He decided to go to sleep as the fire was dying out. This time, he made sure to close the window before approaching his makeshift "bed." The first thing I'm going to buy when my pockets are full of money is a real bed, he promised himself.
As he lay down, his mind raced with thoughts about the next day and what tasks would be most important. Goddammit! Now I'm thirsty and don't have any drinkable water, he cursed silently. Despite his discomfort, he managed to drift off to sleep, resolving to find potable water first thing the next day.
In a certain city, a man riding a weary horse finally arrived in front of a castle's walls. It wasn't the grandest castle in the kingdom, like the one in the capital, but for a medium-sized city, it was respectable. The scout approached the guards at the entrance.
"You there! State your business," one of the guards commanded.
"I was sent here by Knight Cenric. I bring a message for Baron Frederic," the scout replied.
The guards allowed him through the entrance but escorted him to a small room nearby to search him. After the inspection, they instructed him to sit and wait.
Several minutes passed before a cleric in brown robes appeared. "Good evening, sir. I was told you have a message for Baron Frederic. Is that correct?"
The scout handed the parchment to the cleric. "Stay in one of our rooms until tomorrow morning. You'll have the Baron's reply by then," the cleric instructed before heading toward the castle.
Walking along the stone-paved street, the cleric reached the castle and entered, but instead of heading to the Baron's chambers or the grand meeting room, he went elsewhere.
After passing through stone corridors, he opened a wooden door and entered a room where other clerics were present. Some were deep in conversation, while others were busy copying books.
He approached a man with blond hair, blue eyes, and a yellow cloak over his brown robes. The cleric stood silently beside him, eyes closed, waiting for permission to speak.
After a minute of conversation, the blond man finally acknowledged him. "You may speak."
"This is a message from Knight Cenric, delivered just minutes ago by his trusted scout," the cleric said, showing the parchment. The blond man took it, walked to a small table, sat down, and began reading.
"Hmmm... We need to see it and determine what it is. And this man must be interrogated. This all is so strange," the blond man mumbled to himself.
"Send a delegation to investigate the strange object that appeared. Also, find this man that the Knight mentioned and interrogate him. You all will leave tomorrow at dawn," he ordered.
The cleric hesitated. He was new and unsure whether he should voice certain concerns. "What's the problem? If you have something to say, then speak," the blond man prompted.
"Forgive me, sir, but shouldn't we inform Baron Frederic? The message was sent by a Knight, directed to the Baron," the cleric replied cautiously.
"You're new here, cleric. Small matters like this don't need to trouble Frederic. Now, go and do as you've been told," the blond man dismissed him.
The cleric bowed and left the room.
The night passed uneventfully, and Rafael was once again woken by a rooster. I'll fucking kill this chi... This rooster! And I'll burn this excuse of a bed... he fumed, groggily getting up.
Outside, the sun was just minutes from rising, but the streets were already bustling with activity. The life of a commoner was hard; they worked every day with minimal breaks to eat. For most, the work was dirty and exhausting, and at the end of every harvest season, they were obligated to give around 65% of their yield to their Baron.
Rafael opened the wardrobe and took out one of the pots. I hope this doesn't break in the fire, he thought, filling it with water from the stream and leaving it inside his house. Now, where do I find some wood to burn? I don't want to gather it myself from the forest.
He decided to ask Richar, the carpenter, or inquire with a guard if he saw one on the way. As he neared the wooden house, someone called out to him.
"Mr. Rafael, good morning."
"Good morning..."
"You've already forgotten my name? Well, it's okay. I'm Amis. Sir Cenric said to help you with anything, remember?"
"Oh right, sorry. Now I do remember, and you came at a good time because I need help finding some wood for my fireplace. Where can I buy some?"
"Most families just gather wood from the forest, whether kindling or chopped wood, but there are two families that sell wood. The closest is from that house over there," Amis said, pointing to a nearby house similar to the others.
"And who sells fruits around here?" Rafael asked, recalling he still had a lemon at home but had no desire to eat it. "Last time I bought some fruit from my friend for you. His house is on the outskirts but near yours. From your house, just walk to the left and you'll see a guy with baskets of fruit."
"Thanks," Rafael said, heading toward the house Amis had indicated. That guard is acting strange. What if he's observing me? he wondered.
It makes sense. I'm an unknown to them, so they're watching to decide if I'm a friend or foe. He's always nearby, and I remember that time he was clearly hiding behind a house. I better stay cautious around him.
When Rafael reached the house, the door was open, and he could see inside. A woman, some children, and a man holding an iron ax were inside. The man stepped out, closing the door behind him before looking at Rafael.
"What do you want?" the man asked. He was a bit taller than Rafael, wore the same common clothes as everyone else, and had a muscular build.
"Good morning, sir. Amis told me you sell wood for fireplaces. How much is it?" Rafael asked, noticing the man didn't seem to like him.
"Amis told you?" The man raised an eyebrow. "I do sell wood. It's 7 coppers a stack."
"How much to have it delivered to my house?"
"Tssh..." The man gave Rafael a contemptuous look. "3 coppers per stack."
"Could I see what a stack looks like? Just so I know how many to buy," Rafael requested.
The man walked to the back of the house and returned with a stack of chopped wood and kindling, tied together in a cylindrical shape. I think it's enough for two nights, Rafael estimated.
"I'll take three," he said, pulling out his pouch and counting 20 coppers. "Actually, I'll buy only two."