Secrets Downtown

Prologue

One tall, slender man stepped off the carriage that had carried him to this kingdom. He thanked the fellow driver before he left, and stepped his first steps in the kingdom of Esterin. He had come bagless because he knew everything he left in the slums were still there. The man continued to walk on a rocky path, which turned into stone bricks the further he walked. Finally, the man stood in front of the beautiful fountain in the town hall. He made his way around the fountain to the left side of the town hall towards the slums. A small old lady sat at the front desk. The little woman signed the tall man in. As she did, she kept glancing up at the man, as if something seemed familiar about him, but she didn't question it. At last, the lady let the man through. He cheerfully smiled at her as he continued to walk by.

It was a short walk to town. The man was surrounded by pine trees and muddy paths as he walked, but he did not mind. Instead, he felt excited. The sound of laughing and chattering opened to flood his ears as he entered the town. A farm and two homes were next to a narrow river that had a wooden bridge looming across it. As he came closer to the bridge, he noticed a familiar friend of his who was glancing out at the river. Immediately, the man ran up to him upon the bridge.

"Pardon me, is your name, Javier Robert, sir?" the man asked, trying to remain a straight face. The other taller male whose name was apparently 'Javier' slowly turned around and narrowed his dark cocoa brown eyes with suspicion as he stared at the gentleman below him.

"That depends, who's asking?" Javier replied. He had a heavy Atherish accent as he spoke. "Oh sure, sir! My name is Grayson Lewis. I have been looking for you," Grayson claimed, almost bowing in respect. He looked up at his old friend's face, hoping that he'd recognise him, even after all these years. "Gray?" Javier suddenly spoke after a long pause, "Is that you? Did you come back?"

Grayson didn't answer. All he could do is a smile, which broke out into a pile of laughter. Javier didn't wait for him to respond. He too, laughed along, grabbing his old friend in for a hug. The only thing the two friends could think of right now was overloading joy that they had reunited. As children, Javier and Grayson grew up together in Esterin, but when Grayson was sixteen, he moved away to Quensuvia for further opportunities.

TThe two friends moved away from each other and began to walk down the bridge. Grayson recognised paths and buildings that still stood from eight years ago. It made him feel nostalgic. While walking these streets, he was reminded of his two other friends who also grew up with him in the slums. "So... how's Sim and Braxton?" Grayson asked and looked over to Javier. He had hoped to see them again, but despite his hope, Javier's wide smile began to fade into a frown. "Braxton, he... he's doing alright, I think. We might go and him," Javier said with unease. The grin from my face fades and is instead replaced with heavy curiosity. "That's cool. What about Sim?" Grayson gulped. Something seemed off. Grayson turned to face him.

"Well...Sim..." the strong voice of an accent fell quiet with a short pause. "Look, I'll just show you," Javier's voice lowered. His pace began to speed up into almost a run. Grayson raced after him. Javier finally stopped and looked over at his friend, who had already halted a few feet away from him. Grayson stares at the ground. His back is hunched over and he's getting a good grip of his knees, panting very loudly. Javier walked over to him, placing a gentle hand onto Grayson's shoulder.

"We're here, Grayson," the Atherish man growled. Grayson perked his head up, gazing upon the massive stone structure in front of him. The building stood out from the others. As Grayson looked around him, the rest of the familiar structure was made of wood. But as he turned back to the stone structure, it was just different. Eight years ago, this was never here. For a short moment, the man shut his eyes closed and tried to remember what was here before this odd building.

A grass field, with beautiful signature slum flowers, dandelions and poppies spread across the field. The field would always be populated by rowdy children, playing tag and other games. The field would be the most open place in the slums, seeming as the place is so cramped. It brought happiness and relief to the civilians.

Grayson flickered his eyes open again. Now... the oddity was in a place of what was once magnificent. What was this? It seems that Javier had read his mind.
"The dungeons. A punishment from the king in defence against the revolution," the man spoke. Grayson eyes slowly became as large as moons as he stared upon the dungeons. Feelings of shock, fear and anger swirled up inside him. It made him feel sick. Grayson quickly gave Javier a terrified look, whose eyes were filled with despair. "Sim is down there somewhere," Javier shook his head. Grayson looked back at the building. He clenched his hands tightly into a fist to deal with his emotions. "But why? Sim wouldn't do anything worth being down there," Grayson said, following Javier as he began to turn a right and walk down a path continuing the slums. "He got arrested for protesting for the revolution on the market stage with several other people," his friend responded, finally looking at Grayson in the eye. Grayson furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, maintaining Javier's gaze. "Isn't that the purpose of the stage?" Grayson said. Javier didn't respond but instead shrugged while holding a despaired look.

The tension finally drifted away as the two men walked away from the dungeons. Instead, the two talked as they walked down the mud-path, catching up and telling stories about what they've missed out while the two were separated. They walked past two apartments, unnoticeably flowering their pace.

"Javier! How've you been?" A deep voice chirped from behind them. They quickly turned around, noticing a strong brown man approaching Javier and Grayson. He had a navy blue strip of cloth wrapped around his head, which kept his hair back. Dimples took place on each cheek when he smiled. All these features seemed all too familiar. "Braxton, I want you to meet a friend you haven't seen in years," Javier spoke, gesturing to Grayson. The immigrant stepped forward proudly, waving at the friend he now recognised. "Hey, bud. Long-time no see," Grayson greeted.

Braxton hesitated. It took him a few seconds to realise what was happening. He suddenly rushed forward and held his old friend into a tight hug. "Oh god, it's you! Is it really you, Gray?" Braxton sobbed into Grayson's ear as he squeezed him. "Yeah, it's- are you crying?" Grayson chuckled and raised a brow. The man let his childhood friend go, facing him as several streams of tears rolled down his face. "No..." Braxton replied and avoided Grayson's gaze, wiping his tears away with his sleeve. Javier laughed from behind and came forward to pat Braxton's shoulder reassuringly. "Stop crying. That's not manly," Javier joked. Braxton whipped his head around to glare at Javier's smirking face. "I said I wasn't crying, damnit!" Barked Braxton. The group dissolved into laughter.

After their small chat, the three returned outside of Braxton's apartment, which was also Grayson's old home. "Welcome home. I believe your belongings are still here?" Javier said, glancing over to Braxton. He nodded back. "Yup, come inside," Braxton opened the gate and pushed passed the gate to their apartment room. It was the same as Grayson remembered. At the entrance, there was a light grey curtain hanging over the doorway halfway. There was also a gate lower of the curtain, that wasn't that difficult to open. Inside were two separated beds across the tiny room. A bench was up against the wall, where plenty of stains held their place. A backpack was leaned up against Grayson's old bed. He grinned when he saw it and came to check inside of it.

"Well, I must be going home. My wife's expecting me. See you guys soon," Javier sighed, opening the gate and waving a farewell to Grayson and Braxton. After the Atherish man left, Grayson turned to Braxton with a confused look.

"Wife?" Grayson questioned. Braxton let out a small chuckle.

"Yup. Good old' Javier's having a kid soon too," Braxton said. "Damn, I wish I congratulated him before he left," Grayson let out a proud smile while disappointment shimmered in his eyes. Braxton shrugged and set down on his bed, remaining his gaze on Grayson.

"Don't worry about it. You'll see him again Thursday night at the marketplace. Since guards don't patrol the slums at night, we'll be able to have fun and rave about the revolution as much as we want. Plus, Mr Miranda down the street claims sale rates at night increase", persuaded Braxton, "plus, attractive ladies everywhere!"

"Alright. Count me in," Grayson smiled.