As the days went by, off practicing with the spear he didn’t have his cast any more. His arm felt weak from two weeks of no use as well practicing levitating with little head way. The weather turned colder with little snow.
they rode side by side on the dirt road “so is Cromerth big?”
“only one of the biggest cities of the kingdom” William said
“I’ve never been to a city before”
“don’t get your hopes up”
“oh ok”
“How long are we staying?”
“a day”
“doesn't seem long”
“don’t forget why we're doing this to begin with we aren't doing this to sightsee” William scolded
“I know but it’s not going anywhere” no need to reference what it is since some wagons were nearby
They weren't close but can’t take chances.
“So we need to get it before someone stumbles upon it. So we don’t have a all powerful tyrant to enslaves all of us all because you wanted to sight see”
“or it could be a nice guy or you're overreacting just saying” Aaron put in. the city was in the distance on a large hill where as everything around was flat
“I didn’t see many friends of yours” William said surprised at the question
“I just don't get along with many people except Jessica and mother which even her I don’t get along with very well until recently”
“Oh I'm sorry it must have been hard feeling alone” William looked sympathetic
“it wasn't too bad” reassuring him
“we should get in some training before entering Cromerth“
“fine” how much is there to learn about poking monsters?. They stopped on the side of the road then dismounted Aaron got the practice spears basically glorified sticks William took stance as did him. launching he dodged it effortlessly then hit Aaron in the ribs
“your faster younger stronger than me in my prime but you need discipline instead of lounging head first try plaining your moves out” William said, rubbing his hurt ribs you would think he wouldn't hit me so hard “again” this time Aaron tried thrusting at him making sure I have the right footing. they thrusted at each other until William pushed mine aside and hit him in the chest. The searing pain shot up where he hit him. that’s going to bruise. they practiced until William told him to stop all sweaty and breathless. How could I only win two of the twelve sessions? they got back and headed for Cromerth as the city came into view. Aaron gasped.
The city was huge with thick stone walls and towers. Some farmers had forest elephants pulling firewood. How do farmers feed those huge beasts? Farmer houses were in clusters that seemed like small villages. At least I’ll be warm finally As they approached the huge gates big enough that two forest elephants could fit though it side by side. stone houses with clay tile roofs in all sorts of sizes from small two roomed to huge with seems like up to eight or more rooms. I wonder what it's like to live with so much space. The guards wore their mail and stood straight holding spears as they approached.
“Welcome William, good to see you again in our city” one of the guards said
“it’s good to be back” William is known here? But that train of thought left him at the sight of so many people crowding the streets, merchants calling about their goods in their houses, carts pulled by moas but what caught my eye was a priest on a soapbox preaching. a tall man with white hair and a big nose
“We must keep worshiping the gods, our lack of worship is weakening them!” he called “if we continue to worship, we will bring them to us and magic will be restored!” people began nodding their heads in approval
“Come” William said “let's find a place to warm ourselves we leave in the morning”
“I want to listen”
“why would you listen to that nonsense?” William scoffed he reluctantly followed Him. people made way to our moas passing by what seems like forever William leading them past street after street until they stopped at an inn, the sleeping behemoth with a picture of a behemoth sleeping on a bed wearing a night hat. It got a chuckle out of Aaron. William checked in his moas at their stable then headed inside there to a table and over it a desk where a middle aged woman with her hair in a bun. “Excuse me one room for the night” William said as she looked up from her desk.
“ah yes the big room or just a regular room”
“just the regular room” she dipped her pen in ink and registered us in.
“Alright you can explore but don’t get lost and don’t make a scene” handing him a pouch with quite a few coppers in it
“great” outside to stretch his legs and do what he wanted.
Aaron just wondered for a bit about taking it all in. The busy streets there seemed to be markets everywhere, people were either buying or selling they had all sorts of clothing from rich silk to brown wool from serfs to merchants to even knights. He found himself back towards the gates to listen to the priest to hear what he might say. What if he's right William called it nonsense but he doesn't know everything. Where did he go? Searching but finding nothing it’s impossible to find someone in this crowd or maybe I’ll just buy a meat pie. Wandering aimlessly there wasn't much to do making friends is a no. Everyone doesn't seem to know each other very well in cities from the way they looked at each other to the amount of hellos or lack of recognition in their eyes. but then again who I’m I to judge I don’t have many friends I just didn’t get along with the other boys my age. Always thinking because I’m a godling and the only one with magic that I was better than everyone else I’m much more humble now at least but the damage is done. I've spent the last two years alone with only mother and Jessica to keep me company.
