Beatitudes

Encounter.

As he was got close to the gate, he came close to the two guards standing on both sides of the gate. When those guards saw the state of the boy, their faces immediately became wrinkled but for different reasons, one of the guardian that had pity in his eyes looked at the boy and stated in a voice that was gentler than what he would normally use when addressing people entering the city,

" Hey there Lad, what brings you to this city, how did you end up here. "

As the guy heard the guard talking, he first blanked before he realized he was the one being talked to. After running through and sleeping within the forest for a long time, he had hardly ever spoken a word, mostly because he was only surrounded by trees and bushes at those moments, he wouldn't deny that he had gotten tired of the silence and the boredom it brought with it, but he had also lost his sense of conversing with people. He was clueless on what to say for a little while before he spoke with difficulty

" I.. came.. from th-that place... t-the forest. "

The other guard who had been at him with a digusted look, felt his expression melt slightly as he heard the difficulty with which the boy talked, he probably had been lost and walking for a long while, with this thought in his mind he finally spoke up,

"The forest?, where you living there?, dont you have any relation or something. "

With a glare, the first guard looked at the one talking as he signaled with his eyes for him to keep quiet, and then he turned back to the boy who looked to be nearing adulthood already, he wondered what happened to the boy as well but he wouldn't be so blunt as to ask and possibly dig up painful and sad memories. " Never mind that, just head in through the gates, if you're looking for a place to stay you'd need money for them to let you in, but if you don't have any, you can head over to the city hall at the centre of the city, you'd get something to do and gain some money and shelter there I think, there are usually request for labourers. Naturally if you do have some money or a place to stay, then forget all what I said and head over, I could guide you but I'm not duty now, you'll naturally get others to guide you if you ask politely. "

Naturally as a guard, his job was to guard the gates and inspect all entrees into the city, nothing more nothing less. But looking at the young man who wore clothes that looked as small sized as it was tattered, he couldn't help but offer some help, even if it was in the form of a considerate amount of words of advice

Listening to the guard who had now opened up a path for him, he couldn't help but feel a kind of warmth blossom within him, he felt and knew it had been a long while since he felt so, the memories of when he felt such last were memories he didn't really like remembering but he felt much easier around the guard

"T-Thank you very much. " He said with a smile he had let out last at a much younger age.

" No problem, you can go now ", returning the smile on the lad's face, he patted him on the shoulder and led him through the gates. Watching his back disappear down the streets, he smiled and let out a little sigh, then turning back to resume his duty he noticed the eyes of his colleague on him, "What you looking at?, never seen someone giving some advice before? ", he said with a faint smile as he looked on forward. He knew what he did wasn't what the other guy could do, even he wouldn't normally do such things due to the training they had gotten on their days as trainees, but looking at the young guy who had a face that looked extremely travel worn and dirty, he felt an explicable feeling, he was still wondering what it was but because of it he helped the guy anyways.

The other guard stared at him for a while before he shrugged a bit and sighed, " Whatever floats your boat brother. "

Eyes still trained on the distance, he didn't reply as other thoughts began to wander through his mind.

______________________________________________________________

Far off from the gates in through the city, Jaden wandered with a tired gaze as he ignored the different looks hurled at him. Perhaps if it was another time, the guy would have felt awkward and out of place due to those stares but right now, he had other things in his mind as he walked in the direction he felt was to the center. He tried asking a couple of time, but all of them who raised their head to look at who was talking would immediately try to shrug him off with a few words. In the end he gave up and kept on walking forward following his instincts.

After walking for a little while he noticed that there were more people around this area, although he had stayed in the forest for a pretty long while, he surprisingly still retained a basic sense of society, he guessed he was probably close to the center of the city that the guard mentioned.

" Hey kid. "

Still walking forward he suddenly heard a call from his side, what seemed odd was that he felt he was the one being called. It wasn't a matter of his superior physical sense and ability that he realized he had, the person had purposefully used a method to get his attention, due to this he could only turn as he looked to his side and saw a man walking over to him, he had a warm aura and an amiable air around him, with his green eyes he possessed a friendly look which immediately made the guy lower his guard.

" Yes. "

At this point, he was already able to talk properly, he could make some small talk at least. Getting his reply, the friendly looking guy broke into a slight smile as he spoke again after stopping beside him.

" My name's Greg, I noticed your appearance and I saw you walking over from the city gate's direction. I reckon you're probably a traveler who got lost on the way, your clothes are a little shabby hence it'll be hard for people to look at you in a good light, could I know your name.. so we could discuss some more properly. "

Listening to his words till the end, the guy's head suddenly blanked, Name... what is my name?, I've almost forgotten my name after all these years... He thought for a bit before he spoke up again

" My name's... Issac"

When Greg heard the boy give his name, he broke into a bigger smile as he grinned deviously within, ' this kid seems to have no apprehension whatsoever, and here I thought he'd be harder to get through to, I guess I just wasted my efforts and worried a bit. ', these thoughts passed through his mind as he opened his mouth to speak again.

" Well Issac.. it's nice to meet you, I doubt you have a place to stay at all, and I wouldn't enjoy you sleeping out in the cold starving. The thing is, I work at a place and at the place right now, we're recruiting new workers with no requirements or qualifications, you can try your luck there and gain a spot, although the pay isn't something wonderful, you'll a place to sleep and food to eat. Hence I think you'd be very much interested. What do you think? "

Hearing those words at this point was someone came over to over all under heaven, at this point, although it was still a bit early he could sense his body weakening, he had only been eating fruits from the forest anyways. There was no way he would refuse and there was no need to worry either. With these thoughts he looked at Greg who was looking at him patiently waiting for him to make his decision, he didn't notice the look of sneering confidence hidden in the depths of those green eyes, neither did he notice the odd way that Greg had spoken and worded his intentions to bring him to a 'place for work'. With an unsuspecting heart he looked at the guy and smiled as he said.

" I'll be very glad. Please guide me there. "

And together they walked off, away from the place where the honest guard had guided him to, where he would have gotten some real 'job'. He didn't even know he had been tricked and was actually being kidn*pped in the most subtle way possible. He had been in a remote place for so long anyways so he couldn't be blamed anyways. He walked on as he headed to the place where he would have his first special encounter in this life.