She entered the city and looked around. It’s going to be difficult to find one guy with all these buildings and humans. Espie took the largest path that led into the heart of the city. The uneven stone surface caused her to wobble every time her foot lodged into the cracks. She looked at another guard, not quite as big as the giant man, leaning against a brick building, knee bent and plated foot against the wall of the stone structure, dozed off. Guards might be able to help me.
“zzz…Eh?” Espie stood on her tiptoes and shook the guard’s shoulder. “Who the…?” The guard’s eyes narrowed at the girl. “A demon? What in the…”
“Hello, name’s Espie.” She held up the silver medallion.
“An observer? What are you doin’ over here? Oh, you’re here to find the other missing guy huh?”
“Exactly. Can you tell me anything about him?”
“Hmmm. Yeah I remember. He stayed for a while then disappeared.”
“Did anything change after his disappearance?”
“No. City’s still shite. Hmm no. Actually yes. The streets we’re on now are calm. Or calmer. Used to have a lot of crime in this here part. Ain’t my problem though. They paid me only enough to intimidate. Not help.”
“I see.” Espie stroked her chin. Her eyes drifted to a stone on the ground.
“Well, now that the streets are safer, my pays been cut. Less ale for me but if it means doin nothing all day then I’m golden.”
“Wait, crime happens in the day as well?” Espie’s mouth opened, she was shocked to learn that humans here could commit acts of crime in broad daylight.
“Nah. More like, workers pointin’ the finger at each other.” The guard yawned. “Who took my bronze coin on the table?!” He raised his fists in the air. “How dare you cheat! I saw you hiding that card in your sleeve! I’ll beat you silly damn you…” His fists drooped, and his eyes half-closed again into his signature blank and bored stare. “Well, those were the fun moments of the day. Beating ‘em up for disrupting the peace. Doesn’t matter who dun it. It’s fun clobbering people. Things became a little more quiet though. Think workers are a bit paranoid. Crime happened at night. Not my schedule. Lucky me.”
“What was the crime like in the city?”
“Eh. Stabbings and muggings and the like. Not enough coin to get around. Orphanages were pretty much full cause of dead parents and they lacked funds. The rich part is like a completely different city, you should check it out. Like a utopia. Us common folk live with the roaches while nobles spit on us and squeeze us of coin.” The guard spat on the pavement.
“I see. Any rumors that are spreading?”
“Rumors? Listen girl, I’m not paid enough to care ‘bout rumors. If ya got the coin to grease my lips then feel free to ask, otherwise, leave me to my boredom.”
Espie’s mind raced, she should’ve been documenting all of this, well, she would eventually, but there were more pressing matters at hand. While the information she gathered was useful, it wasn’t enough to narrow down the traitor's location.
“Might seem like shite here, but farms on the north side of the city’r worse.” The guard jerked his head towards the farm direction.
“Farms inside the city?”
“Not inside girl, think for a minute.” The guard shut his eyes and exhaled as he rubbed his brows. “Idiot.” The words escaped his lips as a sigh, “…The farms’r in the outskirts of the city, where the local lords wring em farmers dry.” He stared ahead of him in thoughtfulness. “…Glad I got outta that shitehole. You’d be executed if you didn’t fulfill the impossible quota.”
Before Espie could follow up with another question, the guard straightened as if struck on the back with a club. “Oh yeah, you’re in luck, kid. Speakin' of executions, one’s happening soon. Feel free to document that. Or something.”
“Oh? Where is it taking place?”
“City square. Look for the large fountain. The fat road you’ve been walking on. Take that and you’ll eventually reach it. Have fun.”
“Are executions frequent in Tydon?”
“Yeah, fun as shite to watch too. The look on them faces before heads roll. We always bet on which face they make before the blade swings down. With some practice, you’ll be able to grasp their spirit, aaand therefore, the look.” His chest was puffed out for a brief moment until sudden realization struck him. His eyes widened. “Uh. Don’t write that down. Looks bad for us.”
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“Don’t worry, I could care less. And who’s being executed?”
The guard’s eyes rolled, and another puff of air escaped his mouth. “If I told you I’d be spoiling the fun. Now go away. Shoo. I need to sleep off the ale.”
。 。 。
She pushed through the mass of people, weaving through the sea of bodies with relative ease. The perks of having a smaller frame. Her vision was swamped with nothing but dirt-clung wool dresses and greasy cotton shirts. Nevertheless, she proceeded, using human body positions and the direction of their heads as a compass. The place was crowded, but strange enough, there was no shouting. Only hushed whispers. She could only make out several words and sentences, “…only a child.” And, “…did he do to deserve this?” As Espie reached the end of the crowd, she saw it. And it was a sight to see. Opposite of her, the crowd was different. They wore vivid dresses and fancy suits that complemented their bonnets and top hats. The bright colors they wore reflected off the orange Sun with each graceful movement. The people sat at tables with silk, prepared with tea and wine and a feast of red meat. They stood atop a slightly elevated platform covered by purple wool. They chattered gleefully and clinked glasses. With every glance they took at the opposition, it was in disgust. Their chests puffed high, and chins pointed upwards. Standing in the middle of the two groups was a wooden platform.
