The People and the Town

The line was long, but through hours of running and lifting, we managed to get everything out to them. Unfortunately, most of the people who weren't among the prioritized got supplies. Fortunately, none of the guards returned, though that was quite odd. I expected they'd send twice as many men, or a few twice as skilled men, but nobody came. I couldn't complain about it; unnecessary fighting is just that: unnecessary.

"Must've warded them off with fear," said Tulas.

I doubted it. Something else must be going on.

After we were finished, a woman, gravid in the belly, holding hands with a young boy reaching high, walked up to me. "I-I wanted to thank you, young man."

"It's alright. That's not necessary."

"Well all I know is, if you hadn't done what you did, I . . . I just don't know what I would've done." She started tearing up.

Had I not been leaning against the wagon's side, I would've backed up.

"You see, we didn't have much. My husband has been sick with a fever, unable to work on the fields up north for some time now. We've neither the food for my son, nor the medicine for my Terrence."

". . ."

"I just wanted to thank you, because now little junior here has food, and my husband can get better. Hopefully my little girl will be alright too."

"You have a daughter too?"

She looked down to her belly. "With luck, I will soon."

"How do you know it's a girl?"

"I guess I don't. I just feel it. Wanna feel her kick?"

"What?"

"Just place your hand on my belly."

I did just so. I could easily feel the baby's heart beat, just a bit slower than hers. I could feel another life inside. A warm and delicate life. This experience was one I've never had. It left my mind mesmerized just before I felt a light fluttering.

I quickly backed away, smacking my back against the wagon.

"It's alright, it's alright. That's the baby moving. It means she's healthy."

I slowly returned from my recoil.

"This is the journey of every mother. It's scary at first because you don't know what's right, but having a second kid, feeling all the repeating patterns, there's a bit more reassurance."

"I see."

"Well, I need to get out of the sun and off my feet. What's your name? If you don't mind."

"Ladon."

"Thank you, Ladon, and goodbye." She nudged the little boy. "Junior, say goodbye to mister Ladon."

He took a second to look at me, then shyly looked away. "Goobye, mister Wadon."

I waved at him, unable to stop a small smile from growing. "Bye."

They walked away. Most of the crowd was gone, but plenty stayed to chat amongst themselves. With the task done, I walked behind the wagon to talk to Dannas, who had been avoiding me for the last few hours.

"Dannas."

"Y-yeah?"

"Can you not fight?"

"W-what do you mean?"

"When I fought Meg's group, you did nothing but hide."

"I got Holind, remember?"

"He was barely conscious, and wouldn't have been a problem. Today, you proceeded to hide again while I fought those four guards, one of which I could've really used the help with. Not to mention, I called for help. More than once."

Dannas shrunk.

"Did the captain or vice captain tell you not to interfere in any fights since it's my last test?"

He shrunk more. "No…"

"Then why in the Hels didn't you do aything?!"

"I-I . . . I . . ."

Tulas walked up to us. "Hey, Ladon, why don't we calm down a bit? I'm sure there's a reason, and I'm sure this is not the way to find it."

I saw Dannas couldn't take his eye's off the ground.

"Better be a good fucking reason." I stormed down the road.

Wearing my cloak, I walked around town for a couple hours. The more I saw Moltenbell, the more this mayor was bothering me. Why hoard everything? If a dragon's about, the people need more help. Who's gonna rebuild everything if they all died. Before long, I walked past a trio of loud-speaking, gossiping, middle-aged women voicing all sorts of noise.

"You know, I don't think that dragon's gonna attack us."

I stopped walking, as they now had my attention.

"Well I'd say you're crazy." The second said.

"Why would you think that?" The third asked.

"Think about it. It's been almost ten years since the last attack. We've seen that dragon give his usual fly-by warning three or four times since then, and he's never come," the first explained.

"But maybe that's how it wants you to think," the second suggested.

The first continued. "I was thinking the same thing. But then it hit me. Ten years ago, Cornelius supposedly killed a demidragon, with the help of Malkan, then became mayor, right?"

"Right," answered the third.

"What if he never actually did. What if that demidragon is locked up or something."

"Why would he do that?" The second asked.

"What if dragons aren't allowed to kill demidragons. It'd make perfect sense. If the dragon can't kill it, then it wouldn't be able to risk destroying our town."

"That's crazy talk, Miriam," the second answered.

"No, I think she might be onto something, Jen," The third said.

