Naigat

Dreams do come true

Wake up at five, clean the stables, and feed the horses. Finish that before 7 and then immediately go help the soldiers pick up arrows and clear broken and discarded training weapons for 2 hours. After which I clean and clear the fields of anything not meant to be there.

That’s my daily routine, and the job I do in exchange for housing and feeding in the castle. Not really anybody’s dream job, but at least I don't have to beg. I’ve learnt to see the good in every situation.

Anyway, that’s pretty much all I do in the castle, after which I’m free to do whatever I want.
Within the limits of a servant of course…

Today’s a bit different though. The king is hosting a tourney to celebrate princess Ariana’s 10th birthday.
The castle’s bustling with activity, people moving up and down in preparation for the princess’s birthday.

The lord of the territory rarely holds tourneys, not for lack of interest, but rather because the small territory he lords over barely makes enough revenue to support itself.  In fact, the last tourney was about five years ago, and that was also a birthday celebration,Lord Asher's eldest daughter, princess Annabelle clocked 10.

Now that I think of it, it’s kind of weird. All of Lord Asher’s three children have a five-year gap in between them. The oldest and only son is 20. So, from that I can determine that this is the third tourney being held in ten years.

Like I said it’s really not the lord’s fault. lord Asher’s grandpa, the very first Asher, was merely the son of a guard captain of some lord. He became a soldier at the age of 14 and achieved many merits while working for his lord. The lord knighted him after some years. While serving as a knight, he once saved his lord’s only son, after which he was awarded this desolate piece of land with little to no resources.

The first Asher called this little piece of land he was awarded Arthon. He worked hard and made it what it is today. Its located in the territory of lord Evat, inside Kaluvia.

Kaluvia is just one out of nine kingdoms. The nine kingdoms are joined together, and around these kingdoms is a large expanse of water.
Some have tried to swim out before but eventually turn back without seeing anything but water, or the rare sightings of rumored Monsters.

As I moved around the castle, I noticed that everyone was happy, even the servants. There’s no one who doesn’t love a tourney. A joust, Free food of good quality, and less work. That sounds great. There was nothing to do, and no one I really wanted to talk to, so I just walked around. I decided to go out of the castle and visit one of my favorite places.

I headed towards the gate of the castle. The guards were busy harassing some poor woman. They were groping her under the guise of an inspection.

One of them noticed me.

“What are you looking at boy?” He asked me. “I just want to go outside” I told him. “Okay lad, off you go. Or would you like to come help us inspect her?” All the guards burst into laughter at that. I just shook my head and went out of the castle.
The guards are not crazy enough to harass every woman like that, they would soon find themselves in trouble if they did. The only women they do that to are recognized whores.

Had it been I were a girl, and had it been Kat’s family didn’t take care of me, I would probably have been sold off to the brothels and trained to be whore. A terrible fate. There are brothels in every city. Most times the women who work there are those who don’t have any other means to survive. There are also some who have been sold off as kids by their own family.

They sometimes take boys too, but it’s very rare.

Outside the castle grounds is not much different from inside. The roads are still relatively clean and things are somewhat organized, if not for the hustle and bustle.