[STM]

I know this is my third thread in a row but this one is a keeper, I have had a few of these stories around for a while in my head and thought that now is the best time to write them for some reason. Most of these are Novellas, Ballads and vignettes therefore take a few minutes to read each. Enjoy.

Story One: The Cawdorians Chapter I

James Huntingdon, was an normal man from Sarrat, a small hamlet in England, James was an explorer, he had fought in the navy for years in the Crimean peninsulas but had also touched the Americas, specifically Peru, it had a profound effect on him and. Upon completion of his time in the military he set about returning on a small ship, the H.M.S Cawdorian.

The voyage lasted a few weeks but eventually, he landed upon the foreign shores, they entered the Colonial Port of Howitzer and set about gathering information from the locals. James was looking, in particular for information about the Crucible Mountains, their caps had evaded him when he had landed previously but now, without the constraints of time he could climb them.
"I say excuse me there, little cretin," Huntingdon cried out to a small, withered child clad in tattered clothing.
It turned to eye him, he dropped the basket he was holding and looked up at the strange man,
"I say, could you tell me where I could find a traversable route to the top of the Crucible range? I care not which mountain, if you wouldn't mind, there's a crown in it for you," He continued revealing a shiny gold coin.
Mesmerized, the child grabbed the coin from the man's hands and eyed it precariously before shoving it into his pocket, his cracked lips opened and he spoke with the voice of one who has had no food for a week.
"Sir, you should not go as if you fall, there is no way of returning, none escape the perilous ridges if they find themselves on the dark side, they are a days walk eastward though, if you are that stupid," and with that, he wandered away.

"Well, I'll take my chances." James said defiantly.