"It used to be a nice place actually"
---- quote from a merchant in the town of Lerwick
"Wake up!" Zooey was already standing, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Just five more minutes." Luca rolled over.
"Good morning," Sophia smiled, stretching her arms out.
"Good morning," Alexandra tried to say in return, but it became a half-yawn halfway through. Sophia thought it was funny.
"I said time to wake up," Zooey grabbed the back of Luca's tunic and flipped him over.
"Okay okay! I'm up!" the sudden jolt startled him awake.
Alexandra sat up, yawning once more. "Wow, I slept very well. The ground here's a thousand times more comfortable than the piles of hay back home"
Her legs were still in the warm spring. She was hesitant to pull them out, it was so soothing. Whatever minerals were in it had kept her legs from pruning; she felt refreshed. With a sigh of resignation she pulled one leg out of the water, then the other.
"Tell me about it," agreed Luca, "besides the terrifying wake up service it was quite nice."
"I said it was time to get up," humphed Zooey, "not my fault if you're slow and need some help."
"I can't believe it's morning already," Sophia sat up as well, rubbing her eyes, "I slept so well, the best in ages."
"I'm never going back to the city!" Luca liked the idea of becoming 'country folk'.
"It has its positives," Zooey was still not entirely sold on 'nature' as a whole.
"That was amazing," Alexandra wiggled her leg, trying to get it to dry faster, "I think we should definitely remember to come back this way at some point"
"I'm planning on taking a carriage back once we reach the mountain," Zooey was anxious to get going, "no more walking for me ever."
"But Zooey," Sophia was putting her shoes back on, "you were always complaining the slums were too small and..."
"That was then," Zooey folded her arms, "now this is now."
"Very profound," Alexandra laughed as she slipped her shoe on and stood up.
"Are all the sleepyheads up? Can we go?"
"You are surprisingly full of energy this morning for it being so early." Alexandra was astonished at Zooey was awake and coherent at this hour.
"Just ready to get going. I don't know, maybe outside just wakes me up."
"All right," Alexandra slung her pack onto her back, "I think we're all ready to head out."
"I'll go scout the road, make sure there's no soldiers or anything," Zooey was already making her way back the way they had originally entered the thicket the night previous.
The blue glow of the grotto was gone, apparently the light-emitting caterpillars only came out at night and there was no sign of them now. Even in the light, the grotto was completely enclosed by trees, no view of the outside world. Reluctant to leave, Alexandra finally turned and followed Zooey's path back out towards the highway.
She shaded her eyes as they stepped out into the early morning light, sunrise peeking out on the eastern horizon. Zooey was already near the highway, having cleared the distance through the tall grass rather quickly. After stealthily approaching the road, she motioned for the others to come: it was all clear.
The skies were a pure blue, not a cloud to be seen as the sun rose on another beautiful day in the countryside. It was a pleasantly warm day, a soft breeze gently moving the grass and leaves on the trees that dotted the endless fields. They stopped for lunch under a shady tree that hung over the highway, its long branches dropping down almost touching the road. For awhile, their cares seemed far away.
At lunch they passed the time telling jokes they already all knew but laughed at anyway, tried to tell stories that were new, and had a good time. Refreshed from the night before, their journey seemed fun for once. With the day getting on in such a peaceful fashion, perhaps their journey would not be a difficult as they had first dreaded it might be.
Packing up their meal of dried fruits and bread, they slung their backpacks on again and resumed their travel towards the vague direction of the Mountains. Zooey was making up pub songs, not very well, but that made them all the funnier. She had the others in stitches as she marched proudly ahead singing loud songs off-key about swords, ale, and women, which were the three things that all pub songs seemed to be about. She was about to go into the seventeenth stanza of a particularly good one when she was interrupted by a loud thud. The ground seemed to rumble for moment after the sound.
Following the noise, there was an eerie silence.
Zooey's sword and Luca's pocketknife are already pulled and ready in their hands. Alexandra is quickly turning her head, darting her gaze all around to see what could have possibly made the sound.
Nothing.
Alexandra closed her eyes and listened.
"I think it came from up ahead," she said, trying to focus all her senses, "I think I hear something...I don't know."
"We should go the opposite direction then," Zooey was confident in her fighting abilities, but did not want to put them to the test of a mounted National Patrol if that is what had made the disconcerting sound.
"I hear something, but I don't hear a lot of horses," Alexandra frowned, "I don't think it would be a Patrol."
"I think I see something on the road ahead," Luca had been staring keenly at the highway in front of them.
What he was pointing at was only a small speck in the distance.
Something was bugging Alexandra. Slinging her pack to the ground once more, she began quickly rummaging around in it.
"I'm all for a snack," Zooey looked at her quizzically, "but now may not be the best time."
"No," I saw something when we had lunch though," her head was buried in her backpack.
"Okay, she's gone crazy. Too much sun," Zooey turned her attention back to the road.
"Here we go," she pulled out a small metal cylindrical object.
"That looks familiar," Luca was sure he had seen it before.
Alexandra pressed small unobtrusive button on the side. The ends of the cylinder flew open and it extended itself, suddenly becoming a telescope.
"Oh man!" Luca was kicking himself, "I remember we packed one of those back at the farm. I completely forgot!"
Zooey rolled her eyes. "Would have been nice to have earlier, genius."
"What can you see Alexandra?" Sophia also squinted, trying to see the speck in the distance.
