Chapter 112: Homebound

Kothar crept close to the house, and peered in through the tiny window. It was a small house, the floor was covered in woven straw mats, and a thin dog slept by the fire.

On one side of the room was a roughly crafted bed, in which a lone man slept, on the floor by the fire slept a pair of boys, one in his late teenage years, evidenced by his pimpled face, and the other still a child.

Kothar didn't want to risk going inside the house, while he was adept at being covert, he was no thief, and he didn't want to risk alerting the dog.

He crept towards the back of the house, hoping to find some laundry hung out to dry, and it seemed it was his lucky day.

Kothar found a wide range of rough work shirts of various shades of red and brown and dark colored trousers hanging from a line that hung from one corner of the house to a pole that had been sunk into the ground.

He quickly found a set of clothing that was just a little too large for him and bundled into it, concealing his odd looking armor. 

As for his boots, they would mostly be covered by the trousers, and he knew that anyone he ran into wouldn't be interested in a farmer sightseeing in the capital, let along that farmer's boots.

Kothar was about to leave when he spotted something in the fields, and a little smile appeared on his lips, that would be the finishing touch to his disguise.

As he left the small farm behind, Kothar now had an enormous and floppy straw hat on his head and a ratty cloak around his shoulders. The brim of the hat concealing his face in a deep shadow and leaving the scarecrow in the fields behind him hatless.

As the light slowly lit up the horizon, Kothar had made his way from a series of tracks beaten into the dirt to the main paved roads of Ursten and was strolling along merrily.

Only the rare farmhouse was visible, otherwise, this region was mostly desolate. 

[DOn't you think a farmer trekking such a vast distance in the heat would be a little less cherry?] Silane's voice was disapproving, Kothar's jolly attitude couldn't be good for staying undercover.

[I'm just that happy to be back on Eclat, and besides, a simpleton like myself couldn't possibly have anything in the world to be upset about.] Kothar joked, and returned to walking happily along the paved road.

Before long a cart drawn by two broad shouldered horses, driven by a middle aged heavy set man, whose hair was only beginning to gray, had driven up alongside Kothar.

'Now that's a sight. A cheerful youngster! I swear all the young uns I see nowadays are far too caught up in their imaginary sufferings. Why don't you hop on up, and I'll give ya a ride into the city." The man driving the cart was immediately taken with Kothar's chipper attitude and offered him a ride.

"Much obliged, where can I ride" Kothar squinted his eyes and slurred his words to the other farmer, knowing it would do a lot to obscure his facial features. Better to give him something to remember, or he'd focus on his face.

"Hop on back and relax on that hay, just don't go eating any of my vegetables or I'll throw you off the cart!" The farmer warned, before snapping his reins at his horses, and continuing his journey to Balin.

And that was how Kothar returned to the city he had been born in, in the back of a farmer's cart, with the city guards giving him barely a second look, dismissing him as yet another young farmer boy here to take in the sights of the city.

"I need ta go drop these vegetables off to their buyer, you'll be alright from her, young lad?" The farmer asked Kothar, he was worried that the young man was a little slow, since he squinted fiercely when he spoke and slurred his words.

"Of course! Thanks for the ride mister! My uncle's got a little inn in the city, my da said I could stay with him! It's my first time in the city you know and-" Kothar decided to drone on and on, it would be the best way to avoid answering more questions than he wanted to.

"Alright, alright. No need to tell me your entire life's tale, young lad! I need to hurry, goodbye!" And with that, the farmer rode off towards the east of the city, leaving the young farmer standing at the side of the road. A few of the city guard had watched the whole exchange and laughed. They saw many young peasants come in from the countryside to sight see in the city, but this one was a real character

[Let's hole up till nightfall, no one will be paying much attention to me, but they will pick up on a farmer trying to enter General Tam's house.] Kothar said to Silane, as he headed for an out of the way bar, one that often served country folk in the city for business.

"Gimme a half chicken, Inn keep, and something to drink. I'm treating myself!" Kothar immediately announced as he entered, giving the inn keep a goofy grin.

The man was unfazed, and soon Kothar started with a steaming half bird in front of him, accompanied by a tall jug filled with cold beer.

Kothar took his time with the food, and then played cards with a group of other sightseeing farmers, blending in with them seamlessly. Soon they began to trickle out, returning to their lodgings as night fell.

Kothar trekked out soon after, keeping to the alleyways. Soon his farmer's clothes disappeared and he blended into the night with his dark colored armor and the ratty cloak which he had decided to keep.

Soon enough, he climbed to the roofs of the city,  it was time for him to return home.