Ellis felt the weight of the cold metal tray in his hands.

“I’m not hungry.”

Jerg picked up an empty wooden crate from the pile and brought it over to them. He let it fall from his hand onto the ground. He then bent down and used his foot to kick it over.

“Eat,” he ordered as he sat down. “I don’t like bread anyway.”

“That’s a lie,” Ellis said as he sat down next to him. “Everyone likes bread.”

Jerg smiled and pulled a carrot out of his pocket.

“I’ll be alright with this.”

The carrot snapped loudly as he took a bite.

“I thought we weren’t supposed to eat the merchandise?”

“What Byles doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Jerg said with a tiny smile.

Ellis took the roll from the tray and held it delicately in his hands. He stuck both his thumbs into it and ripped it down the middle, handing the other half to Jerg.

“I’m really not that hungry,” Ellis mumbled.

Jerg smiled at him as he took the bread.

“Thanks.”

Ellis watched Jerg as he ate; he held the carrot between his two fingers, while his thumb, ring and little finger clutched the half-roll against his palm.

“You can ask if you want,” Jerg said, suddenly. “Everyone does eventually.”

“Huh?”

Jerg held up his arm, revealing a stump on his wrist.

“I…I wasn’t gonna ask.”

Jerg laughed to himself.

“It’s alright, Ellis. I don’t care. What’s done is done.”

Ellis smeared some of the pickled onions onto his bread and took a bite.

“Then…?”

“I am sure you can guess,” Jerg said playfully, “It was during the war.”

“You fought in the war?”

“I did,” Jerg said as he took another bite of the carrot. “I was originally meant to be on the eastern front. But after some time, they sent my battalion south to Viemen.”

“You’re not from Viemen?”

“No, no,” Jerg said, shaking his head. “I was born in a place called Hoverden. Right on the border between Omnirius and Auborn. It’s a cluster of several small towns and villages…” he trailed off and stared at the ground. “I wonder if it’s even still standing.”

“You don’t know?” Ellis asked. “Haven’t you gone back?”

Jerg shook his head.

“After this,” he said, lifting his wounded arm, “I couldn’t go back. I wasn’t even sure I would make it after they had to cut it off. You see it so often. It’s not always the swords or the spears or the arrows that kill you. When your wounds turn black, the fever takes you and you never wake up.”

“But you survived! Don’t you have a family to go back to? Friends?”

Jerg looked as if he wanted to say something, but he ultimately kept quiet.

“You don’t want to go back?” Ellis asked.

Jerg hung his head listlessly, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground.

“I was lucky that Byles even agreed to employ me. Not everyone would show such kindness—even if he won’t admit it. Without him, I’d have starved to death a long time ago.” Jerg exhaled as he sat up, bringing the carrot to his mouth and taking another bite. “If I were to leave, I would have nothing. Only thing I can do is stay right here.”

Ellis held the piece of bread in his hands but couldn’t bring himself to eat it. He felt the cold juice drip down his fingers and onto the ground.

“Does it sadden you?” Jerg asked him.

Ellis didn’t say anything.

Jerg smiled, patting Ellis on the back.

“Don’t let it weigh on you. Besides, I have no right to be upset. There are thousands who are worse off than I am. People who lost so much more than this.”

“Like Lester?”

Jerg laughed loudly.

“Lester? No…that man is another breed entirely.”

“Got something to say to me, cripple?”

Lester came sauntering over as he shoved the last of his bread into his mouth.

“Just wondering what other-worldly hole you crawled out of.”

“Ask your mother.”

Lester plopped down on the ground next to them.

Ellis waited for an argument to erupt, but the two men just sat there, keeping to themselves. Apparently, they were used to this.

Ellis then took another bite of his bread, slurping up the onions that threatened to slide off. Before he knew it, Lester had leaned over and grabbed the knife from his belt, pulling it from its sheath and holding it up to the sky.

“Woah now, brat. This is a pretty looking piece of metal.”

“Hey!” Ellis yelled. “Don’t take it!”

“Relax, kid. I just wanna play with it. Haven’t held one of these in a while…”

Lester moved the knife through the air slowly, then he flipped it over in his hand with the blade pointing down and bent his elbow. His upper body twisted and became tense. He held the knife there in front of him before exploding outward with a thrust, cutting into the empty air. Finally, he relaxed back against the crate and twirled the dagger in his hands.

