Caden tied the horse to the pillar and entered the guardhouse.
"Lost children are being solved on the second floor," the guard murmured when he was reading something behind the counter.
"I'm not lost, I'm here to join the city guard," Caden said proudly, so it sounded like he really wants to.
The guard looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"
"Of course, sir. A captain in a dark silver armour sent me here."
The guard paused for a moment. "Well... good, it's the second door to the right."
Caden did not hesitate and walked in.
An elderly bearded man in a grey uniform was sitting in the room behind the desk. "Another one, who is not shy to run into the room without knocking. Should I understand it as a sign of misbehaviour, or are you so eager to do the job?" he asked Caden.
Caden slapped his forehead and replied. "I'm looking forward to it, sir."
"Hmm, sit down."
Caden sat on an uncomfortable wooden chair.
The man began with an interview.
"Your name?"
"Caden Snead."
"Age?"
"16 years."
"Hmm, relatively young for service, Mr Snead, aren't you?" the man asked.
"I have no other option."
"So another lost soul," the man murmured and continued. "Do you own a sword?"
"Yes, sir."
"And the horse?"
"Also yes, sir."
"Interesting, we don't see that often, do you have a family in town?"
"No, sir."
The man frowned, his first guess that Caden was a wealthy son of some townspeople who had gone out of control and was sent here as punishment probably failed.
"And where do you have a family, Mr Snead?"
"My mother died when she gave me life, and my father was murdered by raiders in my village, sir."
"Oh... I'm sorry about that, I have to comply with the regulations."
"Do you have any siblings?"
Caden paused for a moment.
"Mr Snead, do you have any siblings?"
"No," Caden pulled together.
"Last question. Do you know what your work involves?"
Caden was stunned.
The man sighed as he saw his expression. "You don't know, do you?"
"Not entirely, sir."
“As a member of the city guard, you will keep an eye on the peace and order of the city's streets and surroundings. You will be the embodiment of the law. Your duty will be to protect the innocent inhabitants of the city from any danger, even if the city would be attacked. Are you ready to do this work?"
Caden was disturbed by the last sentence but answered the question. "Yes."
"Well, congratulations, sign it here."
Caden scribbled on the paper with a pen.
“From now on you are a member of our great family. City Guards. Please sit down for a moment in the hallway, a partner will be assigned to you shortly.” The man shook Caden's hand, and Caden stepped into the hall and sat down on a chair in a corner.
About fifteen minutes later, a fully-armed man with a helmet and a black scarf over his mouth came to almost sleeping Caden.
"Are you Caden?"
Caden shuddered. "Uh... yes, sir."
“I'm Merill, your partner. Move yourself, you still have to take uniform and armour in the armoury. I see you have your own sword," the man said while he was quite surprised.
Caden went with him to the armoury at the end of the corridor to the left and chose the least dusty things. Then they both went out.
"Hey, Merilla! Do you have a boyfriend already?" a bunch of boys laughed across the street, an expression of utter disgust was seen on Merill's face.
"Merill won't come to me like a woman's name," Caden assured him.
“You better shut up. Is that your horse?"
"Em... yes."
"Great, so get on it, if you know how and follow me," Merill said with annoyed voice and mounted his horse. Caden followed him.
After a short drive, Caden managed to get alongside Merill.
"Listen, why didn't you react? I'd expect you to beat them on a pile," Caden said.
“You still have a lot to learn about, boy. These were the local spoiled brats, the rich townsfolk. If I put a hand on them, they would expel me from the city."
"Oh, they're idiots anyway," Caden added.
"Yeah, do you know it here?"
"Uh... I've never been here, to be honest," Caden said shyly.
"What? And how did you get here, by all the Saints?" Merill frightened.
"I came here with two Wardens."
"Ah, at least you're not a mage."
"And how do you know that?" Caden didn't understand.
"If you were a mage and met the Wardens, you'd be dead by now," Merill replied.
"Ah... well, where are we going?"
"Old Herb is fooling around again, we have to get to his farm just outside the city. He saw some scary glowing eyes in the forest again," Merill said with an emphasis on the word scary.
"Why are we going there if you don't believe it?"
"Because otherwise he would have run on the square and started yelling again that we are not interested in local farmers," Merill laughed and they headed out of the city.
"Look, I'm sorry I was uncomfortable, you look like a fine guy. Where did you come from?" Merill apologized.
"Forestville."
"Ah, the northernmost village of the Green Grove, it is a short walk to the Ashnaton Forest from there. I always wanted to visit it there,” Merill smiled.
"It's too late for that. The village was burned down by barbarians," Caden replied.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Last time I was there, everything was burning, and some bastard in cloak pierced my father with his sword, so yes," Caden replied with anger.
"Ah... I'm so sorry."
"Well... do you have anything to do with the elves?" Caden asked.
"So you recognized it? Oh, yes, my mother was an elf," Merill replied.
"Then you must be good with the bow," Caden added.
"Hmm... We're here! That's the farm," Merill proclaimed, jumped off his horse and tied him to the fence, Caden repeated his steps.
"Finally! They almost got me!" An old skinny man ran out of the hut.
“Calm down, Mr Beag. What's going on?" Merill asked.
"They're in the forest! They're watching me every day. You have to do something with them!" the man urged.
"Ahh, who Mr Beag? Who is watching you?" Merill questioned him.
"Those eyes in the woods! They are mainly seen at night. Certainly, they are sorcerers! They're hiding somewhere in there... you have to... you must..." the man breathed heavily.
"Go back to the house, sir, we'll solve it with the recruit here," Merill assured him.
