We must have hit a big bump on the road because I was quite harshly shaken awake. Giving a big yawn I looked around, the old guy was still riding and the sun cheerily was already way up in the sky.
That surprised me, "have you been riding the whole time?" I asked while stretching my arms.
"No, I stopped throughout the night but started ridding again when the sun started to rise. No time to waste," he lashed the reins gently. "You slept for quite some time you know, and you seem to be a heavy sleeper."
Taking out the last piece of meat I had in my pocket I started what would be my breakfast this morning. The old man looked over, he had a slight expression of disgust.
"Is this what you have been eating while you were on the road?"
"They weren't that dirty before I put them in my pocket."
"You ought to get some real food when you're in the city. I would give you some, but I already gave away all that I could spare to someone who was on the road as well."
Someone else on the road? It must have been him, "let me guess, very light hair, average height, bit scrawny?"
"You know him?"
Do I?
"No, not really. I traveled with him for a while but we split a while ago. And as for the other thing. I got no money. Actually, I don't really have anything at the moment."
"What about your family?" he asked lashing the reins again.
"They've been missing since the attack, but I think they're fine," I can't understand why everyone always worries so much. "I'm sorry to hear that," he took his eyes off me and looked at the road.
"What do you think a penniless, homeless kid can do in the city?" I turned round in my seat, facing the fields instead of the road, and swung my legs.
"For food? I think the church gives out charity to the needy. But I don't know what you can do for money."
"Do you think I can become a knight? They get a lot of money, right? And I would be famous!" I said eagerly.
He laughed it off, "Ha! Becoming a knight would be nice," he slapped his thigh enthusiastically. "I don't think you have a say in the matter, no matter how much you want to be one."
He stopped laughing and looked like he was thinking hard and said hesitantly, "there is something similar to being a knight."
Now I listened carefully.
He started scratching his beard, "but I don't think it's something for you or, actually, for anyone"
I gave him a small nudge, "come on. Tell me, please."
"Fine. The Adventurers Guild is always looking for new members. I don't know what you have to do to join but heard that they're paid handsomely but their work is often dangerous."
"What do they do?" I asked with genuine interest.
"Basically anything anyone requests of them but for the most part they're glorified mercenaries."
Actually, that didn't sound so bad. Knights get requests from the people he serves, no? "Maybe I'll give it a shot."
"Just don't get yourself killed."
"No worries old man," I leaned back again humming a tune, wiggling my foot to the tune, and relaxed.
It just took us another two hours to get to the city gates and seeing the city gave me some joy. I loved the liveliness, there were a lot of people in the streets.
Nowhere you could turn your head to could you find a place quiet. Excitement filled me. I just wanted to jump off the cart and begin exploring the city.
I could because when the old man stopped the cart and told me, "I think this is where we should split. The church should be your first stop. The monks there can help you get familiarized with the city. Maybe you could do some errands for them for a bit of coin too, who knows. Just walk straight from here in this direction," he pointed to the right. "You can't miss it. The church is by far the largest building in the city."
"It was nice traveling with you." "It was my pleasure."
While he was riding off, I waved goodbye and shouted, "THANKS!"
I guess I'm on my own for a while again.
Walking in the streets I saw all kinds of things. I must have been in the market district of the city because merchants in stands screamed around trying to get people to buy their wares, customers shouting back haggling for a better price. Fine clothes, fruits I've never seen before, smells I didn't recognize. I took some time just to wander around looking at some of the things the merchants had to offer. Nothing caught my attention that much except for one of them, a weapon stall.
I approached the vendor, he was still yelling around, "you won't find weapons like this anywhere else" and "highest quality you can find," when he saw that I was clearly interested he pointed at me.
"You seem interested young sir. You, of course, have great taste!" He eagerly rubbed his hands.
"Come closer, sir."
"What is to your liking? Sword, bow, a spear maybe?"
"I'm not sure," I never thought about what kind of weapon I should be wielding.
"A sword?" I said unsure.
"Of course! Would this be to your liking?"
He handed me a thin but long sword. I grabbed it by the handle, it was much lighter than I expected.
Pretending to cut something I swung it around. The feeling of it cutting through the air was a treat.
When I turned around to ask, "how much for this sword?" I noticed that he clearly didn't look happy.
"Just seventy coins."
"That's a bit more than I could afford. What's the cheapest weapon you got?"
He tried to forcefully grab the sword out of my hand, but I took a step back, "give me back that sword. You can buy an old spear for thirty."
"Careful now," willingly handing over the sword I repeated, "thirty, eh? Safe it for me, I'm sure I'll come back again soon."
He got visibly angry, "If you're just here to stare and not buy anything then leave my stand, you urchin."
"Nothing wrong with browsing," I shrugged my shoulders and left.
I heard him cursing after I had walked away. The church shouldn't be that far now, actually, it was almost in front of me. I saw the tip of it over towering over roofs of the other buildings. Getting closer to it I saw a queue of disheveled people, are these the needy people the old man talked about? I joined it at the end.
I tapped the man in front of me and asked, "what are we queuing for?"
"Food," he grumbled under his unkempt beard.
Of course, what did I expect?