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Soon he found himself lost in the huge streets. All the houses look the same. Great. after buying a meat pie from a vender with the money William left him it beat road food I’ll just get back to the inn I bumped into someone
“Watch where you're going” a Rich merchant snapped brushing her cloak
“Sorry,” Aaron said, clutching his meat pie before running off pushing his way through the crowd. He was looking at the stone, kept larger than he’s ever seen. Sitting down by the street in awe My thighs are killing me. Spending all day in a saddle is starting to get to me. I thought it would be more exciting. But I can’t do much but sight see he sat there eating wolfing down his lunch as fast as possible wiping the grease from his chin.
He got up to head back to the inn when something caught my eye, a juggler juggling nine balls he stopped to watched him perform a teenager girl bumped into him “sorry” she said
“It’s alright” after he was done people around me started to clap and starting to throwing coppers and he started to pick them up I can spare one or two but as he reached for his little pouch and found it was gone looking around to see who stole my coin the teenage girl was the last person to touch me. It would be impossible to find her; it was a dozen coppers. I'll have to explain to William about it. I need to be more careful.
He started back to the inn a white building four stories tall but the sign read Burt’s inn. It must be a different inn, but everything seemed the same. in the side roads houses and shops but not another inn he need another rest stopping to sit in an alleyway I know I’ll just find a the gate and remember how to get to it from there but where is the north gate the sun just go where the sun’s setting and rising is and find north he started walking north touring right towards north he immediately almost got run over by a cart
“Sorry!” The driver called everyone in such a rush. to do everything instead of taking things slow like mother. He continued to go towards the north gate after finding it. The sun was beginning to set and was out of breath. the city is so stuffy now to get back to the sleeping behemoth did we take the main street then a side street or only side streets? “Excuse me, do you know the sleeping behemoth?” Aaron asked a man in red breeches and a good red coat with red hair.
“No, I'm busy,” he said before hurrying off.
Fine I’ll find it myself he looked a little familiar. taking a side street where there were almost no one were nearby. Street after street after street with no luck the night wind left him shivering and he couldn't buy dinner because his money was stolen. If I ever meet that thief it will be too soon. wandering aimlessly with his arms tucked to his chest to keep warmth until he gave up and found an empty crate and laid there curled up in a ball in a dirty alleyway alone at least the crate keeps out the wind. so it’s not too cold.
Tears of frustration started running down his face. How could I get lost so easily? why me was the last thought before he fell asleep it was an uneasy sleep with nightmares and waking up in the middle of the night before falling back to sleep Aaron woke up tired, cold, full of cramps and alone the morning sun was well over the horizon great well better find William or I won’t get breakfast crawling out with a grown stretching to help with the cramps. After that painful ordeal he went out of the alleyway
people were filling the streets either to set up shop or getting crafting but no William anywhere. wait. there a lone rider with gray hair just went around the corner running to catch up rounding the same corner oh it’s not him
“where were you?” William said turning around to look up at Him
“I got lost”
“I know that I had my own bed last night get on we're leaving right now” Aaron got on Daisy frustrated I’m the one who had to sleep in a crate but I’m not telling William that
“I was worried sick over you”
“my coppers got stolen by a girl”
“So you chased her all around the city for some coppers. Ba!” William replied clearly annoyed
“no I didn't, I could not find her so I tried to get back to the inn but I couldn't find it” William didn’t react in any way his face went blank and he fell silent. till they were out of the city “can we stop for breakfast”
“Sure” dismounting on the side of the road he ate alone since William already ate “where did you get your celestial iron spear?” William looked at me stunned for a moment before regaining his composure.
”I got it from a high priest” he wouldn't say anything after that. Then after eating he mounted Daisy and we continued our journey at a trot
“I couldn't find the priest again”
“good” William said with relief in his voice
“why?”
“because he was a fool the gods don’t need us to worship them lest they lose their godhood”
“then why do we do it”
“it’s for us more than it’s for them we need it to better ourselves”
“I suppose” passing by more farms the land was just flat with almost no hills. Reaching for his map it’s so detailed the wilderness is coming up so there will be fewer settlements for a while. he heard something approaching looking around me until men on moas riding hard with spears upright as they got closer they didn’t slow down a bit and we had to go off road to avoid getting trampled “thanks!” Aaron called
“shut it” William scolded
“why they were out of line”
“it doesn't matter” he clamp his jaw shut “I’m a godling and your a knight we shouldn't let serfs walk all over us”
“don’t make this a big deal” William said sounding disappointed as if he has anything to be disappointment about pushing the matter aside
“riding makes my legs burn”
“mine too and your a young person it’s worse for me” He laughed
“I need a break, my legs are killing me”
“In an hour or two we have to cover as much as possible just think about something else” think about something else. Aaron huffed about what? There's nothing around us but farms, rocks, a tree or two all around.