Noting that several villagers were eyeing his horse, he decided these people might think he had hostile intentions since he was the only mounted man. Rezkin swung down from the saddle, glad for the chance to stretch his legs. As he started toward one of the produce stands, an anxious middle-aged man stepped forward from the crowd. He hesitated a moment, presumably to gauge Rezkin’s reactions. Rezkin stopped and nodded to the man politely, waiting for the man to speak, as the masters had taught him.

The stranger let out a pent up breath and said, “Good afternoon, sir. I am Mayor Jorge. We haven’t seen you around here before. Is there something I can do for you … sir?”

Rezkin would not have guessed this man was the mayor of the village. He had been taught that mayors were of elevated station, often pompous and vain. This man looked no different than any of the other villagers in his muted, brown homespun tunic and pants. His hair was clean but disheveled, and he looked to have worked up a sweat. Rezkin held out a hand in polite greeting by commoner standards and replied, “I am Rezkin. It is a pleasure to meet you. I seek only to resupply, and then I will be on my way.” Rezkin stretched his lips into one of his practiced smiles that Master Peider insisted belonged with the pleasantries.

Rezkin knew he had performed correctly when Mayor Jorge’s shoulders relaxed, and the man smiled in return as he clasped Rezkin’s hand. “Well, sir, we have some fine produce just harvested this morning. Carlon, here, is the butcher,” he explained and pointed to a man over his shoulder, “and he can get you some decent cuts of meat. Hay and oats are stored down by the smithy. Is there anything else you might be needing while you’re here?” While the man acted pleasant enough, it was obvious from the anxious stares and fidgeting of the villagers that they would prefer for Rezkin to leave the town as soon as possible.

The warrior shook his head while maintaining his smile. “No, that should be fine, thank you. Oh,” he said as though he had just remembered some minor detail, “I am looking for someone who may have traveled through here. Has anyone not of the village come around in the past week?”

The mayor’s smile slipped, and his eyes darted around the gathered crowd in query. People shook their heads, and the mayor turned back to the young warrior. “N-No, sir. Not that we know of, aside from you, that is. Should we be looking for someone?” he asked nervously, as though he thought he might be failing a test.

“No, you need not be concerned. If you have not seen him then he has probably passed by,” Rezkin replied.

Mayor Jorge eyed Rezkin’s swords and asked, “Is the man dangerous? Should we be concerned?”