"Ahh, come on." Merill led Caden into the forest.
"Spirits of the forest go away and stop harassing the old fool!" Merill laughed in the forest.
"Are you really sure there's nothing here?" Caden asked him with concern.
"There's nothing here, Caden. Can you see anything?"
"There was something in there!" Caden called.
"Stop being hysterical, come on back, they'll call us here again tomorrow."
They both came out of the forest.
The old man ran out of his hut. "Did you get them?" he asked enthusiastically.
"There is nothing in the forest, Mr Beag. You should read less about that dark magic stuff," Merill said.
“But they are there! You must come at night, then you will see them!" the old man demanded.
Merill put a hand on his shoulder. "Mr Beag, we have a lot of work at night. But as soon as we have a looser evening, we'll come here, okay?"
"You promise?"
"I promise," Merill retorted and went with Caden back to the horses.
"I really saw a shadow there," Caden said nervously.
"Man, this is not the Ashnaton Forest, nothing ever happened here. Do you think the mages would be hiding under the Warden's noses? Calm down, and come back to the city," Merill assured him.
They drove back to town.
"Listen, Merill, could I stop by somewhere?" Caden asked.
"You said you don't know it here."
"That's right, but I have an acquaintance here."
"Ahaa... we have to report now, we can't leave the newcomers alone, there would be trouble, but then we can get an errand there. Where is it?" Merill laughed.
"At the local baker."
"So it won't be a problem, Caden. Come with me."
They both reported to the guardhouse and went to the baker.
Caden stepped in and Merill waited outside.
"Hello... You, are You a…?" Caden stopped as he saw the baker.
"Stormer? Do you have a problem with that, human?"
"Emm... No, of course not, I wanted to say baker, are you a baker, aren't you?"
"And what else would I be?" Stormer shook his head.
"I came to see Amelia."
"Aah, you are Caden, come on in. She's a hard worker. Just don't touch anything!" Stormer led Caden behind the counter.
"Cade!" Amelia hugged him, while she was covered with the flour.
"So how's it going?" Caden asked.
"Mr Stormer is very nice and I enjoy working here," Amelia replied.
„His name is Stormer?"
„Indeed, Caden," Amelia laughed.
"What about you? Are you at the city guard?"
"Yes, my partner is good too, but I'll have to go, I just wanted to check you up. I don't want to get lost. I will stop for you and find some accommodation for us,” Caden smiled at her and went outside to see Merill.
"So what now?" Caden asked him.
"Let's walk to the church or the sanctuary, it's up to you if you believe or not."
"You don't believe in the Saints?" Caden paused.
"And must I? You know I'm half-elf, I believe in the power of nature," Merill said uneasily.
"Sorry, I was just surprised," Caden's head hung down.
"It's okay, come on," Merill and Caden went near the church.
There was a quarrel between the monks and the Stormers in front of the church.
"What's going on here?" Merill approached them.
"These infidels wanted to desecrate the Temple of the Saints!" one of the monks called.
"Will you tell us something about it?" Merill turned to the Stormers.
"We just wanted to place a statue of Stonebreaker, our god, in the temple," one of them replied.
"That's an insult! Desecrating the temple of the Saints!" the monk shouted.
"Calm down. Did any of them threaten you with this act?" Merill asked the monks quietly.
"No..."
Merill stopped the monk. "Did any of them threaten you?"
"No, officer, listen..."
"Good. Gentlemen, I am sorry, but this temple is the property of the Church of the Saints. If you want to deposit your statue here, the monks present would have to agree with it. You'll have to make your own prayer room somewhere," Merill informed them.
“Finally, someone is talking with us as equals, thank you, officer. So we'll have to find another place," the Stormers bowed and left.
“Do you see, gentlemen? Everything can be solved politely," Merill bowed to the monks and walked with Caden away.
"Just wait, half-elf! A righteous man would have locked them up for their boldness!" the monks shouted at them.
"I see that more people are familiar with your origin," Caden said.
“These fanatics have eyes everywhere. They all forgot, that we are here to prevent conflicts, not to feed them,” Merill instructed him.
The rest of the day went smoothly.
"So, it's getting dark. Here we can pack it, you can stay in a pub next to the guardhouse. I have a friend there,” Merill announced.
"Wait, don't we go to the farm?" Caden replied.
"Please, he made it all up, you have to have enough of it today, but if it pleases you, I'll report and stop by there."
"All right, should I return these things?" Caden paused.
"Nah, if you come back with them tomorrow, no one will care," Merill waved.
"Thanks for everything, and be well," Caden waved at him and headed for the bakery.
"You too, Caden," Merill smiled.
Caden stopped for Amelia and led her to the pub. They entered the great hall full of tables, the pub was bursting at the seams.
"What will the couple want?" the elven woman asked nicely.
"Well... I'm Merill's friend, and we need the accommodation."
"Ahh, so Merill has a partner, finally. Come on, I'll take you to the room," the elf led them.
"Shouldn't we pay first?" Amelia said.
"Wanting money in advance from friends would be an impertinence. Here we are, enjoy the night," she opened the room door for them.
"Thank you," Amelia smiled and walked inside with Caden.
There was one double bed in the room.
"Emm... if you want to ask another room..." Caden said.
"That's okay, Cade. I want to rest finally," Amelia laughed and sprawled on the whole bed, probably not quite understanding what Caden was going to say and fell asleep.
Caden had no choice but to sit in the chair, put his feet on the bedside table and try to fall asleep in a somewhat cramped position.
ns 15.158.61.54da2
