Andy. “No telling what we might run into on the way. And there’s always the dragon at the end of our journey as well.”
“I . . . I suppose so,” Alex agreed nervously. “But I don’t know how to use a weapon. I mean, I’ve never had to, and Mr. Roberts would never allow—”
“It’s all right,” Andy interrupted. “Mr. Blackburn will know what weapon suits you best. There will be time for you to learn how to use it on the road.”
“Yes, but I—”
“It will be all right,” Andy said again. “You need a weapon if you’re going on this adventure, it’s as simple as that.”
Alex could see that Andy was right. He thought about the different kind of weapons he knew about as they walked toward the edge of town and wondered what kind of weapon he, or anybody, could use to kill a dragon.
“Blackburn’s Smithy,” said Andy, pointing to a fair-sized building that stood a short distance from the rest of the town. “One of the best smithys you’ll ever see.”
Alex didn’t reply because this was the only smithy he’d ever seen. He could smell coal smoke as they walked toward Blackburn’s and hear the ringing of hammers on steel. A new burst of excitement filled him as they entered the building, pushing all of his worries to the back of his mind.
“And what can I help you lads with?” asked a large, bald man in a leather apron as soon as Alex and Andy had closed the door. “Looking for something special, are you?”
“My friend needs a weapon,” Andy replied. “First time on an adventure, so he doesn’t know what suits him.”
The bald man eyed Alex and rubbed his chin. “Got any money?”
“Thrang Silversmith will stand good for him, Mr. Blackburn,” replied Andy.
“Thrang sent you, did he?” Mr. Blackburn walked toward Alex and Andy. “Well, then, we’d best measure and see what’s needed.”
Alex felt out of place and nervous, but the feeling of excitement kept growing inside of him. He was amazed and dazzled as he looked around the smithy. The walls were covered with an incredible variety of weapons and armor. There were swords and axes of all sizes. Bows, spears, crossbows, hammer-shaped weapons, and knives hung on the walls. There were strange curved weapons with blades, metal disks that looked like Frisbees, solid-looking plate armor, shiny chain mail, metal-covered gloves, and several other things Alex had never seen before. He wasn’t sure everything on the walls was even a weapon, but he didn’t have time for a closer look because Mr. Blackburn started giving him orders.
“Hold your arms out,” said Mr. Blackburn. “Out to the sides. Now in front. Stand up straight. Now—feet apart.”
Mr. Blackburn gave Alex a series of orders to stand in different positions and poses. After each one, Mr. Blackburn would take a measurement and jot down his notes on a small pad. This went on for several minutes, and Alex’s excitement was beginning to fade before Mr. Blackburn was done giving him orders.
“Interesting,” said Mr. Blackburn, walking away and leaving Alex with one foot in the air and one hand on top of his head. “Oh, you can relax now.”
Alex let his arms drop to his sides and resumed his normal stance. Being measured for a weapon seemed odd, but he didn’t know anything at all about weapons so he didn’t say anything.
“Very interesting,” said Mr. Blackburn again, scribbling on his notepad. “Not seen one like this in years.”
“Like what?” Alex asked nervously.
“Oh, nothing to worry about,” Mr. Blackburn replied. “Just that you measure different than most.”
“Is that a problem?” Andy asked, the slightest sound of concern in his voice.
“No, no problem,” said Mr. Blackburn, taking a large book from a shelf on one side of the room. “Not a problem at all.”
“What type of weapon should we be looking for?” Andy questioned, looking more than a little concerned.
“Just a moment,” said Mr. Blackburn as he flipped
“I . . . I suppose so,” Alex agreed nervously. “But I don’t know how to use a weapon. I mean, I’ve never had to, and Mr. Roberts would never allow—”
“It’s all right,” Andy interrupted. “Mr. Blackburn will know what weapon suits you best. There will be time for you to learn how to use it on the road.”
“Yes, but I—”
“It will be all right,” Andy said again. “You need a weapon if you’re going on this adventure, it’s as simple as that.”
Alex could see that Andy was right. He thought about the different kind of weapons he knew about as they walked toward the edge of town and wondered what kind of weapon he, or anybody, could use to kill a dragon.
“Blackburn’s Smithy,” said Andy, pointing to a fair-sized building that stood a short distance from the rest of the town. “One of the best smithys you’ll ever see.”
Alex didn’t reply because this was the only smithy he’d ever seen. He could smell coal smoke as they walked toward Blackburn’s and hear the ringing of hammers on steel. A new burst of excitement filled him as they entered the building, pushing all of his worries to the back of his mind.
“And what can I help you lads with?” asked a large, bald man in a leather apron as soon as Alex and Andy had closed the door. “Looking for something special, are you?”
“My friend needs a weapon,” Andy replied. “First time on an adventure, so he doesn’t know what suits him.”
The bald man eyed Alex and rubbed his chin. “Got any money?”
“Thrang Silversmith will stand good for him, Mr. Blackburn,” replied Andy.
“Thrang sent you, did he?” Mr. Blackburn walked toward Alex and Andy. “Well, then, we’d best measure and see what’s needed.”
Alex felt out of place and nervous, but the feeling of excitement kept growing inside of him. He was amazed and dazzled as he looked around the smithy. The walls were covered with an incredible variety of weapons and armor. There were swords and axes of all sizes. Bows, spears, crossbows, hammer-shaped weapons, and knives hung on the walls. There were strange curved weapons with blades, metal disks that looked like Frisbees, solid-looking plate armor, shiny chain mail, metal-covered gloves, and several other things Alex had never seen before. He wasn’t sure everything on the walls was even a weapon, but he didn’t have time for a closer look because Mr. Blackburn started giving him orders.
“Hold your arms out,” said Mr. Blackburn. “Out to the sides. Now in front. Stand up straight. Now—feet apart.”
Mr. Blackburn gave Alex a series of orders to stand in different positions and poses. After each one, Mr. Blackburn would take a measurement and jot down his notes on a small pad. This went on for several minutes, and Alex’s excitement was beginning to fade before Mr. Blackburn was done giving him orders.
“Interesting,” said Mr. Blackburn, walking away and leaving Alex with one foot in the air and one hand on top of his head. “Oh, you can relax now.”
Alex let his arms drop to his sides and resumed his normal stance. Being measured for a weapon seemed odd, but he didn’t know anything at all about weapons so he didn’t say anything.
“Very interesting,” said Mr. Blackburn again, scribbling on his notepad. “Not seen one like this in years.”
“Like what?” Alex asked nervously.
“Oh, nothing to worry about,” Mr. Blackburn replied. “Just that you measure different than most.”
“Is that a problem?” Andy asked, the slightest sound of concern in his voice.
“No, no problem,” said Mr. Blackburn, taking a large book from a shelf on one side of the room. “Not a problem at all.”
“What type of weapon should we be looking for?” Andy questioned, looking more than a little concerned.
“Just a moment,” said Mr. Blackburn as he flipped
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