A Fool's Call {Discontinued}

seven

The town was bustling with people cheerfully going about their day. People were walking about, chatting to each other and occasionally calling out to someone from across the street. Balthazar stood in the centre of it all, watching as the townspeople carried out their everyday lives in the heart of the town - the town square.

He smiled. There was a festive atmosphere about the town, and all the people here were innocent and kind. Completely unlike the shady schemes of their rulers. He scoffed at the thought of those people. The further he got away from those people, the better. He could tell they were nothing but trouble for him.

Balthazar shook his head to clear his mind, as if the mere thought of them would taint and ruin his day. Apparently, the festive cheer of the town was because of an upcoming religious celebration, or so Balthazar heard. They were honouring a day holy to the patron goddess of this empire. The people had called her The Arcane Goddess, but if she had an actual name, Balthazar did not know it.

He looked up at the statue in the middle of the town square, presumably made in the goddess's likeness. Suprisingly, she only wore a simple sleeveless white dress, plain and ceremonial in design. A few golden bangles and bracelets adorned her arms, but other than that, there was nothing much that Balthazar would have expected from a statue of a goddess. Her arms were raised and spread out, as though she were inviting the people to come into her arms and take up her religion.

But despite the kind and friendly appearance of the goddess, Balthazar felt something off-putting about this statue. He wasn't sure if it was just the craftsman who made this statue, but something about the goddess's expression seemed cold and distant. Perhaps it was her eyes. The circles of cold marble watched over the town impassively, unconcerned with the lives of the townspeople. And the faint smile that graced her face didn't quite reach them. Whatever it was, the goddess gave Balthazar a rather unsettling feeling. It was like they were on different levels of existence entirely, and that him and all the other people here were nothing but little toys to the statue of this goddess.

Balthazar shook his head as he started to walk away from the town square. First the royalty, now the goddess...perhaps a higher authority just didn't fit well with Balthazar. He much preferred to deal with people on his own level.

He wondered what he should do now that he was free as he started walking towards the direction of the inn. He would have to sleep there for tonight, that much was certain, but what after that? He had already gone to the shops earlier and learned that they were currently short on supplies. Apparently, the royal family had recently bought large amounts of food, lights, and other things to prepare for the coming festivities. This, and the fact that Balthazar hadn't been given much rations by the soldiers, meant that he wouldn't be able to travel out of the town for a while.

Well, at least he had something to occupy himself with. The books of lore and history that he was given should be able to last him through the celebrations, and would prove to be useful for setting up his life in this empire.

Balthazar stopped in front of the inn. It looked to him like a quaint little place. He opened the door and was greeted with a cozy scene - an old woman sat in a rocking chair in front of a warm fireplace, knitting what seemed to be a little doll.

She smiled at him. "Here to stay for the night, young man?"

"Yes. I was told that the inn was somewhere around here."

"And here it is. It may not be much, but you are welcome to stay a night or two, or as long as you need."

"But not for free."

The woman grinned at Balthazar, raising two bony fingers. "There is a small fee."

Balthazar rummaged around in his bag for the coin pouch he was given. "I'm glad I have the money to pay it."