Chapter 3: Those Meddling MPs
The wagon rumbled down the slope slowly, bumping over rocks and stray branches. She got used to the low sound, a constant sound, weaning a bit when they got away from the trees. Rumble, rumble, rumble, as the wheels turned in that steady rhythm. The tame beast in front of the reins knew the way well, and she swayed back and forth, avoiding the pitfalls and holes. Every now and again, she paused at the side, chewing on some grass, snuffing when the wagon bumped her rump. She seemed quite content in the fading afternoon light to ride along. Her load was heavier on the road down, Edie guessed, with all the dried meat, mountain herbs, and mined salt. The mountains were a trove to the lowlands, Karmen had explained, and they relied on wheat and leather especially. As different as the two altitudes seemed, they needed one another.
And different they were. In the three hours between afternoon and twilight, wildflowers dotted the roads, and big oaks changed to meeker pine trees. The air warmed, and winds picked up; dust from the path kicked into their faces. The horse and its owner didn't seem bothered, but Edie held her collar just below her eyes. They left clouds behind, and the wheels deepened the well-worn trail.
One trader passed on the right, paying no heed to Edie and hardly stopping. He shouted a few meaningless words at Domo, unintelligible ones, with grunts and snorts. His face was a bit disfigured, maybe from a childhood accident or a conflict from his youth. It didn't look related to titans or a birth defect, and he talked like the kind of man who starts brawls. His cart didn't slow, and he whipped his reins once he passed Domo.
Edie scooted closer to the driver. "Are there many traders on the roads?"
"One's coming down whenever one's coming up." He gladly set the reins under his foot, opened a water container, and turned to her. "Not everyone can leave their homes at the same time, and not often, either. There's best to be a trader in the village every other day, to make sure nobody goes hungry. Plus, we've got to make our money. It's about a two day trip to the mountain, so the guild makes sure we leave 'round the right time."
"That's good."
"Indeedy it is." Domo frowned. "But some of 'em think we're in danger of titans in the mountains, so the schedule's a bit mussed at the moment. They think the walls stop before the mountain and that the titans can climb o're the edge. It's ridiculous. Nearly forty years traveling this trail, and I've never seen a titan. Wouldn't survive if I did. Ol' Raina here wouldn't make it. Would ya, Rain?"
The horse whinnied in response.
"Yeah, wouldn't be your hide on the line anyway. But Lana said you lost your memories. What did they tell you about the titans?"
"Not much. They both lived in the mountains most of their lives."
"Yeah, not many from the mountains care to live in the lowlands, much less join the military. Too much structure for them."
Edie though Karmen and Lana had a good amount of structure, but Domo's rants were much longer that his current lectures. "It's quite a lot of structure for you, coming up and down the mountains every day. Do you ever get bored?"
"Did when I was younger. Thought I was wasting my life, but there ain't much else to do. It's good, being alone in the woods without the wasteful government looking down my ass, and it's good to take care of these people here. They make money selling, I make money buying, it's a good deal. I've seen kids running around years ago that have families of their own. But it's always sad when someone needs to buy a slab of stone."
"Karmen and Lana took me to the graveyard," Edie added. "There were so many who died young. But they seemed so close together."
"Those kids like to go join the MPs or the Scouts. Those teenage years are tough, I tell ya. So they put the headstones so close together, 'cause there's never remains worth digging up. All those ghost stories of corpses coming back from the dead don't mean nothing to these kids. There's nothing in the ground."
"Is your daughter's headstone there?"
"Sydney wanted her memorial in the lowlands, where her family lived. She had a family garden there, with all the pretty roses and such. We'll pass the area when we get closer to Wall Sina. If you don't mind, we'll stop and pay our respects to that foolish daughter of mine."
"Did she die under the current commander?"
"That fool," Domo muttered, "he's a grand idiot. We've held more funerals in the past two years than the last decade combined, all for children hugging the idea that we can live outside the walls. We've got safety here, and enough food to go around. Why would anyone want to leave?"
