Part 12 (2/2)
”I do not want to say yet. A better and more favorable idea might present itself before our arrival. Rest a.s.sured; however, we will get her in one way or another. For now, let us keep moving. Our escorts are growing impatient.”
Mr. Penna maneuvered his horse past the others and continued down the trail. Melody bowed her head slightly.
”I'm sorry, Max, Eve. If we had not acted so foolishly by leaving in the middle of the night this would not have happened.”
Max shook his head. ”No, Melody. It's not your fault. I was reckless.”
”It's okay Maxy. I'm glad you helped Melody.” Eve gave a weak smile and shrugged her shoulders. ”This is just what happens when I'm not there to keep you out of trouble.”
Max rolled his eyes. ”Let's go”.
The three started down the trail once more. Melody stared in deep thought at the back of Mr. Penna a little farther ahead.
”I wonder what Mr. Penna has up his sleeve?”
Max shrugged his shoulders. ”He's probably going to lecture them on some pointless historical fact until they fall asleep. Then we can walk right by.”
All three laughed, hoping for their own sake that wasn't his plan.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
They reached the western cliff of the dead lands in the mid-afternoon. Unlike the eastern side of the dead lands, here, a finely carved ramp, gated at the base, led straight through the wall into the center of Moenia. The city itself was surrounded by a ten foot high stone wall. At the sight of the city, Max, along with Eve, Melody and Mr. Penna, drew closer together into a tight clump.
Max sat in awe. ”You don't simply walk right in to Moenia, do you?”
Melody grunted, ”You don't simply walk out either.”
At the gate, while Sergeant Kallis stated the party's names and their purpose for entering the city, Max took note of the guards. Unlike those in the camps, the four that stood at the gate remained alert and well-kept; ready for anything that might come. Max had the sense that if he had drawn his sword his life on Velrune would have come to a sudden end.
Their purpose announced, the officer in charge turned to Eve. ”Who is this lacarnian's owner?”
Max hesitated at the sudden question giving Mr. Penna a chance to answer first.
”I am.”
The guard held out his hand. ”Her papers.”
Mr. Penna didn't flinch. ”I am afraid I do not have them on me. I was in such a rush when I left the city a few months ago that I left without them.”
The guard eyed Mr. Penna with suspicion. ”You should have been asked for her papers before leaving the city.”
The other guards moved their hands towards the hilt of their weapons. Mr. Penna took note of the movement, but remained calm. Eve, on the other hand, grabbed Max's leg, squeezing.
”Unfortunately, you know as well as I do that many of the guards are all too happy to see a lacarnian leave the city, seldom bothering to check their papers. I am sure if you had been there when I left such a lapse in security would not have occurred, keeping me out of my current predicament.”
The officer swelled with pride. Max chuckled to himself, Mr. Penna could flatter anyone. The officer relaxed, the other guards moved their hands away from their weapons.
”It is true that many of the guards are too lax with the rules, especially for people crossing the dead lands. I, on the other hand, take my post with all seriousness. I'm afraid I cannot let the lacarnian pa.s.s without the proper papers. She will need to remain here until you can retrieve them, or, failing that, she will have to be re-inspected.”
Mr. Penna put his hand on his chin. ”That could be a problem. She has a.s.sisted me for several years and is more likely to know where her papers are than I. It would take me a rather long time to find them by myself, especially when I have much more important matters to attend to. I have a better idea, why not send Sergeant Kallis with the lacarnian and I? He can verify the papers for you when she locates them.”
Max almost laughed at the indignant look on the Sergeant's face. He felt Eve squeeze his leg even harder. Looking down, he could see she was trying to stifle her laughter. Sergeant Kallis didn't seem to notice.
”I will do no such thing. Lieutenant Tyco ordered me to bring the boy to the gate, and I have done so.”
The officer grew angry. ”Do not forget your place, Sergeant. I make the decisions concerning entry into Moenia. Furthermore, the Lieutenant pa.s.sed through here earlier. He spoke of your arrival and left instructions for you to escort the boy to headquarters.” The officer smiled smugly. ”Since you will be going to the city, you can take this man and the lacarna with you and verify their information. If he cannot provide the proper papers then you can take her to headquarters when you deliver the boy. Is that clear?”
Sergeant Kallis's eyes burned with anger. ”Yes, Sir!”
The officer turned to the gate. ”Open the gates!”
The doors swung open, revealing two more guards on the other side. The officer motioned for Sergeant Kallis and the rest to enter into the city. Riding through the gates, Max hoped Mr. Penna had another trick up his sleeve once they reached his house.
A short distance along the ramp Max began to hear the noise of the city. At first it reminded him of the celebrations in Swift.w.a.ter when all three hundred of its residents would gather. By the time they reached the top; however, the noise level had doubled. Before them moved a tangled ma.s.s of lacarnians and humans. Max sat on his horse in amazement.
”What's going on?” Max's voice was drowned out by the noise of the crowd that reverberated off the walls of the many wooden buildings. He turned to Mr. Penna, raising his voice to a shout.
”Mr. Penna, what's going on?”
Mr. Penna turned, smiling. ”We are outside the main market area of Moenia. See the horses and carts?”
Max looked to his left and saw not only that they were pa.s.sing stables, but also numerous carts being loaded with an a.s.sortment of goods. He turned back to Mr. Penna.
”Is everyone leaving?”
Mr. Penna laughed. ”No Maxwell, we are at the trading center of Moenia and the market is a short distance from here. Those goods are bound for outlying villages. This happens every week. Unfortunately, it means we will have to travel single file for a while to get through, so stay close, it is easy to get lost.”
Mr. Penna moved in front of Max and behind Sergeant Kallis. Eve stayed right next to Starlight, unwilling to separate from Max. Melody brought up the rear, seeming completely comfortable with the chaos around them.
At first, the crowds of people gave them little notice, some not even willing to move out of the way. That changed as they left the trading area and its' stables. The people began to give them a wide berth, a few even watching them pa.s.s by with intense curiosity. Max felt uncomfortable at the attention. Melody shouted from behind him.
”Riding horses are rare Max and mostly owned by Protectors. Not only is Starlight a fine specimen to see, but she's also without Lord Avram's mark. Makes them wonder who you are.
Max nodded and tried his best to ignore the stares from the crowd, but in the end, he looked at them just as curiously. He had long since lost the memories of this city. His only known experience with the lacarna was Eve. Now, hundreds moved along the streets, both adults and children. Strangely, they were all female, and all wearing a collar similar to Eve's.
Before Max could take everything in, they moved to a quieter, more residential area of the city. The crowd thinned out to groups of two or three humans. The few lacarna that were on the streets skirted quickly past them.
Moving north, the houses began to get larger and fancier, going from all wooden structures to a mix of stone and wood. The road itself transitioned from dirt, to gravel, then to stone. Riding farther, they reached a section of the city separated by a four foot wall with a simple gate made of iron bars fas.h.i.+oned to block the road. It stood open at the moment, guarded by a pair of Protectors.
Sergeant Kallis nodded at the guards as they pa.s.sed through the gate. On the other side, the street continued for several rows of immaculate stone homes with painted trims and intricate carvings. At the end of the street towered a twelve foot wall secured by a fortified gate. Atop the wall flew several pennants displaying the Protectors' emblem of a s.h.i.+eld and sword.
”Maxy, this way.”
Max snapped his attention back to Eve only to find she no longer stood at Starlight's side.
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