“How’d a brat like you get something like this?”

Jerg reached over and held out his hand.

“You should work on your manners, Les.”

“Tch. Just askin’ him a question.” Lester leaned around Jerg and looked at Ellis directly, “He’s got a mouth, doesn’t he?”

“I bought it,” Ellis spat.

“Oh!?” Lester said sarcastically as he handed the dagger to Jerg. “Sure you didn’t steal it?”

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“I’m sure.”

Ellis took the dagger from Jerg and slipped it back into the sheath.

“Did you buy that sword, too?” Lester asked with a sly look.

But it wasn’t just Lester who seemed curious. Jerg too had his eyes fixed on Ellis’, studying him. Ellis felt his face become flush with embarrassment.

Lester put his hands behind his head and looked to the sky.

“No way a brat like you could afford something like that. You stole it.”

“I didn’t!”

“No need to get offended!” Lester said with a laugh. “Stealin’ ain’t so bad when you get the hang of it.”

“If I recall,” Jerg said as he bit off another piece of carrot, “Weren’t you the one rotting in Rothwell’s jail for repeated theft?”

“Was!” Lester emphasized. “I got out.”

“You were bought by Byles. That doesn’t count.”

“Counts for me.”

“Bought?” Ellis asked, confused. “What do you mean?”

“He was up for execution for repeated offense,” Jerg explained. “Occasionally, when a crime is too great to be dismissed, that person will forfeit their life as compensation if they can’t pay.”

“You stole that much, but you still couldn’t afford to pay?” Ellis asked.

“Shut your mouth!” Lester snapped.

Jerg laughed.

“The boy has a point, Les.”

“But then how did Byles buy you?”

“Once Lester’s life became forfeit to Rothwell, Rothwell had the right to sell that life to someone else.”

“Byles,” Lester said, waving his hand, “In his infinite generosity, put me under a forty-year contract. I work for food, and I sleep in the shed. I do what he says, when he says.”

Ellis couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“What kind of life is that?”

“Better than dying,” Lester answered with a shrug. He sat up suddenly, gurgled a bit, then spat onto the ground. “I was already forty-two when Byles bought me out of my execution. I won’t live to see the end of the contract anyway.” Lester leaned over and yelled at Gregor. “I’m gonna die here just like you, you old goat!”

“Hmph!” Gregor huffed loudly. “Just make sure they bury us far apart! I can’t stand the sound of your whining voice!”

“Not a chance!” Lester laughed. “I’m gonna have ‘em put me right on top of you!”

“Like hell!”

“Too late!” Lester smiled devilishly as he winked at Ellis. “I already talked to Byles about it!”

“Do that, and I’ll haunt you till you die!” Gregor shouted back. He then stood up quickly and kicked the dirt, cursing under his breath as he walked back over to the vegetable crates.

“Why do you do that?” Jerg asked with a sigh.

“He’s too easy.”

“What about you then, kid?”

“Huh?”

“Why the hell are you here?”

“My father owes Byles,” Ellis answered robotically. “My sister and I are working here to pay off that debt.”

“What a shrewd father you have,” Jerg said, sympathetically.

“Just sell that pretty sword of yours and I’m sure it would be enough. Or that armor.”

Ellis frowned.

“I’d rather work.”

“Oi! Ebbis! Get over here!”

“You sure about that?” Lester said playfully.

“Get over here, boy!” Gregor shouted. “Stop lazing around! The buyer will be here soon.”

“I better go…”

Ellis stood up and took one last look at Jerg and Lester before jogging back over to help Gregor.

Together, the two began washing up the last of the produce and made sure it was organized appropriately. After some time, Byles appeared from the street entrance with a man following closely behind.

“He works in Lord Viemen’s manor— in the kitchens,” Jerg said under his breath as the men passed them.

“Don’t they grow their own?”

“Apparently, the soil in the north of Omnirius is different than in the south. The Marquess thinks the roots and tubers from the north taste better. So, Byles makes sure to always get a seasonal shipment from the farmers up north, and he saves them for this man to buy.”

“Wouldn’t it be cheaper to grow their own? Instead of having it sent from across the country?”

“People like Lord Viemen don’t have to worry about those sorts of things, Ellis. They can afford whatever they want, even if it doesn’t make sense to us.”

