Three years. Azandro had spent three whole years in Kataki following his village's destruction. His family's extinction. It took him one thorough look in the mirror on his twenty-second birthday to finally realise his stay in the cosmopolitan city of Rhiar had come to an end.
Azandro's sable black strands tickled his flushed ears in teased waves, his similarly coloured eyes examining the newfound freckled across his olive cheeks. Azandro was happy he had caught the sun in his years at Kataki as when he arrived, his complexion was deadly pale and reminded him far too much of his beloved parents before they were claimed by the Incendiary.
A shake of the head to clear his thoughts of their faces had his hands steadily grabbing the shears from the cabinet behind the mirror and bringing them to his spider-like hair. The aftermath was messy and slightly shorter and gave the man a rougher look, but Azandro quite liked the change and headed confidently out of his room and back downstairs to the bustling bar beneath.
Tomel Ruje, the owner of said bar, sat comfortably with a half-empty jug in his hand and waited at a full table for Azandro's return. 'The Maiden's Chalet' bar was ran by the charming middle-aged man whose occupation suited him perfectly as his social skills mirrored wonderfully with his regulars. The bar was ancient but modern, bustling yet calm, and the atmosphere was never dull. Tomel had taken a liking to the wandering Azandro very quickly within the young boy's first week on Kataki's shores. The boy, having sailed from the dying sands of Aridia, had no place to stay nor any sense of direction therefore it was hard for Tomel not to immediately take the withered blacksmith in.
Azandro approached the rounded table and was greeted with a myriad of cheerful smiles which quickly morphed into concerned confusion at the man's appearance.
"It's about time you got rid of that awful mop on your head. I was beginning to think it'd sprout legs and come and bite me." Chirped Devereux, one of the most respected royal guards of Kataki who, at first glance, had trepidation shiver through twenty-year-old Azandro, but after a few tense greetings had become one of Azandro's most loyal friends.
A smack from Devereux's twin sister, Delaney, had the man's mouth quickly shut but curled in a mischievous grin. "Don't be so critical, Dev, what with your snakes for hair!" Delaney tugged at one of Devereux's dreadlocks and cackled, starting the usual bickering between the twin guards.
Tomel smiled knowingly as Azandro, turning a blind eye to the fighting siblings and asked, "Why the sudden change from rags to riches? Not that I'm complaining, Dev did have a point."
"Haha, you're no better yourself, golden boy. But... I don't know." Azandro struggled to say his next few words, knowing they would quickly be opposed. "I just decided if I'm going to travel further, then I'm gonna want to see where exactly I'm going."
A moment of stunned silence shook the table of close friends. All too soon was it broken by their other friend, Harmon, and his gruff yet perplexed voice. "Excuse you? Going? As in leaving?"
"Yeah. It's just, I've wallowed in grief long enough, don't you think? I made a promise to my mother and I don't think spending another year here is going to help me with that. It is nothing to do with you lot, I'll never forget the gratitude you've all shown me. Even when I was just a scrawny blacksmith with no place to belong."
Delaney's brown, freckled eyes softened. "You're still a scrawny blacksmith, Az, but I'm glad you found us when you did, and if you feel it's time to move on, we can all respect that. Right, gentlemen?"
The woman's bronzed face scanned over everybody at the table, using her respected power over them to nod in agreement. Delaney always had a hold over the group, whether we liked to admit it or not.
"Right, sis," her brother answered, "but I wouldn't call him scrawny anymore. Let's not forget the time he put that disrespectful merchant in his place. What a fight."
"In the middle of the southern markets, let's not forget!" Added Harmon with a loud guffaw.
The group began reminiscing on stories, fond of the memories they all shared and accompanied the retelling of some with a few more drinks, courtesy of Tomel.
Whilst his friends began mindlessly chatting and caring only for the swapping of stories, Azandro had bid his farewells and left quietly, snaking through the bar's lively crowd.
He had thought he went unnoticed, but Azandro also forgot he was great friends with two of the most honoured guards. The carob-skinned twins awaited the man outside the splintered doors in Kataki's blaring sun. He gave them a relieved smile as he pushed through the doors to face them once again.
"You think you're gonna waltz back into the world alone when you can't even navigate through the markets? I don't think so, you scrawny blacksmith." Devereux beamed down at Azandro and looked to his equally tall sister who nodded in agreement.
"Where's our next stop, Az?" Delaney said, slinking an arm around his cloaked shoulders.
Azandro brought his scarred hand up his father's medallion around his neck and it pulsed quietly beneath his fingers as the three conveniently faced North.
"I hope you guys love sightseeing; I hear Sasani is beautiful this time of year."
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