"It looks like a wagon, horse-drawn," she could still barely see it, but the outlines was unmistakable, "it looks stopped."
"Best we avoid people," Zooey decided, "less chance of someone spilling to the soldiers where we are."
"Wolves!" Alexandra suddenly exclaimed.
"Where?" Luca jumped, readying his knife.
"Attacking the wagon," she pressed the telescope hard against her eye, "it looks like they're trying to fight them off."
"We should help them," urged Sophia.
"No we shouldn't," contradicted Zooey, before adding, "it's not like you do a whole lot in a fight anyway."
"Sophia's right," Alexandra closed the telescope, "we can't just ignore it if someone needs help and we can help them."
Zooey shook her head. "Yes we can. We should just avoid the problem completely. These people are strangers, we don't owe them anything. They'll probably just try to rob us or turn us over to the soldiers when we're done anyway."
"I'm going to help them," Alexandra said firmly.
"I'm in," Luca puffed up his chest.
He was terrified to fight wild wolves, but the prospect of seeing one in person also was quite a drawing prospect.
"Argh, fine," Zooey would not let the others get into a scrap without her. "Hope you like running, they're pretty far ahead of us."
Putting one weary foot in front of the other, Alexandra opened up into a run, her three friends just steps behind her. Her lungs ached, upset at the sudden effort that was required. Her feet hurt with every stamp on the hard ground. Ignoring the protests of her body, Alexandra stayed at a determined run, the black speck in the distance growing ever closer.
The wagon slowly came into view, as did the danger: a pack of fierce red wolves were laying siege to the stopped carriage. The horse at the front of the carriage was spooked, but held in place by its many harnesses. A man was in the front of the wagon, trying to fend the attacks away from the front of the wagon and the precious horse. From the back of the wagon, a woman was wielding a farming hoe, stabbing and swinging wildly at the wolves that circled and tried to jump at her.
There was a small crater in the road next to the wagon, a steam device sitting next to it; a bulky round shoulder-held device that had an exposed end and closed back. Alexandra recognized it from the Market District: It was a groundpounder. Groundpounders were a relatively new farming tool that used compressed steam to launch a metal ball at the ground and clear away rocks or hard dirt. It would be an ideal weapon to use but unfortunately could really only get one used before a lengthy reload process and waiting for the steam to build..
Out of breath and fatigued from the run, Alexandra picked up a discarded shovel and began jabbing at the wolves. Zooey arrived just a moment behind her, instantly catching a wolf with her sword and throwing it off to the ground. Sophia stayed back while Luca jumped into the fray, tackling a wolf that was clinging by its claws to the fabric side of the wagon. Wrestling it to the ground he held his pocketknife between himself and it, ready for its pounce. Another wolf lunged at Zooey, sailing through the air on a course with her head.
"Zooey! Behind you!" Sophia called out, observing the whole fight from a short distance away.
Zooey spun around, bringing her sword up as she turned. Catching the wolf in its side it went to the ground instantly. The wolf Luca was squaring off with finally lunged but Luca dodged sideways and cut the attacking animal with his knife as it sailed by. Alexandra kicked a wolf that was clambering up into the wagon and brought her shovel down next to it, startling it away.
Seeing that this was getting harder and more trouble than it was worth, the wolf pack began retreating back into the grassy fields that surrounded the road on both sides. No one said anything or moved from their defensive positions for several minutes, until it was clear that the pack was not going to mount another attack on the wagon and they were slinking away.
"Is everyone okay?!" Alexandra peeked inside the wagon.
"We are," the man was breathing heavy, exhausted, "we'd be done for if you lot hadn't come along."
"Thank you," the woman was clutching a young boy, obviously her son, to her bosom, "I thought there wasn't any hope...they just kept coming."
"It looks like they've decided it's not worth it," Alexandra assured them, "you should be fine."
"Who are you kids?" the man wiped his brow.
"Ah," Alexandra thought up a lie quickly, deciding on a convincing cover story. "Just farmhands heading back north, end of the season and all that."
"Thank you," the mother was in tears, still tightly holding her son, "thank you."
"No really," Alexandra held up her hands, "we were just glad we were here to help."
The father was smiling now, calming down from the harrowing situation. "I'll say, we haven't seen barely anyone else on these roads. Everyone must be already home for the season or at the markets."
"If you're all okay, we'll be heading off then." Alexandra wanted to keep their interactions with others to a minimum and to be as forgettable as possible.
"We have to repay you," the woman stopped her.
"No, no really," Alexandra tried to leave, "it's okay."
"You said you were traveling north?"
"Yes," Alexandra realized she had stated their true destination, mentally kicking herself.
"We're heading north too, well, a little farther to Lerwick," the woman explained, "my brother is ill, we're going to help out and stay with him until he's recovered. Why don't you all hitch a ride with us, you won't have to walk those miles at least."
"Well, I don't," Alexandra began saying before Zooey tapped her on her shoulder.
"Free travel, no walking."
"Yes, but what about you saying to avoid people? What if there are soldiers in this town they're going to?"
"I think it's worth the risk: no walking. If there are soldiers there, we'll just slip away before the wagon even enters the town. No one will know we were there."
"I see you're point." conceded Alexandra, she turned back to the family, "okay, if it won't be a burden."
"Not at all," the father was happy to help those that had saved his family, "I'm Berule, this is my wife Haespethis. This here is our son Burule. C'mon now, hop in and make yourselves at home."
