Untitled

Unite

Chapter fourteen

Unite

They followed the sound further into the enormous forest. It stopped at irregular intervals. Soon they realised that in between the deafening screeches was a whirring sound as if something was spinning very fast. There was no need to creep through the forest on foot, for nothing could hear them over such noise, yet they did so anyway, Camellia leading.

"Oh my gods" she whispered horrified as she peered around another redwood tree.

"Grandor take them!" Falven cursed.

Laid out in front of them was a sea of tree stumps, that ran all the way to Redwood City over a kilometre away. Many workers were hacking at branches of fallen trees. However, the most noticeable group were handling some sort of enormous machine. It had a huge sharp metal disc which spun like a wheel. The workers had earmuffs and were winding up a smaller wheel which connected to a set of cogs, almost like a watch. Pulling a lever, a worker lowered the disc till it touched the trunk of a fallen tree. The screeching sound ensued as well as a spectacular amount of sawdust that sprang into the air.

Despite the shocking discovery that Redwood Forest was no more, Merry had eyes only for the city. It was a towering, magnificent site. The outer part was unprotected and was built almost entirely from houses made from the very trees being cut down. Further in were great grey stone walls which overlooked the outer citizens residents. Long red banners with a golden emblem of a tree and the motto "Stand fast, Stand proud" hung from the battlements. Above them Merry could see the innermost part of the city, grand houses and streets that led to a cathedral and then, the keep. Redwood Keep was said to be modelled after the one in the capitol, yet only on a smaller scale. It was hard to believe anything could be of a larger scale. The walls and towers were all built from stone of a red shade, so with the setting sun, the seemed to glow like coals. Yet still, the most wonderous thing was when something large and circular flew out of the keep and headed west.

"An airship!" exclaimed Camellia. Merry laughed, so they were real he thought. His father had been dying to own one since the word of their existence reached their province two years ago. "I will finally have respect in court!" he had said excitedly.

"For that was all Thomas III thought about" Merry muttered. Not the endless opportunities that would come with being able to travel anywhere. Just that highborn nobles would accept him. Yet they would only ever see him as a businessman.

Our heroutlaws were still peering around the tree when the workers with the disc decided to take a break. A man seized that moment of quiet and hopped onto a stump. He was dishevelled and had an enormous mane of black hair, with tufts on the sides and a messy moustache and beard that would make any dwarf flinch. He looked out upon the workers and began thus:

"Brothers! Why do you work? Why do you toil? They say we are in a golden age! A golden age of peace and prosperity. I have yet to see that prosperity! You there! how much do you make? You need not answer! I know the answer, it's just enough to keep you going. Just enough to feed you and your next generation of workers for the "inners"! Brothers! The baron steals the fruits of our labour, and what do we get in return? Not a seat at the table, not even a wall! They look down at us and laugh. Brothers, it is time to unite! To raise our axes, raise our axes for the inevitable rebeli—"

"oh shut up already Marcus!" cried a worker. Unlike most of the assembled crowd who were wearing blue overalls and carrying axes, he was wearing a brown uniform and held only a writing pad.

"I'm only trying to tell them the tru—"

"no, you're trying to get us all to commit treason! Every man here is here of his own volition. We decided to work here and agreed to the contracts."

Marcus stared angerly at the uniformed worker, "I don't care what you think Adam, I'm right and its only a matter of time! We shall rise, and usher in a true age of prosperity for all"

"So, what's the plan?" Camellia inquired. Sitting around the fire, shielded from the city by a great redwood tree, everyone looked expectantly at Merry.

"It seems that there's a fair tomorrow, so we'll take advantage of the tumult and Camellia and I will go into the city, and we'll do our best to free Tony."

"What about Braga and me? I will not sit idle while you endanger yourselves!"

"you'll do what makes the most sense Falven! Braga will draw too much attention, and it's better if you stay with him."

Merry decided not to mention the obvious, that Falven would also have to cover his ears the whole time.

Before first light, they could already see the city stirring. Stalls were being constructed and goods were being transported. They set out as soon as merchants and farmers could be seen on the road heading towards the city. Camellia and Merry didn't exactly blend into the crowd, for they had no merchandise. Yet no one seemed interested in them. There was an air of excitement and people were engaged in conversation about prospective prices and on what they might buy.

A particular conversation caught his attention, when a merchant with a fancy purple beret turned his colleague and said: "I heard the king is issuing a new bill, for a hundred thousand coin, calling it the "steel bill""

"really?! Who even has that kind of money?"

"What do you mean? the houses in the city go for more than a million.. they can't exactly lug bars of gold around, no?

"I still don't understand how a worthless a piece of iron can be worth fifty K.. It's a joke.. What if I don't live next to a bank? Who is going to give me gold for it?"

Merry chimed in: "And all that's with assuming it's not a forged bill.. no wonder the dwarves don't accept them"

The rich looking merchant looked down at Merry from his loaded wagon, surprised at the mention of such treason.

Merry continued unabashed: "Um Excuse me?" Can me and my sister hitch a ride?"

The Merchant looked down from his wagon at their worn traveling cloaks, "you can for two silvers."

Merry scowled inwardly, another man wouldn't have charged them even a rat. "How about one silver and we'll help you set up your wares?" The merchant looked surprised that they were willing to pay at all and agreed smugly.

Merry looked calmly at the armed guards surveying the crowd. Now sitting on the merchant's wagon, they looked much less conspicuous. So far, the plan was going smoothly. However, leaving the horses in the woods and hitching a ride wasn't exactly the hard part. Merry looked around at the merchants many crates and boxes, each one padlocked and chained.

"Have a conversation with him" Merry whispered to Camellia.

"So what is it that you sell?" she asked sweetly.

"Well only the finest pieces of jewellery in all of Jarvalley! I have a regular stall saved for me right outside the wall! Its only a matter of time before I'll be inside."

"Wow that's impressive! So you must sell to all the nobles.. also I assume the Guard watch over your stall to make sure no one tries to steal anything.."

"Yes of course, in fact they once caught a nasty thief!"

"Oh my! What did they do with him?"

"Threw him in the dungeons of course, took his arm a day later."

"So where are the dungeons?".

The merchant looked back at Camellia, suddenly wondering if she was a bit dim. "Under the keep of course."

Merry swore quietly, so all they had to do was get into the inner city and then into the keep, break into the dungeons, free Tony and then make it out without getting caught.. just a yummy piece of cake..

It looked like he might have to go with plan B after all.