“Nao wiff aww accounted fo’, dah awmy of Motow stands weady at 85’000 stwong. Wiff dah signin’ of dah tweaty, an’ am command… We can begin dah mawch.”
[A quote from Tethius, telling Enoch of the readiness of the army of Motor. At the time it was the largest army ever raised in Motor’s history, it’s scale easily dwarfing the previous largest army, King Nalpi’s from the conquest of Motor (It being Roughly 6’000 Soldiers)]
[Months after Chapter 7, Early Spring]
The beams of the sun hitting my face was the first thing I felt as I awoke, the air still feeling a bit chilly. As I open my eyes I look to see Dar still sleeping next to me, him looking as peaceful as a foal. I raise myself up and stretch, after that turning to Dar and speaking to him.
“Wakies sweepy head, it’s a new day.”
Dar slowly begins waking up, him squirming around and generally moving his body. He speaks as he slowly begins to stretch and get up, him also opening his eyes.
“Damn it’s that wawm out? Nu can bewiebe it’s awmost spwing…”
Dar is now fully up, and I speak.
“Hey wiff just dah two of us togethah awone it was bound to go by fast.”
We both blush and give each other a kiss, after that Dar looks to the bedroom entrance and speaks.
“Since it’s my tuwn to make bwaekfest, ‘ou just wan’ dah usuaw?”
“Yeah.”
Dar leaves and I’m soon to follow.
Dar’s home despite not being that big, was as promised pretty cozy. It had many nice furnishings. a fireplace, a stable, and surprisingly even a chicken coop. When we first got here Dar spoke of how he came into possession of this place, through looking at properties he found it listed. This home previously being some sort old halfway resting point between Leakytown and Port Xerxes. As I enter the kitchen I see Dar looking into the pantry and touching his chin, the moment he notices me he speaks and closes the pantry door.
“Seems dah west of dah nummies has gone bad, mowd ugh…”
I speak.
“Weawwy? dammit Emiwy weawwy hopes she nu did num any of that, it sounds disgustin.”
Dar speaks.
“It was bound to happen soonah ow watew, Daw’s happy that ouw suppwies wastes’ as wong as dey did.”
Dar looks out of the kitchen window, there nothing being there except just open field. He speaks.
“Y’know Emiwy dah gwound maybeh just be stabwe enough to get a wagon out of hewe an’ into Weakytown, an’ get some suppwies. What do 'ou think?”
I quickly speak.
“That’d be gweat Daw! been coopted up hewe su wong, gettin’ out wiww be amazin’. Wet’s go!”
As I go to the wagon and sit, Dar comes out a few minutes later carrying some cash in sack for the trip. Than after he loads it in the back he goes over to stable by the back of the house, and get’s his Raccoon Mary Due. Mary Due was an old Raccoon with her hair being pretty faded and her only half the speed of a regular Raccoon, Dar said that when he bought the house she was already their in her stable. The previous property owners probably not wanting her anymore, but Dar said he didn’t mind that much, she was pretty friendly and trained. As Mary Due gets tethered to the wagon Dar hops in the drivers seat and we are off, open plains and forest all around us. Traveling to Leakytown proved to be as expected slow, with the mud, still melting snow and ice, and Mary Due’s advanced age, it took us a few hours before finally making it to a proper road. Once on it we didn’t see that many travelers (It being about a week before the traveling merchant caravans began their routes) Only the occasional traveler, or independent merchant. Well that was the case until we had finally arrived at Leakytown, and outside the city gate we were greeted by endless tents. All around we could see what looked like about one to two thousand soldiers calling this place home, all of them camping and lying about, some of them shining a bit in newly forged suits of armor. As we were passing the large camp a sign hanged at the road the crossed into it, it read.
[Leakytown Army barracks East Camp]
[Population 1,750]
[Under the Command of Alvar StrongWing]
Dar speaks sounding shocked.
“That’s onwy dah east camp!?”
I shrug and we enter the city.
Going into the depths of Leakytown, the place was quiet and cold. From the descriptions I had heard of the place I would have thought that I was in a much different city. The place had been described as an underground network of tunnels and pipes, but instead of that we had what looked more like a ravine. A sewer with pipes long sold for scrap and a open sky only covered by markets. Walking throughout we saw many stores selling the usual things you’d see in usual stores, but no food. After about 20 minutes of looking around Dar spoke, pointing to the back section of a market.
“Finawwy, wook!”
Dar points out a stall with a sign that had bread and fruit decorated on it, I speak as we begin walking over there.
“About time…”
Nobody was at the stall when we got there, it not even having food out to look at. Dar gives a slight shout to alert the owner.
“Ugh, excuse me, am 'ou open!”
We suddenly heard hoofSteps and a few minutes later someone walks out.
Who popped out was a disgruntled middle aged mare, her coat a shaded orange and mane a chestnut brown mane that was tied up. She looks at us annoyed and frustrated, speaking dismissively.
“What am it! If am hewe fo’ nummies am awweady to wate!”
What the hell!? It’s early Spring, routes are opening back up, what was she talking there should be more than enough! I speak.
“What am ‘ou tawkin’ abut, spwing’ just awwibed!”
The mare grabs a piece of paper and gives it to me, speaking with condescension and apathy.
“We nu hab nu nummies 'cos dey took it!”
I read the paper given to me.
[By order of the Kingdom of Motor, half of produces must be given for the war effort]
[Once the war had ended trade in this note at you’re local government for monetary compensation]
The mare spoke as I finished reading.
“50% my ass! Dey took awmost 80% of what we had, sayin’ it was “uwgent” damn Awbaw thinks he’s Hing’ of dah wowwd.”
Me and Dar both sigh and start to turn. Taking food with paying, what were they thinking! The mare speaks again just before we begin to walk away.
“Wook if am weawwy stawbin’ go othah to Chewwy’s at east end of mawket, dey nu usefuwwy get much costumews. Fo’ a gud weason to…”
I speak as we begin walking away.
“Fank ou.”
Eating at this “Cherry’s” we walked out feeling fogged and ill, Dar speaks.
“Daw am nebah twustin’ dah wecommendations of disgwuntwed mewchant again, ugh!”
I speak, feeling at least a bit better than him.
“Nu can bwame hew that much fo’ bein’ pissed, takin’ that much nummies… Am goin’ to Enoch about dis, Emiwy hopes he’s just ignowant.”
It was a quiet trip back home, us feeling way to unwell to talk mostly. With the only real conversation being on where we were going to get food, it decided that Port Xerxes was a good bet. As we approached the house it was late afternoon, with the sky appearing a beautiful purple. As we came to a stop Dar spoke, looking at the front door.
“Dewe’s a note at the doow, 'ou see it?”
I look and see the note, it bolted at the door with a nail. We both get out of the wagon and make our way to the door, Dar get’s their first and grabs the note, he speaks just before reading.
“Couwd hab just waid it down…”
After a few seconds Dar let’s out a sigh and gives me the note, I read it.
[The Royal Guardsmen of this household is expected back at Camp Driscoll immediately, further orders will be given once there.
-Tethius]
I speak of the first thing I could think of.
“Guess whewe not goin’ to Powt Xewxes den…” Fin
Thank you for reading my story! I hope to have the next part done in a few days to a week, and of course constructive criticism is appreciated. May you have a good day!