24th Day of the 1st Moon
Rebecca
"I don't like this."
Using the mental link I shared with Caster I focused on silently making my way through the crowded market square. Compared to everyone else it was clear as day that I was not a local, and despite my best efforts to go unnoticed, I could feel the occasional stare from a local as I slinked passed. So far, I couldn't sense any hostility, but I wasn't sure how long that would hold up.
"I can't say I like it either, master, but considering we are effectively in enemy territory, I stand by the belief that it's best to be constantly on the move."
"But how are we supposed to make any progress in this thing if you can't even establish a proper workshop?!"
"A good question. One I admit I don't have an answer to at the moment. But! But where there's a will, an alchemist will always find a way!"
"Joy… Find anything of note at least?"
"Nothing so far. I was hopeful when we'd found the remnants of an alchemical experiment, but it would have been from a few days ago, at least. Be it master, servant, or just an ordinary citizen, whoever performed the experiment has likely moved on."
"What about the shops in the area?"
"Nothing outside of foodstuffs. Not surprising though; this is more town than city. In terms of books or records that may hint at who is the ruler of these lands, I doubt we'll come across anything like that outside of this empire's capital."
"…Then it looks like Babylon is our next stop. Why did I have to get stuck with the position of endless walking?!"
"Oh, the walk won't be so bad, master. A couple day's journey."
"Easy for you to say…"
"…While I'm not going to protest if that is your decision, you are aware that by going to Babylon we're going to be in even greater danger. If the master in charge of these lands is anywhere, it's likely there. Along with whoever their servant is."
"Even in spirit form it's going to be difficult to keep your presence hidden, isn't it?"
"Indeed, seeing as I'm not an Assassin. But it also means that we're still going to be in a place too hostile to establish a workshop. If we do get discovered, our only option is fleeing, really."
"I'm aware" I responded through the mental link, before letting out a slight sigh of relief as I emerged at the other end of the market. "But we can't just keep skulking about in the middle of nowhere remaining oblivious as to our opposition. A quick check in Babylon to see what we can uncover, twenty-four hours at the very most, then we leave. Go northwest a bit, maybe? See if we can find a place that's still unclaimed? If not, at least the mountains should provide some decent cover."
"Suppose that's about as good a plan as any. I'm heading over to you now, so- Oh… Hang on, master. I think I might have come across something. Just lay low for a bit and I'll contact you when I'm done."
"Right… will do."
Looking around, I managed to find a spot in the shade, away from the crowded streets. It annoyed me that three places in, I still couldn't place the architecture of this land. Nor did it help that most of the people Caster and I had tried talking to didn't seem to understand us. Sure, on occasion we could find one person who could handle basic communications with us, in a very, very broken fashion, but on the whole, we stuck out like a sore thumb in every sense.
"…If I'd known not having an empire would be this much trouble, I'd have dealt with the spire thing…"
Even in the shade, the outdoor heat was starting to get to me as the minutes ticked by and Caster had still yet to contact me. I couldn't sense that he was in any danger, which was a good sign, but Caster's extreme sense of caution had started to rub off on me and I couldn't help but begin to wonder if this had all been some kind of elaborate trap for us. As the worry and irritation grew in equal measure, I contemplated going out and trying to look for him myself. Just before I stood up to start doing that though, Caster reappeared from spirit form, directly beside me.
"So much for getting back in contact when you were done" I muttered, glaring up at Caster.
"Ah, I, um- I did say I'd do that, didn't I" Caster let out a slight, nervous laugh as he scratched at the back of his head. "Apologies, master. I was simply so caught up in the discovery, that it didn't even cross my mind to contact you through the mental link."
"Took you a while, so I hope it's something actually useful."
"I suppose that will depend on your outlook. Do you remember the state of the marker stalls in the town as you walked by earlier?"
"You mean when I was squeezing through that disaster" I pointed back behind me and to my right, towards the marker square. "Can't say I was really paying attention. Why?"
"Well, I'd happen to notice that the market stalls looked rather… empty, for a town of this size. I found it odd, but didn't really think much about it at first, until I came across a group of merchants with carts full of foodstuffs."
"Ok… and?"
"Well, while I ran into some communication issues, from what I did manage to gather, it appears that massive shipments of food have been ordered to Babylon from across the empire, however big it may be."
