The Halfblood King: Book 1 of the Chronicles of Aertu by Julian Benoit Page A

activity when Aleron and Hadaras arrived.  They perused the stalls and shops together.  Aleron had never seen such a selection of goods in one place.  There was merchandise not only from across Sudea, but all over the Aertu as well.  Aleron hefted a Sunjibi broadsword in one shop, wondering aloud who in the world could wield a five pound, single-handed sword.  His grandfather informed him that westman arms and armor were often much heavier than the norm, due to the great strength of that people.  The two separated as Hadaras stopped to speak to one of the vendors, while Aleron continued browsing.  Aleron looked up and saw a young, auburn haired girl of around fourteen, dressed in a fine gown of sky blue and surrounded by four armed retainers.  Their eyes met and Aleron thought her’s might be the greenest eyes he had ever seen.  She smiled at him and one of the retainers, noticing the exchange, scowled at him in turn.  Since he wasn’t watching where he was going, Aleron bumped into another young man, who was perusing the wares.  “I’m sorry,” Aleron said to the other, who appeared only slightly older than he did.
    “And so you should be,” the other youth stated in a loud voice, shoving Aleron backwards.  The other youth was about Aleron’s size, with black hair and a fringe of a beard.
    “I said I was sorry!” Aleron stated, as the other reached to shove him again.  Aleron grabbed his aggressor’s right hand and twisted inward, until the palm faced the sky, bending the thumb back towards the ground.  As his attacker fell to his knees, groaning in pain, Aleron noticed another youth, darting for the dagger on his right side.  Aleron shifted slightly and mule-kicked the second attacker in the midsection.  He thought he felt a rib crack beneath his heel and the second youth was curled on the ground, coughing.  He twisted all the harder, as he repositioned himself to see both attackers.  He said to the first, “I’m going to refrain from breaking your arm and you should tend to your friend.  I think he may have a broken rib or two.  If I notice either of you follow me, I will assume the worst and I will kill you.  Are we understood?”  The other nodded in affirmation.  Aleron released him and stepped back, hand on his dagger hilt in an ice pick grip.  The black haired youth scrambled to the aid of his companion and Aleron looked around for the first time since the altercation began.  The market goers had given them a wide berth and the girl, who Aleron had quite forgotten about, was watching him wide-eyed, with her retainers keeping a wary eye on him as well.  Hadaras was watching from the other side and with a slight grin, motioned him over.
    “You must try to stay out of trouble, my boy,” Hadaras admonished the youth, jokingly.
    “I didn’t do anything to him, other than bump into him,” Aleron defended.  “I don’t know what his problem was.”
    “I believe the problem had more to do with the pretty girl you were both eying before you bumped into each other,” his grandfather offered.  “I’m fairly certain that those two lads know her, or at least know who she is, which would explain the posturing.” 
    “I never understood that, Grandfather.”
    “You never understood what?”
    “The fellows who think that pushing the others around will impress the girls,” he answered.  “Most girls are not impressed by that, from what I’ve seen.”
    “Just enough of them are, to keep it going and it’s been going on since men first came into being.  You can bet your last copper on that to be true.  Come on and let’s see what else they have here.”
    They spent the remainder of the afternoon and well into the evening, perusing the various offerings of the vendors.  Aleron had some silver with him, but Hadaras reminded him several times, that they would be travelling for the better part of a year and they would not want a lot of extra weight.  Therefore, the swords,