Freedom
By adfegg
Entries in a diary found among the remains of a small boat which was shot down while attempting to leave Valua without authorisation:
The economy is growing. With I's financial support, I've managed to turn Lower City from a stagnating poorhouse into a slowly developing community. More jobs are becoming available, and are being filled just as quickly. Money has been coming in through outside trade and it is being used to improve living conditions here and to repay I the money he lent us – though we had to force him to accept it!
I am happy. My son, Marco, will have a better future than the children of yesterday could ever have dreamt of! And when I look into Maria's eyes, I can see she thanks me for bringing so much hope into her peoples lives. I remember her eyes, when I told her who I was, where I had come from. I saw surprise in her eyes then. I saw sudden coldness and, even revulsion. But over the years she came to know my character and, eventually, I saw love in those eyes.
The people here thank me also. Where I once was a stranger I am now warmly welcomed. Even Maria's father, who was at first quite vocal about his dislike for me, looks upon me now with respect, if not acceptance.
We are, of course, making very sure that Upper City does not know about our improvements. They will find out eventually, so I am discussing with I certain safeguards to ensure that there is no way to prevent us from earning our own money. The aristocracy must play by their own rules!
o
Damn them! Damn them all!!
I was right, they couldn't stop our money coming in. So they imposed a new financial law which effectively allows them to confiscate almost all of the money we earn! We're back to square one! We can't win! We can't fight the people who make the laws! I couldn't even fight them when I was one of them!
We could only possibly fight them if Lower City had a say in the laws of our country. This is, of course, against the laws of our country. I has offered to use his political influence in an attempt to allow Lower City the right to make some decisions concerning the law - but it would fail, and it might expose him.
o
I am no longer welcome here. It is plain to see in the eyes of everyone around me. I brought foolish hope to these people, only for it to be destroyed, as I should have known it would be. What's truly heartbreaking is that there are some who do not blame me, including Maria. And that girl – Samantha, she is one of the few here who has not lost hope. I think she holds on to what I told her once, when she was sad. "Don't forget to smile. If you forget to smile, you'll never look forward to anything again."
I've mentioned this to I and he believes it is good that they hold onto hope. He says that if even just a handful of people hold on to hope, then there is always the chance of acheiving something better. He is a romantic old fool, but then, I was just as bad in thinking that I could change anything in this forsaken place!
I cannot stay here, I've caused too much pain. I'm going to leave. I'm going to take Maria and Marco and I'm going to leave Valua just like I left Upper City so long ago. I'll talk to I and ask for his aid in our escape. It will be a severe test of our friendship to ask for his help once again, but this will be the last time, I swear.
o
Everything is ready. Or as ready as they can be under such circumstances. I has arranged for a diversion to be created while we attempt our escape. And there will be a small, fast boat prepared and waiting for us. We will time our departure to the opening of the gate and try to mix in with the other ships leaving Valua. With luck, we will not be noticed.
If we are noticed, our chances of success will be drastically reduced. We will be forced to break off from the other ships in a mad dash to the exit. If this should fail, I think I would prefer death to capture. I would not wish to be alive were I to be recognised as the errant gentleman. This is unlikely, I know - I doubt that anyone will give me more than a passing glance, living or dead. I am Lower City now – the detritus of society. Nevertheless, I do not think it impossible.
At any rate, there is no going back now. Soon, we will make our escape.
o
Report submitted on the circumstances surrounding the escape attempt:
The identity of the man remains a mystery. Until the diary was recovered there was no reason to think there could be any more to him than met the eye, and unfortunately by then his body and those of his family had already been disposed of.
An investigation is currently in progress to determine who I could be. But considering the sparse information available, it seems unlikely that he will ever be uncovered.
Report approved by: Second Admiral Gregorio
o
After making the signature, Gregorio stood up and walked to his window. He watched as the boy, his injuries treated, was escorted back to Lower City.
"That's the best I can do, old friend", said Ironwall.
END
As I've said in the summary, this is a re-posting after I accidentally deleted the original. Fortunately, I still have the document on my hard drive. I've kept everything almost exactly the same, although I've changed the girl's name from Samantha to Sabina as I think that's more Valuan.