The town of Fairview was the kind of place a person could dream of visiting, only to be met with shock upon arrival. All wonder and mystique died upon stepping through the gatehouse.
Mikel Cregson could still recall his first time entering the city. He could see the smoke rising of a thousand chimneys in the distance, and could only imagine the sheer amount of warm homes nestled beyond the large walls. Stepping through the gatehouse he felt warm liquid hit his head. Diving out of the way he looked up to see a few men in the town red, laughing as one of them pissed off the edge of the drop.
It didn't take long for him to realise that the town wasn't what he dreamed it would be. A small portion of the town had the majority of the wealthy in it, tucked away behind the inner walls. Within that distract was Fairview Castle, the home of the king.
Beyond those walls were most of the shops, and some townhouses. Beyond that district were the market stalls, and vendors. Beyond that were the lows, an area of poverty, drunkenness, and disease. They were at the far edges with the outer walls at their backs. Beyond the walls were huts, and tents. That's where Mikel first lived, but through many years of work, he afforded himself the opportunity of a home within the walls.
Mikel was alone with his thoughts, in a pub called The Misty Glass. Merriment and guilty laughter filled the hall, and the echo of coughs backed up all of this noise of cheer.
A thump on his table caused him to lift his head and see his friend Harvet; ragged and unwashed, with eyes like diamonds pulled straight out of a swamp.
"Did you hear the news?" Harvet asked, with a devilish smile.
Mikel knew that smile. Knew that look in his eye. He had a mind for thievery; got a sick pleasure out of it. Whenever he found a new opportunity he couldn't contain his excitement.
"What news?" Mikel asked, as he took one last swig of his cup and placed it back on the table.
"The king is dead," Harvet chuckled. "What's even better, the gates of the castle are being opened to the public. Everyone is being encouraged to go and pay their respects."