Luca clamored inside, followed by Zooey right behind him. Alexandra hopped up into the wagon and then extended her hand and helped Sophia in. After retrieving the groundpounder and stowing it safely back under the wagon, the man resumed guiding the horse. The wheels of the wagon began to turn as it resumed its path no longer encumbered by hungry wolves.
Haespethis had some tea on the small steam-stove in the wagon, she passed out clay cups to the eager travelers and they shared a well-deserved drink together.
It sure beat walking; Luca hung out the back of the wagon, watching the ground pass by below all the while being thankful he did not have to walk it. This farming family did now know their saviors were Oonskat: how could they? It was refreshing to be in the company of people that did not kick dirt on them. Even Zooey loosened up, carefully letting the wide-eyed little Burule hold her sword. The day just flew past, and by early evening they had traveled a great distance.
"We're almost there!" Berule called from the front of the wagon as they began descending a hill that the highway ran across the top of.
Clamoring over one another, they jostled for the best view out the front of the wagon. Alexandra saw Lerwick for the first time; a rather odd town.
The town was rather large in fact, it even had paved roads. Many buildings, most two-levels, defined the perfectly aligned streets that they could see in the distance. What made Lerwick odd was that the town was really an island, but not on a lake or ocean. Alexandra realized that the expanse of brown surrounding the town was actually mud. It looked deep and impassable, and Lerwick sat in the center of it. The only way in or out she could see as they came down the highway towards it was an old stone road that was now a bridge, a lifeline to the rest of the world.
"That's strange," Berule took in the view, "my brother in law didn't mention any of this in his earlier message. It looks like the whole town is sinking into all this mud."
It was true, the entire town was smack dab in the center of an impossibly large bog of mud, almost as if the ground was trying to devour it. The one stone road into the town, slightly elevated above the mud with its support pillars vanishing in the brown goop, did not appear to have any travel on it.
Alexandra thought that odd: surely the only way in or out of a town would be filled with farmers, merchants, families, and people trying to leave the dismal place. But no, the road was empty. They could see no one else on the road-turned-bridge except for several soldiers that stood at the end near the highway.
Sophia peered out of the front of the wagon. "I can't believe anyone would stay in a town like this, it's so gloomy here."
"I can see people inside the town moving about," squinted Zooey. "Not a lot, but there are people moving there."
"They're probably just taking the day easy." Berule suggested as they approached the mouth of the stone road.
Alexandra trained her eyes back on soldiers. Their tunics were just brown, no House colours that she could identify. That fact was very strange: soldiers always wore their colours, it was a proud badge of honor from the House that they served.
"Maybe we should bail Alex," Zooey poked Alexandra in the side.
"Oh nonsense!" Haespethis insisted. "Come with us to my brother's house. A hot meal and good bath. It's the least we can do for you all."
Alexandra did not want to explain why they wanted to avoid any soldiers.
"A real bath?" Luca almost jumped out the roof of the wagon with excitement.
Water, of any cleanliness, was not a guarantee in the slums. Sponge baths were the best they could do from time to time; a real full bath of clean water was just never possible.
"Hot meal you said?" Zooey's stomach growled at the prospect of a cooked meal, despite the danger of the soldiers.
"We'd be more than happy to have you, the more the merrier!" Haespethis was a very kind person.
"Yeah, stay!" little Burule liked his new friends and did not want to see them go.
Alexandra thought hard, if they ran from the wagon now, it would take at least a day to go around the mud, and they were already exhausted.
"Okay, okay," Alexandra relented. "that all does sound good. I could use a real home-cooked meal for once."
"For once dear?" Haespethis frowned.
"I mean since we've been traveling of course," Alexandra was careful to not give away their true social status or reasons for traveling, cursing her small slip-up.
"We're here."
Berule was relieved to be off the highway and onto the stone road heading into town.
"The soldiers Alexandra?" Sophia put her hand on her friend's shoulder.
"What House is lord of this town? To whom do the soldiers belong" Alexandra turned and inquired of Haespethis.
The woman seemed surprised by the question.
"House? Why none dear. These are paid volunteers from the town. The Noble Houses don't have the time or will to guard every town every second of the day, so larger towns are allowed to have their own little group of soldiers usually. You said you were farmers? It's like that for many of the towns that aren't major trade stops or have Estates near them. The soldiers work for the town or village's head, the appointed Lederan."
"Oh yeah, sorry, you're right. I guess the I was thinking of the last major city we had visited." Alexandra tried to play it off with another lie.
"These look like farmers, not soldiers," Zooey said, the idea of food and bathing very appealing. "I think we could take them if there was any problem."
"I'm still not sure it's worth..."
"They're not even proper soldiers, we'll be fine. They look bored more than anything." Zooey assured her
She did have a point, they were nowhere near as impressive as the soldiers they would always seen in Avindr, or a National Patrol. Their tunics were a drab gray, their armor looked old, the swords had not been cleaned in some time.
"Maybe." Alexandra still felt uneasy as one of the soldiers approached the wagon and glanced inside.
"Good early evening sir," Berule made a nod of respect as the wagon pulled up in front of the 'soldiers' guarding the entrance to town.
"Ah, welcome to our town of Lerwick. May we ask your business here?" the soldier surveyed the wagon.
"My good wife's brother is ill, we have traveled to help him in his shop until he is better. It will also be a nice vacation from our own village, a chance for a little trip."