The platform too, looked out of place compared to her surroundings. The glazed wood glimmered in the light, and the corners of the platform and even the switch were fitted with gold sleeves that were engraved with symbols and adorned with gemstones. The main post was carved to take the shape of a woman holding an open book in her left hand. The right held a scale. The Lady of Offering. Seen her in other cities. The book represents law, and the scale represents the weight of their crime. She oversees the execution. The two posts that held the rope took the shape of shirtless men with bags over their heads. The vindicators. The Lady’s executioners. They clear the criminal’s name in exchange for their lives. The platform was positioned in the center of the two groups, which allowed both sides to view the scene comfortably.
Espie looked around and tapped a tired worker to her right. “Are executions normally this fancy?”
“No, only today. The usual platform used is falling apart. It’s like a dinner table with extensions that were cobbled together by an apprentice on frenzie.” His eyes drifted away from Espie and to the Lady of Offering. “The post is a shade darker because it’s infested by lice rot.” Said the man. There wasn’t anyone there yet. Only two guards posted, twitching with anticipation.
“What did the perpetrator do?”
The man looked down. “Benny’s a good lad. He doesn’t deserve this.” The man’s slanted eyes drooped lower, wrinkling his already wrinkled face. He looked like a dried mud golem.
Espie frowned. “That’s not what I asked.”
“He only stole. He’s a good kid.” The man scratched his greying beard. “His mother is sick with feebleness. He needed money.” He sighed. The hot, humid gust of air violated Espie’s nose, and she drew her head back.
“Climbed the steel fence and stole some vials of medicine from the wealthy part of Tydon.”
“That’s two crimes, then.”
“Jeez lady. Can’t you see someone’s life is coming to an end? Have some compassion, will you?”
Espie ignored the man’s rude remark and pressed on. “How is this punishable by death? Is medicine that rare?”
“Stealing? Depends I guess. But for good medicine? It’ll cost you a few silver coins in fines. Can’t pay up? Work for free then. Your coin goes to the city. Taxes. Trespassing also changes depending on the area. In Benny’s case, I’d say some lashings. Depends on how angry the community is.” The man took his eyes off the gallows and rubbed his feet over a dandelion. “As for how rare medicine is, it’s not rare, but good quality ones are. The medicine we buy makes you more sick or gives you a new sickness. Rarely does it actually improve your condition.” At this point, the dandelion was a little more than pulp on stone. “They just want to send us a message. ‘Don’t steal from us, know your place,’ the bastards.”
Just then, clapping and cheering rung from the other side of the city square. Four figures emerged, one locked up in a pillory. They walked toward the magnificent gallows; the two guards stood beside Benny, led by a balding man in a buttoned dress coat. As the group came closer, Espie could see just how much damage Benny received. Half his face swelled, purple and green splotches patched his sides, she assumed more sprinkled along his back. His arms were riddled with red, swollen cuts that leaked a thick yellow liquid. Bumps under his jaw swelled in different sizes. Probably has chills and a fever. The cuts need to be treated fast, less if he wants to go armless. Well, guess it doesn’t matter.
Once they stood on the platform, the guards removed the pillory and fastened the noose around Benny. All went quiet. The balding man stepped forward and looked to his left toward the wealthy. They nodded at his glance. The man turned to this right, but the peasants only stared. He opened his mouth and began to speak.
“Ladies…” his body twisted to his left, and he brought his arms up as if this action could lift the weight of the situation, “…and gentleman…” his body twisted to the right, “…and you all. We come gathered here together, at the great city square…the public one.” He whispered. “To witness justice. The Lady of Offering and her students listened to the crimes Benny Wilkson committed. Punishment was swiftly received. But unfortunately, the price he had paid was not enough. The Lady of Offering requires more to receive complete forgiveness.” The man lowered his arms, he reached into a satchel, and produced a scroll. He cleared his throat and began to read.
“Benny Wilkson. Son of Mila and Brian Wilkson. Has been brought to the Council of Justice, to The Lady of Offering. His crimes: Trespassing into The Old Oak Community…To steal precious medicine. To extort the poor and make profit.”
The crowd on both sides murmured. The workers and peasants whispered their disbelief as the wealthy nodded in approval. Huh? How can you extort the poor when they don’t have money to begin with? Seems a bit lazy to tack that last bit on. Sounds like they just wanted an excuse to display power.
“The price must be paid in full. That is, his life.” His voice boomed. He put away the scroll and stepped off to the side. A guard stepped up to the big switch. With a grunt, he activated it, and in an instant, the floor beneath Benny collapsed. And he fell.