"Leave me be," the man grunted. For a soft-featured man, he didn't take make my presence appealing. Nevertheless, I sat across his seat and beamed at him. This would be my first time seeing a sword, let alone a man wielding one.
He looked at me and back to his sword. It didn't take long for him to connect the dots. I was fascinated by it. The hilt is wrapped with leather and the fuller, the flat part of the blade, is adorned with ancient runes that seemed to glow. "You're looking at my sword boy? You're going to steal it?"
"No sir, just looking at it. It's so cool."
"Cool? This sword is forged by the Sun Elves in the hottest forges in Sun Fire city. Flame enchantments encrust its surface ensuring that anyone who survived the slash will turn to ash." He laid his face on the bar window, "only if it isn't raining.
Suddenly, a loud thud woke both of us. The barkeep laid down a flagon of watered wine and side of roasted venison. "Get out of here vagrant," he hissed. "Leave my customers alone,"
The swordsman laid his hand on the barkeep and gave him two silver coins. "I'd like to order another one. This boy's my guest."
The barkeep apologized but not without giving me a noxious stare.
"So boy, what's your deal with my sword?"
"It's my first time seeing one," He looked at me in disbelief.
"You and your japes. It's impossible that this is your first. I've seen more swords than I could count just getting inside of this pisswater village. No offense. You're either daft or kidding me, either one is the truth."
"Then I'm the former," I transferred my gaze from the sword to his face. It's clear that's he's far from being a novice in his profession. Scars littered his face. Some were well taken care of while most were stitched hastily, leaving a rough rugged scar. Of his scars, the most notable one was a line that stretched from his brow up to his scalp. It divided his hair and left a bare skin surface.
"So what are you doing in this place?" I asked. From the looks of it, the whole village is something taken out of a black plague article. Unless you lived here your whole life, it'd be dumb to go here.
"What else? To join the war effort."
"War?"
"You're as daft as Mad Man Sigrid back in my town. The war between the Furcloaks and the Hegemony? The war to control this very village you're in? Don't you know any of this stuff?"
I smiled at him and nodded.
"Enough about war, it's ill to speak of it over food. How's your day?"