Charles sat in silence with the blue book lying open in his lap, awed by the magic under his fingertips. His eyes followed two small ink marks on the page that moved slowly within an imprint of an unfamiliar map. He now knew that one of those, the one closest to the eastern edge of the page represented himself, while the other, far to the northwest was Karn.
Ink letters surrounded the edge of the map in a completely foreign dialect that he could not even begin to understand. A thin line stretched over the entire map linking the dot that represented Karn and himself. It was a lot further than he had expected yet Maze reassured him that if anything were to happen to his friend, they would know because his Ink blotch would dry up and fade from the page.
At least that was something, he thought bitterly. He finally looked up to see the shadow cast by Maze's back as he sat rooted to the driver's seat.
"Much further?" Charles asked, climbing into the seat next to the old man.
"We're nearly there!"
"I can't believe this is all one province."
Maze chuckled. "Well, Sorina provides much of the food stock of the entire land."
"I can see that. We passed pretty much a thousand different fields."
"Well, maybe not that many. But yes, a fair load of them." Maze's arm reached forward and pointed ahead. Small lines of white smoke rose in the distance and a faint chorus of barking dogs echoed in the distance. "See. Not far, and when we reach the town, we’ll have warm beds and fine food."
Charles smiled. It had been more than a few days since Ellie, and he had eaten any of what he would call real food. Maze had been hospitable and given them some hardened bread-like rations, however nothing could really compare to a home cooked meal and neither of them had eaten anything close to that for weeks.
"Um, Maze." Charles felt a lump form in his stomach. "I hadn't thought of this till now."
"Yes?"
"What do you trade here in terms of money?"
"Ah. Good point." Maze twisted a hand in his robe and pulled out a small bag.
With a wriggling thumb, he flicked a coin at Charles who caught it deftly. The metal felt a lot heavier than it looked, in fact far heavier than anything he had felt before. It was square shaped and looked like it was cut from one long iron bar. It was polished with a silver sheen and had a whitened crest imprinted on the face similar to the print on Maze's cart.
"The silver ones are worth fifteen. The bronze ones here," he flicked another coin the same size and weight yet polished to a bronze sheen. "These are worth one. Got no blue ones or green. Not quite in my price bracket. However, if you come across them. The green ones are thirty and the blue ninety. However, strictly speaking about Sorina, it shouldn't cost us any more than a silver and bronze for all three of us."
"Well. Thanks." Charles returned the coins to Maze. "How can we repay you?"
"Don't worry lad. It's my pleasure. Anyway, with all the worry in the lands lately, it might take us a few days to get across the bridge. In that case, we may need to find some work to pay our way."
"No problem. I have a strong back, I guess and there looks like there’s a lot of work around here."
"Indeed. I'm betting on that." Maze agreed.
The cart slowly came to a stop at a knee-high wall that blocked the road. Maze looked down at the crudely built barrier with a frown that turned to an odd look of suspicion. Small wooden huts stood on each side of the wall. They too looked shabby and were constructed atop the fences of both neighbouring properties.
Charles could see clearly that the men who built the huts had no respect for the farmer's land. Old tools were left in piles within the otherwise perfectly neatly kept fields. Deep footprints scarred the soil and obvious signs of vandalism were present all around them.
A sharp cough emanated from the left hut and a portly man strode out in front of them. His hair was a complete shambles and much of his bushy beard looked to have been recently burned. He wore a dirtied chain-mail uniform and from what Charles could see it was festooned with the same winged symbol as Maze's coins.
"You there!" He gave anther low hacking cough and spat sideways. "Got a pass?"
"Pass?" Maze frowned.
"You know. The King's Pass that allows you to cross his roads."
Maze looked at Charles in astonishment.
"We now need a pass to cross the King's roads?" Maze asked. He sounded incredulous.
"That's what I said wasn't it?" the guard spat.
Maze paused a second then gave the man a wide smile. "Oh, I'm sorry, sir."
Charles crocked an eyebrow at the old man's obvious change in approach.
The guard stiffened. A dopey smile edged its way to his grimy face in hearing the word 'sir'.
