“Julius, was it?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Julius…”

  The man grabbed a cup of warm tea from the table next to them, and offered it to Julius.

  “Here, drink some.”

  “Thank you.” He took a sip from the cup.

  “Where did you come from, Julius?”

  “I'd rather not say, yet.”

  “You refuse to answer, huh? I let you into my town, Julius. And yet you refuse to answer one bloody question?”

  “You were doing good till now.”

  “Alright mister mysterious. Get up, let’s take a tour around the town. I want to show you around, maybe that helps you gain trust.”

  They went outside. There were many houses built closely together and narrow streets with a stronghold in the center of the town.

  “Welcome to Salona!”

  “Salona? Huh… The folks at my home said this place was destroyed.”

  “Well, it was. 10 years ago. It was the result of–”

  “Don’t. I know what happened 10 years ago.”

  “Yeah, we all do. But most don’t admit it.”

  “Unfortunately.”

  While walking through the town they came across a knight.

  “King Valens, I’m sorry to interrupt.”

  “What happened?”

  “It’s Dominic again.”

  “That fool… Julius, would you mind waiting here for a moment. I need to take care of something.”

  “I don’t mind.”

  “Okay, where is he?”

  “He’s at the Caesar Tavern.”

  They walked away while Julius waited.

  “Excuse me, do you know where the Caesar Tavern is?” Julius asked.

  “Fuck off, I ain’t got time for you.”

  The stranger ran in a hurry. Julius followed the direction where Valens went.

  “I already don’t like this town,” he whispered.

  He saw a crowd in the distance and walked closer to it.

  “I’ll fucking stab you, bitch!”

  “Calm down, both of you.”

  “Come here then! Do it!”

  Julius passed through multiple people, to see what was happening.

  “What the fuck is he doing here?”

  “Hey, let me go! I’ll kill him, let me go!”

  Dominic yelled while two guards were holding him back. He had a blindfold over his eye.

  “Dominic. That’s enough! Go back to your camp.”

  “Valens, don’t interfere–”

  “It’s king Valens for you. Take him away!”

  “Wait, Valens. Why!?”

  They dragged him away.

  Valens walked away from the Tavern. The crowd gradually got smaller.

  “Psst, hey.”

  “What?”

  “What happened here?”

  “See that guy there?”

  The man pointed at someone sitting down at a table, drinking a cup of wine.

  “Yeah, is that who Dominic got in a brawl with?”

  “Mhm, exactly.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, folks don’t generally like Dominic. This happens very often. Because of his status, and he wants to escalate things the moment someone says a thing about him.”

  “I see…”

  “Don’t know what specifically escalated the situation this time, but it’s nothing unusual.”

  “Do you happen to know where Dominic keeps his men?”

  “Nah mate, I don’t care enough to know about that son of a bitch’s camp. You could ask the tavern keeper though, he knows about people in this town.”

  “Alright, thanks.”

  Julius was walking away.

  “Hey, wait.”

  “Yeah?”

  “About that blindfold tied around your head and over the right eye, what happened?”

  He remained silent and walked to the tavern keeper.

  “Damn asshole.” The man said from behind.

  The keeper saw Julius approaching the table, he was standing behind the table with a slight grin on his face. He placed a wooden cup in front of Julius.

  “Wine or ale?”

  “Wine.”

  The keeper poured some wine into the cup.

  “You’re new here, aren’t ya?”

  “Yeah, how’d you know?”

  “Haven’t seen someone with a blindfold over their eye around here before. Except for Dominic…”

  “Really?”

  Julius scoffed.

  “Well, what brings you here then?”

  He took a sip from the cup and held it in his hand.

  “I’m a traveller. Just checking out the place.”

  “Ah, travellers aren’t really welcome around these parts. King Valens is very protective and rarely lets travellers, and strangers come into town.”

  “Yeah, I noticed that. By the way, about Dominic…”

  “What about him?”

  Julius leaned closer to the keeper.

  “Do you know where his camp is?”

  “I do.”

  “Where?”

  “Not so easy, lad. I usually do this one way; by coins.”

  “...”

  “But, you seem to be an interesting case. So, let’s hear it.”

  Pointing at his own eye.

  “Tell me about it, and I’ll tell you where his camp is.”

  Julius took another sip from his cup and placed it down on the table.

  “Alright, I’ll tell you.”

  “Hey, all of you! Get out.”

  “What?!”

  “Lad, I just came here.”

  “I don’t care, all three of you. Out.”

  “Fuck you, Garrulus.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Get the hell out.”

  They left, and Garrulus nodded at Julius.

  “Do tell my friend.”

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  “I got into a brawl against some fool.”

  Julius handed him the cup, Garrulus poured some more wine and placed it back on the table.

