spitting venom at her, one even shoved her back down. He was about to intervene, but the girl just gathered her spilled belongings and hurried away without a word of protest. Frowning, he watched her go, amazed at what he had just witnessed. When she was finally out of sight he turned back to his work, marred filigree forgotten.