The afternoon sun beat down heavily on the capital's main square. Barin walked through the crowd, his face weary and his brow furrowed. He had spent several days scouring the suburbs and the darkest corners of the citadel without finding a trace of the boy.
Exhausted, the old merchant sat down on a stone bench in the center of the square to catch his breath.
Suddenly, an outburst of shouts, curses, and the clash of armor shattered the market's routine. The crowd began to stir. Barin immediately stood up and moved toward the commotion.
Among the vegetable and fabric stalls, a small figure darted away with astonishing speed. It was Lucian. The boy ran desperately, dodging the flailing arms of several furious merchants who were shouting accusations of theft at him, calling him vermin because of his rags. From a distance, Barin was stunned. The little boy's movements were not normal; His agility was too precise for his age, an innate skill for judging spaces amidst the chaos. However, as he turned the main corner, two city guards blocked his path with their shields. Lucian collided with the metal, fell to the ground, and was brutally restrained.
"We've got you now, you sewer rat!" roared the patrol captain.
They hauled the boy off and dragged him straight to the dungeons of the royal prison. Barin felt a lurch in his chest. He glanced at the pouch in his belt and then at the trail the patrol had left. An ordinary merchant would have turned back, but Barin knew how to recognize a unique piece when it was right in front of him; letting that talent slip away was a loss his instincts wouldn't allow. He straightened his robes and followed the officers' trail.
Upon reaching the cold guard quarters, Barin made his way to the office of the officer in charge, a man in shabby armor with a murky gaze. At the far end, in the gloom of a filthy cell, Lucian was chained to a wooden post. The boy shivered on the damp stones, his breath ragged, his eyes fixed on the floor, fighting back panic. The old merchant greeted the officer with a strained bow:
“Greetings, officer. I witnessed the arrest. I've come because I'm interested in that boy; I need an apprentice to carry goods in my wagon through the provinces.”
The officer let out a mocking laugh.
“A merchant looking for a sewer rat? Don't waste your time. That thief is going to the gallows by order of the Council tomorrow.”
Barin stepped forward. Without a word, he reached into his leather satchel, pulled out a heavy cloth bag, and dropped it onto the table, opening it just enough to reveal its contents.
“No one will know,” Barin whispered. “Only you and me.” The guard glanced sideways at the bag. Seeing the cold, heavy gleam of pure gold, his breath caught in his throat. His eyes darted nervously toward the outside corridor, where the dull echo of distant boots bounced off the walls. The man swallowed, his fingers brushing against the fabric.
"This is madness... If they find out..." he murmured.
"Danger is paid for in gold," Barin declared, pushing the sack another inch. "At midnight. At the back gate."
The officer swept the bag down, concealing it under his cloak with a swift movement, a cold sweat forming in his throat.
"All right," he agreed, his voice choked. "But get out of here now. Don't let them see you lurking around."
Barin retreated in silence, measuring each step. The die was cast.
As soon as the merchant left, the officer immediately called to his subordinate, speaking in short, hurried whispers:
“You! Get the boy out of there, give him a bath, and get him some clean clothes. Move it!” The junior guard frowned.
“But sir? We just caught him…”
“Do your duty and keep quiet!” the officer snapped, shoving him. “If the Council asks tomorrow, we’ll say he slipped through the bars in the middle of the night because he was so thin. Understood? And remember: if this conversation gets out of here, your head will roll first.”
At midnight, darkness enveloped the back alley. Barin waited by the wagon, the reins held firmly. The wooden door creaked open, and the officer pushed Lucian out into the cold street. The boy was clean and wore a new gray cloth tunic, but his shoulders remained rigid.
"You can go," the officer told Lucian. "Thank the merchant, who paid a fortune for you."
The heavy door slammed shut, the bolt locking from the inside.
Lucian looked at his clean hands and then at the old man. He took a step back, pressing himself against the wall, his eyes scanning the shadows for an escape route.
"What do you want from me?" the boy asked, his voice trembling, his fists clenched.
