Chapter 02

I'm playing with my friends outside; it's not really playing. Most of the time we're just talking, trying to come up with jokes, in-jokes, and the like. Though we aren't the funniest bunch, we find each other hilarious and laugh hysterically at things we said that outsiders would find dull. This is basically what I do when I'm not doing chores. We're sitting on the grass just at the edge of the village.

"You there, children, can you tell me if you have a Chief? A headman of some sort," a man in armor approaches us. It's fancy armor, silver with gold engravings but dirt and other grime stained it. He was tall and old, much older than my father because there were gray streaks in his hair. His mannerisms just screamed something that little children would find frightening. The weirdest part of his appearance was his beard. Nothing on the sides, just a bit in the middle

I spoke up first, "well, we don't really have a Chief, of sorts" I parroted his speech. "I think," I looked around at my friends, and they shrugged, "what does it matter to you?"

"It matters to me, brat, because I'm here on official business," he said angrily.

"Didn't mean to offend, my father should have some power, he's a respected man around here," I bragged. "I could lead you to him, if you think he's good enough."

"He should suffice," he quickly calmed down. I don't know what that means, I'm just going to pretend that I do.

"Let's go then, he should be in the fields." The man in the armor and me split from the group, I waved them goodbye.

During the short walk I got curious, "you got a sword, right?".

He didn't answer.

"At least, you don't have it with you, but you look like the type that should have one."

"And what is this type?"

"Soldier, bandit, raider. The likes of people it's always a bad sign when they show up"

"Don't worry child, it's up to the village leaders what's going to happen here and I'm sure they're reasonable."

We were approaching the fields. I could see my father, "Pops!" I shouted and waved him over.

My father rushed over and looked at me, "what's up?"

"This honorable sir is looking for the village chief, and I told him that you could help him," I said.

"Village chief? I'm sorry sir but we don't have someone like that here," he paused shortly. "I could try rounding up the most influential people, and we could talk," he suggested.

"That would be marvelous, this is an urgent matter though, so please hurry," he slightly bowed.

"Lad, show this gentleman where the inn is," he looked at the man now, "the others and I will be there in a while in the meanwhile please enjoy some drinks, tell the barman they're on Collin."

The man bowed again, "Thank you, off we go then, young man."

Some hours have passed from that moment. I still don't know what that man even wanted. No use worrying about it now. I hung out with my friends again after I split ways with the mysterious man. I told them what happened. "What do you guys think he meant by official business?" Together we wondered for a while. We weren't the most educated bunch, but our guesses are as good as anyone else's.

After passing some time talking and doing nothing in particular, dusk was approaching. It should be completely dark in a while. I said my goodbyes and started to walk home. I'm tired anyway. When I arrived, my father wasn't there. He was usually there before I got home, maybe he has to catch up with the work on the field because of what he had to do today or I have to help on the field tomorrow. My mother was holding my little sister Vira in her hands, she can't even talk yet. She's sleeping in her arms.

"Did you see your father today?" she asked me.

"Yeah, the last time I saw him today was when he was gathering people to discuss something with a weird man in armor"

"A man in armor? Do you know what he wanted?"

"No, the only thing I know that he was on official business, whatever that means."

"Did his armor have a crest or a symbol to know where he was from?"

"Sorry, I didn't look for that. His armor was fancy, looked expensive."

"I'm a bit worried. Could you go out and look for him, do you know where he is?"

"Yeah, sure. He should be by the Inn. I'm going out then."

"Be careful," she said worryingly.

It felt weird approaching the inn. There should have been some noise coming from it. The sound of a fight, some laughter, people taking over each other. I was getting concerned that no one was here after entering the inn, a bit shocked even. Not even the Barman was here and there was no sign on the door and the entrance wasn't locked so I don't think that it was closed for today. Nobody was here. Where is everyone?

I knocked on some of the doors of the rentable rooms in the inn. I got no answer. This is a bit off. And that wasn't the only suspicious thing, there was no one in the streets when I walked here.

I went outside again, "Hello?! Anyone here?!"

No answer, weird. Someone yelling out in the streets should have gotten some attention. I wandered for a little in the direction of the church but while going, I went out of my way to search the alleyways and crossroads. It was getting very dark. I heard a scream. I didn't recognize the voice.

"What's happening, what's going on?" I thought panicked. I was getting scared.

After spying around the corner, I saw a man with a sword stabbing another. I had to do something, anything. I had to jump in.

"You there! Stop uhh... stabbing people!"

That may not have been the smartest course of actions. I recognized the armor. It was very similar to the one from the man this noon just not as detailed as his.

"Hey there, runt," a voice behind me said. There were two men behind me with the same kind of armor. They forced me to the ground.

"Not so rough with this one." I know that voice, it's that man! "I kind of like him, his bravery in the face of danger is impressive."

"What do you want!" I struggled under the grip of the two men over me.

"I guess this kingdom, but that's not something you or your shithole of a village can give me." He kneeled down beside me "You people are so stubborn, you just had to give us what we wanted. The person lying there dead isn't the only one, you know." He got up and lit a torch, "which one should we take? I liked the inn. We can't take that one."

"Take him to the others," he said while waving them away.

They forced me up and dragged me with them before I went out of hearing range I saw him point to his men and say "and when you do it barricade the exits."

They threw me into the church. I guess this is where everyone else was. They held us until morning then they let us go, we couldn't leave the village and there were guards posted everywhere.

The next three days were harsh, it was eased when after a day since the soldiers let us go from the church I was taken in by a nice elderly couple. They had no children of their own, but they were taking in all the children they could, but I guess seven was the limit. No new kids showed up after the seventh one. I wonder what happened to my family, why they didn't come for me.

Sometimes I noticed that one of the kids here was taking food, he was around my age, I couldn't say for sure.

"Maybe he was hungry, he should have asked for more portions instead of stealing it," I thought, but when he packed a water skin and some food into a sack I'd knew what he was doing.

He wanted to escape.

I guess he wasn't the only one whose spirit wasn't crushed. I realized I couldn't stay here. I had to go with him. I have no ration or water and I couldn't bear to steal from these poor people after what happened. I know how to survive on my own.

My father taught me how to take care of myself when I would be off course. Which berries and mushrooms are edible and what to eat even if there is no direct food source around. I wasn't beneath eating insects or worms or even bark when my life depended on it.

And how to get water when there's not a river or lake nearby. The reason he taught me was that I got lost in the woods for a day once after I went picking berries and lost my way because I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going. I had been walking around for a day before I got home again. I wasn't that scared of the forest itself but what I could find there. I have to take a chance when going with this boy.

When I went to bed that night, I didn't sleep, I waited for him to make a move. Then I heard something. He was changing his clothes. Okay, let's do this. I got out of bed, trying not to make a noise, unsuccessfully so. The boy shot into bed and pulled the sheet over him.

I went over to him and shook him gently "Hey, get up, you wanna escape too, right?" I whispered. He nodded, great.

I grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the bed. We went to the door, and he peeks out. He went out while crouching. I followed his lead. I didn't even know where he wanted to go. I bet he had a plan, and that was better than no plan at all. First, we went to a cart, from the dirt next to the cart he drew a dagger. This is great, with this we can defend ourselves when the need comes. Then we headed to the forest.

I am a bit scared of it.

I heard bad rumors about dark forests.