Tarnis [https://i.imgur.com/Bl3vyTr.jpeg]

This name was familiar to me from my past when I lived in a forest village and traveled in the caravan of the merchant Hagar.

Looking around, my gaze fell on a large group of people sitting in cages. Weary, they looked exhausted by the long wait and the uncertainty of their fate. Among them, I recognized the merchant and his guards hired to protect the caravan.

Realizing that among the prisoners were a merchant and his guards who were part of Hagar’s caravan, I felt mixed feelings — from relief and joy, at meeting familiar faces to anxiety and concern for their fate. My thoughts raced through my head, trying to understand how they ended up here, in this captivity.

Focusing on the faces of the other men sitting next to the merchant and his guards, I realized I did not know them. There was desperation and hopelessness in their eyes, and I realized that they also needed help and protection.

The next step was clear: I needed to find out what happened to the caravan and why these people were there.

Seeing that I was interested in the goods, one of the dragon's servants approached me. With an arrogant expression, he praised their qualities:

“They are good workers. They eat little and sleep little. They work well, they are very strong. You can beat them with a stick, then they will work faster.”

I looked at the gloomy face of Crybaby, at the upset merchant, and realized that it was impossible to leave them in the cage. I asked the foul-smelling Servus how many coins his living goods were worth. The creature asked me who I wanted to take.

I said:

"These workers suit me." - and pointed his finger at all his friends.

Servus opened the cage and began to release his prisoners one by one.The merchant was the last to leave the cage. He cried, and the reason for his tears remained a mystery. Perhaps he cried tears of joy, as he understood that he was no longer trapped and didn’t have to worry about his fate. Or it was tears from the loss of goods and loss of money. A mixture of different emotions flashed in his eyes, and only he knew what made him cry at that moment.

“Don’t cry,” I said, trying to calm the merchant down. “You take me to Maleus, and I will pay you for the work of a guide. We will buy you new oxen and new carts. You know the way to Elfric’s village. You will come to him and pick up new goods. Only this time you will be more careful.”

The merchant looked up, his gaze expressing hope and gratitude. He nodded back at me and wiped the tears from his face. “Yes, yes, of course,” he said, “Perhaps everything will be like that.”

“Why go to Chief Aelfric if our village also has a fuel stone?” said one guard. - “We have better quality and travel closer.”

Crybaby and the rest of the guards supported him, trying to persuade the merchant not to buy the goods from Aelfric's supplier.

The merchant calmed down a little. His gaze became more meaningful.

“Well,” he agreed, with undeniable arguments. And then tears flowed down his cheeks. - “My carts, my oxen, my coal! I have lost all my carts and oxen!”

“I told you I’ll pay for the trip to Maleus!” — I lost patience. - “Am I talking to these people in an incomprehensible language?”

“I won’t go to the blacksmith for ten coins,” the merchant continued to sob. “The carts contained my things, money, drinks. Who will compensate me for my losses?”

“I’ll give you a lot of coins, estimate the amount of your damage?” — I got angry at the merchant’s stubbornness.

“No, no, and no. I’m not going anywhere. I’m killed, I’m very upset,” he continued to lament, and it became clear to me that there was no conversation with him now.

My feelings flared up like a hunted animal. Where to look for a guide now? I was torn inside no less than the merchant Hagar. If the townspeople could read, I would place an advertisement saying that I need a guide who knows the way to the blacksmith Maleus.

Neither the coachmen nor the caravan guards knew the road. How can I find a guide? How many more obstacles do I have to overcome on this endless journey?

One thing was clear — our roads diverged. The merchant and his subordinates moved at their own discretion, but my path still lay in the direction of the blacksmith’s residence. I may have to move in small steps, from one village to another. In each settlement, you will have to ask residents about other villages, and about the road leading to Maleus.

While I walk along these roads, many unexpected encounters and unknown adventures await me. I thought about what it would be like to be a lonely traveler in this world, where every village and every town keeps its secrets and mysteries.

Although, I’m not alone. I have a fluffy Tush and his girlfriends. Outside the city, Yurion and the cart are waiting for us.

"Hey, traveler!"

I stopped and turned around. The stranger called out to me from a cage in which there were people waiting for their buyer. Someone was interested in me not rushing to leave the fair, this place where human labor is sold.

The stranger raised his voice again:

“Do you really want to find the blacksmith Maleus and pay a guide to show you the way?”

“I don’t throw my words to the wind.”

I clearly saw the man talking to me. An ordinary resident of this small country. Maybe a city dweller, or maybe a peasant. His knowledge of the route to the village of the blacksmith Maleus meant that he had spent some time traveling. Or did this man of average height and heavy build simply want to leave the cage, deceiving me in the process?

He looked at me intently, as if trying to read my thoughts. The sun's rays made their way through the tree branches, playing with shadows on his face. There was a strange sparkle in his eyes - a mixture of determination and hidden threat.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"How can I trust you?" – I asked, not taking my eyes off him. In these places, trust was a luxury that no one could afford.

