cross the blue sky, gray clouds could be seen in the north, indicating an approaching storm. This news brought dismay to everyone, especially the vendors who had set up their booths to sell their wares. The rain had only stopped that morning and had already caused significant damage. Puddles had formed, and every time someone ran or children jumped in them, water splashed everywhere. The horses only added to the mess. The prospect of more rain made the situation even worse, as it will create even more waterlogged conditions. Everyone, except for the guards and a few working men, would seek shelter in their homes. This left the vendors in a difficult position, wondering how they were supposed to make a living if no one ventured out to buy from them. Occasionally, a passing wagon or two might come by, but the likelihood of a purchase was doubtful.
To add to their frustration, just half an hour before, the guards had attempted to arrest a vendor for theft. The poor man swiftly fled, causing chaos in his wake. He knocked over people's booths, trampled over fruits, and even knocked some people down in the process. Some of the individuals who had previously been cheated by him found amusement in the situation. The ones responsible for reporting him happened to be the king's son and the grandson of a general. They may have appeared like ordinary peasants, but they had guards standing nearby who knew about the vendor's dishonest practices. It was their decision to put an end to his cheating ways. The two young men laughed throughout the whole ordeal, even when the general's grandson was knocked over. But he was never caught, which brought disapproval from all, save the angry vendors. Now, many of the vendors were closing up until the rain would stop.
"Hey," a voice called out, "I need you to sell me some fruit." It was a person passing through.
"Nope," replied the vendor. "I am not selling anything to anyone. Big or small, king or queen. I am done."
"Really, what happened here? This is the worst place I have been," replied the passerby. "There are even abandoned booths."
"Yeah, well, blame it on the rain," the vendor grumbled. "It started pouring this morning and hasn't let up since. Everything's a mess, and nobody wants to come out and buy anything."
The passerby looked around at the deserted and disheveled market, nodding sympathetically. "I can understand why. It looks like a disaster zone."
"It is," the vendor agreed. "And to top it all off, we had a thief causing havoc just before you got here. He knocked down our booths, ruined our goods, and got away scot-free."
"That's terrible," the passerby said, a mix of concern and curiosity evident in their voice. "Do you know who he was?"
"Oh, we know exactly who he is," the vendor replied bitterly. "But he's slippery, that one. Always manages to elude capture. It's like he has some sort of ally with connections."
The passerby raised an eyebrow. "Connections? You think someone is helping him?"
"I wouldn't be surprised," the vendor replied. "There are rumors that he's been scamming people for years, but nothing ever happens to him. Some people say, 'Oh, you know I don't care.' But he is just too good for others to notice."
"That's infuriating," the passerby said, anger tinting their tone. "Someone needs to put an end to his deceitful ways."
"Like anyone can, you know this is the first time someone has actually reported him."
"Oh, well, my friend, I must be going, but keep trying to sell, don't give up. Everyone has troubles."
The vendor smiled. "See y'all someday soon, I hope."
Meeting the Dumb One - Chapter 2
The passerby's name was Winder. He went to the inn to stay the night. He had troubles of his own and he was not going to travel in the rain. So he decided to get some food and stay a couple of days in town. When Winder entered the inn, he saw that there was a fight going on. But he did not care.
He made his way to the bar and sat down, ordering a hot meal and a pint of ale. The innkeeper, a burly man with a red face and a thick beard, looked at Winder with curiosity.
"What brings you here, stranger?" the innkeeper asked, wiping a mug clean with a towel.
"Just passing through," Winder replied, taking a sip of his ale. "Thought I'd seek shelter from the rain and grab a meal."
The innkeeper nodded, understanding. "A wise decision. This rain has been relentless. So, where do you hail from?"
Winder gave the innkeeper a blank stare. "Is it common that you must know where your customers hail from?" he asked.
The innkeeper chuckled, shaking his head. "No, it's not a requirement. But it's always interesting to know where people are coming from, especially travelers like yourself. Makes for good conversation, you know? But if you wish to keep it secret, then it matters not."
Winder just stared blankly at the innkeeper, but he said nothing.
“Fine, if you don't want to share, I don't care," the innkeeper said as he went to help another customer.
Winder kept to himself, but then something caught his attention as the door opened. The fighting had stopped and someone came in; the only reason this caught his attention was because the wet figure wearing a long black thin coat, or robe, with a hood on their head looked mighty young to be traveling alone. Winder watched as the person went and sat down in the corner, opposite to where the fight was taking place. Winder's attention was drawn to them again as someone shouted, "Hey there little boy, lost your mommy?"
Winder looked behind him to see the two fellows who were fighting earlier talking to the young person who had just come in. Winder watched when the person did not answer. Someone else in the other corner said, "Hey boys, why don't you teach him a lesson? It's rude not to speak when spoken to."
"Yeah," one of them shouted. The other put up his hand and said, "Wait a minute, do I know you?"
The boy looked up. "Nope," he replied.