  “Yeah?”

  “We fought for some time, I threw dirt in his eyes. Kneed him in the face. He spat blood and wriggled around like a fish out of water.”

  “I knew you were interesting.”

  “Ay, however, when I was about to kill the bastard… Someone hit me from behind, knocking me unconscious.”

  “Oh my.”

  Garrulus took Julius’s cup and drank from it.

  “Keep going.”

  “Lad– Whatever… When I woke up, I was tied up and naked.”

  He gently covered his right eye over the cloth.

  “Dom- I mean, the guy I fought stabbed my eye. And then, he left.”

  “What’s your name, traveller?”

  “Julius.”

  “Julius, next time when you come in here the wine is on me. You earned it.”

  “Appreciated, but I need information and not wine.”

  “Alright, alright. When you exit through the gates of the town. Head toward the small path that leads right, not left. About 200 yards down the path, enter the woods on the left side. Dominic and his men have set up tents there.”

  “Alright, one more thing. I don’t want rumors to spread about me. You got that?”

  “Ah don’t worry, lad. I’ll keep this between us.”

  “Good. You better.”

  Julius stared at his eyes.

  “O–Of course. Take care…”

  “Farewell.”

  Julius left and disappeared out of sight.

  “Shit, I forgot to take his coin…”

  The shade of a tree in the town helped keep him cool during the otherwise warm day.

  While he was resting, someone came to him from behind.

  “Where the hell did you disappear to?”

  “Sorry, I got lost.”

  “Julius, you’re already getting on my nerves.”

  “Do forgive my manners, your majesty.”

  “Alright. Let us continue then, come with me.”

  There were children playing with food, merchants selling goods, occasional drunk mercenaries and regular people outside going their way.

  “The town seems rather interesting…”

  “Yeah, you like it here then?”

  “It’s not that, it’s how you manage to make it as safe as it is. I wonder, what’s the secret? King Valens?”

  “What?”

  They stopped walking.

  “Come on, I know you’re hiding something.”

  Valens laughed.

  “What makes you think that I’m hiding something?”

  “I have no clue what it is, but I’ll find out.”

  “You’re mad, Julius. There’s nothing to hide. It’s just a perfect little town.”

  “It’s not perfect, but it’s still too good to be true.”

  They arrived at the stronghold.

  “Now, this is the last place that’s left to show.”

  Two guards stood by the gates, they bowed down.

  “Your majesty.”

  Julius and Valens walked past them, inside to the left was the armory. Containing wooden racks with various swords and polearms stored upright, and small chests next to them.

  “Come this way.”

  The stronghold had small arrow slits throughout, providing minimal light at the barracks and armory.

  “Hey, step up.”

  “Pick up your steel and fight then!”

  Two soldiers fought, the yells echoed throughout the stronghold.

  “Nevermind them, those stone-heads fight daily.”

  “What’s that right there?”

  “The Barracks?”

  “No, I mean next to them.”

  Julius pointed at a dark, narrow and circular stairway that led downstairs. A soldier stood next to it, leaning on his polearm.

  “That’s the dungeon. No one may go there, understand?”

  Passing by the storage and the courtyard, where the smell of ale and wine from the open barrels, dried meat hanging from the hooks in the ceiling permeated the air inside the hall.

  “Alright, from here and forward I cannot show you. Those are the private quarters and the council room down the hall.”

  “Well, that was a nice trip.”

  “Sounds like I haven’t earned your trust yet, hm?”

  “It will take some time.”

  “Julius, you may take your leave.”

  “Yes, your majesty.”

  Valens walked down the hall toward the private quarters. Julius walked back the other way.

  While walking to the exit, he observed the soldiers in the stronghold. The two in the barracks were still fighting, the one by the staircase was half asleep leaning on his polearm.

  “Cursed be this day, this could’ve been a perfect opportunity…”

  The two guards by the gate bowed down to him as he left the stronghold, he nodded back.

  “There. The bloody camp.”

  He said, climbing up on a tree.

  “The view’s good here…”

  The camp consisted of ten average tents and a single bigger tent in the back. The others were scattered across a small open area where little to no trees were around.

  The smell of piss and sweat stood out along with the smoke of fire.

  “Is that what I think it is? Blood and bones…”

  One of the mercenaries that was sitting by the fire caught his eye.

  Two mercenaries were arm wrestling in the center, where most of them gathered to watch and cheer.

  “Caius, break his bones or I’ll do it!”

  “Put him in the ground, Marcellus!”

  “Beat him bloody!”

  “Show that fool who’s the better man.”

  Out of the bigger tent from the back, came out a man.

  “By the saints, can all of you shut your FILTHY mouths!”

