The heavy iron gates of the Thompson estate groaned under the pressure of the crowd. It wasn't a festive gathering like the ones for the holidays. This was an angry, surging mob of merchants, laborers, and desperate citizens, their faces twisted with rage. The sound of their shouting penetrated the thick stone walls of the manor, echoing in the grand foyer like the rumble of distant thunder.
"The Grand Duchess lends usury loans!" a man screamed, his voice raw. He shook his fist at the barred windows. "She bleeds us dry! She had thugs beat us when we couldn't pay her blood money! We demand justice today!"
The chant picked up, rhythmic and terrifying, growing louder with each repetition.
"Justice! Justice! Justice! Give us justice!"
