Seeing his fascination, Erin smiled. “That is Eldergate. I take it you have never seen the city before?”
David shook his head.
The sight took David by surprise. He wasn’t expecting to see such a magnificent city built within the woods, let alone so many people. He understood now why Erin asked him to put on the cloak. In his own clothes he would stand out like a sore thumb; dirty, ragged, and even torn in some places, but with the cloak on he would more easily blend in with the crowd of people walking towards the city, most of which donned similar travelling cloaks themselves.
“Come on, we need to hurry.” She quickly stepped out into the crowd and began walking beside a passing farmers cart being pulled by a mule, covering her head with the hood of her robe.
David scrambled through the crowd to try to follow but found it far more difficult than Erin had made it seem. People and animals were everywhere! He found it extremely disorienting to try to navigate the endless stream of bodies and still keep track of where Erin had gone. He picked up his pace and finally caught up, keeping stride with her as they walked by the farmer’s cart.
“Hey there!” one of the farmers shouted as he noticed the two companions.
They smiled politely to the farmer and his family as they trotted along. He had two young girls sitting on his cart that was filled with bundles of wheat along with some large bags of potatoes and other vegetables. The older of the two girls was freckle faced with long blonde hair pulled back into a bun while the much younger girl had brown hair put up into pigtails. She wore a toothless grin and stared cheerfully at the two travelers.
“It’s a good thing you got here when you did. Word’s out that there’s some dangerous people wandering about, so they want everyone to come inside the gates where it’s safe for the night.” the farmer said with a smile. “Had you waited much longer the gates would surely be closed.”
The younger girl smiled. “Good thing you didn’t wait!” she said.
Erin and David couldn’t help but smile at the girl’s innocence and charm, thankful that the family’s friendliness helped them seem like a part of their pack.
The crowd was moving relatively quickly considering the massive amounts of people that were gathering at the gates. David’s nerves grew more and more uneasy as they approached the gate, fearful that he would be spotted in the crowd. Much to his and Erin’s relief, however, they walked right past the guards at the gate without any incident.
Once they were within the city walls, they waved goodbye to the farmer and his family before darting off down a side road.
The cobblestone street was complemented by the stone buildings that ran alongside it and was crowded and packed in every corner with people of all ages, some very nicely dressed, others more modestly. Beggars crowded around the stores, politely asking for food or drink as the crowds walked in and out of the shops carrying their bags of goods.
They continued down the street passing an area lined with specialist’s shops that crafted metals and wood into fine weapons, armor, and tools. Further along, David’s stomach began to rumble as the aroma of freshly baked bread and delicious smelling food filled the air, reminding him of just how hungry he had become and how long it had been since he had eaten a real meal! They passed a series of bakeries and pubs before reaching a crowded marketplace further down the road.
Reaching what seemed to be the center of the city, the marketplace hosted an elegant stone fountain, endlessly gushing crystal-clear water for all to enjoy. The fountain was plated in gold, slightly tarnished from weathering, and depicted a group of men holding shovels and pickaxes. Erin explained that they were the original settlers of Eldergate, which was once nothing more than a small mining outpost. It later grew into the sprawling metropolis that it was due to the abundance of precious metals and other resources found within the Mystic Mountain and surrounding areas.
David watched as children ran between him and Erin, parading about the streets laughing and playing games while adults roamed the shops. He thought the city was more remarkable than anything he had ever seen, although he didn’t have much to compare it to.
He had only ever had the orphanage to call home and apart from that, had only went back and forth to school. Most of his free time while growing up had been spent aimlessly wandering the nearby woods, passing the time in precious solitude – something he came to enjoy growing up in the orphanage. Even so, he marveled at the bustling market that now surrounded him.
As they followed the cobblestone road through the interior of the city, David made sure to stay closely behind Erin, knowing if he lost sight of her, he would quickly get lost in the bustling crowds. The sun was nearly set now, and in the distance, he could hear the loud thud of the gates as they were slowly lowered and securely shut for the night.
They continued out of the market and down some side streets that were increasingly lit by torch light, leading into what David assumed was the business district of the city. The streets were surrounded with tall buildings on either side with various signs for services and goods being sold. The street was wide but packed with people, even at this hour, making it tight to move around and even harder for David to keep up. Twice David was nearly knocked to his feet by a passerby who was completely unaware of his surroundings. Both times David nearly lost sight of Erin