"I see," the soldier was still looking inside the wagon, "this lot your family then?"
"My family and some cousins, the more help the better!" Berule figured that them all being family would just be an easier explanation then giving the soldiers the full story of what happened. Him and his family were exhausted themselves and ready for a rest.
"All right," the soldier stood aside, "welcome to Lerwick."
"Thank you sir." Berule gave the guard another small bow of respect before urging the horse onward down the long stone road to the town.
The wagon bumped along the rest of the length of the uneven stone road, the horse wary of the sea of treacherous mud to either side. The town of Lerwick grew bigger and bigger in front of them, as they all peered out the front of the wagon, trying to get a good first view of their destination up close.
The gate passed them by as they entered the town proper. It was quiet, even though there were many people out on the streets, there was not a lot of talking, or sounds of business or industry filling the air. The people they did see looked dirty, unkempt, sad. Many of the shops looked closed and many of the roadside carts empty. As they rolled down the street, Berule looking for his brother-in-law's house, every person they passed just looked at them with the same blank, dull, hopeless expression. There was no joy here, there was only silence, a heaviness hung in the air that made everyone feel uneasy.
Hespethis tried to keep the mood light, talking non-stop about how funny her brother was and all the wonderful little inventions he sold from his shop. She especially was proud of a succulent roast dinner her brother was especially skilled at preparing; she claimed it was the best in all of Prydain. Her laughs and forcibly-joyous tones though could not keep out the bleakness of the town all around them.
"It's even more gloomy inside." Sophia whispered as they passed another empty shop.
"This is worse than the slums where we lived," Alexandra concurred, "I didn't think any place could top it."
There were some stores that were open, but a glance inside the windows showed that the shelves were mostly bare. There was no sound of steam in the air, a sign that industrial activity was not occurring in any near the vicinity. In fact, they could hear no machinery at all, very odd for a town of this rather large size. This was certainly not a ghost town though, there were many people in the streets, it was still a fully lived-in area.
Turning off the main thoroughfare onto a smaller cobble-stone side street, the depressing view only worsened. The mostly two-story buildings were all coated in a thick layer of dust, the roads equally so. The windows were mostly darkened, sometimes pale faces would look out into the road, but mostly the windows were all shuttered. There were occasional flickers of candlelight through the grimy windows, but they were fleeting and provided no view of the insides of the dreary buildings. The potted plants in the windows were long dead, the air just hung in the street with none too pleasant odor reeking of filth and decay.
Sophia turned away; this was the unbearable complete opposite of the beautiful countryside they had recently been going through.
"Here we are," Berule announced, "number one-thirteen, okay everyone, we've arrived!"
They climbed out of the wagon one by one into the stony street. Zooey had her eyes fixed on the house, the idea of a roast dinner taking precedent over the dirt covering the building. Alexandra stepped down and looked both ways down the street, they were identical views: quiet, lonely. Berule was grabbing luggage from the wagon as Haespethis marched up happily to the door with Burule in tow. Luca too had been enamored with the prospects of a bath and a hearty meal; he was right next to Zooey, eagerly awaiting Haespethis to knock so they could go inside and get the treasures they were now excited for. For her part, Sophia stayed close to the wagon, she did not like this town one bit.
Alexandra stood in the middle of the street, still taking in the sights. They had not really seen any soldiers except for the ones at the road, and that was a good thing. At least they would probably not have to deal with dodging patrols or anyone else by the looks of Lerwick. The Dark District was decayed and gloomy, but this town was in a different league entirely. While the people of the Dark District and surrounding slums were in despair, they generally accepted it and went about in their misery, most having lost their souls long ago in order to survive. The people that had seen thus far in this town were different though then the ones they had grown up around. The citizens of Lerwick seemed to be in a hopeless despair as well, but they were not soulless: they were worse-off. Here it seemed that their souls had been crushed. Alexandra could see it in their eyes. They were not rotted out on the inside, they were dying, withering, their spirits strangled.
Haepethis knocked on the door.
No response.
She rapped on the door with her knuckles once more. A noise came from inside now, and then movement from behind the drawn curtains. The door opened a hesitant crack, a pair of sullen eyes peered out from inside the darkened house.
"Hausperg?" Haespethis leaned in close to the door, "is that you? It's me: Haespethis, with Berule and Burule."
"Who are the others with you?" Hausperg's voice was scratchy.
"These people helped us on the road, they came with us to enjoy some of that roast I've been telling them about. It's been a long ride all the way here."
The sullen eyes surveyed them with suspicion before the sound of several locks being undone could be heard from within.
One. Two. Three. Four, four clicks as four separate locks on the single door were undone. The door opened further, still slowly, but finally enough to allow entry into Hausperg's home. Zooey and Luca quickly followed Haespethis and Burule inside, eager for the promised rewards. Sophia waited for Berule to enter carrying some luggage and for Alexandra to turn away from the street and head for the door.
Stepping over the threshold from the outside world into the home, Alexandra was instantly greeted and repulsed by the dank and dark interior. Candles sat on the tables, long since burned out, their wax making frozen waterfalls over the wood. The floors were just as dust-covered, it was apparent they had not been swept in some time.
Judging by the foul smell inside the home, the windows had been opened probably the last time the floor had been cleaned. A bowl of mostly-rotting fruit sat on what looked like it was once a beautiful wood dinner table. The ornate carvings and designs carefully etched onto the surface were just troughs for more dust and dirt, the patterns obscured under the filth. Stained dishes sat in the sink, a mountain monument to their own negligence.
