Walking along the main road for such a long time was wearisome. Garinor needed food right away because he was utterly worn out. He’d barely eaten anything that day, and noshing on a raw tomato wasn’t exactly the best meal.
He abandoned the main road, hoping something would appear to him on another avenue. It appeared as if the main road was going to continue for another few miles anyway. The new road he took was still well-organized and the shops and service places were well-kept. He debated against walking into a store that advertised having the best and most thrilling horse-drawn tours of Kallinoria. It might be fun, but he doubted the one silver coin would get him far, and even if it did, it wouldn’t feed him. Besides, if they were selling tours, then he probably would have to pay for directions, too.
Some time later he came to an open forum marketplace. Here, vendors set up temporary shops to peddle their wares. Everything could be found, from clothes, toys, food, and herbs, to tools, registration for horse riding or swimming lessons, and so on.
Walking around with his mouth watering, Garinor came to a small stand where an elderly woman was giving free glasses of juice to anyone who sampled her sandwiches, though the sampling wasn’t free. For half a silver he could buy a tomato, herb, and cheese sandwich on bread with a garlic paste. It looked absolutely delicious and he asked for one.
The woman eyed him shrewdly, doubting he even had a copper or bronze coin, never mind enough to make up half a silver. She was impressed when he pulled out the coin, and she snatched it from him and nodded for him to choose a sandwich and drink.
Hungry hands grabbed for the food and stuffed the sandwich into his mouth, where he chomped rather merrily. But then the old woman grabbed his arm and started screaming, “Thief! Thief! Guards!”
The entire square quieted down with the commotion and three guards in leather tunics hustled over. “What’s the problem here?” said one of them.
“This rotten thief traded me a fake coin for food. Look at this!” She held out the coin Garinor had given her.
“F—fake?” the boy stammered. “But the—”
“Quiet, boy,” snapped another guard.
“I knew he couldn’t have had enough money!” the old woman spat.
The first guard turned the coin over in his hand and then he looked from the boy to the woman. “So you took this coin as payment, let him have his first bite, and then called us over? Why didn’t you inspect the coin first if you doubted him?”
She was aghast. “What? You’re going to blame me?”
He ignored her appalled expression and turned to Garinor. “Where did you come by this coin, lad?”
“The guard at the southern gate gave it to me. He told me to take it to Copperwell’s but I couldn’t find it, so I came this way.”
“Copperwell’s? Hmm.” The man considered for a moment and then he nodded his head. “Ahh, I see,” he said, looking again at the coin, then pocketing it. “Finish your sandwich, lad.”
“What?” protested the old woman. “He needs to pay for that!”
“No need for shouting,” said the second guard.
“Right,” agreed the first guard. “I’m sure you wouldn’t let him have that on the house and out of the kindness of your heart?”
“Pshaw!” she snarled. “Kindness doesn’t give me a place to live, sir. Not that I can argue against the guards of Kallinoria,” she said with mock respect.
The man’s eyes narrowed. He handed her a silver coin—which she examined carefully—and took a second sandwich and handed it to Garinor. “I wouldn’t think of having you go without your due, woman.” To Garinor he said, “Eat, but then go on from here and take care not to peddle false money.”
“Thank you,” Garinor said, taking the second sandwich gratefully. The guard turned away, but Garinor called out. “Sir?”
“Yes, lad?”
“I’ve been on foot all day. Is there any place I can go to get some sleep?”
“If ever there was a place to get some rest for no cost, it would be Erina’s, as long as you’re willing to work off your stay.” He then gave Garinor directions, which he eagerly followed.