"Okay, but how would that make us safe this year?" Jen asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you've heard talk of a rebellion brewing, didn't you? If they take out the mayor, and I pray the gods will it, then what would happen to that demidragon? This could put us in real danger then."

"That's true," Miriam answered. "What do you think, Hona?"

"I think we're screwed either way."

I walked up to them.

"What do you want, boy?" Miriam asked. "The mood's not quite as bright as this day at the moment."

"What do you know about this rebellion?"

She looked me up and down. "Hmm. You don't look like a guard . . . Hona would know more than me."

"I don't know too much, kiddo, but I know they want Cornelius and Malkan gone, like us all. Are you looking to join them?"

"Maybe."

"Well you should be careful, kid. Rebellion's a dangerous business," Jen warned. "If you really want to join them, then I can tell you where you might be able to find them. It might not be where they are, but don't tell anyone incase it is."

"Okay."

"I heard, if you knock on the back door of The Drunkenbell five times, in a specific pattern, after dark, they'll open up, and that's where they are."

"Thank you."

"No problem, kiddo."

I walked away, planning to return to the wagon.

Going down the road, past several unkept buildings of no import, through the corner of my right eye, I saw someone in a passing alley. I quickly turned to see Gin-me, turned away, realized who I saw, stopped, then turned back. She was leaning on her right side against a wall.

"I need to talk to you."

I placed my unseen left hand on the handle of my messer.

"You're gonna have to come here. I can't be seen talking to you, kid."

I walked into the alley. "What do you want?"

"I already told you."

"..."

"Both Cornelius and Malkan, the captain of the guard, know what happened earlier today. Cornelius wants you hanged. Malkan convinced him not to, because you're a ranger and all, and inciting conflict with them would be bad. With that said, there's a caveat."

"Which is?" I took my hand off my messer.

"You're only safe for the day, and tomorrow's morning. If you're not gone by noon, then any guard who sees you will beat you, and arrest you. After some time in lock up, you'll probably be set for a hanging."

"Were you told to tell me?"

"No. They didn't want you to know. Makes it more in Cornelius's favor that way."

"Why are you telling me then?"

"I don't know. I guess I just wouldn't prefer seeing your neck in that rope."

"Thank you, Gin-me."

She avoided eye contact. "Yeah, whatever."

"Can I ask you something?"

She returned her eye contact. "Shoot."

"Is there a demidragon in the mayor's place?"

Her brows furrowed. "What?"

"I think there might be one of my kind locked up there."

"Why would there be a demidragon in Cornelius's mansion?"

"Is there some room or something, where nobody's allowed in, or is just left untouched or something? If there's a demidragon there, I doubt he'd want anyone to know it."

"You know what? There's this room, on the top floor. It's got a double door, and two guards on it at all times. Nobody but Cornelius and maybe Malkan know what's in there—not even the guards."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I could look into it for you."

"If it's too dangerous you don't have to take the risk."

"I can do it."

"Thank you."

"Sure. Oh, and they don't know you're a demidragon yet. I never told them."

"I still don't get why you'd do all of this for me."

  She shifted off the wall, leaving her right hand on her hip. "Listen. All of those guards are shitholes. I'm only one because it's the only job here that can really put food on a table under a decent enough roof, and I have a little sister to take care of. My parents left home before I was born, traveling from the dangers of the dragons in the far east. The further west they got, the more they realized the dragons are everywhere. Somewhere in that journey they had me. Before long they got trapped here. When I was fifteen they had my little sister, and after I turned twenty, they both got Typhoid. They didn't make it, and left me here with my sister. I joined the guard for her. I've done a lot of shitty things in the last five years, but I've done it all for her. I don't like what I do, or what I've done, but if there was another way, I would've chosen it. I guess I just want to make things right."

"I understand."

"Look, Ladon. I gotta go, so you go wherever you need to. If I see you again tomorrow, and I'm not in an alley like this, then I can't promise I won't have to arrest you. So be careful."

  "Thank you, Gin-me."

"Yeah yeah. Just get a move on."

I left the alley, heading back to the wagon. I heard her hide a small grunt, probably from pain.

  Before long, I made it there, though it was now getting close to sunset. Tulas was on the front seat, and Dannas was sitting in the back. Meg and her group were scattered about, though Jackmond was gone.

When I got close, Tulas got off. "Ready to go?"

"I think I'm gonna stay for another day, if that's fine with both of you."

"Will those guards be a problem again?" Tulas asked.

"Not for you."

"Then that's fine by me. What are you staying for?"