  “Dominic, we were just–”

  “I don’t want to hear it. I’m doing something of significance and I cannot hear my own thoughts because of your folly. Lads, stop this nonsense at once!”

  Dominic went back to his quarters. Some continued drinking, others disappeared from the camp. A couple sat by the fire, cooking. A few went to their tents.

  The night fell, the fire dimmed slowly. Three mercenaries were on the watch while others were inside. Julius slowly climbed down and sneaked his way closer to the camp.

  “Hey, you think you would’ve beat Marcellus had the boss not interrupted?”

  “For sure, he’s weak!”

  The two chuckled, they stood by Dominic’s tent. The one who was alone walked around the camp in a circle.

  Julius slowly entered inside one of the tents where he thought was what he was looking for.

  After looking around, he went outside only to see the mercenary coming back, so he hid inside.

  “Shit.”

  He stepped on one of the mercenaries' legs.

  Bracing for escape, he looked back. The guy just turned on his side while the other walked past the tent.

  Julius followed behind him to the next one.

  Inside the tent were three mercenaries, each slept with their weapon near them. Julius spotted a scabbard that looked like his.

  Slowly pulling the sword away from the sleeping mercenary, he heard footsteps near the tent.

  Before Julius hid in the dark of the tent, he strapped the sword to his belt. Another mercenary came inside, with a dagger in his hand.

  “Sleeping aren’t ya, bloody bastard,” the mercenary whispered, walking toward the others that were asleep.

  From behind, Julius grabbed his forearm and twisted it. Throwing the dagger away, he threw the mercenary on his back. His body hit the ground with a loud thud.

  “Agh!”

  Julius laid his palm against his face, turning his head and pressing it into the ground. Hit him with a knee just below the chest, leaving the mercenary breathless.

  “...”

  Letting go of him, he left the tent and ran in the forest. From behind, he heard yelling.

  “We have an intruder! Wake up you fools!”

  Already being out of their sight long ago, he stopped running and hid under a small rock shelter.

  The voices of the mercenaries faded. The only sound left was his heart pumping through his chest, in the quiet of the night.

  He held the sword in his hands.

  “At last, you are mine, yet again.”

  Putting it parallel to himself, he closed his eyes.

  The sound of heavy rain hitting the rock above and the ground nearby woke him up in the early morning.

  After stretching his arms he covered his head with the hood of his cape, and adjusted the blindfold on his right eye.

  Walking out of the shelter, he looked toward the sky. His clothes were already wet.

  Step after step, the fog during the heavy rain got thicker and thicker.

  For a while, he wandered around in the fog. And finally came upon the road that led toward the town.

  No one was outside except the guards by the gate, and a couple townsfolk on the streets.

  On his way to the stronghold, he got lost somewhere in the town. Coming across a demolished house, barely standing.

  “I haven't seen one in such bad shape in this town… interesting.”

  The rain dripped down from above, through cracks in the ceiling. Inside was a couple wooden hangs with clothes on them. And a small table, underneath it were stacked books.

  “Who are you?”

  Someone asked from another room behind the corner.

  “My apologies, I do not mean harm.”

  “I know. If you did, I would’ve spilled your guts.”

  Julius entered the room.

  Inside was an old man, sitting down on a wooden chair with his back facing Julius.

  “I am but a traveller, old man. And who might you be?”

  The man turned around.

  “Then, I am but a survivor.”

  “Aren’t we all?”

  “Yes, we are.”

  “...”

  He took his blindfold off.

  “What are you doing, traveller?”

  “You cannot see, can you?”

  The smell of wet wood filled the room.

  “No.”

  “So, you heard my footsteps?”

  “Actually, it was the scent that gave you off.”

  “Scent?”

  “Yes. The scent of someone who belongs nowhere.”

  “Old man, you right in the head?”

  The old man turned away from Julius.

  “That, I cannot answer.”

  “So it’s true?”

  “I do not know.”

  Julius stretched and wrapped his blindfold, the water dripping down on the ground.

  “Are you perhaps a scholar?”

  “I was.”

  “And then, you lost your sight.”

  “Does it matter?”

  “It does. You know how to use those… soft things with symbols?”

  “Books? Yeah, I can read them.”

  “Would you be so kind as to teach me?”

  The man sighed.

  “I am sorry, traveler. For I cannot teach you, due to my old age.”

  “By the gods…”

  “But, I can tell you who has both the time and ability.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “King Valens can teach you.”

  “That bastard?”

  “And when he does, take the book on the bottom of the stack. The one that has colored covers. I feel you might need it.”

  “I appreciate it, old man.”

  Julius rested his hand on the hilt of his sword strapped to his belt, and continued searching for the stronghold.