Summer 915 MC
As Richard grew, so too did his freedom. No longer confined to the Keep, he was free to wander the village in the afternoons, provided he returned by nightfall.
The cluster of buildings that constituted the village sat just beyond the Keep"s walls, spread out in a rather haphazard manner. It was small compared to others in Merceria, but this one was all Richard knew. He wandered the streets, watching as soldiers occasionally marched by on the way to the Keep. Some days, he stood by the smiths as they worked, fascinated by their forging of simple things, like horseshoes or nails. Even basket weavers caught his attention, and coopers, creating barrels for storage.
One day, as he observed one such artisan fit a metal band around a barrel, he heard a clattering sound nearby. H
