Chapter Sixteen: The gates of Unmei
The city of Unmei can easily be compared to the majesty of Lan-Se. It is massive… The palace can be seen from the city walls. The greenery of the trees and grass is a sight to behold. The rock gardens are beautiful works of art that can be compared to paintings. The buildings are very different to northerners' buildings by design.
With Okimi they bravely walk to the city gates. The city now has a large mote surrounding the city. Preparing for a siege, the wooden bridge has been reinforced with traps underneath.
The outskirts of Unmei is packed full of citizens. Many people and dragons fled the war. The place stank of death and faeces. Iolene couldn't help but cover her nose and mouth. Aaron is used to such smells as he helps put a mask on Iolene as she couldn't stop coughing.
It was devastating for everyone to look at. Fred remembers his time in the refugee camp trying to escape the Green Empire, his own home. He couldn't hide his cockiness as he misses his home terribly. He couldn't help but think of his siblings. All separated for their safety. He shakes his head to snap out of his glumness.
Okimi looks at the city walls. Every pillar has a massive energy generator that glows blue. The generators hum loudly as power is emanating from them. They were not there before she left the city for Lan-Se.
With Iolene and Lexi's help, they disguise Okimi as someone else. She is wanted in both the north and south. A traitor of the south, yet an enemy of the north. It is dangerous for her to do this and very brave. Which Iolene admires with all her heart.
Iolene swallows convulsively as she is struggling to remain calm. Aaron holds her hand as she trembles. She felt much more confident the moment he does. I am not alone… She thinks to herself.
Okimi takes the lead as her role is the speaker for everyone. Leading the group, as her accent is southern. The others have managed to master the southern physical mannerisms. But it is not enough… Such as Aaron hunting deer.
The gate guards look at Aaron and Fred confusingly. The Green Prince and Desert slave are tall and muscular, the guards quickly noting they are showing too much skin. Fred begins to argue as Aaron covers his mouth and pulls him back. Aaron grabs his cloak while Fred wraps his arms up with Iolenes bandages.
The guards of Unmei look different to those of the north. Okimi wasn't lying when you would feel like you are entering a different nation. The pads to the mask are all different. The lightning logo is still present in all the designs of outfits and weapons but is designed differently.
The guards then poke at Duryss subtly calling him fat. The guards couldn't help but laugh as Duryss snorted. Even for a bull class dragon, he is larger than others. The guards even remark at Beaus' large chin as it is abnormal for blue dragons to have such chins. Beau uses all of his will to try and not attack the human bullies. Iolene strokes Beaus' shoulder calming him. Whispering to him that he is beautiful...
"They are to help with our war effort," Okimi says confidently, saying it many times before. The guards then ask for papers…
"Papers?" Okimi answers back, thinking of an excuse. They never needed papers… But this wartime protocol is different now. In a way, she understood and is not mad about it. Their disguises are not enough…
The refugees who waited in line shouted and roared in anger. Throwing rubbish and rocks at the guards. However, the guards from the top of the gate shoot them down with arrows. Aaron leaps on top of Iolene like a shield as he covers her. "We forgot them in the last village, my lady," Aaron says as he looks to guards on the gate wall in case of more attacks. The guards look at each other and nod, then demand the group to move on. Other refugees begin to swarm the group as they try to turn back. Aaron still holding Iolene guides her out of the mass of desperation. The rest soon follow one by one.
They all move away from the main gate as they needed to breathe fresh air and think of a new plan.
Lexi wanted to get a close look at the generators. However, she couldn't get close since they are on the other side of the mote attached to the wall pillars. She has seen some being built In Vulkania. After all her father helped mine the purest of red draconium in the volcanoes. The draconium mined helps fuel contraptions from shield generators to the smallest of weapons.
"The war must be going badly if they are preparing defences like this," Lexi whispers to Iymp. The generators look cold, square and mechanical, in contrast to the rest of their fluid designs. Someone else must have helped build them… She shivered as she looks at her arms as goose bumps rose, she hopes to herself that she is wrong.
They decided to rest away from the massive camp. Iolene wanted to stay by and help those who are hungry and injured. But they convince her not to… For it is too dangerous for her, no one here can be trusted.
Lei throws a rock in surprising anger. He is so close yet so far… Sazan Jona is inside those very walls… Jona caused all of this… So many people suffering. "Selfish bastard…" He murmurs under his breath. Everyone remains quiet as they let him show his anger. No one has seen him like this. His face is bright red and he tries his hardest not to cry. Iolene gives him a quick hug as it is the only action she could do.
They all sat in silence as day eventually turns to night.
Aaron looks up at the stars as he does every night. Sitting a small distance away from the camp. Okimi sits next to him. They both remain silent as they are thinking of a plan.
Lei looks at the city walls seeing the smoke billowing from inside the walls. Iolene joins him as she looks up at the smoke. Everyone Takes a big breath smelling the food being cooked in the city.
"The food from the other side of those walls smells delicious," Iymp said in human tongue drooling. He would kill for a fancy meal. Beau sighs as he feels the same sentiment. The best thing he has found with the human-dragons societies is the food. Beating the odd rabbit and dead root Dug between rocks. Being a beta he was not allowed to have the best and freshest food. Beau looks at Iymp as he realises the dragons everywhere else doesn't care about being an Alpha/ Beta. Hierarchy exists… But implemented differently. Money… A very common subject that Beau over hears. There is no such thing in the northern wilds and humans overseer the majority of the money in the world… Another problem he sees with humans dragons have no control over money.