Every steam device in the house, from the clothes press, to the interior lights, to the heating was off; there was no warmth or life in this house despite it being lived in. Cobwebs hung on the rafters; Alexandra could hear little feet, mice probably, on the floor of the second story above them.
"Hausperg," Haespethis was confused, "what's the matter? Has your illness gotten that bad that you are forced to live like that. Looks like we've arrived in time. We'll just open the windows and..."
"No!" Hausperg blurted out. Startling everyone. "Ah, not yet. Ah, yes, I've been ill, but all better now that there's company... and you brought some more with you. I think maybe we'll be fine. What was it? Oh yes, my roast! Um, I think I have some meats left, let me, ah, try to prepare something. Just make yourself at home....please."
Uneasily, they began to move about the house, trying to find the cleaner spots to lay their things down on. It was a good thing that Haespethis was there, her matronly instinct was in full-force and she became a tornado, cleaning everything she saw with a smile. Berule set the luggage down in the corner and began lighting the candles he could find scattered around, the steam-powered lighting having not been activated in some time.
Sophia admired Haespethis and her unbreakable spirit, and began assisting her in the cleaning of the house. While Haespethis swept and began wiping down all the surfaces, she put the volunteer Sophia to work on the dishes. Sophia actually enjoyed it, she liked seeing the beautiful glass dishes shine again, the old food and dirt being washed away. It was a simple task she could throw herself into and feel useful.
Zooey, still disappointed there was no food immediately, had been put to work by Berule to carry up the luggage into the rooms upstairs. She did not want to do it, but thought it best to not complain as it might endanger her chances of getting any roast later. With a frown, she began to drag the luggage, one by one, up the creaky staircase.
Burule had gone with Luca upstairs as well, they were enjoying a little mouse-hunting. It was something that Luca was very skilled at, sometimes that was the only way to get something to eat in the slums. Burule was gleefully learning from the master; and they had already rid the residence of at least three big ones. Hausperg went out briefly out to retrieve fresher spices from his store upon the insistence of Haespethis. He returned with an armful of small glass jars, containing assorted spices and flavorings a short time later, his shop just being a few roads over.
Alexandra was also assisting in the cleaning, taking the rotten fruit outside. She spied a community waste bin a few yards down the road and headed for that. These waste bins were common in the nicer areas of Avindr and usually seen in larger towns as well. They were large silver-coloured metal cylinders that were open at the top. One deposited the trash, then pressed the green button on the side. Steam would flow into the device and the contents of the bin would then be crushed into a small cube to be picked up later by the city or town's sanitation workers. They never had these in the slums of course, but had seen them used in the Market District. There was an old-wives tale circulating around Avindr that the crime lords of the Dark District used these devices for executions.
Alexander reached the bin, overturned the smelly bowl she was carrying, and dumped a load of rotten fruit into the bin. Pressing the button on the side, she stood back and waited for it to activate.
And waited.
Nothing.
Pressing the button several times more, she could tell that nothing was happening. She got down on her knees and pressed her ear up to the side of the cold metal. The fact that it was cold that meant there was no steam in it to give it power. She had thought that maybe the steam flow was just off in Hausperg's house, but now, looking up and down the street again, she reasoned that all the buildings were without it. That was odd, especially for a large established town like this.
"Maybe there was an accident?" She thought it was a reasonable explanation.
Maybe that is why they heard no sound of industry as their wagon traveled through town: it had to be shut down because of an accident. That is why many shops were closed and the homes without steam power.
No, that wasn't a good enough explanation for what they were seeing.
Hausperg's house was in a frightful state, the steam had been off for some time. It was odd, she thought, if there had been a problem with the steam, why had no one fixed it yet? She looked around the quiet street again, then looked at the windows of the buildings that pressed in on other side.
Eyes. She could see people watching her from behind murky glass. Back-stepping quickly, she made her way back to Hausperg's home and closed the door tightly behind her. It was disquieting outside, and inside for that matter as well, but at least there were friends in here.
Between Haespethis and Sophia, the house was starting to look livable again. Berule had gathered all the candles around the house and a few they had brought with them, and was now placing the beacons of warmth all around the house, bringing light to places long dark. Sophia was mostly done with the washing, a large stack of spotless and shining glass dishes in a neat stack on the counter next to her. She would have been able to go faster if the sink still had its steam power, but she was managing with the slow run of just plain water out of the faucet.
With the sink cleared and the table cleaned, Haespethis went to work stocking the pantry with the food they had brought with them as most of the supplies Hausperg had were spoiled. While all this was going on, Hausperg just sat nervously in a rocking chair in the corner. The mechanics on the chair were long since rusted out, he was rocking it himself. He was smiling apprehensively. Alexandra avoided him, he just seemed a little off.
With all the foodstuffs put away, Haespethis went instantly about preparing dinner. Alexandra smiled as she watched the motherly woman work, it reminded her of her own mother, Heloise. Heloise had taken care of Alexandra the best she could, but she died so early in her daughter's life. For a moment, Alexandra could close her eyes and pretend that she was at home, her mother was there, and the family was just about to sit down to a loving meal. But it was a lie and she knew it: she was far from a place that was never really a home, with no family, on a dangerous journey beset by hardships. But that was also a lie, she did have family there: her three dear friends who were the most important people in the world to her.