"Yes, I do," both of the troublemakers said. As one of them grabbed the boy's arm and pulled him to the floor.
Ow, the boy cried he got the floor, he instantly tried to stand up but On of the boys kicked him. Then one of the grabbed him and pushed him in to the corner with the drunken crowd. "You idiots" he cried again. One of the boys began to punch him continually. The loudest thing in the room was heard was the boys screams.
Winder watched in horror as the young person was bullied by the troublemakers. He couldn't stand by and do nothing. He quickly got up from his seat, leaving his half-finished meal behind, and made his way towards the commotion.
" Leave him be" winder shouted at the sound of Winder's voice. The inn fell silent as the patrons turned to look at him. Even the troublemakers released their grip on the young person and stepped back, their expressions a mix of surprise and anger.
"What's it to you?" one of them sneered, attempting to regain their composure.
"He clearly doesn't want any trouble," Winder replied firmly, looking directly at the troublemakers. "Now step away."
The innkeeper, who had been observing the situation, approached the group with a stern expression. "You heard the man. Step away and leave the lad alone."
Reluctantly, the troublemakers backed off, their faces still flushed with anger. They exchanged glances before finally heading back to their own corner of the inn.
The boy stood up and tried to run out of the inn only to ram it to 5 knight entering. The lad fell to the floor with a bang. "Oops" said one of the knights as his friend bent down and help the boy up. "Are ok. Looks like some ones been beating you up." He said.
The boy did not say a word then said they were pointing towards the trouble makers. Oh, said one of the knight than looking at his friends he said " I thought those boys were just warned the other day to stay out of trouble. "
Yeah I know one of the other knights replied. But we're are this boys parents.
We will have to continue the story from here.
Go ahead continue please
As the knights looked around for the boy's parents, Winder approached them, concerned for the young person's well-being.
"Is everything alright here?" Winder asked, eyeing the knights and the boy.
The knight who had helped the boy up turned to Winder and nodded. "We were just stepping in to stop those troublemakers from harassing this lad. Seems like they don't learn their lessons."
"But what about the boy's parents?" Winder inquired, glancing around the inn for any signs of the missing guardians.
The knights exchanged worried glances amongst themselves. "We don't know," one of them said. "We were actually on a mission to deliver important documents when we stumbled upon this commotion. We can't just leave this young one here unattended."
Winder's concern deepened at the realization that the boy was all alone in this situation. Taking a step closer to the knights, he offered his assistance. "If you need any help in ensuring the boy's safety, I'm willing to lend a hand. It's not right for a child to be caught up in such chaos without anyone to look after them."
The knights studied Winder for a moment, assessing his intentions. After a brief conference amongst themselves, they agreed to accept his help.
"We appreciate your offer," one of the knights said, gratitude evident in his voice. "We'll do our best to locate the boy's parents but until then, it would bring us peace of mind knowing that someone is looking out for him. Can we trust you to keep him safe?"
Winder nodded, determination shining in his eyes. "You have my word. I'll make sure he's taken care of and doesn't come to harm. Please continue with your mission. I'll handle things here."
With a sense of relief, the knights left the inn to resume their duty, leaving Winder responsible for the young boy's well-being. Turning his attention towards the boy, Winder knelt down to his level, offering a comforting smile.
"Hey there, are you alright?" Winder asked softly, concern evident in his voice. "My name is Winder, and I'm here to help you. Do you have a name?"
The boy, still shaken from the recent ordeal, looked up at Winder with wide eyes. "My name is Sam," he mumbled, his voice barely audible.
"Well, Sam, it's nice to meet you," Winder replied gently. "Don't worry, I won't let anyone harm you. Are you hungry? We can get you something to eat."
Sam nodded, a glimmer of trust beginning to emerge in his eyes. Winder led him back to the bar and ordered a fresh meal for the young boy.
As they waited for the food to arrive, Winder attempted to engage Sam in conversation, hoping to make him feel more at ease. Gradually, Sam opened up, sharing small snippets about his life and his guardians, who were nowhere to be found.
"They said they'd be back," Sam whispered, his voice filled with uncertainty. "But they never came back. I waited and waited, but they never returned."
Winder's heart ached for the young boy's loss and confusion. He realized that Sam needed more than just a temporary guardian; he needed someone he could rely on, someone who would be there for him even after the knights had completed their mission.
"Sam, I promise you this," Winder said earnestly, placing a gentle hand on Sam's shoulder. "I will stay by your side until we find your parents or someone who can take care of you properly. You won't be alone anymore."
Sam looked up at Winder, his eyes brimming with a mix of hope and vulnerability. It was in that moment that Winder knew he had made a lifelong commitment to this young boy, to ensure his safety and happiness.
Together, Winder and Sam embarked on a journey to unravel the mystery of Sam's missing parents, the deceitful vendor, and the connections behind it all. Little did they know, this mission would lead them down a path of danger, but also one of courage, friendship, and ultimately, justice.