Duryss groans with frustration as he used to live much better than this. His kind may have been second class citizens to slaves. He was always more privileged as he gets roast meals with both meat and vegetables. He owns thanks to Fred to that… However he still slept in the stables, but at least he was allowed to decorate it.
Lei then froze as an idea gets into his head. "Rice farmers…" Lei says with enthusiasm.
Everyone looks at Lei with surprise.
"So how are we going to do that?" Lexi asked the obvious.
Okimi smiles as she can use the Sazan family tab. She can use her Sazan family secret numbers and order a carriage of rice. Using the excuse as special rice reserve for the family.
"A family tab? You don't pay upfront?" Aaron asks.
Okimi reaches into her cloak and takes out a small book. "Wealthy families do business differently. I am not sure what it is like everywhere else. But here in Unmei there is a special process from the treasury. When buying large amounts of food, furniture or goods. The wealthy patrons order before paying and if they are up to their standard they will pay. The merchant will receive payment in their business deposit box for them the next day."
"That means we can also feed the starving refugees!" Iolene says happily.
Aaron chuckles, "Iolene we are supposed to enter the city with the food. Not feed everyone beforehand…"
"Right…" Iolene says with a sad tone.
The next day they leave the crowded gates of Unmei as they travel further south past the city. Like the North, the South uses Rice as a massive part of their diets. There are many rice fields that can cater to their plan. Duryss being a bull class can easily pull a massive carriage. The more rice they buy the more it will be believable. Finding a farmer to buy from was more difficult than they thought. Many of them have been ravaged by bandits or have abandoned their property entirely.
Hearing the word bandit made Iolene shudder. Samuel was a nice bandit… But she knew there were many bandits who would not have been so kind. The group remained high alert. Aaron reassuring Iolene he would never let her get kidnapped by bandits.
It was until they reach a noble family of merchants is when they got lucky. They have plenty of rice to sell. But at an extremely high price.
"Seven thousand dracles, for the seven large bags of rice. It can easily last a year if treated right." Souma says. He is the head of the family and owns at least twenty rice farms. However, losing ten of them during the war. Souma even lost many of his deliverers as they were conscripted to fight or killed during their journey. He is relieved that someone is up to the task.
Since the majority of the group is wearing the southern armour, Souma thinks none the wiser. He gets his steward to prepare delivery papers to Unmei. Lei couldn't help but show a small smile. Those papers are our ticket in… He thinks to himself.
Aaron sighs as he was bought for less… Even Master Isil normal price for him was less… I'M WORTH LESS THAN RICE!? He thinks to himself, however shaking his head to remind himself without Mali he wouldn't be here.
Okimi says yes in agreement and sighs as she signs the papers with the Sazan family seal. Okimi gives Lei the papers for rice delivery.
"That is just flat out extortion!" Iolene says with anger as they left the pagoda. "All that food could feed so many people!"
"They are merchants Iolene… It is what they do. They don't do charity." Lei said in a flat tone.
They reach back to the gates of Unmei. The crowds remain as they try to attack the caravan. Duryss carrying the rice tries to protect himself mag pushes everyone away. Fred riding Duryss reveals his hammer and begins to wave it around making people instinctively back away.
The Unmei soldiers come to assist the group as Lei shows the papers. The place becomes a frenzy as Iolene rides Beau slumping on his back to try and protect herself. Lexi and Iymp protect Duryss pushing people and dragons away. Iymp roars in anger to scare everyone away. It works as the humans scatter away as Iymp bares his teeth.
Beau glances at Iymp surprisingly… He had no idea that Iymp had it in him. Beau follows along and roars scaring the dragons away and making a clear path for the group to get to the gate as it opens. The Unmei guards and soldiers manage to get the group through.
Everyone sighs with relief as they are finally inside the city walls. However, the real mission now begins as Lei looks up to Unmei castle.
Iolene looks back at the gate as screaming dragons and people can be heard. Sounding so desperate… She then looks down at the ground. Beau lowers himself so she can slide off his back. Aaron grabs her, keeping her balanced.
"Where are you delivering the rice?" A guard says. As a group of guards scope and feel for bombs and other explosive gear. None of them notices Lei or Okimi, they give each other a soft smile.
"To the palace, by order of the Daimyo," Okimi says handing her papers over to the guard. The guard looks at her suspiciously. However, the papers are legitimate as the seal is the Sazan family. Only so many people can write the kanji seal so perfectly.
"You mean our Emperor Jona." The guard says.
Lei clenches his fist. There is only one leader of this nation and it is his mother, Empress Zen. Lexi whispers in his ear to calm down.
"Oh yes sorry… For our Emperor!" Okimi quickly saves. "We have been gone for so long we didn't have much communication. May he reign!" Okimi says convincingly.
"Of course, I have only just returned myself." The guard smiles. "I understand." He then gestures for them to leave.
Lei, Okimi, Aaron, Iolene, Beau, Lexi, Iymp, Fred, Duryss and Ponderrah have finally made it inside.