Sophia was now helping Haespethis make a meal of some kind, thoroughly enjoying the cooking experience. Sophia already knew a little, from the time she spent with House Bradana, but their food was usually prepared by servants. Now Haespethis was teaching her how to spice properly. Because there was no steam to the house, they had to prepare a cold meal. Meanwhile, Luca and Burule had eradicated most of the mice and were now looking for the few last holdouts. Hausperg had finally come off his chair and was helping with the meal, interjecting comments about the meal they were preparing. He seemed like he was very knowledgeable about cooking when he was not so withdrawn. With his sister there though, he did seem to be slightly emerging from his shell.
A half-hour later dinner was ready. Alexandra was surprised that Haespethis could coax a meal out of the simple supplies they brought, but she laid down a nice spread of spice cold meat and dried fruits. Pulling up chairs around the now-spotless table, Alexandra sat down the first home-cooked meal she had been privileged with in years.
"Here everyone is," Haespethis filled up everyone's plates in turn. "I think a good meal will do us good after all this traveling and tidying up."
"This looks good," Alexandra's mouth was watering, "thank you."
"No problem dear!" Haespethis' mood seemed to never dip past 'happy'. She turned to Sophia, "thanks to you as well, I can't wait for you to try it."
Sophia was nervous about people trying her cooking. "I hope you enjoy it."
"Yeah, thanks and stuff." Zooey dug right in.
"You all seem like you haven't eaten in forever," laughed Haespethis.
"We were traveling for awhile," Alexandra covered.
Hausperg spoke up finally above his usual murmurs, "the pumpkin herb is my own creation. I'm quite famous for it in our parts."
"He is!" Haepethis announced proudly, "they even sell his spice in the Market District in Avindr!"
"No way!" Luca thought that was pretty nifty.
"Pumpkin was one of the things that grew especially well here in Lerwick, plenty of it to play around with and experiment with," Hausperg explained getting more animated as he talked about his trade. "I came up with it, a mixture of pumpkin and several other secret ingredients."
"So tell me," Berule took a bite out of a dried apricot, "how is your shop? We are here to help you run it for awhile after all."
"It's mostly quiet now," Hausperg seemed to grow uneasy once more, "not a lot of business these days, not a lot of things to sell."
"Why's that?" Alexandra asked between bites.
"The mud," Hausperg looked furtively around, "it strangled the ground, now the town too."
Berule did not like this town very much. "Why don't you leave? Seems a right downer of a place if you ask me."
"Yeah," Zooey said with a mouthful, "totally boring here."
"I'm enjoying it." Luca was eying his plate, more food than he had seen in a long time.
For Alexandra, it was the most food she had ever seen all on one plate ever. Unlike the others, she grew up her whole life in the slums as an Oonskat.
"Leaving, yes," Hausperg mumbled, "it's just not, uh, practical."
For a little while, there was no more conversation, just the sound of eating and clanking of dishware.
"Once dinner is squared away," Haespethis decreed as everyone got close to finishing up, "and everyone has gotten a good night's sleep, we'll set to work on the rest of the house in the morning."
"More work?" Burule complained, not that the youngster had really done any at all today anyways aside from the fun game of mouse catching.
"Are you all staying?" Haespethis turned to Alexandra, "we would love to have you with us. You've all been such a help and you're all just such darlings."
"Ah, well, we shouldn't delay too long." Alexandra was eager to be back on the highway.
The closer they got to the Rotsen Mountains the closer they got to the end of their perilous journey.
"At least rest up here," Haespethis insisted, "we'd still love to have you."
"I'd love to stay," Luca had not taken his eyes off his plate.
"I like resting," Zooey piped up, taking another bite of cold meat.
"But not for too long," Alexandra told them, "we do have to get going sometime soon."
Zooey just waved her hand as she tried to work out how to get more dried fruit on her spoon.
"You'll be sick the rate you're eating," cautioned Sophia.
"Better than being sick for not eating for sure," Zooey also waved her off the same way.
"Excuse me?" Haespethis picked up on it.
"Like we said," Alexandra covered again, "it has been a long trip. Didn't really pack well enough we found out."
"We'll make sure you're all set before you leave again," Haespethis had decided for them, "can't have you going hungry on the road, that would be shameful of us."
"We'll help you get set up with the store and everything. Then maybe the day after tomorrow we could head out."
Alexandra did want to repay the extreme kindness this family had showed them,
"You're welcome to stay as long as you want," Haespethis assured them, "don't you worry about that. You have friends here."
"Thank you," Alexandra began, "we really do appreciate..."
She was interrupted by a sudden and loud knocking on the door.
"At this hour?" Berule put fork down and stood.
Hausperg seemed to shrink back into his seat, Alexandra saw the nervous look in his eyes, far worse worse than before. Berule walked to the door and stood next to it.
"Yes? Who is there?"
A gruff male voice answered from the other side, "Captain Ousterborth, leader of the Lerwick Guard."
"How can we help you at this late hour Captain?" Berule did not like the sound of that.
Alexandra and Zooey had tensed in their seats, Zooey's hand slowly reaching beneath the table towards her sword. Sophia's eyes were widened, unblinking, staring at the door. Alexandra too was staring hard in the same direction. Had they been discovered? Did the town guard know? Were they there to take them back to Avindr? Were they there to kill them?
"We require entrance into this residence."
"We are sitting for dinner," Berule replied, "perhaps come back tomorrow and we can discuss any matter you would like."
