Chapter 3

As they followed Lyra to the south east corner of the town, the houses around them became scarcer, and grimier. It was clear that this end of town was forgotten. Poor folk lined the alleyways, writhing and moaning. If they were planning on staying here for any period of time, they might not need their clothing washed after all...

"Whats happened here Lyra?" asked Roy.

"South Dimwell has fallen on hard times." she said.

Stepping in a puddle of mystery fluid, Edgar shook his foot furiously. "More like something fell on South Dimwell." he said, glancing up at a half patched roof.

"My father and I aren't from Dimwell," said Lyra, doing a little hop over another puddle of mystery fluid, "Most of the people here aren't. This is something like a refugee camp. After the war with the Sovalians started, our village was in danger of being raided since it was so close to the border. We were forced to relocate here."

"So you're almost as much of an outsider here as we are," said Roy.

"My father was the mayor of our village, a place called Aryat. Unfortunately he's not qualified for much else. I've been laundering clothing for money. Mostly for Hoss and his troops. I try and avoid the commanders men at all costs. They're not fond of us outsiders."

"Captain Hoss seems like a good guy," said Roy, "I thought he was the commander though."

"No, if only." said Lyra, "Captain Hoss and his men were part of the garrisons of the evacuated villages. The commander of Dimwell lumped them all together and frequently sends them out on busywork errands, since he has no use for them in the city."

Laughter came from up the street, where a group of young men were playing with dice on the street. On further inspection, Roy noticed they were playing for a stack of food items that each of them had brought to the game.

"That's Gale and his goons," said Lyra. She stopped and crossed her arms. "Not everyone here is a harmless refugee. They're the reason the commander looks on us with such disdain."

Gale, the leader of the ragtag group, was an unassuming person. Much like the other refugees he wore dirtied clothes and had a general worn down look. But as Roy and the others walked by Gale looked up at them, the laughter of his goons stopping. His eyes were alert, not at all the same as the other refugees. There was no pained expression of desperation.

He was looking at Cubert especially. Cubert didn't seem to notice.

Gale said nothing as they walked by. His goons snickered however, under their breath.

As they got out of sight of Gale, Lyra let out a breath. "He usually messes with me, I'm surprised he didn't say anything this time."

"He wouldn't mess with you with us here," said Edgar, sounding somewhat smug.

"I don't think that was it," said Lyra, "he's usually a very cocky person, even to the guards."

She stopped at a small one story shack, which if not for a flicker of candlelight in the window would have appeared long abandoned. She walked up a creaky wooden step and poked her head in through the doorway.

"Dad? Are you decent? We have visitors."

A gruff and tired voice replied from the dim light of the hut, but it was inaudible.

Lyra beckoned them inside.

The outside of the shack appeared dilapidated and old, the inside was in a similiar state . A small fireplace was going and in front of it a worn quilted rug, surely sewn by Lyras mother who remained unmentioned. It didn't have much in the way of furniture, and Roy could only see one room in the back corner which he assumed was shared by Lyra and her father. Even so, Roy had always felt more at home in places like this. After all, he slept in the dirt most of the time.

"I know it's not much to look at, but it's home." Lyra sighed as she looked around at the worn walls. "Believe me when I tell you our old home was much nicer than this. I miss it. It's where my mother died...."

A large hound ran up from mat near the fireplace and started sniffing Edgars clothing. Edgar froze up immediately and held his arms up out the hounds reach. He whimpered as the hound lurched up on two legs and began licking his face.

"Nice doggy." he said, patting its head.

Lyra giggled and began scratching the dog behind its ears. "He's harmless. Our little protector. I feel a lot safer with him around."

Lyras father exited the room in the back. He was frail looking, almost like a grandfather. His hair was greyed and curley, disheveled along with his patchy beard. There was a warmness in his tired brown eyes, that suggested a lifetime of family and good old fashioned work.

"How are you gentleman? I see you've met Jeb." he said smiling at the dog who was rolling around on Edgars feet and snorting.

Roy and Edgar sounded off a greeting, and Cubert waved.

"My name is Gordahl. Former elder of Woodgrove." he said reaching his hand out.

Each of the boys shook it.

"You never said your dad was an elder." said Roy, looking at Lyra who wasn't meeting his gaze. Elders of smaller villages weren't as revered as mayors of large cities, but still it was a position of honor.

