The Human - Soothsayer *ON HOLD*

CHAPTER 2

Havenridge was one of the largest cities that populated human territory; the other big two being Whiteford and Ankorsham, the city of agriculture and the city of mining.

Being situated in the central, Havenridge had come to be known as the city of trades worldwide, and on the first week of each month, traders from all over the nations would gather over Mt. Gilleran (the mountain Havenridge was perched on) to make their businesses. This was the only time when the gates in between all three city districts were open, for the ease of movements of traders coming in and out all day every day.

This also meant that the security in the city was tripled around this time; mostly to stamp down any sorts of disorder that could possibly rise amongst the bustling.

Trading week began like it always did, with the creaking of wheels and the crackling of whips, accompanied by boastful chatters of men and women in flamboyant garbs that paled the disgustingly bright yellow and red shirt and pants Ty was dressed in. The path up the slope to the city entrance was steep and rocky, yet these traders would push their horses to the limit in the final stretch, eager for the prime locations in the higher districts, which sat further inside the city, encircled by the middle and the lower districts. Those who at the end of the line were inevitably traders that settled in Ty's district; people who were less exuberant with wagons and carts full of more practical commodities for sale.

'The blades better have been polished before you stack them onto the rack!' Alexi's voice boomed from behind the tent, shuffling out with swords swinging from his meaty arms a few seconds after. He dropped them onto the table without so much as another word, and Ty bit back a retort when one of the daggers rolled onto the dirty cobblestone concrete of Main Street. 'Come on now, boy, move your feet! You and Tobias seemed perfectly fine moving them two nights ago.'

Ty winced at the tone and begrudgingly trudged over to grab one of the polishing cloths, muttering lowly about the unfairness of it all as he did so. He had clearly polished the weapons last night. It was obvious Alexi was just looking for ways to punish him.

'What was that?' the man barked from behind him and he flinched.

'Nothing, sir!'

Last night Alexi had practically flown off the hinges when he found out about their little escapade on Falk's property. It was a full two hours of bellowing on his part regarding their foolishness and safety, and another about how they should've kept their noses out of things that didn't concern them. By the end of the night, Ty and Tobias were sent into their room without so much as a bite of supper.

At least he wasn't the only one bearing punishments, which usually he did, though to be fair usually he was the one causing trouble. Currently, Tobias was off somewhere buying materials Alexi needed to make more weapons with later in the week. And while this didn't seem like much of a task for Ty, it was definitely one hell of a job for Tobias. Normally, Alexi was the one who did this – as he was large enough to carry double the amount of ores Ty and Tobias could – but after last night, the man decided such a task was a suitable punishment. Ty was going to take a wild guess and assume the boy was only on his fifth run back home, with who knows how many more to go.

It was another half an hour before he got Alexi's approval on the swords and daggers; the blades practically shining under the sunlight, not a single water spot on sight. By then, most of the traders had settled, and crowds were starting to mill from one stall to another. Business started to pick up, and before noon even rolled around their coin pouch was halfway filled to the brim.

Ty was just about to grab the lunch Tobias had graciously packed for them when two men unmannerly trotted by their stall. Their horses were unlike the draft horses that pulled on heavy loads, but strong heavy black stallions that seemed to have been bred for riding.