Captain Ousterborth would have none of it, "this is the home of Hausperg, a citizen of Lerwick. You are not he, and we have permission from him. You are not to bar our access or it will go badly for all involved."
Al eyes turned to the owner of the decaying abode.
"Hausperg," Haespethis stared down her brother, "what is going on?"
"I'm sorry," he whimpered, "I had already sent the note inviting you here. By the time I tried to send another, it was too late. They wouldn't let me tell you to stay away..."
Considering the danger to his family, Berule reluctantly undid the three locks on the door and stepped back to the table near his wife and son. The door swung open and a man wearing immaculate silver armor strode in. His right hand was resting on a particularly long sword strung at his side. Following him into the room were six guards, also wearing shiny and clean armor.
They had cold expressions; they were not ones to be trifled with. Captain Ousterborth's slick blond hair was combed back perfectly nary a hair out of place. It looked like he spent a lot of time making it so perfect. He glanced around the house with disgust before setting his gaze on the people seated around the dinner table.
"The relatives of Hausperg," he sighed, "which ones are you?"
"We're all family..." Berule began.
"No," Ousterborth cut him off, "the father Berule, mother Haespethis, and son Burule. Which ones are those? Quickly."
No one spoke. Berule looked around the table but stood fast. He would did not like this soldier's manner and was going to give him nothing. Zooey's hand was now resting on the top of her sword, it being hidden under the table. She was listening, waiting for a good moment to use it.
"If you don't speak now I kill someone at random. It's nothing personal, but I do have quite the list of things to do tonight and I would appreciate speeding this up. Someone dying usually moves matters towards conclusion I've found." Ousterborth sounded annoyed more than angry.
"These three," Hausperg pointed at Berule, Haespethis, and Burule, "they are my family. The ones I told you about"
"Hausperg?" Haespethis sounded horrified. "What is going on here? What did you tell them? What have you done?"
"Do not be alarmed," the Captain's voice was sickeningly sweet now, "as valued family members of one of our citizenry, you are most welcome to Lerwick. You're contribution to serving our town and our glorious Lederan are most appreciated."
Berule was growing angry and more confused. "What in the world are you talking about? We are here to help my brother-in-law's store; we are only staying for the first half of the season."
"Change of your plans I'm afraid," Ousterborth informed him as a matter of fact, "but you are now valued citizens of Lerwick, and as such, we require you to stay here indefinitely."
"We will do no such thing!" Berule was enraged, "you can't just keep us here, you can't..."
He was stopped by one of the guards accompanying Captain Ousterborth noticeably pulling his long sword out.
"We can do as we please, or, more to the point, whatever the Lederan pleases. You are now considered valued members of our town and as such, will be subject to our laws and the decrees of our most valued town leader. You are safe staying here, but any attempt to leave town will meet with instant violence and death however."
"I've worked it all out," Hausperg turned to his sister, "you three will be safe! Of course I'd keep my family safe. They'll let you live with me and put us to work as the Lederan sees fit. We'll be together, and safe."
"Oh my dear Hausperg," Haespethis voice was heavy, "what have they done to you. Safe? Why wouldn't we be safe?"
Zooey's hand tightened on her sword grip, her muscles coiled.
"The Lederan," Hausperg told her, "he takes as he wants. But now, I've worked it all out, the four of us will be safe; allowed to serve and work."
Berule turned back defiantly to the guard captain, "and what of our friends? They are our guests here and under our care."
Ousterborth combed his hair once as if he did not have a care in the world. "They are ours, the Lederan wants them as 'guests' at his hall. They will come at once."
That was enough, Zooey sprung into action.
"Don't think so!" She spun her chair around and had her sword raised at Ousterborth in a moment.
"Zooey!" Alexandra yelled before anyone else could react, 'please not here."
She looked at the trebling Haespethis and young Burule.
There was a family here, a fight would here would be bad and it was one they would probably lose anyway. These guards looked serious, their armor thick and their swords sharp.
Zooey glanced around, looking at her friends, then the family they had been guests of, then at Hausperg, then back at Ousterborth. In her mind she was playing out every which way she could strike and try to protect the others. But, being outnumbered in such close quarters did not present her with any options she could see them coming out on top of.
With a heavy sigh, she lowered her sword and drove it into the wooden floorboard in front of her. She knew she could probably injure at least a few of the guards, but then Alexandra would be mad at her.
She was always telling her what to do. She meant it for the best, but Zooey just wanted to lash out at someone, make someone pay for the way she had been treated her whole life. These guards in front of her were not responsible for her childhood, but they were just adding to her misery. They were as good a target as any. This family here though had took them in fed them, was the nicest anyone had ever been to them; she did not want to see them hurt.
Zooey did as she was told, she gave up the fight before it had begun. She was angry, she wanted to stick it to the elite, she wanted to hurt the rich and powerful. She wanted revenge for everything. Simmering with such resentment, she clenched her fists to resist the desire to redraw her sword at go at them with everything she had.
"Smart," Ousterborth was glad they did not have to fight, mostly because he was tired and did not want to have to bother to kill a few peasants. "take them to the Lederan and be careful about it. We do not want the his guests 'damaged' at all, well, before he sees them anyways."
The guards moved quickly to the table, pulling Alexandra, Sophia and Luca out of their seats. They began to pat them down thoroughly, lest they have more weapons hidden like Zooey's. As one of the guards patted Alexandra down, he lingered long on her upper thighs at her skirt line; she could hear him snickering to his fellows. Biting her lower lip, she knew she could not do anything to put little Burule and his family in danger.