“I won’t hurt you, boy,” Barin replied calmly, lowering his hands. “From today on, you’ll ride in this wagon with me. We’ll cross the gates of the capital. You’ll learn to trade, to read maps, and to appraise metals. It’s time to leave the mud behind.”
Lucian’s eyes narrowed, fixed on the old man’s face. The mistrust remained, but the promise of the open road and the weight of the wagon broke through his resistance. His muscles tense, he climbed onto the wooden seat, watching the merchant’s every move out of the corner of his eye.
“Before we go,” Barin continued, turning the horses, “we have one last stop.”
The wagon moved silently through the dark streets to the edge of the marquesses’ sumptuous residence.
There, under the dense shade of the garden trees, the reunion took place. Valdrick was already waiting for them, having slipped out of his chambers. When they came face to face, an awkward silence chilled the air. Valdrick glanced sideways at the street urchin's cheap tunic, struggling for a moment with the aristocratic pride he'd been saddled with since birth. Lucian, for his part, gritted his teeth, recognizing in the nobleman's posture the same condescension that had humiliated him in the marketplace. There was a silent tension between them, born of vastly different lives. Nevertheless, Valdrick stepped forward, swallowing the arrogance of his lineage, and extended his hand firmly.
"Promise me one thing, Lucian," Valdrick said, holding his gaze. "Someday I will inherit everything my father owns: the title, the lands, and the arms business. When that day comes, you will be the greatest merchant on the trade routes. We will be allies and can trade with each other. How does that sound?"
Lucian looked at the nobleman's clean hand. He hesitated, weighing down the burden of the pact and the bitterness of his own past, but finally tightened his grip with a rough, forceful force.
"I promise, Valdrick," he replied.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYm6hAvDtyd
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTt14GsplaS
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFSQ8JF5KA
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJ2ukAsXvd
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzEIMeP01u
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGlFlqk3JG
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OsDqGKYLq
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7drgdl1fu6
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xIO8hnvKf
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLtu46QEqE
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOgvqcik0C
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1MNllWJb2
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGP7DxYfnG
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9Gr74IubN
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ105oTfklwG
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZioVNnc042
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyNEZLRzCF
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJETvqZDTd0
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdp4RYb2ht7
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAOMx6tF01
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKdB5bTM78
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIzNUU5mj5
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BAy9u8p1k
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XBlIRU0j6
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44SwqafzAg
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujCP23eeJJ
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNsfn9H3df
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYWRjckQdK
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDxAkaFt41
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnkYaWSo41
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseRVrhxVla
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQY5kOwLlX5
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubGU3KJqh5
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeIFL9SBA6
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4BZLJ5hQ7
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRcomZwO6W
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprbSXNjSfW
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8qu2whByb
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyfAh3ogPQ
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDttdZ4ODbT
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡone9pldFvH
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHaZbywk52
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YjyGOTcKY
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WRJC1Jrpf
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkm8Wj7twt
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpbpX9sFSz
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhGDu2JrW8
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKMFjEm5Qa
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXG4jN4XPH
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1vUdDECux
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmoAiDOOmL
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICnCxzX4p9
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFopOHIXQqb
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ElpMCOTPz
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUI9LSqnW6
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxdFfWkzqU
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9E6HBeToow
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJe8nTIA41u
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyASEYZM8N
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcHIN7Sggf
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uLJIJ5Akf
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAa4DGuUggz
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmu1aeHllaN
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qM0R5Xyhm
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepQFgqwBSI
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdFZHitb3C
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYN7pmuZCp2
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcNqHfCJ9s
From a distance, Barin watched the scene. A respectful expression crossed his weathered face as he watched the boys gaze at each other in the gloom. The creaking of the wooden wheels against the stone floor struck Lucian's chest like a blow, pulling him away from the misery he knew. The wagon moved toward the great city gates, while the shadows of the two boys lengthened under the moon, bound in a silent pact.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nfzUON33u
and then Add to home screen.