"I mean…" I hesitated for a moment, pulling up my map. "From what I can tell, we've been through most of this empire here already. It's not all that big, unless most of its expansion was to the north."
"Strange then that the empire would be taking all this food directly, don't you think?"
"…Doubt it's for some kind of national stockpile. At least, this certainly doesn't seem like the sanest way to go about setting up such a thing. But if not to stockpile, then when that much food is being moved, people are being moved… Mobilization for war, then?"
"That's what most of the merchants seem to be thinking" Caster nodded. "Would explain why people are so anxious to buy up the food that remains as well, I'd think. I did try asking which direction the threat was coming from, under the guise of being a traveler and wanting to avoid the conflict, but either the merchants there didn't understand me, or didn't know."
"I see… Still, to think there would be a third master so close too. This could get… complicated."
"It could, yes. But it could also give us exactly the kind of opening we need to get a proper look at Babylon and figure out who the master of this empire is. I doubt that the master of this land isn't going to be on the front lines of the war."
"And where the master goes, the servant will follow" I concluded. "Still too dangerous to actually set up a proper workshop in such a place, but at least we shouldn't have to worry about being hunted down and forced to fight another master in their own territory."
"We don't need to head towards Babylon right away" Caster pointed out. "Considering the food is only now just getting on the move, it's likely whatever military force is present there hasn't begun to move out yet."
"In fact, arriving there right as preparations for the mobilization of the military finishes could very well cause us more trouble than not… That should mean hanging around here for a few days should be safe though. Perhaps we lay low here a night or two, then begin the journey. That way, we have a chance of arriving once the military has already left. Would make exploring and gathering information easier."
"God, I think I like this even less…"
We waited on leaving for two days. Then it took another two days to get here. Four days. It had been four days!
So why the hell was there a god damn lineup to enter the city?!
In front of us, behind us… as far as the eye could see! Carts, carts, carts and yet more carts! It wasn't just food either! Wood, stone, dirt and I couldn't even begin to make out the rest! Why the hell was all this shit needed in such large quantities?!
Then there was the smell. I didn't know what the animals pulling the carts technically were, and I honestly couldn't give a damn to try and figure it out for myself, or even ask Caster. Honestly, it was hard enough just trying not to gag.
"Well… I can't say I ever came across a situation quite like this in my personal travels" Caster muttered to me, sounding a tad apologetic. "I wish I had some advice I could give you, master, but all I can think to suggest is maybe breath through your mouth, rather than your nose."
"Easy for you to say… Are you even affected by any of this?"
"…Admittedly, not really…"
"Of course not… Boy, must be nice being a servant."
"Normally I'd have something on hand to assist with, but we've yet to be able to set up a workshop, so at the moment I have nothing. Sorry master."
"Not- …Not your problem."
Stupid gust of wind!
"…At any rate, I think we can safely rule out a military expedition" I continued after a moment of ensuring I wouldn't vomit. "Wood and stone alongside food I could maybe see, but dirt? That's simply not something worth hauling around with the army, I have to believe."
"I'm certainly far from an expert on military matters, but I'm inclined to agree" Caster nodded. "But if not for military matters, then what is all this for?"
"Construction projects, maybe? Raw materials for building, and food supplies for all the laborers. Though what could be so important to build that you'd go about it in such a taxing way on the rest of your empire I can't even begin to imagine."
The line continued to shuffle forwards as the sun continued its journey across the sky. It was only as the sun was beginning to set that Caster and I could clearly see the guard setup at the gate to the city.
"Wow, would you look at those walls" Caster gazed up in awe. "Marvelous… The craftsmanship behind them is truly staggering."
"It hasn't even been a full month yet…" I muttered more so to myself than caster as I took my own look. "Wait, that's it! There's no way this wall wraps around the entire city yet! That must be what all the supplies are for! They're fortifying the capital of the empire! Expand and claim the local area for resources, then defend the center of power-"
"Care, master. We're close to the gate now. If I could make a suggestion, perhaps it'd be best to leave the talking to me? I do have some experience in matters such as this, after all."
"That's probably for the best, yeah. Go for it, Caster."
"I'll do my best. Let us hope they can understand us a bit, at the very least."
Yeah, here's hoping…
I kept the thought to myself though and simply followed alongside Caster. Upon reaching the front of the line, the look of boredom that had previously been plastered over the face of the guards immediately disappeared. In their place came looks of suspicion, and aggression.
