Broken Utopia: Season One

II

Sue and Megan stood still as the dirt beneath their feet, hand in hand, just as they had planned so long ago for the day they finally stepped outside the small boundaries of Lafeya. It had took a three day trip to reach this destination, and their eyes were wide as an ocean; taking in every single detail before them, and before them stood one of the last true independent cities in Idyll, Brew.
They stood at it's entrance, marveling at all around them. Crow, Elda and her men stood behind, quietly observing the girls live in a moment they may cherish for the rest of their lives. "Putting up with their eccentric excitement these last few days, it may have been worth it," Elda said lowly to Crow who stood at her right. "It usually is," he muttered while wearing a proud smirk. After a few minutes everyone followed the girls into the lively city. Sue and Megan's eyes flicking to every direction, to showcases of fruit, jewelry, clothing, to the nearby voices of haggling and bartering blanketing the air. Everything that made the city feel alive, they alone gave admiration as most continued through their regular day.
"A market only a few steps from the entrance? How bold," Crow said as all in line still followed Sue and Megan, though now one of Elda's men led the way forth. "Your evaluation is understandable, but believe it or not each seller that within this city holds many lives upon their shoulders. Without them, who knows how long we would survive. To carry such weight, bold must be in one's nature."
Sue Turned to Elda as her legs continued forward a fair way ahead, "How many people live here, Commander Elda?"
"At most five to seven thousand, very little compared to capitals in other territories." Sue turned her head to Megan, and without words her sister nodded before both shared a moment of hushed laughter, seemingly a private affair. "How many markets do you have? And why would so many die if they didn't exist?"
"Profits within the five outer markets throughout the city are used only for the benefit of citizens apart from their agreed share, things such as clean food, water, piping, and even security resources are outsourced, though the last area gets no where near as much funding as the others."
"You've said more then one crown envies how much coin your markets earn, not to mention you are only one city with a few thousand people. How could you not afford military affairs?"
"That carries over into a much larger issue, and possibilities many here aren't ready to hear."
"And what would that be?" Crow said with a curious look in his eye. Elda's eyes grew volatile, her grip on one of her sheathed blades tightening. "War."
While conversing, the line of soldiers and odd outsiders began to stroll past a dark alleyway, where at its center a single person stood, looking directly toward them. It was too dark to find a face, but Crow could make out the inches of blond hair beneath a hood and a white pendent with a matching medallion of torn leaf within the darkness.
"There is a agreement between the four powers that lust for our land at the table, that to avoid a senseless bloodbath, Brew's central market must act according to specific behavior that supports the table and it's interests. One being we must be open to the public, to form a national tourist hot spot, they say. The second being a monthly fee that separates into the pockets of the four crowns that want us dead."
"To suppress blood lust ... It's not ideal, but decent for buying time if your pockets are as deep as you say."
"I believe three years has given them an ample amount of taste of coin, and soon one may reach for the entire pot." Crow's eyes narrowed. "I hope such time was not wasted, or Brew will be in for some rough years ahead."
"I Agree." The commander lowered her sight to the passing ground before glancing back to her side. "No act today?" Crow snickered hearing her words and wit. "No, takes too much energy. Besides, that's the first time I've ever tried it." Elda's eyebrows rose. "Really? Well, it isn't that surprising. Then why?"
"Nothing extraordinary, just a reminder to the mind that there are always alternatives, so many no man could ever find count." Elda's smirk grew large and firm. "They are lucky to have you as their guide." With a high brow Crow briefly bowed his head. "Thank you but I am only one."
"Then when will I meet the other? Is he or she the one I should thank the Gods for not being present when we met?"
"Although I find your sarcasm rather enjoyable, I am surprised we are discussing this topic so early in our friendship."
"Surprises are good for health." Crow's eyes met Elda's. "I never said there were only two. What made you guess that number?" The commander met his glance again for more then a moment. "A warrior's intuition, I suppose." Crow pulled his eyes back ahead. "How useful that must be."
"Very."
Finally, after a some time of walking the soldier at the line's head stopped in front of a lone brick building, close to completely isolated from the entrance market or most other buildings within the city. A circuit of trees stood at the lone structure's rear, surrounded by a low black gate. Crow turned his head to the path their steps walked, leading back to Brew's core, where nearly the entire city was crafted in gray stone, unlike where they had arrived, which was made of warm red brick. Two large swords crossed each other above the golden knob of the door the color of bark. Megan and Sue, like the rest of the city gazed on.
"Is this where you live?" said Megan while scoping the building's height. "No, for now this is where we live," the commander corrected. Crow said nothing, but her words reminded him of a statement he'd heard many times before. Too much time had past for him to remember the quote with perfection, but it bordered around nothing is ever black and white, good or evil, but every act has motive, the kind of saying the hag would always speak aloud randomly.
Elda's men led their mares to the building's side while her second in command, the soldier who led them here, now approached and unlocked the front door. Megan heard voices roaring from inside as the door opened, revealing a royal blue carpet with sharp golden lines swirling across the large hallway floor. Sue clasped her hands as her eyes brightened at the sight, while Megan was less entranced and more distracted by her sister's bad taste. Elda placed her hands on both Megan and Sue's shoulders.
"I think you two are going to like it here." She spoke with a genuine smile. Both nodded as the three entered. While Crow made his way hesitantly across the stone walkway, and as he shut the door behind him, he couldn't help but wonder if coming here was a mistake.