She bore the indignity in front of the others as Haespethis and Berule looked on in horror. Sophia was close to tears but she was holding them back, refusing to let them out in front of the guards. Alexandra could tell Luca was ready to attack the guard searching him with his bare hands but was refraining from any action as well. She knew it must be eating Zooey up on the inside; she could see fire blazing behind her friend's eyes. Even so, she knew a fight in the house would not be wise. If they were to come to blows now, innocents would probably end up getting hurt and the likelihood was that they would not be able to effect an escape anyway. The soldier finally stood back, nodding that she was clean of any weapons. They confiscated Luca's pocketknife and herded them to the door. Haespethis watched, a tear running down her face as Alexandra, Zooey, Luca, and Sophia were pushed out the door into the night.
Captain Ousterborth made an exaggerated bow
"Thank you for your cooperation, Please enjoy the rest of dinner. You will receive message tomorrow concerning where the Lederan wishes you to work in his town. Have a good night, valued citizens."
The door finally closed, and the family was alone. Berule was ready to reach over the table and strangle Hausperg, the pathetic little man that he was. But, considering he was his wife's brother, he just sat back down, his heart heavy and full of worry. Haespethis could not take her eyes of the closed door for several minutes and just sat there in silence before she turned her piercing gaze to her sheepish brother.
"Hausperg, dear," her voice was sweet yet terrifying in its tone, "what is going on here? Brother. answer please. Now."
It was not a request.
"It's the Lederan," the answers came rushing out of Hausperg now that the deed was done, "this whole town is his prisoner! I did what I did so he wouldn't take you away from me, so he wouldn't break up our family for his sick enjoyment. When I saw you had strangers with you, young ones at that, well, I did what I had to do for family!"
"I do not fault you for the love of your family brother," Haespethis was holding many words back, "but please do tell me what in the world is going on in this town."
"The mud." he spat on the ground. "When it showed up is when it all started to go bad. This used to be a farming town you know, a large one too. We were one of the major produce hubs for the whole region. The fields around the town is where I grew the pumpkins from which I fashioned by famous spice."
On the way into town, Berule had only seen an ocean of mud surrounding the town where the fields should have been, no greenery at all.
Hausperg continued his story, the words tripping over each other now.
"All around used to be fields, beautiful green fields filled with fruits and vegetables of every colour! We had pastures for animals and areas for children to play. But one day, well, one of the fields began to become wet. It had not rained at all, no one could explain it, but one field had just become soggy. It kept on getting worse until all the fields around were also soaked. It spread and spread, faster than anyone thought it would. We tried to put out sandbags, but the water seemed to be coming from the ground itself! Soon it was treacherous to walk in the fields, large sinkholes opening up everywhere. Then the mud! Oh, that's when the mud started! The ground just seemed to sink into itself and this mud bubbled up! Who knows how far down the ground is unstable? It just kept rising and rising until all the fields were gone and this town was an island suddenly, all our fields and our way of life gone."
"Surely some sent word to the capitol," Berule thought it sounded unreasonable that no one else in the country did not know about this, "surely they sent help of some kind?"
Hausperg's became animated suddenly at the turn of the tale. "That's when things really got bad! Help arrived to only deepen our despair! The capitol sent great machines of every kind to help deal with the problem, wonderful new machines from the College in Avindr. They said they were designed to remove the mud and help us get our farmlands back."
"Why doesn't everyone just up and leave?" Berule was thinking it sounded like a good idea despite the captain's warning.
"The Lederan's guards control the only way in and out of town, that is his stranglehold on the town. They watch it all day and night; there is no way out of Lerwick for anyone now."
Some part of the story was missing however, Haespethis frowned at the series of events her brother was bemoaning.
"If they sent machines, why is there still the mud then?"
Berule remembered how quiet it was as they had drove through town. "That's true! We didn't hear any machines when we arrived."
Hausperg nodded vigorously.
"Of course! Yes! The Lederan took the machines and kept them at his hall! The extra equipment they sent for the soldiers to help with the recovery, he turned those on the people. He made this town his own little kingdom, his guards more than happy to become powerful and important. The Lederan is the king here, he takes and does as he wants. Anyone who resists dies."
Tears fell from his eyes as he elucidated the true horror they found themselves in.
"The Lederan regularly sends messages to the capitol, we've all seen his messenger come and go, he tells them that the recovery going fine but still to stay away as the mud is treacherous. Captain Ousterborth is more than joyful to let us know of these messages, to let us know that there is no one coming from the outside! We are here to serve and can do nothing else. They make us work in factories without steam on the far side of town, making arms and comforts for him and his men. He keeps all the steam for himself, there is nothing anyone can do against him. That's why I did what I did! I'm sorry about your friends, they seemed like nice people. But, by giving them to the Lederan, it satisfies him, he allows us to stay together, work together!"
A hell of mud they now seemed to have found themselves.
"I do hope they are okay." Haespethis was worried about their new friends, wondering where they were at that moment.
Berule had his head in his hands. "Where are they going to be taken?"
"The Lederan's Hall, it was the town's governmental building when we had any form of government, not a king. It's on a hill, the highest point in town. It's large, walled in, and protected by guards," Hausperg explained to them. "It's the Lederan's palace."
"Oh, my dears." Haespethis was terrified for their four new friends.