He had been walking for hours and hours in the swapian forest, his legs were trembling and his long dark hair was irritating his deep blue eyes. His mare had been killed by the swapians, a group of half-naked heathens that cover themselves with leaves and equip themselves with bow and arrows. Thomas had his own weapon, a fine dagger forged by the dwarfs in the west.
The swapian forest was filled with deadly creatures that were the size of a horse wagon, yet Thomas had not come upon those creatures. The forest had a beautiful scent of roses and lavender. As Thomas took his large steps towards the city he regretted the idea of entering the forest.
''The forest is closer to the city, and surely it couldn't be more dangerous than the wourel mountains mother.'' He remembered the conversation with his mother before leaving. ''Going to this godforsaken place at night was foolishness, I should have camped near fort Hietsafe.'' He said to himself regretfully. Thomas had often talked to himself while being alone. As a child he had no friends to comfort him and no father to console him. His lord father had died about two decades ago from a disease unknown to any omnian, since then his mother Mary Payne has taken care of him and had protected him from war and bloodshed.
The land where he was headed, was north which was led by a northern king called Apollo haven. While the south had a different king called Nickolas granyte.
As Thomas glanced up at the sky, which was barely visible due to the large tree trunks towering above him, he saw that it was almost dawn and a brisk wind touched his body, hinting that he has entered the north.
He walked for another mile or two when he saw smoke rising at the end of the forest. He knew that it was the forest inn. He ran as fast as he could clutching his potions rigidly on his chest, knowing that his legs were trembling an hour ago yet he still ran. Finally he reached the forest inn which had two front doors; one was large and wide while the other was Thomas's height. He entered the inn and saw only two soldiers wearing Haven banners which was the capital kingdom of North. The soldiers were sitting at the long end of the inn; the care taker was pouring sweet elvish wine that was made in West Omnia where the elves and wizards lived. Thomas called out to the caretaker and he came instantly, "what will it be' asked the caretaker. ''Bloodwine if you may." he replied with a sigh. The blood wine was served and Tom grabbed the cup and gulped down every last sip of the sweet red elvish wine, it tasted like grapes and honey. ''How much?'' Thomas asked him. ''Five norns.'' Thomas took out his satchel and gave the caretaker 5 fords. ''Will this work?'' he asked. ''Sure, southern currency is gold round here, '' he said with a grin.
'Say, what's with the two doors outside? '' He asked the caretaker. ''One is for a giant while the other one is for us men.''
''Giants come here often?''
''Aye, they come for the wine in winter because the elven lot has forbidden them from their wines.''
''Ah I see,'' Thomas replied. Thomas wanted to ask about a room for tonight but the caretaker was called by those haven soldiers sitting in the corner. ''I wonder why the elves have forbidden the giants to drink their wines.'' Thomas said to himself. After a while the care taker came back.
''So where you headed mister and what's with the liquid hanging of your waist?'' he said by pointing at his waist. ''Well I am headed to the royal city of haven, and these liquids are my potions for detective work.'' The caretaker looked rather confused. ''And where in South do you belong,'' he asked suspiciously. ''Ceassaton or Duskford?''
''Duskford, Blacktown,'' he said wearily. ''Any chance there is a room for tonight?'' He asked the caretaker. ''No rooms available, those lot right there has taken them,'' he pointed at the two haven banner men. ''Maybe you can talk to them and figure out a deal or something, maybe you can use some of your south gold aye?'' ''Alright I'll talk to them.'' Thomas went to the haven soldiers and called them out. ''Good day to you knights!'' Thomas exclaimed. ''Do we look like knights to you boy?'' Thomas had a deep voice but the soldier with the red scar on his face had a grim deep feeling to his voice, and he looked beastly compared to the soldier beside him. Thomas had to tread lightly and use his words carefully or this room would go out of his grasp like water. ''Well I beg your pardon if I'm mistaken but you certainly look like an honourable knight, ser,'' Thomas replied cautiously by looking at the beastly knight. ''Well, we are no knight and we surely are not honourable, so piss off before I break your skull.'' He said with calmly grasping his axe. Well that didn't go well, Thomas thought as he was walking back towards the caretaker. He called the caretaker and gave him a flask of red liquid from his potion pocket and told him ''Add this liquid to the wine of those two honourable soldiers.''
''And why would I do that?'' asked the caretaker in a grumpy voice. Tom gave him 15 fords from his pocket and said ''don't worry just mix them and bring it to them on my call.'' Thomas walked towards the soldiers praying that this would work, because this was tom's last chance for that comfortable sleep. ''Do you really want to die boy?'' said the scarred soldier.
''Actually I came back to offer you a drink so we shall talk business.'' The soldiers looked confused, yet this time the small soldier raised his voice ''what kind of business?'' he asked. ''Well it's more like a trade.'' ''What kind of trade?'' Thomas could see that the soldiers were growing furious. Thomas waved his hand at the caretaker and he bought two sweet bloodwine for the soldiers. Both soldiers took the flask and drank the whole wine in one sip. That'll do he thought. ''As I was saying I want to trade your room for the night, for two fords.'' ''Two fords? Do you think me for a fool?'' the beastly soldier said by grasping his axe in his hand while the small soldier watched with his red eyes.
''Oh please no need for violence'' Thomas said calmly. The soldier stood up and grabbed Thomas by the collar, as the soldier was about to attack, something stopped him, suddenly his eyes turned brown to red and he sat down and said ''as you say my lord, two fords and the rooms yours.''
''Great, and I would also need an escort from the two of you on the morrow,'' Thomas said with a sigh. ''To where my lord?'' asked the small soldier. ''To the northern king's castle, to King Apollo.''