"Please tell me you can understand them" I prayed to Caster through the mental link as the guard closest to us began shouting in some incoherent language.
"…Well, I can't say I do" Caster responded back through the link before turning his focus to trying to get us out of this mess.
"Apologies, my good sir" Caster began, sounding a lot more confident than I'd have expected, all things considered. "I'm afraid I don't quite understa-"
He was swiftly cut off by more shouting from the guard in front of us. At the same time, I could see the other guards begin readying their weapons.
"Caster!"
"Hold on just a minute" Caster raised his hands, nudging me with his leg as he did so in what I took as an attempt to communicate that I should do the same. "We're just travelers! I'm a scribe, you see! This here is my granddaughter; assists me with my research!"
It didn't get the guards to lower their weapons, but it did seem to get the one in charge to stop for a moment, giving Caster and I a puzzled look.
"Yes, exactly! No need for weapons! I'm a scribe! Scribe! Um, how else can I explain-" Caster continued, snapping his fingers a few times as he tried to think. "Researcher? Academic? Scholar?"
Blank stares, but at least the spearpoints hadn't come any closer. It was only now that I'd also realized that the people who had been behind us had fled back considerably, leaving Caster and I practically isolated and surrounded by what looked to be some ten or more guards. Looking up towards the top of the wall, I could have sworn I saw movement, though at this angle it was difficult to say for certain...
"Writers" Caster exclaimed. "Her and I" Caster motioned to himself and I and few times before starting to act out the motion of writing, "are writers! We've come a long way and mean no harm! All we wish is to-"
Caster was silenced by shouting from the guard currently in charge. Whatever Caster had done though seemed to have gotten through to them though, at least in part. While the guards didn't back off, per say, they did lower their spears, and a couple of the guards retreated through the gate into the city, shouting something or other. Caster simply kept his hands raised and waited. I followed suit.
After what felt like an hour but was likely no more than five or so minutes, the two guards that had gone into the city returned. Accompanying them was another man, a good head or two taller than even the tallest of the guards that we'd dealt with so far. Unlike the other guards who were just in ragged clothes, this man had some proper armor on him, likely made of bronze based on the coloring. Rather than a spear, attached to his hip was the scabbard for a sword of some kind.
This new guard clearly held some position of authority, as once he approached he began barking orders. Most of the guards surrounding us went back to dealing with the rest of the lineup, getting everyone back into an organized line and having them walk around us to get their cargo checked and entrance to the city granted.
As the other guards went back to dealing with the gate traffic, the guard that had first apprehended Caster and I began talking to the head gate guard, seemingly giving the big man an explanation as to what was going on. Once the two of them finished their brief exchange, the head guard turned to Caster expectantly.
"Not merchants" the big man glared at the two of us, speaking in broken English. "Who you two?"
"We're travelers" Caster reiterated. "I'm a scribe by trade, and this here is my granddaughter and assistant."
"Gribe? What is gribe?"
"No, no" Caster shook his head. "Scribe! You know… scholar? Academic? Writ-"
"Enough" the man raised his hand as he cut Caster off. "Understand idea. Come from north. Why at south gate? South gate for merchants only. Palace servants from north use north gate!"
"What? I'm sorry, I think there might be some kind of misunderstanding-" Caster began to try and explain.
"No misunderstanding! Merchants south gate, servants from north north gate! Lucky not dead!"
Before either Caster or I could react, the head guard grabbed Caster and pulled him in front of the group, up closer towards the gate. While I didn't receive quite the same rough treatment from the other guard, the message was clear as he moved behind me and leveled his spear at my back.
"Mercy this time" the head guard grumbled as he pushed Caster forward. "Go through gate, follow to palace. Any suspicion, you two die in streets."
Fuck!
A/N
Look at that, actually managing to get in a part within a week! About damn time I managed to get something done within an acceptable amount of time, eh?
To answer the question I got since the last posting... the diplomatic answer is no because if anyone ever forgets or gets confused about something, the older parts of the story are right there to be read again, and if really necessary send a PM and I'll get back within a day or two at the most because even though I only update once every week (or two), I still check my account on here every couple of days.
Really, I'd be HIGHLY surprised if I ever managed to make the story that confusing in the first place, but honestly, I've spent so much of my life online across so many things I've heard far, far more... questionable things (to be diplomatic again xD).
