Allan was in an excellent mood after getting his reward for his work. He decided to make some minor celebration and get to eat out this time. Eating out was a rare occurrence for him, as his father rarely had money to spare.
Not to say that his father was greedy. He invested most of his income towards getting new materials via trade routes and mines in surrounding cities and villages. Since Allan’s good behavior and hard work, he was quite pleased with how the shop was going and decided 2 years ago to give Allan a fixed salary for helping out. On top of the salary, he was getting a major cut off his sales of knives, repairs, and last year he finally gets his father's permission to make and sell swords and smaller blades.
His work paid off, and he had some savings, but not enough for some big purchases. It was enough for practicing his blacksmithing and the occasional visit to the library which was located a few streets away.
“What a good day today.” Allan said as he walked after closing the shop. He stored his book away and got some coins for his rare days off. “It is the 40th day of spring. That is about expected.”
City named after the kingdom's second ruler, the city of Waan located about 20 kilometers south of the shores of the Windy Sea. It is one of many major trading cities in the kingdom of Grusha and has roads that connected many cities. Nor big nor small. With a few dozen thousand permanent citizens.
Warm environment almost all year round. Apart from winter days, it is a very popular city.
Pub on a side of side streets named Lonely Tiger, Allan walked through the wooden door. It was one of the better pubs in this part of the city. With a big bar, seating area at the front, and surprisingly good-looking restaurant area in the back.
One of his better contractors, who he found and sell some knives and repairs for the kitchen were employed here. It is lunchtime for many customers and families. Few made weird looks as he walked towards the bar. For a kid to come here alone. It was not too shabby of a place, but there were better places in the central district.
“Good day to you, mister Thomas.” Allan greeted the bartender as he jumped at the high-seated chair. He sat there alone since it was not nighttime when was the best time to sell some alcohol.
“What are you doing here, brat? Job? I do not sell alcohol to kids.” Thomas, who was wiping glasses clean behind the bar, asked. He was an older gentleman with a neat black shirt, a long beard, and a slightly winked face. It was clear that he knew Allen for some time.
“I have some time off and decided to take some lunch here. Is buffet fine to reserve?”
“Main chef is here so he will probably not allow it. It is not the 7th day yet for the buffet to be opened.” Thomas explained.
“Is Berg here?” Allan unhappily asked. He wanted to make his time worth the effort.
“Yes. You can wait for about 30 minutes and the main chef will leave.” Thomas answered as if he knew Allan’s intention.
“I should have brought some book. No. That is unnecessary. I will make some deals with employees. Maybe get some contract.” Allan thought to himself.
Allan knocked at the side of the kitchen, where was the door for employees. Doors opened and a man around 18 years in a white apron emerged. Surprised to see the kid before him.
“Allan? What are you doing here? The head chef is here, so wait a bit.”
“I know, Thomas told me. Can you ask around for some deals for me? I came mainly for the buffet.” Allan tossed Berg 2 ten silver coins.
Behind Berg, a man with a white bandanna on his forehead saw what was happening, but not everything so clearly.
“Hey! Berg, who is it?”
“Oh, head chef. Shit. It is just a friend of mine. For some business.” He looked at him in fright. Known within this kitchen as Hell chef. No one wanted to piss him off.
“Get back to work. It will wait later.” He looked at Allan. “¨Get lost brat.” He did not see the coins that Allan gave Berg.
“Alright. Alright. No need to get angry.” Allan slowly backed off.
Sometime later, as the head chef was gone. Berg took him behind the main kitchen where were plates and a grill with some charcoal. Plates of thinly cut pieces of fat marbled meat, a chunk of pig leg, bread, toast, and some seafood on the side.
“Have a seat,” Borg instructed as he took a seat by the window facing Allan, cutting pork and
prepping some fish.
“Ohhhhhhh! That's more than I thought.”
“It is what you paid for.” Berg added.
Allan slowly roasted pieces of meat on a grill. Feast like this was truly blissful for him. It was much better than his homemade lunches. Even if he and his father went hunting a few times a season. It was not every day that he had meat of such quality.
In about an hour, plates were wiped clean. Allen patted his stomach in satisfaction.
“That was absolute bliss. Thank you for doing this Borg.” He knew that this was just a facade. The head chef would not allow for the opening of a buffet salon. It was open only every 7th day for higher society and people who had multiple gold worth of pockets. But as long as the food is paid for, Berg did not mind it. For one person 20 silvers, a meal was a lot for this kind of meal.
“It is fine. You come here at least twice a season.” Borg said as he was cleaning the salon. After finishing, he pointed at the other table. A few knives and a note were left there. “Here is what you wanted. Knife sharpening, little loose handle and order for a gift to one of my friend’s wife.”
“Good. That's gonna be at least 10 silver.” Allan believed that it could be even more.
“Alright then. Have a good rest of a day Berg”
He left the kitchen and walked toward the bar. There were quite a few more people. Lunches are down already, but quite a few customers are sticking around for some chat with their friends and families.
He jumped at the high seated chair.
“Satisfied?” Thomas asked as he was preparing some drinks for customers.
“Of course. Premium service in this restaurant is the best. Can I get some cherry mix with water?”
“12 copper.” Thomas said after finishing drinks. He took a jar with some red thick base and mixed a few spoonfuls into a glass and added water.
