Dragomir - The Swamp of Maledictus | Wattys2024

The Seat of Divine

Fort Adreliron appeared more like a peaceful town than a military base. From the balconies of the white brick houses, flowers hung low, transforming the bleak world of grey streets into alleys of color. Plastered ways formed passages leading off the main road into small alleys and yards, which reminded Avery of the illustrations in her past childhood books.

She couldn't stop glaring at everything that surrounded them. Her heavy backpack seemed to disappear, and her clinking weapon to her side became invisible as the beauty of this town began to set root in her heart. She couldn't believe it to be a conflict-stricken fort, and even though it came not close to the architectural beauty of Fort Fedon North, Adreliron appeared by far to be a rich one.

The boy recruit next to Avery, Winston by name, kept whispering in disbelief. It was the boy—because all about him told of his age as only a number and not his true being—with whom Avery had travelled in the same truck from Miriam to Flaweton. She had driven, and he had talked.

The steps of the soldiers of the two Lieutenants kept echoing through the streets of Adreliron, and on the balconies and in the rims of the windows, people began to appear, peaking down towards the arriving soldiers. Yet, it was in those faces that Avery spotted disbelief, wonder, and uncertainty. It was almost as if they didn't quite know why they had arrived.

The buildings began to grow in size and beauty. The walls of the new houses had many decorations on them, like those Avery had only seen in Fedon. It appeared to be an even richer district.

They walked on, when suddenly the houses began to lead them into a massive place with fountains, benches, potted plants, and trees alike. Many eyes of the arriving soldiers glared at the unexpected sight of this beautiful plaza, where before them a massive, beautiful house had its place. It was in this place that the soldiers received their sudden order to halt.

»I feel as if I were in Italy or something! «, Winston whispered to Avery. She nodded, then shook her head afterwards. »I don't know how cities look in Italy, but that's for certain a very rich town. One might say they haven't fought a war... «

New orders came, and upon them, Avery and Winston marched over into the forming lines of soldiers next to the biggest fountain in the middle of the place. The soldiers in the line were waiting to get their turn at the table up front. Winston tried to stand on his tiptoes, looking at the front of the line. »What are they doing? «, he asked more to himself.

Avery peaked over the shoulders of Winston and said, »I believe they're giving them some papers. «

But the line moved fast, and Winston was soon at his turn, where Avery was right behind him and soon stepped forward to the table. A soldier handed her some papers with something that appeared to be rules and a card, on which an address was printed. »Your quarter is at this address. «, the soldier said.

»Are the barracks full? «, she asked him with surprise.

»Move on. «, was the only answer she got.

It took Avery a while to search through the people for Winston, whom she found standing next to the giant fountain. He stared at it rather intently and with a childlike glimmer in his eyes. Avery smelled the scent of fresh rain in the air and watched the falling water. She had never seen something quite like that and couldn't help but wonder at the rainbows dancing in the fine droplets of the dancing water. At last, she turned to Winston and asked him, »What address are your quarters at? «

Winston handed her his paper, still staring at the fountain in awe.

»Suppose we have to sleep in other locations. «, she sighed after handing him back his papers. Winston looked over at her, »What? Why? «