53 Mercator (1/2)

Amadeus watched as his convoy moved through the clouds. Looking back, he saw the capital get further away causing him to lament,

'This is probably the second time I've ever left the capital…'

Leaning on his arm, he spectated the villages and cities that the procession passed with a smile. With his eyesight he could see the happy smiles on everyone's faces as they bowed to the dragon. Sitting back, Amadeus looked at Eriko in front of him,

”How long till we get there?”

”Not too long, your majesty”

Amadeus nodded, the last time he left was on horseback, so it took them a long time but this time the speed was quicker as they were flying.  Their destination was the merchant city of Mercator, a popular hub for trade. Located in the in between the Drakonis Empire, Humanus Kingdom and Daemon Kingdome, it was a territory that expressed neutrality. It was a core location where many tradesmen passed through to trade in different nations.

Also, there was an academy there, funded by all the nations. It housed elites from all over the place and from all backgrounds. But knowing the setting of such a place, Amadeus knew that there was some sort of dividing line within the school, separating the rich from the poor or the nobles from the commoners. But Amadeus didn't care, it wasn't like he was going to the academy anyway.

”Have the other nations arrived?”

”Yeah they have, we will be the last ones to arrive.”

Amadeus nodded as he laid back and closed his eyes.

- Mercator -

The day was normal like no other. Within the dark alleys hidden from the streets, a child was scrambling through. Stumbling on the wall now and then, his sporadic steps detailed his injuries and the slight light revealed the black and blue bruises littering his body. Still the determination never left the child's face as he persisted through the alleyway and into the streets. Faint voices were behind him, but they were quickly drowned out by the chattering and voices of the crowd.

”Oi!”

”Kyaa!”

”Hey!”

Various screams were left at the child's trail, but the child never stopped. The child ignored the cries and continued forward with a bread in hand. The maturity present in the child's eyes contained maturity that shouldn't have existed. Before the child knew it, he ended up in front of a rather worn-down shack. It was what he called home and his family was present here. Entering the place, a rather mouldy smell entered his nose, but he didn't pay any heed, he was long used to it. Each step caused the cracked floorboards to creak as he manoeuvred his way round the dilapidated furniture. Although the furniture was clearly worn down, they still ended up doing their jobs.

The shack itself wasn't large, it was rather small and only consisted of one room. Within the room was a bed, a table with two chairs and a kitchen. The toilet was round the back. On the bed was a rather beautiful woman with a warm smile. Just as she was about to speak, her eyes then travelled to the boy's hand and a frown quickly appeared. The boy stopped in his tracks as his mother talked in a rather stern voice,

”Where did you get the bread from?”

Seeing the bruises on her child, she could easily think what happened as the boy started stuttering,

”I-I-I-I…”

Putting her hand out, the boy flinched but she just bought him into a hug. She knew the dire straits of her family, after the passing of her husband, it seemed that misfortune after misfortune came piling upon one another. Still, despite her loss and her suicidal thoughts, she persevered all for the sake of her child.

The boy felt the sudden warmth and calmed down, no longer stuttering. The two stayed like that for a while when a sudden knock bought them out of their thoughts. The sudden sound shocked the two as they vigilantly looked at the door. They never had visitors and if they were, there was a higher chance it was someone with ill intentions. Looking carefully, the boy slowly left his mother's arms as he went towards the door. His mother hurriedly tried to stop him, but he reassured her and went to put his hand on the door handle. Just as he was reaching it, the door was once more knocked on, scaring the boy to take a couple steps back.

A worried expression masked the bedridden mother as she looked at her son open the door. The hidden fear of something untoward happening to her son, encroached her heart as she tightly grasped the tattered blanket that covered her. She hated her weak self and she hated all the reasons that caused the two to end up in this situation.

She had hopes to make her way towards the Empire, but she knew that the journey itself was filled with danger and she may not last with only the two. With what little money they had, they probably couldn't even get a carriage there. These thoughts were slowly put to them back of her head as she carefully hypothesised who would be on the other side.

'Thugs?...'

Yet, all she could think of were bad conclusions. This wasn't uncommon, with the dire straits they were in, one could only think of the bad endings that could or will occur. The boy then slowly opened the door and peeked out. Looking out, he could only see darkness as a large shadow fell over him. His gaze naturally moved to what blocked the sun from him as his eyes travelled up. What appeared a black figure, he couldn't see properly due to the sun behind the said figure as his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness.

Narrowing his eyes, red armour entered his vision while a pair of apathetic eyes stared right back. The pressure the being bought with just the glance weighed on his very being. Almost instantly, he subconsciously started trembling as he felt weak beneath his legs. It wasn't that the figure exerted his strength over him, it was just pure instinctual fear.

”See you're scaring the poor child.”