e disliked the villages. The were full of people. Shifty, faithless humans who said one thing and meant another. Parlock avoided them whenever possible but there always came a time when he must put aside his preferences and do what needed doing.
This time, he needed answers from the library in the village of Ravenmoore. It wasn't a huge library but it was adequate for his needs and to be honest, he had not the time nor the inclination to travel all the way to the city of Denbeck to use the university library.
The coin of the woods was deeds, but the coin of villages was metal. Parlock could return to the woods at night to sleep, but a few coins allowed him some hot food and a cold ale at the Chillingham Pub. A night at the inn also afforded him bath and laundry services. When he was in town, he would take small jobs from the villagers to be able to afford these luxuries.
He entered through the Friars' Gate and set his path to the Market Hall Bazaar. Colorful banners snapped in the breeze and the aroma of spices and roasting meat greeted him as he surveyed the many stalls of the sellers. Ravenmoore might be a small village, but their position on the banks of the Gales River brought in merchandise from around the world as sea traders handed off to inland merchants.
"Penny, please?" asked a small voice, down at his knees. "Penny?"
Parlock looked down to see a small boy of maybe six or seven in front of him, hand out, huge eyes beseeching.
"I have no coins, child. Run away."
The huge blue eyes filled with tears. "Penny?"
Parlock sighed. He slung his pack off his shoulders, set it on the ground and rummaged through it. He found a packet of dried venison and pulled out a strip.
"Here. Eat."
The child stared at the strip of jerky suspiciously. "Penny?"
Parlock shook it slightly and held it closer to the child's nose. "Better than a penny. Food."
Gingerly, the child took the jerky from his hand and licked it. He stared up into Parlocks' face, unsure.
"Put it in your mouth child. Chew."
The boy put the strip in his mouth and chewed gingerly. While he was distracted, Parlock strode quickly away. He knew an entanglement when he saw one and had no intention of getting involved. He dodged around behind the rows of stalls and made for the Pub.