Ellis had nothing to say.

He knew that men like his uncle were wealthy, but he never fully understood what that wealth meant.

“Come on, we’re not done yet.”

Jerg turned around and headed toward the loading area while Ellis followed behind him. This time, two large, empty wagons were parked just off the main road.

“Lester, where is the inventory list?”

“What? I thought you had it?”

“I got it!” a new voice called out.

Torren jogged over to them from inside the shop— Mary was a few steps behind him.

“Well, well!” Lester said as he came sauntering over. “Who is this little beauty?”

“My name is—”

“She’s Mary,” Ellis said defensively.

“Mary, is it? What a lovely name for a lovely girl.”

“It’s a normal name,” Ellis cut in, stepping between the two of them and puffing out his chest. “Perfectly normal.”

Lester laughed.

“Aye. Perfectly normal, Mary. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Torren, you have Byles’ inventory?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Bring it here.”

Torren walked over to Jerg, giving Ellis a strange look as he passed him.

Ellis relaxed as Lester followed Torren over to where the wagons sat. He turned to face Mary but was caught off guard by her angry eyes.

“What’s wrong? Did that guy say something while you were inside?”

Mary shook her head as she brushed past Ellis. He scratched his head, confused, but ultimately pushed it from his mind and followed her over to the others.

“Alright everyone. This is the final job order,” Jerg announced as he waved the paper in the air. “Let’s load these wagons up and be done. Here,” Jerg said, handing the list to Mary, “You check off the items as we load ‘em in.”

Together, Harold, Ellis, Jerg, Lester and Torren loaded the various goods one at a time while Mary confirmed what they were and checked them off the list. By the time they finished checking and rechecking, the sun was beginning to set. It took another half-hour or so for the merchant to run over everything once more with Byles before he was satisfied. Ellis then saw Byles pull out a paper of some kind. The merchant pulled out a metal object and pressed it into the page and handed Byles several small pieces of thin parchment.

“What is that?” Ellis asked. “Where are the coins?”

“Those are Pactors. Pieces of paper signed by the Omnirian National Treasury. They allow only the person designated on them to receive a certain amount of money from another person’s account.”

“Why not just pay in coin?” Mary asked.

“Coins can be stolen,” Lester said as he passed by, his hands in his pockets.

“If a merchant uses a Pactor,” Jerg continued, “Then their coins are secured. Only Byles can go to the treasury and retrieve the coin.”

“I’ve never heard of them before?” Mary said.

Ellis shook his head.

“Me neither.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Jerg answered. “I only know about them because of Byles. Even other merchants rarely use them.”

“Yeah, and he’s been using them a lot lately,” Lester said, folding his arms. “Such a pain in the a—”

“Alright!” Byles’ voice cut in. “Thank you all, we’re done for the day.”

“Finally,” Lester sighed as he pushed himself off the post he was leaning on and started walking away.

Byles shook his head.

“Jerg, nice work today, as always. Ellis, Mary, you’ve done great as well.”

“Thank you, Mister Byles.”

With that, Byles nodded firmly and left the yard.

“I should be going,” Jerg said suddenly, turning to leave.

“Are you heading home?” Mary asked.

“No, I live on the grounds.” Jerg then pointed towards the back of the yard. There was a loosely constructed shanty house made of old wood and straw that was nestled into the back corner of the property. Ellis and Mary watched as Lester disappeared through the front opening.

“Do you all live here?”

“Not all. Lester, as you know, has no choice. As for Gregor and myself, well, we can’t afford anywhere else.”

“Then where are you going?”

“To walk Harold home.”

“Why would you do that?” Mary asked.

“He loses his way easily if someone isn’t there to help him. I bring him here in the mornings and walk him back in the evenings.”

“Why?” she asked again with a small laugh.

Ellis grabbed her arm and shook his head at her. She said no more.

“I’ll see you both tomorrow,” Jerg added with a smile.

The two watched as Jerg jogged over to the edge of the property. Harold was hiding behind the fence, staring out into the street, too scared to leave on his own. Jerg approached him and the two spoke; though, neither Mary nor Ellis could hear what they said. They heard only the muffled tones of their respective voices and a small bout of laughter that they shared. Finally, with Jerg’s assurance, Harold stepped out from behind the fence and followed closely behind him as they headed down the main road and out of sight.