"All the good it did me. Village nobility doesn't really count in a place like this. But hey, a wars a war. I'm certainly not the worst off and I'm thankful for what I've got." said Gordahl.

"Lyra said your village was evacuated. Do you think it might still be there?" said Roy.

"Hard to say for sure. Although there wouldn't be much point for the Sovalians to raid it if nobody is there. They might take supplies but I doubt they would waste time and resources burning what was abandoned."

"Maybe you could send somebody to check it out. Who knows, maybe everythings fine and you could just head on home."

"With the way that things have been going here lately, I've been thinking that same thing myself. But nobody is willing to travel back alone that far. Especially with the reports that have been coming in."

"What kind of reports?" said Edgar, stepping away from a dobble hanging on the wall.

Gordahl walked across the small space and sat down in a small chair.

"Strange ones. Small forces. Large forces. All moving around the city through the woods. Farmers and incoming merchants keep warning the commander. Some claim to see Sovalian insignias on the mystery groups clothing, but I don't buy it."

"Why not? Who else would be out there watching the city?" said Edgar, before the dog leapt up and knocked him over. Out of his pocket fell the map of the city, unraveling on the floor loosely to show its contents to the room.

Lyra went immediately to pull Jeb off of Edgar, but Gordahl was looking right at the map. Edgar noticed this and snatched up the map.

"Sorry about Jeb, when he gets a scent of something or someone he gets antsy...." said Gordahl, his mind elsewhere.

Looking at her father, Lyra could tell something was up.

"Well Papa," she said turning to Roy, "I think we should get started. the clothes will need time to dry once I hang them."

Edgar and Cubert, relieved to be leaving the room, followed Lyra out the back with Jeb in tow. Roy pulled up the rear.

"It was nice talking with you Gordahl." said Roy.

"You too." said Gordahl, not looking up.

When Roy exited the back door to the hut, he found Lyra pouring water into a wooden basin from a pump. The washing area was fenced off and private. Subconciously Roy decided that the place could be easily burglarized. He felt guilty for this thought, but was suddenly reminded that they had no way to pay Lyra for this kindness. Edgar and Cubert were entertaining the dog on a wooden bench near the back door, so Roy took this opportunity to try and explain their situation in private. He went to Lyras side and stood there not knowing what to say.

Sensing his presence, Lyra looked up at him and gave him that feline smile. "Want to help?" she asked.

"Sure." said Roy, thankful to be avoiding the subject of payment.

As he pumped water into the final bucket and dumped it into the last basin, Roy said to Lyra, "We have to talk." She looked up and then continued filling her bucket.

"It's okay Roy, I know you don't have money."

This surprised Roy, and he stood staring at Lyra. He knew she was nice but surely she couldn't afford to be doing this for free.

"Can we talk about it later?" she said.

Roy nodded and he helped her finish up.

After helping Lyra prepare the water basins, Lyra told the boys to strip down.

"Uh we don't actually have any spare clothing." said Roy, embarrassed to be admitting this to Lyra.

"Yeah I'd rather not stand around in my underwear while it's still light out." said Edgar.

"Hold on just a second." said Lyra, going inside and returning shortly after with long brown ponchos. "I use these for the guards who come."

Edgar wrinkled his nose. "Does that mean you've been around the guards in their underwear?"

"They usually change inside...." said Lyra, blank faced.

"Oh..." said Edgar.

Lyra turned her back to the boys while they stripped out of their filthy garments and changed into their ponchos. Returning to the bench, Edgar and Cubert were not as cheerful as before. They looked ridiculous in the ponchos, and Roy could only imagine how silly he himself must look. Lyra turned and accepted the large clothing pile that was handed to Roy by the other two along with his own, and started the process of washing them.

When they were sufficiently clean, she wrung them out, and hung them over a fire pit indoors to dry.

"It should only take an hour or two for them to dry." she said.

It would be late afternoon by the time their clothes were done. Roy suddenly realized they were going to be locked in the city with no place to stay. He would have to rectify this after leaving here.

"Why are you being so generous to us? I mean, I don't want to sound ungrateful. We never got this kind of hospitality even in the smaller towns and villages, and country folk are supposed to be nice. Still, I want to pay you back. If there's anything you need, say it. I'm sure Edgar and Cubert feel the same way." said Roy, and he meant it.

Lyra was silent for a moment, as if debating her next words. Finally she looked up at Roy, and he could tell what she was going to say was very serious to her.

"I want you to steal something for me."