"I must've dropped it when I was." Maze trailed off and turned to face his cart. Charles watched quietly as Maze gave an exaggerated performance. The old man's routine seemed to work for the guardsman rolled his eyes then smiled at Maze as he returned to face him.
"Sorry sir." Maze continued. "I'm too old to hold such things in these." He held out his hands and gave them an over-the-top performance. "What hope does an old man have compared to one of the king's finest?"
The guardsman's grin widened, and he seemed to pull himself up straighter.
"You're right old man." He spoke louder, with even more authority. "There will be a fine then."
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
"Of?" Maze smiled politely.
The guard paused in triumph. "Fifteen King's marks."
Maze nodded and weakly passed a singular silver coin to the shabby guard.
"Would you like to check out our?" Maze feebly pointed back at the cart.
The guard's eyes squinted, then shrugged in disinterest. Choosing the lazier option, he pointed down the road with his prize in hand.
"You're free to go. Just don't let me catch you lot without a pass again. You can buy one at the Town Hall."
Maze gave the man another polite nod.
"I thank you, sir."
Charles looked down at the knee-high wall. The guard turned away and disappeared back into the hut.
"What about that?" Charles pointed to the shoddy construct.
Maze sighed. "Sorry Charles can you move it for me? Not all of that was an act you know."
Charles grinned as his eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Yeah, yeah. I'm sure it wasn't."
Maze slowly the cart down the road and into a large circle of tall buildings. Atop each home sat unkempt, blackened tile roofs and very narrow chimneys. There wasn’t one house that wasn't at least three storeys tall and every one of them seemed to have a small symbol crudely painted by their doors. When Charles looked closer, he noticed that the symbols were a type of plant.
"Oh, those." Maze noticed Charles' curiosity. "They have that in Forgon now as well. The King thought it wise for his men to deface the people's houses to show his men their usefulness. Foul don't you think?"
Charles nodded as he eyed a particularly strange painting.
"That one means Inn." Maze answered his puzzled expression. "And no, it's not that kind of Inn. A bit run down but there are no brothels in Sorina."
The cart gently swerved down into a side street through an apparent shortcut as Maze gazed around with a look of disgust at all the recent vandalism.
"These all-face inwards to the centre of town." Maze pointed at the houses either side. "The main road connects them all in a kind of spiral from where we came all the way into the centre. That's the Town Hall."
"So, it's a kind of like a spider web I guess?" Charles asked.
Maze nodded with a half-smile.
"We are going to head to the Inn opposite. There's plenty of room for my wagon and the Duchess here." He pointed at the mare. "It's owned by an old acquaintance of mine. Master Wall, like the rest of these people here, has probably had a hard time as of late so remember your manners."
Charles nodded. The streets narrowed and the cart barely fit through the gaps when they came closer to the centre of town. The Town Hall sat alone in a neatly kept clearing. A few men stood on the grass herding a group of small goat-looking animals.
They slowly circled the rather small building, giving the grass a flattened effect. The building itself was a lot paler than the surrounding buildings and even though it was shorter it also compensated by being a lot wider. The front was covered with ornate looking statues of a proud man wearing a dazzling metallic crown. Charles didn't know if he should be impressed or not, but the Hall did look very imposing. Maze looked puzzled at the sight and turned to Charles.
"That's new." Maze mumbled.
"What is?"
"There used to be a small house and pitching post for travellers. There's none of that now - just this!" He gestured in disgust. "Another monument to the arrogance of our King."
"I take it you don't like the guy then?"
Maze gave an exasperated grunt. "Well. Let's just say we would all be better off if he and all like him were gone. However, that's all a pipe dream. He was a kind ruler once, but a long time ago he turned bitter and ruthless."
"Well, how old is he then? Shouldn't another king take his place, eventually?"
Maze shook his head with a humourless laugh.
"He's nearly six hundred years old."
Charles' jaw dropped in disbelief. Adel silently crept up beside him. He twisted an arm around her and pulled her against him. How could he even start to explain the situation to her?
"Oi!" A shrill voice echoed from behind the cart. A short, oily haired guard stepped towards the horse and grabbed the rope around its jaw. The man had jet black hair and a strange oval shaped bald spot that had been badly sun burnt.
