Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 25: Reaching the city

As the fiery sun dipped below the horizon, two guards stationed outside the imposing gates of Bratanium found themselves trying to kill time

The first guard, a burly man with a jovial demeanor, nudged his companion with a grin. "Hey, how about we grab some drinks later? My treat this time!"

His companion, a lean and wiry figure, arched an eyebrow in amusement. "Oh, feeling generous, are we? What's the occasion?"

With a hearty laugh, the first man shrugged. "Just because I appreciate your company. And, hey, I heard there's a new spot in town that I've been dying to check out."

"Oh, really? What kind of place is it?"

"A day at the whorehouse, my friend," the first guard replied with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "I hear they've got quite the selection. They even have some Arlanians."

His companion recoiled, a look of disbelief crossing his features. "Are you dumb? Don't you have any shame?"

The first guard chuckled, undeterred by his friend's disapproval. "Why is that? I believe that the most loyal thing we can do for our monarch is to avenge his father with our cocks if we can't use our swords."

Before the conversation could continue, their banter was abruptly interrupted by the sight of a group of twenty men approaching them, all armed . The first guard's jovial expression shifted to one of alertness as he raised a hand in warning. "STOP RIGHT THERE, CITIZENS!"

As the group of twenty men approached, their presence was marked by the clinking of armor and the weighty tread of boots on the cobblestones of the road linking the city with the others. They were armed and armored, their weapons glinting in the fading light of dusk.

It was never a good thing to have many armed man inside the city

At the forefront of the group stood a young man his black hair cascading in unruly waves down the nape of his neck. His jawline was sharp and defined, accentuating the symmetry of his face, while a fair forehead spoke of youth and vigor. He wore a suit of chainmail, the links glistening in the dying light, and a sword rested snugly in its sheath at his hip.

As the young man approached, he shared a few words with his companions, , before approaching the guards with a smile. His gaze swept over the two guards stationed at the gates of Bratanium, assessing them with a discerning eye. He was Alpheo

"Good afternoon, sirs. I apologize for the scare; I mean no harm. I simply wish to enter the city," Alpheo began, his tone respectful yet firm.

The first guard eyed him warily, noting his hand on the hilt. "These days, words mean little. State your identity and purpose for entering the city. Keep your hands off the hilt as you do," he cautioned.

Alpheo explained their purpose succinctly. "We are mercenaries searching for a city to resupply and rest a bit," he replied. "We plan to head south to seek earnings with our swords and garner some glory along the way."

The guard's skepticism was evident in his response. "Only thing you'll get is a bloody death," he muttered, his voice tinged with cynicism. "How many of you are there?"

"We number 500 men. Obviously, we won't all enter the city. We request to set camp near the city wall while a portion of our group acquires supplies inside. We'll be gone before you know it," Alpheo assured him, a friendly smile gracing his features.

The guard scrutinized Alpheo, assessing his youth and apparent leadership. "Are you the leader?" he inquired, a hint of doubt in his tone.

Alpheo nodded. "Yes, I am," he admitted, meeting the guard's gaze with confidence.

''Very well make sure your men does not cause trouble, you can camp near the wall , you will be watched for security reason. Each day you will pay 10 silverii for hundred man, everything clear?''

''50 Silverris at day. This is a robbery!'' He thought as his eyes widened at the cost.Nonetheless there was little he could do , so he had to bit his cheek and be fast in his work

"Crystal clear, my goodman. I will relay the information to the men and ensure they behave," Alpheo affirmed, turning to his companions to organize their camp outside the city walls.

After that him and the other 18 men got inside the city after paying the customs toll to enter.

The gates of the city opened as the 19 men entered it, the first thing the man noticed were the great afflux of people inside of it. Being the city on the road to the capital it was normal that it was rather full with people, as it was a good hub for merchant to pass through.

"Alright, boys, let's get down to business," Alpheo declared, addressing his men with a commanding tone.

"Egil, take five of our brothers and go buy some lances and shields. Get the price for 120 of them," he instructed

"Very well, Alph. You heard the leader, boys! Come on, let's get it over with," Egil responded, rallying his group as they departed in search of a blacksmith.

Turning to Clio, Alpheo issued another directive. "Clio, go and buy some grains and oats for the group. Our supplies aren't low, but having a bit more won't hurt."

"I'll be back before sunfall," Clio assured him, setting off with a handful of companions to complete the task.

"Now, as for us," Alpheo muttered, eyeing the remaining group of nine. "We will walk in search of a tavern."

"Are we getting some drinks?" Laedio, one of the slaves Alpheo had brefiended, inquired eagerly.

"Just one. We're not going there to drink," Alpheo clarified, leading the way with purpose as the others followed.

"For what, then?" Laedio pressed, curiosity evident in his tone.

"To gather information. I need to know what's going on around us," Alpheo explained, his gaze fixed ahead as they traversed the streets of Bratanium.

"And the best way for that is to ask some drunkard about the latest news?" Laedio questioned skeptically.

"If you have any better options, I'm all ears," Alpheo retorted, casting a glance at Laedio, who simply shook his head.

"If no one has any genius way to acquire that, then I suggest we start searching for a tavern," Alpheo concluded decisively, determined to gather the intel they needed.Sometimes he missed newpaper, in the end asking some drunkies about rumors was not really the best way to get reliable informations, but that was the best road they had , so they had to make it work.