He chuckled, grinned at the corners of his lips, and slowly raised his hands, showing his empty palms through the bars of the cage.

“I don’t have a weapon. And if I did, I wouldn’t be sitting here. I have more important things to do than deceive random travelers.”

I peered into his face, trying to catch even the slightest sign of lies.

“And yet, what brought you to the blacksmith’s village? This is not a place where people just wander in.”

He lowered his eyes, as if remembering something painful, and said quietly:

"I need to find a person. He owes me an answer for his actions. He stole something very valuable from me."

My wariness eased a little. This man's story seemed plausible to me. But I still wasn't sure.

“Okay,” I finally said. - “I will ransom you but remember: you will guide me to Maleus. If you try to deceive or betray me, you will regret it.”

He nodded, accepting my terms. I turned to Servus, the dragon's servant, who was observing our conversation. Servus silently extended his hand, expecting payment.

I counted out the required number of coins and handed them to him. Servus nodded and opened the cage, releasing the prisoner to freedom.

We hit the road, each with our own thoughts and secrets. The road ahead was long and dangerous, but at that moment I felt that I had made the right choice. After all, sometimes you have to take risks to find the truth.

In the cage, there were still several men left. Counting the coins I had at my disposal, I asked the seller how much he would take for the remaining workers.

"Why do you need so many workers?" he asked suspiciously.

"That's none of your concern. Take your coins and open the cage," I replied curtly.

Tarnis, my future guide, stepped out of the cage. He straightened up, stretching and loosening his stiff muscles. The remaining captives followed him out, their eyes filled with hope and confusion.

"What should we do now, master? We are ready for any work," one of the captives asked, his voice trembling.

"You haven't been robbing people on the road, have you?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

"No, I'm no bandit. I'm a woodcutter. Look at my calluses!" he said, holding up his hands.

"And mine!" another chimed in.

"Then I am not your master. You are free. Return to your families and be happy," I said firmly.

There was no need to persuade them further. They scattered quickly, grateful for their unexpected freedom. Tarnis watched me with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. He couldn't understand the reason for my generosity, but I had no intention of explaining myself. My mind was occupied with something else.

A small, furry creature had disappeared from sight along with its companions, and the atmosphere around us had changed. People were watching us warily, and more servants of the dragon had appeared in the square. The number of market visitors had slightly increased, which shouldn't have concerned me too much, but my instincts told me that something was off.

Maintaining my calm, I turned to Tarnis:

"Tarnis, we have a long and dangerous journey ahead to Malleus. Are you sure you know the way?" I asked, watching his reaction closely.

Tarnis nodded, his expression serious.

"Yes, I know the way. It won't be easy, but I can lead you there."

As we walked, I noticed more subtle movements among the crowd. People and servants seemed to be maneuvering to surround us. I tightened my grip on my sword's hilt, my eyes scanning for potential threats.

"Look, Tarnis," I whispered. "We might have a problem."

He glanced around and frowned. "Yes, I see them. This doesn't look good."

Among the dragon's servants, I spotted a familiar unpleasant figure – the man from the village of Yellow Roofs. If he hadn't been whispering to the servants, there would be no reason to worry. He muttered something to the dragon's servants, and they cast suspicious glances in my direction, their expressions changing sharply. I couldn't understand what I had done to anger this merchant. I had paid him fairly. It was my right to decide what to do with my purchase – keep it or grant it freedom.

"What did you do?" I asked Tarnis.

"I spent two months in that cage. Before that, I was peacefully traveling," he replied.

His appearance confirmed his long imprisonment. Tarnis was heavily bearded, his hair matted and tangled, and he reeked of sweat and urine. Oblivious to his own stench, Tarnis continued:

"What could I have done? I think they're hunting you. Maybe you did something and just don't remember?"

He was right. I had forgotten what had happened in the forest recently. Five dragon servants were killed by my sword. Someone had witnessed the slaughter. Perhaps it was the unpleasant slave trader from Yellow Roofs.

If the trader of live goods had not whispered to the servants, I would have considered it paranoia. But his furtive conversations with the dragon's minions, followed by their suspicious glances, set my nerves on edge. They exchanged glances that spoke of hidden intentions, their faces becoming harder with every word spoken. The tension in the air was palpable, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong.

I glanced back at the man, whose eyes were now fixed on me with a malicious glint. He had seen me kill those servants, and now he was using his connections to exact revenge. My grip tightened on my sword hilt as I whispered to Tarnis;

"Stay close. We might have a fight on our hands."

Tarnis nodded, his face set in grim determination. The servants were closing in, led by the sinister merchant. We stood back to back, ready for whatever might come. The crowd around us buzzed with a mixture of curiosity and unease, the atmosphere thick with impending violence.

"Don't let them capture you, Tarnis," I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins.