Haven Keep (Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

have a way with him.  It’s about time you started doing manly stuff anyway,” he laughed.
    Von laughed too.  He was so excited the prospect of seeing Berkler no longer bothered him, well not too much.
    Von passed a few field workers who waited to sell their goods to the visiting merchants.  Tyree, one of the smiths Von was scheduled to make a delivery to was waiting to see the merchants as well.  He was standing next to a couple crates full of wares.  Those crates were probably filled with swords.  Blades from Azmark always fetched a hefty price and were always in demand, especially with the wars in the south.  Those swords were the finest quality found anywhere in the world.  At least that was what the seven clans and most their neighbors thought.
    Von waved to Tyree. “I have a delivery for you.”
    “Just leave it in the usual spot if I’m not there.”
    Von nodded and followed the cobblestone road toward the city’s dock gates.  He smiled to himself when he thought of how proud the northerners were of their capital city.  The idea was more than a little amusing.  In his mind Azmark wasn’t much more than a fortified fishing village.  His memories were filled with greater settlements in his homeland, settlements that dwarfed Azmark.  Even those places were small compared to the sprawling capital of Evenfelle where he was born.  Yet Azmark, the capital of the north, was still a seat of power and a modest trade center in its own right, bringing minor profits to the various local merchants that traded with other ports.
    He whistled to himself as he drove the wagon to his first stop, waving to those he passed.  This was shaping up to be a good day.  He should be done with his deliveries by mid morning if he hurried, then he could get back to the shop and finish working on those daggers for Dell and Reece.  The alloy they found in the cave was a mystery to him.  It was the finest steel he’d ever worked with, of a quality he’d never encountered.  He wanted desperately to know what it was, how to reproduce it.  He was determined to find it out.
    Morning wore on, and thankfully Berkler hadn’t been in his shop when Von stopped by.  The day really was turning out good.
    The last delivery was to Baiden’s shop, then Von could get to work on those daggers.  He could always muck out the stables after dinner.
    Unloading the last of the wagon took some time, but was made easier by the use of his hand cart.  He placed the stock iron onto the sturdy shelves and the coal into the heavy wooden bins, making sure to keep everything neat and in order.  Baiden always kept a tidy shop.  Of course lately Von was the one who used this place the most.  He dreamed of owning a shop just like it some day.  That dream seemed out of reach for the moment.  He was a bond servant.  His life was not his own.  He pushed those thoughts out of his head, trying to forget his old life, trying to be content with his new one.
    Von stoked the forge fire and began working the bellows.  Soon the flames were burning with an intense heat, the coals glowing red and yellow.
    Von retrieved a dagger from the shelf.  It was a wicked looking blade and nearly complete, lacking only the hilt.  He stared at the blade, admiring the quality of the steel.  Something was missing.  He hadn’t done anything different with this dagger, but there was something at the back of his mind, some strange feeling nagging at him.  He set the piece aside and pulled out what would become the second dagger.
    It wasn’t much to look at, just a piece of stock really.  He used his tongs to place the stock in the hot coals.  The metal was soon glowing with the same colors as the fire. 
    A sense of power came over him, one he often felt when working alone in the forge. He was a creator, an artist.  His body did the work, but his will forged these weapons.  His efforts were singular, the results always reflecting his talent, producing pieces that