Chapter 51: A Brief Visit
The southern region of Chemois, where the border blurred with northern Hydrogia and wars had been fought there for years before, was sparsely populated.
There were few who wanted to be involved in the heavy politicking of such a place. Even more than that, there were floodplains that could wash away an entire house during the yearly snow melt. It made travel impossible for nearly a month in the early spring of each year.
As Sir Arthur led two other knights through the duchy on behalf of Duke Arlin to ensure that most major townships were taken care of with food stores and supplies, they started closing in on the end of their journey.
The knights could tell it was coming to a close by the way the air felt heavy and frost started appearing in the grasses at night. It made for uncomfortable sleep unless close to a fire, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. All they could do was hope that the nights in an inn were far more than the nights without.
That day felt particularly cold as Arthur’s boots crunched against the debris on top of brick-lined roads. He lifted the silver helmet off of his head. With it rose the steam from his mouth despite it being late morning. Fortunately, the night before was one of the nights they would be able to stay in an inn. On the other hand, it would be the last night and they would have to camp before they reached the Duke’s Tower.
Arthur had allowed the other knights to go off into the township and do as they pleased because his reasoning for being there in the first place wasn’t an official visit. It was more along the lines of something he told his daughter he would do the last time he was there.
After he checked on his horse who stayed overnight at one of the numerous stables in the township, the knight continued on towards the blacksmith which—according to Sir Gunnar—was in an obvious place considering it wasn’t against any of the other white plastered buildings with exposed dark wood edges.
Smoke rose from the large chimney and the clanking of hammers against anvils could be heard. The wide door to the place wasn’t even closed because the inside of the building still remained rather warm.
Arthur walked inside, his head swiveling left and right as he took in the place. It was one of the larger blacksmith shops he had ever seen before which was no wonder the knighthood used it so often. With the mother he had, however, he never required a blacksmith. Unfortunately, with her health declining and age not getting any less, he feared he might have to procure weapons a different way. The thought always made the bitter tinge of sadness sting his heart.
A few of the apprentices nodded at the knight and one of the older ones with his workstation closer to the back room than the others, stood up straight.
"Excuse me, sir," the teenager said. "Samson! There’s a knight here!"