Across 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 would 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 cared not.
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 care not," 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. ( the corn a cross from the one were the right was)
Curiosity piqued, Winder decided to approach the mysterious figure. As he got closer, he noticed that the person appeared to be shivering, their wet clothes clinging to their body. Winder took a seat across from them at the corner table and cleared his throat to get their attention.
"Quite the storm we've got going on outside," he said, trying to strike up a conversation.
The figure looked up, startled by Winder's presence. Underneath the hood, Winder could see a pair of piercing blue eyes, filled with a mixture of fear and exhaustion.
"Yes, it's quite the deluge," the figure replied, their voice shaking slightly. "I couldn't find any other shelter, so I thought I'd take my chances here."
Winder nodded sympathetically. "You're not from around here, are you? I don't think I've seen you before."
A flicker of hesitation crossed the figure's face, as if they were contemplating whether or not to trust Winder. Finally, they sighed and nodded. "No, I'm just passing through. Trying to find my way home."
"Ah, a fellow traveler," Winder said, leaning back in his chair. "Mind if I ask where you're headed?"
The figure hesitated once more, and then spoke softly. "I'm on a journey to find someone. Someone who's been missing for a long time."
"In this weather?" Winder raised an eyebrow, surprised by the figure's determination. "Must be someone really important to go out in such conditions."
The figure nodded solemnly. "Yes, they mean a lot to me. I won't rest until I find them."
Moved by the figure's words, Winder could see the determination in their eyes. "Well, you're in luck. I happen to be a pretty good tracker. If you're willing, I could help you find this person. Two heads are better than one, right?"
The figure's eyes widened, a glimmer of hope shining through. "You'd really do that? Help a stranger like me?"
Winder smiled warmly. "Of course. We all need a helping hand sometimes. Consider it my good deed for the day. What's your name?"
The figure hesitated for a moment, seeming to weigh their options. Finally, they replied, "Call me Raven."
"Nice to meet you, Raven," Winder said, extending a hand across the table. "I'm Winder. Let's find your missing person together."