He pulled Duchess' tack harder. The metal pulled harshly against her dry mouth and the mare let out a whinny of pain.
"Where do you think you're going? All visitors must go straight to the Hall for questioning."
"Really?" Maze addressed the man with a confused frown. "I am sorry! I've been coming to this place for many years, and I’ve never heard of such a rule before."
"It's the new wartime law!" The oily man squeezed the tack tighter as the horse slowly walked forward in protest. "Stop your beast at once."
"Oh! The duchess?" Maze smiled to the man politely and gently pulled on the reins. Maze jaw clenched, and the cart slowed to a stop. Duchess shied away from the guard and attempted to pull away from the man. "Did I hear you correctly? You wish to take us in for questioning?"
Maze's smile faltered and Charles saw in his eyes a brief glimpse of impatience and loathing. The guard, however, misread the look and continued.
"Even an old man such as yourself could not be so deaf as to mishear me! Yes. Questioning. Now get to the Town Hall or I will have to act on behalf of the King and throw you in for a term."
Maze bowed his head slightly and tugged gently on one half of the reins.
"Leave your beast here."
The knuckle on Maze's hand whitened for an instant, then he let the leather drop and lurched himself upright. Charles followed him off the cart and held an arm out for Ellie. She climbed down after him and gave out a weak smile.
The short, greasy man peered at her with an unmistakable leer in his eyes.
Charles turned from the guard and resisted the urge to hit the man while Maze strode forwards and stood in front. One look into Ellie’s eyes and Charles could understand the revulsion in them.
He held her shivering hand in his and squeezed it three times and felt a rush of warmth when she squeezed three times back.
It sickened him to think of what could have happened if they’d been separated.
Karn can fend for himself. He thought. He had proved that so many times. Come to think of it, Ellie could as well. But with her injury.
In any case he was there for her and she for him.
"You, ok?" He asked her softly. She stared at his lips, then looked into his eyes.
Ellie smiled weakly, then nodded. They held onto each other’s hand as they followed Maze.
The oily guard followed behind as the three walked towards the squat Town Hall.
⚔
"You have entered town without the King's loyalty pass." The newly appointed Mayor Quail read from a sheet of parchment not meeting Maze's eyes.
The room was large and empty, except for a large table the mayor sat behind. It seemed to Charles that the mayor was a little too plain in every way. Especially for a man in his position. He was middle-aged, short and from the words he spoke, sounded to be at least partially knowledgeable. The way Mayor Quail conducted his slow interrogation made Charles feel uneasy and bored.
Bureaucracy at its finest, Charles thought bitterly.
"As I said. The nice guardsmen on the east road let us through."
The oily man chuckled. "Why would Jerald let you three go through?"
The mayor looked up from his parchment and eyed the oily guard.
"Your brother again, Chris? I was told the Naught family were proper and loyal subjects of the King. However, your brother has yet again proven otherwise."
The oily guard called Chris let out a sigh of exasperation. "We are loyal, sir."
The Major scowled then peered back to his parchment. "So, he gave you three a fine?"
Maze nodded. "A silver."
The mayor slammed a wooden hammer on the table and moved the parchment to the side.
"The fine shall be taken from your brother and sent to the coffers of the King. We need all the help we can get with the war on its way." He stood up and strode to stand beside the guard. "Your conduct as well shall be taken into review. You shall not leave Sorina until the pass has been issued or a suitable punishment has been dealt."
"But the fine!" Maze started.
"Is now your contribution." The mayor spoke harshly. "It will be well used in the war effort. However, the law now states that a man must hold a pass to travel on the King's roads. We can't risk any spread of the current Swine Plague from the south. Especially within the borders of the largest food distribution centre in all of Brancourt." The mayor spoke the words as if he had memorised them from a page. "Those who risk the Kingdom's wellbeing will be dealt with severely!"
Maze nodded. "Are we to be imprisoned, then?"
The mayor shook his head. "No. Your breach of law shall be properly examined, and a suitable punishment shall be given to all three of you. For now, stay within the limits of Sorina."