The demon of the Cold Valley

Chapter 1 Part 5

"And besides, you have a misconception. the empire is neither the true force of just, nor it will ever be the representation of vile and twisted. The purpose of empire is balance and stability. and both of those are necessary. Just as there are vile, twisted, and corrupt mayor for every city. There will always be ten or even a hundred honorable men like you -senior assistant. whose purpose is life is to serve the people. taking care of them and protect them. even and especially at the cost of their loved ones."

A deadly silence ensured. as both men's eyes widened at my analogy, and we reached another corner. and all three of us again turned left and we marched forward, reaching another street. During the passage of fifteen heartbeats with silence as our companion and we its champion till we had marched another half the street both the men continued to digest my earlier statement, and thus thought succeeded in suddenly consuming them more, distracting them and halting their argument.

"Do you not hate the empire for what it has done? do you not curse the empire at what it took from you?...most men and women that exist upon this earth blame everything wrong in their life at the lords or ladies, or at the empire. they cast curses so vile that even the priests who worship at the lady's and lords' shrine would run away? why do you not feel the same way?"

We had reached another end of the street, turning right we advanced forward all the while my mind digested his response, and continued to gather my thoughts. for the question did not surprise me, sooner or later most of the villagers in this town, eventually ask me the same question, and my answer to each of them will always remain the same.

"Hate is a true week of an emotion for what I feel. my resentment against the empire and its accursed emperor is deeper and darker. There are no epithets that are ever present to my emotion against that man and his kingdom of blood. but...that is only the part of my emotion, there is another emotion countering that emotion as well. and this one too has a name-gratitude"

Two of the dogs their canine wide open were chasing the cat across the street, and the cat was toying with them. giving them confidence. allowing them the chance to pursue. and then draining them away the minute it escaped its clutches. and looking at that cat as it spread across its street, all three of us halted so that the three creatures could easily sped and bypass us.

"Do you know Arvil it is the easiest thing in the world to hate. and in that hate, we forget the lot of good the empire does-the protection and comfort it offers. the stability and consistency that offers across the land and its occupants. we ignore them and instead we focus on only the atrocities and cruelty of the empire. Just as there are two sides to every tale, as to does an empire. We cannot select what we want and throw away what we do not like. It is a bundle either we must accept the bundle or to leave it as it is."

As the cat and the mutts bypassed them all three of them continued to march forward and hearing my answer Arvil's eyes widened. Nobody has explained to the man, what the true purpose of the empire, or what it does to him in this manner. and receiving the analogy from my point of view, the man's dusted mind began to open. as thought and process began to turn in his eyes, while the humid air violated the streets, all the while the older man's eyes beside me narrowed watching me.

"I never thought about the empire in that way."

The junior assitanct exhaling a breadth responded, lifting my palm, and squeezing his shoulders with that palm and planting it above and across his shoulder, with softened tone my lips responded.

"Most of us never do-Arvil. Most of us never do."

That more than anything startled the man. as his eyebrows shot up, while he inhaled a breadth, his cornea jumping and sprinting to either side as we had reached another corner of the street, and the road opened to the right.

as all three of us followed that trail, and slightly slowed our space when our gazes lasted upon the left side of the bakery, its age as old as time. and the smell that spread from the bakery violated the streets. as all three of us, our stomach grumbling hungered and marched towards it.

The smell unleashed from that bakery was the purest form of cooking, the aromas and the spices as it spread violated every law of men and emperor. and with each heartbeat as we neared to it, our lips twisted, our molars opened wide, to bite and to chew the essence and acquiescence of heaven. our legs and our body moved on its own, possessed and seduced by that aroma. such was the grip the fresh loaf that had on our belly.

Seeing our march the man that awaited before the bakery split the smile in his mouth, his bigger arms crossed together, whose sharpened Mustache twisted at the corners, topping with that the milky white trousers and buttoned linen shirt.

"So, the rounds began than Galivar and Arvil-good!!! at least few lots of you cares for the valley?"

As the man spoke his voice roared echoing across the street, the people on either side of his house exhaled and inhaled their breadth, used to their eccentric and energetic neighbor's tone.