Alan peaked from the carriage window and was in awe of the giant outer wall. A rock wall built more than 15 meters high. And he can see guards standing on top of it. Which confirms that is also was very thick.
As they came near to the town, the small road they were travelling merged into a bigger paved road.
Alan saw people moving In and Out of the town.
He was simply dumbfounded to see so many people at once.
John looked at Alan's expression and chuckled...
My dear boy, welcome to Green Town. It has a history of more than a thousand years.
Originally, the town's outer wall wasn't as expansive. Over time, as more people gathered, it transformed into a bustling town.
Erected centuries ago, the walls primarily served as a shield against beast attacks and bandits. Despite undergoing multiple rebuilds due to damage, the original wall now functions as the town's inner fortification. The newer outer wall was constructed to accommodate the growing population beyond the town's initial capacity.
Alan was looking outside while listening to John. Everything was new to him. He was fascinated to see so many new things at once. He was overwhelmed and thrilled at the same time.
Approaching the gate, the city guards acknowledged Captain Kevin, inspected the caravans, and upon identifying John himself at the carriage door, the guards respectfully bowed and granted them passage.
Once they enterd the gate, Alan started looking around and felt overwhelmed by the scene infort of his eyes.
There were hundreds of people walking around, standing infront of small huts, setup in a row on both sides of the street.
He saw that each hut with different type of items neatly stacked inside and few items were kept in from of those huts for the people to see.
Looking at his curious expression, John starting givin Alan a brief introduction of the surroundings.
We are at the outer market now and these are called as shops, where individuals purchase goods based on their needs and preferences.
As we move further inside, we will start seeing houses, Inn's, Tavern's and many established shops. John explained while they continued travelling.
As John had explained, they starded encountering many houses and other establishment of various shapes and sizes.
After traveling for a while, Alan saw a river ahead of him seemingly dividing the town in two. A massive spanned across it connecting both side.
"This is Green Vein river. The life line of this town and the whole forest area. And the bridge here is the only way to get in and out of the inner area of the town."
"The outer region primarily houses the general population, while the inner area is reserved for the wealthy, influential, and a few with noble connections. The residences in the inner area are more substantial, featuring estates, mansions, various associations, and guilds, among other things." John explained.
Don't feel overwhelmed at the moment, my boy. You have plenty of time to explore and understand all these aspects of the town. For now, simply enjoy the scenic surroundings. John said to Alan after watching his expression.
Alan nodded and observed as their carriage started crossing the river. The bridge was indeed substantial, he estimated that four caravans could easily pass side by side without any issues.
This is the inner wall which I was talking about earlier. It is not as big as the outer wall. But this one is much older.
The guards at the gate bowed to John when they saw him checked the caravans and let them inside.
Upon entering, Alan sensed he had stepped into a completely different realm. Abundant greenery surrounded him, with houses spaced generously and substantial gaps between them. Estates and mansions had their private guards, and the atmosphere was far less crowded compared to the outer region.
Numerous small houses dotted the landscape in a neat and organised way.
Alan looked at John with a puzzled expression when he observed those small houses. John smiled and said " thoses are the old family's living in this town and are also responsible for assisting other here.
Upon closer observation, you'll notice that these houses are arranged in small clusters, each grouping in proximity to a mansion or within its corresponding estate.
Some standalone houses are occupied by craftsmen's apprentices, shop assistants, guards from the inner area, and cleaning staff.
Alan noticed his grandmother was looking outside the window of the carriage with a distant expression.
"Is everything okay grandma?" Alan asked with a worried tone.
Helen began with surprise and exclaimed, "It's just... It's just that returning to this place after such a long time brought back memories of my parents and my childhood."
They continued in silence for sometime and atleast reached their destination.
A huge gate could be seen with guards at its entrance and an engraving was seen on the gates " The Morgan's "
That my dear boy is our family name. We are called Morgan's. John smiled. You will also be one from today he patted Alan's shoulders.
Guards at the entrance of John's estate stood in attention and saluted to the incoming group of people.
The carriage stopped, and with great excitement, John looked at both Helen and Alan, saying, "Welcome to our home..."