When Things Are Set Right

Lowhoods

Aeryn tried to keep her mind on staying ahead of the authorities.

"Should we get off the road?" Grim asked.

"I don't know my way around these parts," she said. "If we trek to Fieldgate off the path, it'll take us longer. If we stay on the road, we can stay ahead of the Imperials. I don't think they've made it this far."

After an hour, they crested a hill and gazed upon Proimos for the first time.

A mammoth city spread before them in the distance. The road led to Fieldgate through a spattering of farms and up to the south gate. The city was so massive, she couldn't see any other roads leading from it, even from their vantage point.

Aeryn, who had never left Thoen before, had expected to feel something profound upon leaving her home province for the first time. But the sense of significance was dampened by the urgent drive to get out of the area lest she be thrown into jail and executed.

"How populated with soldiers do you think it is?" Grim said as they marched.

"It's a major trading city in the Imperial province. So, a few," Aeryn said. "I'm hoping we can disappear in the crowd, then find the road heading east out of there."

They passed more travelers as they neared the city. Most were on foot, but some creaked past in wagons pulled by teams of oxen. The road was too sparse to hide in a crowd yet.

Closer to the city, a few clusters of Imperials were on patrol. Aeryn held her breath, but the soldiers only barked at them and the other passersby to make way.

Another half a dozen soldiers stood guard on either side of the gate. They watched intently as she and Grim drew near. One of the Imperials gave them an appraising once-over and murmured something to his partner.

Aeryn could feel her pulse in her ears. She swallowed hard and avoided eye contact. Grim's tension seeped from him, but she didn't dare chance a nervous glance in his direction. She hoped he had the sense not to glower.

They approached as casually as possible and crossed halfway through the gate when one of the guards bellowed at them.

"Hey, where do you think you're going? Stop right there." The Imperial, a broad man with close-cropped brown hair and a gap between his two front teeth, strutted toward them. He held a sword loosely in his hand. "I've given you a lawful order. Now, halt."

Eyes wide and heart racing, Aeryn slowed to a stop, Grim beside her.

"Is there a problem, sir?" she asked, as benignly as she could muster.

"Yeah, there's a problem." He planted himself a few feet away and gestured between Aeryn and Grim with his sword. "You're coming through my gate without paying the gate tax."

The tension in her chest relaxed. Of course there would be a gate tax. This was the Imperial province. They would tax the air you breathe, if they could, Samuel would murmur when the tax collectors came to town. The Imperials started charging as soon as a person reached adulthood. The humans sometimes resented that the elves, who aged differently, had ten or more years than the humans did before they began paying. Rather than issue a flat age for all citizens, the Empire was willing to accept the temporary delay of ten to fifteen years to keep the peace with the elves. With double the lifespan of a healthy human, they could squeeze a hundred more years of taxes out of them, so it was worth it.

Aeryn reached for her belt pouch. "How much is it?"

"Four gold apiece."

Thinking she misheard, she cocked her head. "Four gold? You mean copper?"