"But Lana said there were underground areas," Edie offered, "where people don't get half as much food as they need. And they can't see the sun."
"It ain't me," was all Domo had to say.
When the sun began to set, Domo found a clearing and stopped. While he fed and watered the sweet Raina, Edie built a fire, brewed some tea, and put together a vegetable stew (at Domo's request). They sat on logs and ate quietly, slurping from wooden bowls. The evening birds offered their songs and flitted from branch to branch.
But soon, there came an invasive clopping from further down the hill. The sound was irregular, as if the horses couldn't be bothered to make music as they traveled. Two men in military clothing rounded the corner, turning right toward their camp.
Domo growled. "Here comes the circus."
"That bad?"
"Worse."
The two men tired up their horses next to Raina, and the animals said a disgruntled hello. Raina offered her pile of hay, but the fancy horses (with their engraved saddles and bulging bags) couldn't be bothered. Their riders strode up and poured tea into their flasks before saying hello.
"What can I do for you, gentlemen? That I haven't already, I mean." Domo waved his hand. "I say, haven't seen you two in a while. Have you had a nice vacation?"
"Mason's wife had a baby," one explained, sipping (more like slurping). "He's been on vacation for quite a while. You know the military police have an excellent stance toward family."
"And excellent views on stuffing their ranks." Domo stood. "Should we get on with it? I'm sure you've got to catch up to whoever passed me earlier, to earn your pay nice and right. Don't' think there's enough room for me to share the clearing with people on the king's payroll. You'll not be able to sleep with us commoners."
Little over the top, Edie thought, so she sipped and burnt her tongue.
"Well," the one said, glancing around the area, "we do remember your integrity. Mason, will you search this decent trader's cart? I'm sure he'll show you all the ropes of his business." He sat on a log across the fire and grinned.
"Only one thing on your minds! Absolute and integral," Domo cried. He threw his hands up again and led the older MP to the cart, jabbering on as he went. Though they were only thirty feet away, still well in sight, Edie felt quite alone.
"It's rare to see such a beautiful woman on the trail," the man commented. "What are you doing so far from the lowlands?"
Edie had to agree with Domo. "Just finding my way home. I lost my memory in the mountains and am trying to find my way in the lowlands. But there's a lovely couple in the mountains that I'll stay with if that doesn't work out."
"Curious. Who are you staying with?"
"A cousin and her husband."
"Who?"
"Hajule."
"Oh, the Cartwells! They've got a knack for taking in strays. They've got a son now, Jamie, I think. He's got to be twelve, maybe thirteen. He'll be joining the cadets soon enough."
"You think he'll join the military?"
"All the young boys and girls do, nowadays. They think they're tough enough to get into the MPs, or idiotic enough to join the Survey Corps." The man studied her face. "But you're past that age, aren't you? How old are you?"
"Twenty-five, twenty-six. Maybe seven."
"You don't even know that…" He stroked his bare chin. "Well, I'm Amile. It's nice to make you acquaintance."
"Edie."
"No last name, I'm guessing?"
"No. I'll probably be at the farm for a while." She took another sip. "Where do you come from?"
"Wall Sina, actually. My great uncle was a member of the church, and he got my whole family to live in the city center. Too cramped for me, so I come to the Dauper area often enough. Have you been to the lower villages?"
She shook her head. "We're heading straight to Yalkell to trade, and Hajule's meeting us there. At least, if she got our message before we reach the city."
"Are you going inside?"
"Domo says they don't open the gates for traders, especially the usual routes from Dauper. They have wagons outside, ready for the goods. Hopefully, Hajule will be at the gates when we arrive tomorrow morning."
"Well, you've got to make time for the city!" Amile painted with his gestures. "There's dancing, and music, food that'll make you just die, and artwork, and the prettiest cathedrals you've ever seen. Even though Yalkell's an outlet city, it's practically inside Wall Sina. There's the best of culture there."
