The Defender: Stoneford

One

Allan passed through the main gate “protecting” the city of Stoneford.

It wasn’t a gate built to defend the city from attack, clearly. Two stone posts braced either side of the road that paralleled the West River. The posts were as tall as two men. Connected to the posts, leading away from the road, were two stone walls perhaps ten yards long. Each wall was half the height of the average man. Past the walls was open ground on the river side of the road, and farm fields on the opposite side of the road.

Two men in chain-mail coats and leather breeches sat on stools. Each man sat in front of a post. As Allan approached them, they stood up. He saw carving on the posts. As he got closer, he saw that the carving was the crest of the ruling family of this dukedom.

The guards stood up. They moved to the center of the road, blocking his path.“State your name,” the older of the two said.

“Allan.”

“Where are you from?”

“Elderwood Ford.”

“Why have you come to Stoneford?”

“To seek my fortune.”

The guard looked Allan up and down. Before leaving Elderwood Ford, he’d bought better clothes for himself. He didn’t need to appear to be a wealthy young man. A young man like that wouldn’t need to be searching for his place in life. A young man in modest, but clean, clothing would appear to be doing so.

The guard nodded once. “Very well. Welcome to the dukedom of Stoneford, and the city of Stoneford. The master here is Lord Jason. Obey the law, and you will do well enough.”

Allan nodded back. “Thank you.” He walked away from the guards.

He’d chosen to follow the West River when he left Elderwood Ford. Stoneford was one of his home’s few neighbors. Relations between them were pleasant enough, but that was more due to the sparsely-settled land at their border than anything else. People in the border villages either went up the river or down it for any needs they couldn’t fill themselves. The land they lived in had no value, other than having good soil for farms.

Since Stoneford was along the river, it had to have river trade. River trade, from Allan’s knowledge and experience, could lead to crime. Crime could lead to corruption, and that meant that Stoneford might need help from the Defender.

Allan took his time walking through the city. It appeared to be much like the city he’d grown up in. Residential districts sat on the outskirts of the city. Closer to the center was the business district and the docks on the riverside. Set back from the business section, and surrounded by residential neighborhoods, was the Lord’s Manor, the homes of the wealthy, the barracks, and the temples. The only difference between Stoneford and Elderwood Ford was that here, all but the poorest homes were constructed of masonry. Every structure appeared solid.

There were poor folk in the streets, but their situation didn’t appear as desperate as the conditions were in Elderwood Ford when Allan was growing up. There weren’t as many run-down structures, either. Pairs of guards did seem to be posted at every important street corner.

Allan searched for an inn that he could stay in. He passed by two of the nicest inns he saw. A young man trying to make his way wouldn’t have the coins for a room in such places. Besides, he’d have to make his coins last as long as possible.

Along the main road through the city, sitting between the central business area and a pleasant neighborhood, was the Gray Stallion Inn. The structure was a two-story affair with a plain front. Allan walked in front of it, and was struck by the aroma of baking bread.