Chapter 6 - Bits of Hope

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Winter came in hard at the Town of Tal. The roofs are covered with thick layers of snow. The stone and brick houses were enduring the weight. In the port there are ice blocks forming around the port. The workers are busy trying to break them with pickaxes. On the main street there are piles of snow. The on walkers were lifting their legs high so they can cross the street.

Walking among the road is a silver-haired woman. She looked bubbly as ever, she carries goods in her arms. Along with those goods were various bottles of wine. Her smile is wide and big. She at the moment is pleased at the bronze key inside her pocket bag. After a few talks with certain merchants, certain rich individuals and using her cunning mind, she managed to score what she desires.

She was feeling rather joyful today. She looked at a certain spot. It is the place where a dumb mute would sit with his hands raised up. She found the mute nowhere to be seen. She heard that the slums got finally raided. She thought in her mind maybe the mute died. She felt a bit sad if that mute really died. She got a bit into the habit of giving that mute something. Today particularly she wanted to give an offer to the mute.

But with him not being here, she decided to scram from the road, and went back to her place.

...

Back in the Ports of the Town of Hal, the workers of the docks are still working on trying to break the ice blocks that are forming. One of the workers was busy using the tip of the pickaxe to penetrate the ice block. Wearing a simple cloak, the man's grayish hair swayed along as he swings the tool down.

The ice broke into bits. The man continued on and on, until the progress was made. The others workers looked at the man to observe him. They heard what happened to the slums, so as to show that they are not that much of a heartless human being. They made the dumb mute take a pickaxe and plow through the ice blocks. The dumb mute could not understand their words, but he can be pointed on what to do.

Gestures and actions, were use to tell the mute on what his job is. The Dumb mute understood, worked and here he is now, working picking the ice blocks. Swing, swing, the dumb mute was continuously bashing the ice blocks. Sweat poured all over his body despite the cold. His hands were red, he wasn't use to work. His eyes were strange; it didn't have any of the lifeless glints. He is currently in the state of being motivated. The warm cloak on him signifies this state. He wanted to work so he can at least find a way to escape death. He survived due to being saved by someone, so he doesn't want to waste the life of his. So here he is in this place. Working despite being tired, and hungry, the Dumb Mute persisted on his work until the ice block he was working on finally broke off.

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The other workers finished much faster than the dumb mute. So they stayed to watch him in the sides of the docks. They find him still too scrawny. But nonetheless, it didn't stop them from feeling that the dumb mute can really work hard. None of them really wants to make trouble too; they just don't accept foreigners that easily, especially if the foreigner doesn't speak their language.

The Dumb Mute's work ended, he went to the master of the docks. Took the rightfully earn fifty silver coins from the dock master and left the docks. He went to the business street where the food stalls are found. Around the corner of one alley, the dumb mute observed how the other people were buying. He looked how a woman handed one silver coin for a piece of bread, and how a man in his forties bought a roasted meat for about four silver coins. It seems expensive so he dragged his feet to the bread stand and intended to buy ten pieces of bread. He pointed on the bread, the store owner tilt his head a bit, Ramiel showed ten silver coins, the owner took it, packed the bread and handed it to Ramiel.

Ramiel stretch his legs to the main park where there are benches. It was snowing a while ago, but with no snow falling, he is free to sit down. Opening his pack of bread, Ramiel took a piece, bite it, and consumed the bread. It was a bit hard, but it was chewable to him. He didn't complain about what he had at the moment. It is better than nothing, so he continued eating the ten pieces of bred until he was full.

With that amount of food in his stomach, Ramiel thought that it should be enough. He is still sitting on the bench of the park; he wasn't in a rush to go. The slums are being cleared up. There are no beggars there since most of them are six feet underground the soil. Ramiel didn't go back there, considering that he might get killed. So he stays near the river, which is completely frozen now.

Ramiel at the moment counted the coins in him. It was quite enough for at least another four days. But thinking about it, he should somehow invest on it. So he went to the residential street of the town. Most of the normal earning people are there, but there are also Inns there. While dragging his sore feet around the residential street of the town, he noticed a newly opened Inn. Walking towards the Inn, entering in the door, he saw a rather large bar. Wooden tables and chairs, and then a counter just a few inches away, the place is quite decorated, he like it and when he turn to the place where the owner is. He noticed the familiar silver-hair, and when the person turn around, she widens her eyes.

"Oh it is you. You are not dead, that is good." she smiled.

Ramiel obviously did not know what she spoke, but he has the feeling that the woman told him she was a surprised. Not knowing what to do, he scratches his head, showed his silver coins. The woman look at the money he had, she wondered if he is trying to buy something.

So she pointed at the menu above the counter of her bar. Ramiel nodded as she points, affirming what he wanted. The woman then smiled lightly, she pointed him to sit down, so she can give him some food.

Usually the meals would cost a few silver coins. His money is not enough, but as the first customer of her newly opened Inn. She will give him some discount.