Becoming Legend

Chapter 124: Bogmoor

"Take this to our main branch," Del had said after Ned left the Bogaressi. Ned took the letter sealed with purple wax. In the middle, was their House insignia. As Ned had expected, their insignia shows neutral. A hammer against wood or plank in green.

According to Dey; House of Wood's main branch occupied a space almost in the center of the Capital.

The Great House of Soak has ruled the region of Bogblot for centuries after the Forgotten King has layed weak. The old patriarch of Soak has gone weak, and the only legitimate heir to his title was his only daughter Wennonah Soak: who got married to a merchant House—who was second in line in terms of buying monster parts, Soak being the first.

Years after their marriage, Lady Soak's husband, Lord Tangel of House Smoore, succumbed to disease and died. That leaves Lady Soak with a daughter and a son.

That was according to the owner of the tavern where Ned asked for directions going to the main branch of House of Woods.

The Seat of power of House Soak was at the capital called Bogmoor. Their manor lies not at the center of the city, but at the edge of the Bogmoor cliff, and was surrounded by different medium and lesser houses, and scattered with thousands of shops.

Although the region was mostly of swamp, the capital was raised above ground; as Ned saw the stack of bricks laid down to raise the platform, to not let the overflowing rivers flood the capital. It just has needed a lot of mud, and fire, and workforce—workforce like slaves—to finish the entire capital with teeming orange of bricks. While the wall encompasses almost five people holding hands together.

Contrary to Bogaressi. Bogblot's slum occupied the outside of the wall, it could hardly be called a slum since the houses were surrounded with trees.

Bogmoor was divided by a river, coming from a lake the people called Twin Lake, and bridges were constructed to ease traveling between parts of the city. The river of Line started from the Twin Lake until the end of the region, where the capital was, and formed a waterfall.

Aside from orange houses, shops, and the ground. Ned felt like he was in the territory of elves with the trees growing above each structure. Be it a merchant shop, a nobles house, or the Canton of Commerce—especially the Canton of Commerce, trees above the roofs.

The Canton of Commerce was made circular dome. This was the only structure created to center the capital, and the only structure to rival the size of the Great House of Soak.

The Canton of Commerce was built above the raging river of Line.

"If you want to learn anything about the city of Bogmoor, Canton of Commerce is where to go, Ned Sskat," Sigis had said; around sixty; short hair; shining white facial hair; and the tavern owner.

Ned sat at the tavern across Sigis, while the latter wiped clean the counter and from time to time cry at his drunk customers. His tavern was named, for some unknown reason, 'Kubo'. It felt like the name was from a distant place, maybe from where Sigis's hometown.

"Even the merchant guilds, Hunter's Guild, the great House of Soak, went to the Canton of Commerce to settle things," Sigis added. Gazing a group of hunters circling the female waitress. "Canton of Commerce was run by an Obligator sent by the—fucking nuts! leave Maria alone!—sent by the Kingdom to mediate things between the Great House of Soak and the Griffith Kingdom."

Sigis said but his eyes were at the hunters, who were sitting with heads down after he threw words.

Ned scurried another silver from his pouch and slid it across Sigis. "You know how to talk, kid, aren't you?" Sigis said after counting ten silver and tuck it inside his pocket instead of the tin box where the normal coins went.josei

Ned nodded, a big part of it was Glenn. It has been easy for Ned to acquire information just by sharing some of his silver. "Tell me about these Obligators."

"I don't judge people by their age, but," Sigis said. Sneaking his curious eye to Ned's pouch. "Aside from minor nobles coming in my tavern, you were the youngest customer I had from the past months, and you weren't noble, no?"

Ned cocked his head in agreement. Sipped the drink he ordered, a sweet and sour with no alcohol, and leaned both of his arms at the counter as he waited for Sigis to speak.

"They're Royal guards," Sigil said. "Mostly they're from Hunter's Guild employed by the Kingdom but have great benefits. The lowest of their rank was gold. They weren't secret, but less was known about them either."

"And House of Woods?" Ned asked. Drinking the remains of his drinks.

"An hour by walk," Sigis said. "Take a carriage. It will be fast."