"Answers. If I get the right ones, I might need to stay longer. Hopefully that won't be necessary. I can only stay until noon tomorrow. After that, I'll get arrested by the first guard that sees me."

"I see. So they're giving you a grace period. Probably because you're a ranger."

I nodded.

"Do we have a place to stay? I have money, but I doubt you and Dannas do."

"That's the only issue."

Meg walked up to us. "You need a place to stay?"

I turned to her. "Yes, just for a day or two. Hopefully just tonight."

"Well, if you got money, The Drunkenbell is a decent enough place. They have beer, food, and beds. If you don't have money, you can stay at my place, or Terin's. Isn't that right Terin?!"

"What?!" He shouted from across the road.

  "He'd be happy to. Anyways, those are your options as far as I see."

"Do you have room for all of us?"

"Not really, but Dannas and Tulas can stay at Terin's."

"Alright."

"Terin!"

"Yeah?! He answered from the same spot.

"Can Dannas and Tulas stay at your place?!"

"Sure!"

Tulas clapped his hands together. "I guess it's settled then."

"We'll show you to Terin's place. You can leave the wagon there. Come on Terin!"

  Dannas and I pushed the wagon down the road. Eventually, we took a right turn, and not too long after, reached a crossroad. To the left, somewhat far down the road, you could see the mayor's mansion ontop of a hill. Unlike every other building in this town, it looked decently well kept. From this distance, I could still see a black metal fence running around it. It looked as though the building itself looked down apon the whole town. To the right, the road led to the town's centerpiece: A bell, melted and resting slanted on the ground. Only about a quarter of it actually resembled one. I could tell the rest lost its shape from gravity when it was melted. Straight down the crossroad were just more buildings. We went straight. Not long after, we took a right, then left, then a few buildings down, we made it. We left the wagon right infront of Terin's house. It was small, and slowly going to ruin like many of the other buildings. Tulas and Dannas took their bed roll and some leftovers, then followed Terin inside. The sun was fully setting by now, so I didn't follow. Instead, I walked with Meg to her place with a bunch of the leftovers and my quiver in my hands.

"You know, Moltenbell wasn't always like this. When the bell was still standing and ringing strong, the town had a different name, and we had a different mayor; we were all doing pretty well."

We took a left turn. "Hard to believe."

"I know right? Well, tenish years or so back, during the last dragon attack, our mayor died. Cornelius was always vying for his position. We were ripe with hatred and fear after that attack, so when we all heard he killed a demidragon, almost all of us pushed him into that position, which he probably would've taken anyway. He rebuilt the mayor's house into the mansion it never was, fixed the walls, and increased the guard. Malkan almost immediately took over as Captain of the Guard, since he was the one who actually killed the demidragon as it turned out. During the last decade of those two allowing everyone only scraps, the town became what it is today. Almost all of the resources go to his building, and all the food into his, Malkan's, and the guards' mouths. Apparently a rebellion's gonna change that, and I pray it does."

We made it to her house. It was bigger than Terin's by a bit, but definitely wasn't among the largest.

"Well here we are."

We entered. The front hall we were in had stairs, just a few meters from the door, and two doorways, one on each side. I placed my quiver against the right wall. The right was the living room. The left led to the dining room and kitchen. We brought the food into her dining room, at which point I saw a middle-aged woman in the kitchen.

She turned around. "Oh! Meg, you're back!" She looked at me. "And you brought a handsome guest with you too."

"Hi Ma, this is Ladon."

She walked up to me and shook my hand. "Well it's nice to meet you, Ladon. Here, give me the venison. I'll add it to the meal."  She took the cooked deer meat from my hands and added it to one of her pots. "Dinner will be ready soon, so feel free to sit down at the table. Oh and, Meg dear, if you could show him to the hanger so he can put his cloak up."

"Yes, Ma." She led me into the living room which had a wooden pole with several hooks pointing up. "That's the coat rack."

I took my cloak off and hung it up. I then detached my scabbard from my belt and leaned it against the wall, just next to the rack. By the time we got back to the dining room, Meg's mother was already rushing filled bowls to the table.

"Venison and cabbage soup, with some noodles. If I knew we'd be having a guest I would've made more, but the deer substantially helps."

"That's alright."

Meg's mother looked at my arm. "By the gods. What's the story behind that arm. Oh, and your shirt is all cut up."

"Ma . . ."

"Oh sorry, how rude of me. Meg, can you give Ladon here one of your father's old shirts. I'll fix up the one you have tonight or tomorrow."

