Karn felt Alec shifting on his shoulder, the tiny creature absorbing the sights and sounds of the bustling docks. A nostalgic pang crossed Alec's face as he spoke. "It's been a long while since I've been here."
Charles, standing beside Karn, couldn't contain his awe. "It's amazing."
Karn smiled and playfully nudged his best friend's shoulder. Nearby, Hope and Ralina were secretively chatting about something while Ellie was cheerfully guided the watery version of herself onto the docks.
“This way, Scarf,” she said cheerfully.
Maze, always ready with a story, interjected with a hearty slap on Charles's back. "Oh, I have some stories to tell about this place," he chuckled. "Ready to move, boys?"
Karn and Charles nodded together.
“It’s not like you’ve got much cargo,” he said, chuckling.
Suddenly, two children dashed past, their laughter filling the air as they playfully chased each other in joyful circles. They weaved around Lady Amber and General Ven, the towering figures standing tall and imposing. Lady Amber's gentle voice broke through the commotion, calming the children. In an instant, they paused their game and eagerly clasped her hands.
As the men continued to unload the ship, soldiers emerged from the lower decks. General Ven’s commanding presence brought order to the scene, his words carrying authority and respect. The soldiers formed neat, disciplined lines.
Karn averted his gaze as the General leaned in to plant a tender kiss on Lady Amber's cheek. She smiled gently, then looked up into his eyes with a kind, yet worried expression.
“What’s wrong Ven?” she asked.
"Nothing,” he replied. “I'll meet you at home. We just have to check on the status of the citadel first," the General explained, the seriousness in his voice betraying his thoughts.
Lady Amber surveyed the line of soldiers who formed a tight line beside them.
"Right away?" she asked.
The answer was obvious in the man’s expression.
She let out a resigned sigh. "Will you at least be back tonight?"
“I’ll try,” he said softly, signalling for a few of his men to accompany his wife. "Make sure they get home safely," he instructed them. Turning back to his wife, he added, "I'll be there as fast as I can."
Maze, who had positioned himself at a respectable distance, stepped forward to offer his support. "Don't worry, I'll look after her," he assured the general.
The general’s fist pounded his chest in a salute.
Lady Amber returned her husband's affectionate kiss, and their young daughter eagerly embraced her father's lower legs. With an exaggerated groan, he playfully lifted her up, showering her with kisses before gently setting her back down. "Now be good for your mother," he said with a smile.
“I will, Papa,” said the little girl with a wide grin. Her bright eyes sparkled with a mix of innocence and courage as she stood tall beside her mother, emulating the lessons she had learned from her parents.
Her father's gaze softened as he looked down at her tiny form, a mixture of pride and love shining in his eyes. He ruffled her hair affectionately, his touch gentle yet filled with a sense of protectiveness. "That's my girl," he whispered.
With a quick salute, the General swiftly moved ahead of the long line of soldiers, his purposeful strides leading them toward a towering pale spire in the distance. Karn watched as the man's commanding presence instilled a sense of duty in the troops as they followed his lead, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of their boots echoing through the streets.
Lady Amber's expression turned stern as she addressed Karn and his group. "You can follow me to the Amber sector. We have enough rooms for each of you. This way, children."
"Thanks," Karn said sincerely as he watched her ferry the two kids beside her.
"It's our pleasure," Lady Amber replied. "Now be light on your feet. We have a little way to travel, yet we shouldn't be tardy. With the King now disposed of and the white-eyed slaves freed, there's no telling what awaits us in the shadows."
Karn's expression mirrored Lady Amber's seriousness as he shouldered his pack, which concealed the book from view. He glanced towards Hope and offered her a reassuring smile, noting the change in Ralina's position as she walked beside Hope instead of him. Puzzled by the sudden shift, he turned his head to take in the cityscape.
The road near the docks was paved with thickened cobblestones, likely for improved grip for the dockworkers and other practical reasons. The surface made their footsteps echo loudly, blending with the bustling activity of the workers and traders. Their cheerful bearing gave a sense of optimism in the midst of the laborious tasks, creating a stark contrast to Lady Amber's sombre expression.
She turned to a few of the ships which were being laden with supplies for a much longer voyage than what they had just complete. “It appears some people are leaving. That does not bode well.”
“Are they running from something?” asked Ellie.
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She shook her head. “No, these people aren’t in a rush. They seem almost happy. I’d wager that they wanted to leave for a while now, but the King stopped them.”
“Why doesn’t it bode well, then?” Karn asked.
“An empty city is not a healthy one.”
“Ah,” he said as they continued giving one last brief look at Lady Amber's servants loading the galleys supplies onto nearby pack animals and carriages within the docks ready for transportation. The air was filled with the sounds of crates being lifted, the clattering of hooves on cobblestones, and the occasional commands shouted by Lady Amber's overseers.
As they continued their journey, they entered what appeared to be a bustling market district. The narrow lanes were lined with stalls, each one filled with an array of sparse goods, from vibrant fabrics and intricate trinkets to tools and household items. However, as Karn walked down the lanes, his attention was immediately drawn to the food stalls and their noticeable scarcity of produce on the tables.
Lady Amber, who had been walking alongside Karn, noticed his concerned expression. She followed his gaze, her own features reflecting a mixture of disappointment and worry. It was clear that she, too, had noticed the lack of food available for the city's inhabitants.
"This is not looking good," Lady Amber commented, her voice tinged with concern.
