Pawn, volume 1 of Different Worlds

2. We met at the market

POV: ???

In the provincial country side, to the south, resides a small village with steep forests around it—a copy of all surrounding towns—providing a huge wood supply for winter. The trees would grow up to ten meters and were mostly ash trees.
The said village was known as Maikril and every Thursday, the "big market" would take place in the center. Because of Maikril's small size, it was hard not to notice the villagers gathering to check every item on their shopping list and the merchants selling their goods. And so, everyone would go there, in the hope of finding what they needed more than wanted.

In my case, the reason for my presence here for was not for food or some carefully sculpted piece of wood from the dwarves' nation, instead, I was looking for information. Granny had sent me out yet again—probably because the elvlins were not supposed to be heard of here and my tall figure was as slippery and quick to disappear as an eel— to find out if anything unusual was going about, that is, a reason to why Emperor Blaze's army has been so on edge lately, leading to thorough checks that could endanger us.

Looking around, I try striking conversations with soldiers that shouldn't even be here or with merchants that come from around the Empire.

When I'm not investigating, I instead buy a few items with money Granny crafted, instead of just up and running with them with paying. Although it wasn't unusual that things would get stolen, even though the merchants would still get mad each time a strand of cloth or a slice of meat would be taken away from their stands and I know from experience how people who are upset can do.
Desperate people however do exist so it was also not strange to see somebody running down the streets, clinging onto a bag with who-knows-what inside, a glint of glass or colorful colors in sight.

What is slightly weird though, is a guy running with his arms filled with rotten apples. The simple fact that it was apples and not precious fabric from the Continent's outskirts-presumably that is- that rolled out on the muddy ground, surprises me, a thing that almost never happens as I often don't get leave Argondis, often just repeating drills and learning about various subjects throughout my long days.

I feel a sudden pang of pain in my chest and feel slightly dizzy, but quickly recover from the sure after affects of my recently even more rigorous training. Granny just can't seem to take a break as of recent.

I take a look around me to see if anyone—a guard— was paying attention to this man. Not out of concern for him but out of concern for me. I'm incapable of just ignoring the man who was running with no patch of skin uncovered, holding tight onto apples who might have worms inside of them already, when even a silent bird worries Granny.

Following him discreetly, I wonder what he really is protecting. Unless he is just stupid enough to not notice the better goods and doesn't hide anything.
What could it be? I may have ignored the thief if it weren't for the fact that I was getting bored asking around and repeating that no, I haven't seen anything incriminating or suspicious. But Granny had entrusted me with this and that he was directed straight towards Argondis. The place that I have come to refer to as home.
Whether he knew that or not would define his fate.

*****

The few villages that happened to be in the countryside were always at the edge of the Magnos empire, whilst the majority of the population and the rich concentrated in the Capital. The Capital was for the richer, nobler people, where luxuries would be found coming from a vast selection of places. Emperor Blaze, cunning as he was, wanted to keep the nobles in his grasp, spoiling and diminishing their sense of integrity or independence, to make sure they wouldn't attempt a revolt. He redefined the metropolis, as a haven, whilst the poor would die and work hard to have a chance at living outside, even though severely exploited.