Ned stood and left by sliding another silver. This time, Sigis tossed it inside the tin box. He smiled as Ned left a wealthy impression.

Ned took the route by a carriage.

Along the way, Ned saw different crowds. Aside from hunters, which were common to Ned's eyes, there were freeborns as well. Freeborns weren't labeled as slaves, merchants, or hunters. They were ten-step higher than slaves, and born without a House, but was privileged by their ancestors. A great sum of freeborns we're free, thanks to their skills they were employed by both merchants, and Hunters alike. As for nobles; they were the ones to employ most of the freeborns.

Freeborns could work for nobles, or set-up their own businesses, a small business wherein they could offer their skills for the masses.

Ned was impressed by the structures. Notable nobles crafted their houses with rose glasses with different colors that shone brightly behind the light.

The bricked inlaid road was wide enough for almost four to five carriages to fit together but was narrowed by the hundreds of crowd marching both sides of the road, could be thousands if Ned decides to check the lights that jumped back and forth in the distance along with dark spots moving here and there like ants collecting for their winter food.

Same as Bogaressi, it was mostly Hunters that roamed the street, be it blades, sabers, bow, staves, and some pets. While some hunters were tagged along with what Kwan had told Ned to be Companions.

Behind a hunter with a bow was a kid, thin, tall, and sweating. He carried a massive bag, that wasn't fitted with his body. Although it seemed big, the look on his face was shining.

Ned passed different shops, judging from the blurring scene, one of them was a weapon shop as it sells assorted kind armaments, ranging from bows and swords.

Next was a shop structured with strong wood and sell books, shining objects like a glass orb, necklaces, rings.

Across the shops were food stalls, the smell of meat combined with the crowd's murmurs the scene was lively under the perfectly lined trees at the edges of the road.

The carriage turned swirling, cut left and right until it stopped across a burnish brown structure made of wood. House of Wood was engraved at a massive plank fixed at the roof of the structure. It was almost ten cubic meters wide, and four storeys high; not counting the roof decorated by different plants and at the edge were trees planted high.

Ned gave the coachman five silver and left as the horse neighed under the shaft of the moon.

The street wasn't empty. Beside the House of Wood building was a shop, wasn't just ordinary, made of bricks that were cased by iron plates. Another side was lined with tavern and inns. Sigis's tavern was made of thin woods, light with small lamps and torches. Whereas, the taverns beside the House of Woods were fixed with shining stones, glossy doors, and walls tempered with bold silver to dark woods.

Ned entered a foyer. Pieces of furniture to his right: chairs, tables, only made for nobles, now without the dust. Soft cushions to his left: one wore mage's robe hanging on the wooden floor, behind a man stood crossing his arms, more like a bodyguard. Ned walked straight to the attendant. A man in late twenties, wore a wary smile as Ned approached him.

Ned stopped, between them a wooden counter almost chest high of Ned, the man smiled. Ned gave the letter.

The man narrowed with his thin eyes, nobles came and through from the stairs behind the foyer. After some time, without opening the letter, the man nodded and gestured Ned to follow him.

They entered the stair behind the receiving room. They both stopped after some time of walking. Ned and the man stood behind a planked door, plain-looking door. No signs, or any other carvings.

The man knocked and said: "Master Woods."

Without waiting for an answer. The man pushed open the door. He then gestured Ned with his long hands to enter and followed Ned inside while he let Ned sat across the man and gave the letter from Dey.

Footsteps faded away after the doors closed. And Ned was welcomed by another blond man. Leaning on his glossy table with his fingers steepled under his chin. He eyed Ned with surprise. Brown eyes, straight from the top and curly at the end, square jawline, and an impassive look. He eyed Ned and then the letter in front of him.

After some time, he broke opened the seal.

After a minute or two of reading with his eyes and a little hum, he then put the letter inside the drawer affixed under his table. He put his finger back towering under his chin.

Ned sat with his legs crossed that of a lady. Arms resting on the armchairs. Plants of different varieties squired the room. And dark horizon behind the window.

Master Woods then spoke: "I might know a distinguishing Roy."