The Silken Key

Chapter 11

Brenmarsh was a peculiar port city, quite unlike anything Detlef had seen on his travels before. The docks were a network of wooden jetties and walkways floating on the water. Beyond the docks, the city itself was mostly made up of plain, practical towers rising up from the steaming swamp below, with wood and stone walkways and bridges connecting them.

"Extraordinary, isn't it?" Maddy marvelled as they walked around the outside of an especially wide, circular building with many openings revealing an entire marketplace inside.

It was just the two of them exploring. Rudiger had stayed at the dock to haggle with the harbour-master over the docking fee. Tariq had gone ahead to arrange their onward journey since this was his homeland and he knew it well.

Tabitha had simply wandered off into the market by herself. She hadn't spoken a word to anyone since the incident with the sea monster.

"It certainly is different," Detlef agreed. "For a city built over a marsh, everything looks pretty clean and new."

"That's because everything is new," Maddy explained. "Some people call Brenmarsh the 'Sinking City', but the people who live here call it the 'City of Renewal'. The marsh is constantly swallowing the entire city, so the city is continually being built upwards to stay ahead."

Looking up towards the cloudy brown sky, Detlef noted that each tower was two or three floors high. Almost every tower had another level under construction at the top, as well as new interconnecting walkways being built on each level.

Leaning over the edge of the walkway, Detlef looked down and could see the old storeys of the towers half sunk into the mud below.

"That seems crazy," he remarked. "How can the city ever progress if it's always being lost into the swamp?"

"On the contrary, this phenomenon forces the city to progress all the time. No part of it is more than ten years old. There are no ancient buildings that need to be repaired. Every home benefits from the latest construction techniques." Maddy guided Detlef's attention to the towers further in, which were taller and grander. Even those were still being built upwards. "But most of all, it stops the people from becoming too comfortable. They are hardworking and inventive. Some would say they are the most advanced people in the world."

Detlef smiled and shook his head at Maddy. "You really admire these people, don't you. Why didn't you choose to live here?"

"Oh gods no," Maddy balked. "Rebuilding your own house every ten years? Sounds like far too much hard work to me."

"I just think I'd miss the green fields and the mountains," Detlef said. "This land is so flat. And the sky doesn't seem to let much light through."

"I suppose that's why they call it Ardu al-Zalam - 'Land of Darkness'."

That gave Detlef a chill. As impressive as the city and its people might be, he was already longing to see the yellow and grey mountains framing the north of Alresbay and the lush forests to the west. He felt a sudden urgency to gather the rest of their group and be on their way.

They continued around the edge of the large market building, peering in at the mixture of wares on offer. In many ways, it was a lot like Tollensport. Items from across the sea were being sold, except here it was the western goods which were considered 'exotic'.

As he looked, he spotted Tabitha browsing at a stall which was selling fine silks.

"For a former hermit, she does seem to appreciate the finer clothing fabrics," he said quietly to Maddy, smiling and pointing her out.