3 A Test of Loyalty

As the months went by, Taren continued to work hard as Gerrick's apprentice. He grew stronger and more skilled with each passing day, and he took pride in his work. He had made friends in the village and had started to feel like he belonged somewhere. But despite his new life, Taren couldn't forget about his past.

One day, as Taren was working in the forge, he saw a group of soldiers ride into the village. They were wearing the colors of the kingdom, and Taren knew immediately that they were there for him.

He tried to keep his head down and keep working, but the soldiers spotted him and made their way towards him.

"Prince Taren," one of the soldiers said, his voice cold. "You are hereby ordered to return to the palace."

Taren felt a sense of fear wash over him, but he also felt a sense of anger. He had left the palace for a reason, and he wasn't about to go back now.

"I'm not going back," Taren said firmly. "I have no allegiance to the kingdom anymore."

The soldiers looked at him incredulously. "You are a prince of the realm," one of them said. "You have a duty to your people."

"My duty is to myself," Taren replied. "I will not be a pawn in my mother's game any longer."

The soldiers tried to grab him, but Taren was too quick. He grabbed a nearby hammer and swung it at them, sending them reeling.

Taren knew he had to get out of the village before more soldiers arrived. He grabbed his belongings and made his way to the outskirts of the village.

As he ran, he heard the sounds of horses behind him. The soldiers were giving chase, and Taren knew he had to think fast.

He spotted a nearby river and made his way towards it. As he reached the bank, he saw a small boat moored nearby. Without hesitation, he jumped into the boat and started to row downstream.

The soldiers arrived at the riverbank a few moments later, but they were too late. Taren had already escaped.

Taren rowed down the river for hours, the sun beating down on him as he made his way towards the coast. He had no idea where he was going, but he knew he couldn't go back to the village. The soldiers would be looking for him, and he couldn't put his new friends in danger.

As the sun began to set, Taren saw a small island in the distance. He made his way towards it, hoping to find refuge there.

As he reached the shore, Taren saw a small village in the distance. He made his way towards it, hoping to find someone who could help him.

As he walked through the village, Taren saw a group of men sitting outside a tavern. They were rough-looking, with scars and tattoos covering their bodies. Taren felt a sense of unease, but he knew he had no other choice.

"Excuse me," Taren said, his voice shaky. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm looking for a place to stay. Do you know of any inns around here?"

The men looked at him skeptically. "Who are you?" one of them asked.

"I'm just a traveler," Taren said, trying to sound confident. "I'm looking for work and a place to stay."

The men exchanged a look, then one of them spoke up. "We might have something for you. Follow us."

Taren followed the men into the tavern, feeling a sense of unease. He didn't know who these men were or what they wanted from him.

As he entered the tavern,

Taren saw that it was dimly lit, with a smoky haze hanging in the air. The sounds of raucous laughter and clinking glasses filled the room, and Taren felt even more out of place.

The men led him to a table in the back corner of the tavern. They sat down and motioned for Taren to join them.

"We might have a job for you," the man who had spoken earlier said. "But first, we need to know who you are."

Taren hesitated. He didn't want to reveal his true identity, but he knew he couldn't lie to these men forever.

"I'm Taren," he said finally. "I'm a blacksmith's apprentice, and I'm looking for work."

The men looked at each other, then burst out laughing. Taren felt his face grow hot with embarrassment.

"You're a prince, aren't you?" one of the men said, still chuckling.

Taren nodded reluctantly. "Yes, I am. But I don't want any trouble. I just want to find a place to stay."

The men sobered up quickly. "You're in luck," the man who had spoken earlier said. "We might be able to help you. But first, we need to know if we can trust you."

Taren felt a sense of dread wash over him. He had a feeling he knew what was coming.

"We need you to do a job for us," the man continued. "We need you to steal something from a wealthy merchant in the nearby town."

Taren felt a lump form in his throat. He didn't want to get involved in any criminal activity, but he also knew he didn't have a choice.

"What do you want me to steal?" he asked reluctantly.

The man leaned in close. "A small chest. We believe it contains valuable items that rightfully belong to us."

Taren thought about it for a moment. He didn't want to betray the trust of these men, but he also didn't want to do anything that would hurt innocent people.

"I'll do it," he said finally. "But I want to make sure no one gets hurt."

The men nodded, and Taren knew that he had just agreed to do something that could potentially put him in danger. But he also knew that he had to do whatever it took to survive.

The next day, Taren made his way to the nearby town. He disguised himself as a commoner and made his way to the merchant's house. He waited until nightfall, then snuck into the house.

He made his way to the merchant's study, where he knew the chest was located. He found the chest and opened it, revealing a collection of valuable jewels and coins.

Taren hesitated for a moment, then made up his mind. He grabbed the chest and made his way out of the house.

As he was making his way back to the village, Taren heard the sounds of footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw the merchant's guards giving chase.

Taren knew he had to act fast. He sprinted towards the river, hoping to lose the guards in the darkness.

As he reached the riverbank, Taren saw a small boat moored nearby. Without hesitation, he jumped into the boat and started to row downstream.

The guards arrived at the riverbank a few moments later, but they were too late. Taren had already escaped.

Taren made his way back to the village, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. He had completed the job, and he had done it without hurting anyone.

He returned to the tavern, where the men were waiting for him. They inspected the chest and nodded in approval.

"You did well," said the man who had spoken earlier.