"Yes, Ma." She went up the stairs.

Her Mother sat down at the chair closest to the kitchen. "How long are you planning to stay in Moltenbell, Ladon?"

I stayed in the doorway to the dining room. "Hopefully no longer than noon tomorrow."

Meg made it back down, and handed a fresh tan shirt to me. "Here."

"I walked into the living room, out of view, and swapped shirts.

"You can leave your old one on the seat."

I did just so, then walked back into the dining room, and sat at the table, on the chair closest to the doorway. We all started eating.

"So, how did you two meet?" Her mother asked.

"Well, we um . . . He saved our lives a couple days ago. Terin, Percy, Holind, and I all owe him."

"Oh I see. Wait. Were you in danger? Did you and the boys get in trouble with the guards? Oh gods, don't tell me—"

"No, Ma… we were down the forest road, by the river. We got in trouble with . . . the forest. It was dark, there were some beasts, and he saved us."

Her mother looked at me. "Well you look as lean as those boys. Not much younger too. I don't know how you did it, but I thank you, young man."

"It's what anyone should do."

"That it is. That it is. I heard some rangers came to town today with a wagon of supplies from Therrin's End. Can you believe that? Real Midnight Rangers. Heard they got in a scrap with the guards—Heard one of them is a demidragon. Can you believe that?"

Meg looked at me. "Yeah…"

Her mother looked at her, then me, and paused until a growing realization rose on her face, leading to a smile. "Are you one of the rangers?"

I nodded.

"Well from what I heard, you put those guards in their place. It's about time somebody did that, if you ask me. Bullies, the whole lot of 'em."

"Damn right."

"Meg!"

"Sorry Ma…"

"Maybe a demidragon's just what this town needs for a change." She looked at me. "Oh, and don't worry, your secret's safe with me. And if any guards come, you never came here as far as I know. Any friend of Meg is a friend in this household."

"Thank you."

"No problem at all."

Before long, all three of us finished our meals.

  Meg's mother took the bowls and started cleaning them. "Meg, dear?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you show him to the guest room?"

"Sure. Come on, Ladon." She led me up the steep, creaky stairs into a small hall, shortened by the roof. I brought my quiver. "To the left is my room, and my mother's." She led me to the right, to a door. She opened it up. "This is your room for as long as you need it."

The room had a one-person bed, a small table to its left, and a small dresser close to the window on the wall opposite the door. The ceiling was angled, being highest at the door, and lowest at the window.

I placed my quiver in the room. "Thank you, Meg."

"You helped us, we'll help you."

I made my way down the stairs.

"Meg dear, can you bring his shirt to my room?"

"Yes, Ma."

"Ladon dear, are you heading out?"

"Yes. Only for a shortwhile, hopefully."

"Can I talk to you real quick before you go?"

"Sure." I walked to her.

She was already finished with the dishes. "I don't know what you've been through, but you look so young."

"I'm sixteen."

"Oh really? My daughter's sixteen too."

"I'm seventeen, Ma." Meg entered the dining room. "Wait, what are you trying to do?" 

I thought she was a couple years older. Is her whole group that young? Now that I think of it, almost everyone looks older here.

"Nothing, nothing. You have a safe trip, Ladon."

"Thank you." I walked over to the coat rack.

I reattached my scabbard to my belt, then put my cloak on.

"Where are you going?" Meg leaned against the wall in the hall.

"To The Drunkenbell."

"You're a bit too young for drink."

"I'm just looking into something. I won't be gone long." I opened the front door.

"Alright. Do you know where it is?"

I paused as I realized I didn't.

"It's in the square, where the bell is. You can't miss it."

"Thank you."

"Yeah."

I walked out, backtracking down the road, to the crossroad. I looked down the road left to see that even in the night I could still see the bell down there. It wasn't too shiny, but I could make out its unique shape. I walked down the road to it. When I got close, it became clear there was a large space in the center cleared out from its fall. I looked around the square to see many closed shops. None save one shined through the night: The Drunkenbell. There was a long, hanging sign above the doors, reading its name with a faded painting of an upside-down bell overflowing with liquor. I walked down the side of it to the back, then saw stairs leading down into the ground, to a door. I walked to the door, paused, then knocked on it five times in a random pattern. Nothing. I tried again in another pattern. Nothing. Just as I was ready to leave, I turned up the stairs to the sound of steps.

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

Just then I heard a snap behind me, above. I turned to see a thick wooden pole heading straight for my forehead. In an instant, it all went dark.