"It's not considered selfish?"
"The Charter of Humanity deals with titans, not personal pleasure. You're allowed to want a decent home with enough food, wine, and a pretty girl at your side." Amile blushed and looked away. "Law Six is for the military, not everyday people."
"Do you think everyday people don't make a difference?"
"Not in the slightest. They're unprepared, to start, and illogical. Most don't have the brains to deal with a situation when it's presented to them." He poured more tea. "This is quite good. Yours?"
"It's a special blend."
"Very good." He took a long sip. "No, I would never trust the public with what's best for humanity. They're an unruly bunch. The monarchy and the church are what's best for humanity, so following Law Six for them means supporting the King."
At that moment, Domo stormed back to the fire, snatching his tea from the stump and cussing at the older MP. "…every time you ask, and every time I answer! I run a solid business and intend to keep it that way."
"No one is doubting that," he responded through gritted teeth, "but the King now requires we confiscate any salted and jarred meat for the good of humanity."
"For the good of the military police, you mean! And there's no salted meat in the mountains. No one's stupid enough to hunt down a bear, and deer meat is stewed in minutes. I don't need a Mason to tell me that."
"Lance Corporal Mason to you." The MP straightened his tie. "I've worked incredibly hard for this title, and a trader such as yourself will treat me with respect."
"You've only got your job because I go to the mountains! The food I bring back keeps you and your families in Sina alive."
"Come on, Corporal," Amile said. "Simmer down."
"You traders have never been in a church, that much is obvious."
"Yeah, I—"
"I don't mean your silly wooden structures," the Corporal interrupted, "but a good, stone church, with hallowed white marble and beautiful singing, where the King encourages us to love and live peaceably. Perhaps if someone had trained you in manners and right living, you'd do better than working day and night for menial work, with a beast who looks more ragged than you."
Domo seemed to realize that continuing this conversation meant the MPs would stay longer, so he held his tongue.
The Corporal continued to reel. "There is no respect for the church and its hands. We work day and night to keep the citizens of the walls safe, to keep the king safe, yet no one respects our requests. These are laws, for the good of humanity, and you have the gall to disrespect the messenger. By refusing me, you refuse our king. Do you despise our king?" Domo rolled his eyes, but the Corporal didn't see in the dim firelight. "But I digress. Amile, are you ready to move on?"
The underling nodded and stood. He held out his hand to Edie, and when she responded in kind, he kissed hers. "I'll come visit you at the farm. I hope you find your family, really and truly."
"Thank you." Her smile was warm.
Domo followed the MPs, chattering as he went, offering some excuses and more sarcasm, as they dumped their cups and boarded their horses. Amile paused to pet Raina's mane, then got on his own horse and headed down the trail. Domo lingered by the wagon, yelling things down the trail, until the MPs lights disappeared. It was almost pitch dark by now. The trader returned with the bedrolls, but when he unrolled them, a package of meat in paper sat in the middle. He took out a knife and cut chunks into the stew, muttering to himself as he went.
"You're no trader," Edie said evenly.
"Smuggler, trader, no difference. I smuggle for meself, I smuggle for Wall Sina. No difference."
She waited until he stirred the meal and hummed, watching the chunks meld with the rest of the vegetables and sweet herbs. "Mind if I ask what Law Six is? And the Charter of Humanity?"
"Silly rules that say what we can and can't do. They're really to say that if you're in the military, you have to die on the job. That's what it means. You can't be a coward." He stirred again. "Says something like, 'don't put your own wants over humanity's survival'. But humanity ain't died yet."
"They might've stayed for the stew, if they knew there was meat."
"More for us." Domo added more to his bowl. "Besides, I'm humanity, ain't I? I am keeping humanity alive." He slurped loudly and grinned at her. "And I keep you alive. That's good enough for today."