Charles, who had been walking behind Karn, quickened his pace. He glanced at the sparse offerings on the tables and nodded. "The place where they get all of their food was ransacked," he explained.
"Sorina?" Lady Amber asked, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and worry.
Charles nodded.
Maze, who had been walking silently beside them, sighed, “It’s true I’m afraid.”
Karn listened intently as Maze continued, "Well, I guess you were too busy escaping the city, milady. But the King, in his infinite wisdom, ordered his troops to attack the farmlands."
Lady Amber's eyes widened, a gasp escaping her lips. "What? With what men?" she asked. "He’s spread his army far too thin, with my husband's forces within the city, Lord Marcus down south, and whatever fools he recruited in Branside. What men did he have left?"
"From what they looked like, they seemed to be Sun Citizen conscripts under the effects of the slave tonic, barely out of recruitment."
A look of realisation crossed Lady Amber's face, her expression turning grim.
"Now all those untrained, mainly homeless men are ransacking the farmlands with no one to control them." Maze's features darkened as they continued down the long market lane. "The ones unaffected by the tonic were as vile as they come. If the freed soldiers are anything similar, they would be just as cruel."
Lady Amber's lips pursed as she her mind raced. "I'm afraid this issue will have to be attended to as soon as possible, and the only one I trust for such a task is, I'm afraid, my husband."
Maze nodded solemnly. "We may have to live without his protection for a short time."
The group continued to walk through the market district, their footsteps echoing softly on the cobblestone streets as they made their way past the sparse stalls. After a time, they ventured deeper into the heart of the city, leaving behind the bustling market and entering the quieter, shadowed alleys.
Karn couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that settled in his chest. The scarcity of food may be just a glimpse into the larger issues that plagued the city.
“Through here,” Lady Amber said, guiding the down a narrow passage covered in shadow. “There’s an entrance to the Amber sector just through here.”
The group followed Lady Amber through the depths of a dark tunnel with cold, damp walls. As they neared what looked like a dead end, Lady Amber pulled something from the folds of her dress and unlocked a door that seemingly appeared out of the darkness.
Light filled the tunnel as the group moved forward to bask once again in the sunlight. As they emerged, they found themselves standing on a high vantage point, overlooking a separated sector of Brancourt City hidden away by high walls.
Lady Amber gestured towards her home. “Welcome to the Amber sector.”
Before them stretched a vast triangular expanse that descended outwards, completely covered in what appeared to be a forest of vibrant red and orange leaves. The sight was both warm and charming as the foliage reflected the sunlight, casting a warm, ethereal glow over the entire area. Nestled within this unique cityscape were towering estates with dark brown roofs, their imposing structures blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.
“Oh wow,” muttered Karn.
The place looked to have been constructed with the unique blend of human construction and ancient magic.
The sector was a true marvel, with meticulous attention to detail in every aspect. Grass and vegetation adorned the pathways and courtyards, creating a harmonious balance between nature and architecture. A crystal-clear stream meandered through the entire sector, dividing it into distinct sections. Five stone bridges spanned the stream, connecting different parts of the Amber sector and offering picturesque views of the flowing water below.
As Karn and his friends descended a wooden staircase into the sector, they stared at the intricate designs in the woodwork and the sheer beauty that surrounded them. The streets below, crafted from fine shale stones, were well kept and felt welcoming as they moved into the sector.
As they moved further into the sector, Karn noticed that even the air seemed to be filled with a sense of tranquillity and serenity. People moved about dressed in earthen tones, their clothes blending harmoniously with the place as they worked.
“Oh, you have some vegetables as well,” commented Charles as he pointed to a small vegetable patch further down the hill beside a large manor.
Lady Amber nodded as she led them down the street. “We do, but it’s just basic supplies that grow painfully slowly for special occasion. Nothing like the fast-growing grains of Sorina.”
“Pity,” Maze said.
“What you mean?” asked Charles.
“Oh, don’t mind me,” he said, waving off his audible thought. “Just an old man’s memory.”
Lady Amber smiled, then pointed to a side street.
Karn's head turned like a swivel as he examined the large buildings around him. They each proudly displayed the Amber flag, their facades adorned with elegant carvings and ornate details. Each mansion estate seemed to have its own unique charm, radiating the personality of the craftsman who built it. Yet each was building was built with similar earthen material.
As they crossed a stone bridge, Karn could make out the gentle murmur of the stream, mixing with the slight rustling of the leaves above, and the whispers of the wind that crept over the high walls, creating a symphony that resonated through the sector. The sounds were calm, and he could see the feeling of tranquillity wash over the faces of his friends as they stared at the sector with wide eyes.
“Oh, look there’s fish down there,” Ellie pointed.
Karn leaned over the side of the bridge and indeed there were goldfish dancing within the stream. Scarf seemed the most affected by the sight and jumped off the edge of the bridge and into the stream to play with the tiny golden fish below.
Ellie and the children giggled as they watched the playful display below. Lady Amber’s expression widen as a smile danced on her lips as she watched not the strange watery creature below but her child, obviously home and safe.
Leaving the water Elementlet to its own devices, they continued down the path. With each step, Karn felt a deep appreciation for the beauty that surrounded him. It was a stark contrast to the darkness and turmoil they had witnessed within Branside. The Amber sector offered relief, a sanctuary of peace amidst the chaos of the outside world.
“I could seriously get used to a place like this,” said Charles.
Karn couldn’t help but agree. The place was almost magical.