Growing up in the capitol was a hard thing to do. Few people lived the luxurious lives that came to the minds of most people when they thought of life there. The majority lived in small rooms, often sharing houses among several families. They worked hard and earned more money than they would at similar jobs in small villages, but they also had to pay more for the necessities of life. They even had to pay for water since the only access to it was through the aqueduct system. The narrow streets were always crowded with bodies and often with refuse as well. Some of the bodies in the streets were those of people with no other place to lie down. People came for the promise of a better life and stayed because they couldn't afford to leave.

Those who did grow up there didn't know any other way of life. They accepted the life they had and sometimes dreamed of getting away to the country. One particular young woman who had always lived in the city held that dream. She wanted to escape the city and live in the woods where she would never have to deal with crowded streets again. As it was, she had to help support her family. Like so many others, her parents couldn't afford to provide for their children unless those children started working as soon as they were able.