Allan put coins on the table. Filled with satisfaction. He listened to the pub's atmosphere. At the front of the pub, there was a rough-looking group of men seated around the table. Adventurers or sailors of a rough sea.
“This dogshit-ass situation is totally over the top. Do they think we can not stand against them?” Asked one of the men.
“Information may be wrong. We are in unknown territory. North nation is getting unsteady with conflicts.” An old man in a hat with a sharp-looking face nonchalantly answered.
North nation was known by its harsh environment. It is home to many tribes and people lived there since forever. It isn’t led by a single family hierarchy like Grusha. The strongest tribe is in charge of the weaker ones. That is a single truth.
“What is it about?” Asked Allan while looking at Thomas with curiosity. That group was quite loud and couldn’t help but notice it.
Thomas sighed. “Some rumors of invasion from the north. Baseless information from northern villages. Up there is always conflict.”
“Really? Father never mentioned that.”
“Clayton and his shop are what matters to him. Do not worry too much about it.”
Allan looked at this group of men who sat in the corner. Not entirely sure about their logic. “I know. Is there something more interesting?”
“Oh right, something of your interest happened last year in winter? You like sea stories, right?” Thomas sat beside Allan and grabbed a piece of small paper. It was a sketch of a map. Depicting the surrounding nations and kingdoms of Grusha.
Thomas pointed towards the south of Grusha. Down were writings with big letters. Kingdom of Dormant Sea with a royal symbol of the hammock which hugged the ship anchor.
“It is believed that down there in the south is a calm sea. One that you can swim at. Unlike our shores of Windy Sea. In its vast history. A lot of brave ships sailed onwards, into the sea. In search of islands or perhaps a new continent. But most made it around 1000 kilometers in before coming back. Sea changed their opinion. It is like a beast in disguise.”
Allan knew some of this already. He got premium geographical books from the local library. It gave great details about the past tens of thousands of years of history. Names and situations of some nations and changes of kingdoms. He also knew that the Kingdom of the Dormant Sea is the oldest unchanged kingdom. That was impressive.
It only depicted a single continent, but there were some hints. Thousands of years in the past, someone discovered something about the second one. Unfortunately, pieces of information were lost in time or made confidential by leaders and important fugues of nations. Hint said that you need to travel to the vast sea in order to reach it.
“Someone leaked that in the last winter, a fleet of 4 reinforced grand ships left their shores. In charge was someone from the primary royal family of Dormant. They had some form of communication with people on land. Fleet made it past 5000-kilometer mark by their calculations and lost contact with it ever since.”
Allan silently listened. Thomas was really good at telling stories like this. He had sharp ears. He was the owner of a bar after all.
After gulping down the rest of his drink. Allan thanked Thomas for a good time.
“It sounds really exciting. Although, it is about their sad demise and death.”
“That is true. The world is not a warm place. You should be glad for your father. I know lots of struggling people in villages and poor souls in poverty in cities. Trying to overcome their struggles.”
“Stop with these philosophies, mister Thomas. I know about it.” He said to Thomas.
“Right. You came here about 9 years ago. I wonder where you were with your father before.” Thomas commented.
“I don’t remember. I was too little.
“You are clever, Allan. You should have persecuted your father about joining some school or institution. It’s not that what you are doing is wrong. I personally don’t believe the need for weaponry will ever disappear,” Thomas slowly lamented to Allen.
“I like blacksmithing and forging. What is to say that it's a dumb profession? I will make it clever one day.” Allan said back with great conviction and belief.
Suddenly.
The door shot open as a figure clotted in fine fabric staggered into the pub. With a bottle in hand.
It was a young fella, around 20 years old.
“Oh, no… Not again.” Thomas got up from the chair. Walking against the man. “I think you had enough, mister Timber” He grabbed his shoulders.
Man struggled. “Get your hands off me right now! I am totally fine” He shoved away Thomas. “What bartender is kicking out potential customer? Huh?” Shouted Timber and then noticed Allan.
“Look! You even serve little kids. Ohhh! Isn’t it a little Allan? Why a family-less bastard like you is sitting here?”
He slowly approached Allan. Almost falling over the chair. “What will you say? You little piece of shit.”
“Good day mister Timber.” Answered Allen with a smile.
“I heard my father made some big contract with your father. Isn’t it nice? Why are you sitting there like this?” Timber asked.
“Hey! Thomas! Get me some fucking bottle. This one is nearly empty. Why are you not answering, you little shit? Where is your manner?”
“You reek of alcohol.” Complained Allan.
“What?” Timber asked as he angrily swung his bottle at Allan. He stumbled as he hit empty air. Allan crouched down as he punched him in the guts.
“You piece of…” Timber collapsed to the ground. He was done for.
“Family-less my ass Tim Timbers. I may have to surname, but I can kick you in the butt.”
Allan vulgarly added towards Tim.
It described people without surnames as people or families with no history. People who wanted to hide their past, refugees, and poor people with no worth. They were people who were looked down to by upper-class citizens.
“Let me take care of him, Allan.” Thomas said. He didn’t want Allan to further worsen the situation.
“Person shall have his pride too. Even if I am young.” Allan glanced at some people who were close to apprehending him for assault and, rather, left.
