Araman

~ 10 ~

   Verxia village was vast and Kassen considered it more of a town than a village. It was far greater than any place in Attashar and far more picturesque.

Each house and street had its own individual decoration but the dominating colour was gold. There were golden flowers hanging in painted flower boxes by windows. Golden window frames with stained glass set in them, most depicting Unisayan and maidens in purple gowns. And most of the houses had front gardens marked off by little coloured fences, a highly unusual sight in the centre of a town that usually saved its space for more houses.

There were many shops for food and cloth and medicine, and even more stalls outside on the cobbled street, where peddlers from all over Fardonmeria sold fish, spices and jewellery. Kassen was surprised at how clean the streets were also, not like in Attashar where you were ankle deep in filth; from people as well as animals.

They asked for directions several times in order to navigate the many roads and walkways and dodge the massive amount of people who walked them. Eventually they reached the edge of the town where the forest began.

There was a crowd gathered in the distance, the sound of cheering grew louder as they neared it. It was not all men either, there were a few women stood watching and Kassen spotted a group of children that had climbed the closest tree to observe.

Kassen and Derio pushed through the rowdy crowd as best they could, until they were just one line behind the makeshift circle and able to look through the gaps between people's heads at whom this mysterious warrior might be.

Kassen watched a man fall to the ground and hold up his sword in defeat towards a competitor he could not yet see.

"Looks like he's from Dowe," Derio yelled to Kassen over the cheers surrounding them. Money was now being exchanged from bets made before the fight.

Kassen looked closer at the man who had submitted; now walking away dismayed at losing the fight. He was wearing the green overcoat and hat that was signature attire for the little fishing village to the east of Attashar. It appeared that people came from all over to fight this undefeated man, whether in town on business or simply to prove themselves. Either way, there was a large amount of trade coming into the Kingdom. There were so many different travellers here, some Kassen didn't recognise.

The crowd quieted and Kassen looked again to the clearing to see a man stood in the centre dressed all in black, wearing a mask that covered his whole head, so only his eyes were showing.

The man rested his sword in the soil before him and held up a single elegant finger to the crowd, who started cheering again.

"One more, one more!" Kassen heard them chant and decided to test this masked man.

"This one's mine," he said to a disappointed Derio, who looked like a barman had just told him they were out of beer.

Kassen pushed through the final line of people and stepped confidently into the makeshift ring.

"I'll take you on." Kassen said.

The man looked up at the General, a momentary look of surprise flitted across his eyes and everyone went silent as they slowly realised who the challenger was.

The masked man said nothing and considered Kassen carefully, sizing up his possible opponent. Kassen was starting to feel unnerved by this, especially as the man was a considerable amount smaller than him, in both stature and muscle.

"Unless I'm too much of a challenge." Kassen said, once he felt the scrutiny had gone on long enough.

The General thought he saw the man roll his eyes as he picked up his sword and swung it in the air with finesse, then bent his small frame forward in a mock bow to the General.