“Finally!” Matthew shouts.
The final checkpoint in Bellum has come. A couple of weeks of being under the thumb of military order has come to an end.
As the group passes through the gate, they each feel as if they had completed a lifechanging journey inside the lifechanging journey they are on. Aero’s decision to go through Bellum has been second guessed by everyone a dozen times over; but now it’s just over.
Immediately outside the gate is a makeshift town.
“What is this town, Rain?” Aero asks.
“I do not know; I will ask the guardsmen at the gate.” She replies.
As she speaks to the guards at the gate, Matthew enters the shanty town.
“Where is he going?” David asks Aero.
“To find a drink.” Aero responds.
“Of course.”
“This place is known as the Dump. It is where all the exiled people are taken.” Rain tells the group as she returns from speaking to the guards.
“Exiled? Why would someone be exiled?”
“Every once in a while, an accidental pregnancy happens. If it was not approved by the War Council, then the child is dropped here, they have no place in Bellum.” Rain responds.
“They just lay the child outside the gate? It would die.”
“It seems they are taken care of in this place.”
Aero and Rain continue to have their intense discussion as a young woman walks up to the convoy.
Everyone takes note of the strange looking woman.
She is a light skinned woman, not Bellumi. Her braided red hair has matted together to make thick strands of hair. Her green eyes seem to smile themselves. Her clothing is loose fitting, and comfortable looking. She doesn’t seem to care about the latest fashions of the kingdom.
“Greetings travelers, I am Yorba, welcome to the Open Community. We are a people of free expression, and independent thought.”
“Hello Yorba, I am Ser Stephan guard to Prince Aero who is on a journey to Meego.”
“Prince… Here we do not hold titles. With the unity of the writings of Manken, we recognize no rulers. But all travelers are welcome nonetheless.”
“I assure you; everyone here is subject to his father King William.” Stephan responds.
“The Bellumi do come around from time to time to take possessions from the community for what they call taxes, even though it is actually theft.”
“Actually, Manken’s thoughts were to deny personal possessions, that all production should be available to all people. So, I’m not sure it is in fact theft, after all, the taxes are spread throughout the kingdom.” David interjects.
“A free thinker! Welcome friend…” Yorba says as if she is looking for his name.
“Dave, I am Dave, I am an assistant to the Prince.”
“An assistant to a prince that is versed on Manken, this is fantastic news.”
“Manken, Harlow, Burkhalter and dozens more.”
“Wonderful, may I meet your prince?”
David turns to his brother and waves him over. Aero excuses himself from Lieutenant Rain, and approaches Yorba.
“Greetings Prince, please bring your horses into our community and replenish your supplies. Find a place and rest. Everything belongs to everyone.”
“Thank you for your hospitality. We just spent two weeks crossing Bellum and could use a day to unwind. I believe one of my people already entered your town probably looking for some hard drink.” Aero responds.
“Then I know where to find him. I would love to take you to him.”
“That would be great, because I have some questions about your community.”
“I just told your people that the Bellumi makes sure we pay our taxes.”
“Yes ma’am, but nothing like that. I was wondering about the origins of your community, where did everyone come from, and do you take in the discarded Bellumi children?”
“Prince Aero.” Will interjects “With your permission, I will take care of the horses and set up our camp.”
“I will help.” Roasa says.
Aero nods.
“Our community has been around in one form or another for a long time, can’t say how long. No one really kept records over the years. We are a people who come from everywhere. A couple years ago, I came here on my way to somewhere else, but I ended up trying to educate the people. My teachings have led to this community. We deny possessions and produce for all in the community. Everyone pitches in for everyone else. We do not recognize rulers here, so I must insist that you expect to be treated as everyone else. We will not give you the special treatment that you are accustomed to.”
Aero is taken aback; Yorba is friendly yet fearless. She is proud of what she has worked to build here and doesn’t care if a member of the royal family knows her thoughts on the crown.
“I wouldn’t expect special treatment anywhere, I’m just a traveler passing through.” Aero responds.
“Good, then you will feel welcome here.”
“What about the abandoned Bellumi babies?”
“We take them in. We believe that practice may be why this community was started.” Yorba answers. “It’s amazing how bountiful their lives can be free of the indoctrination, so many of our craftsmen are Bel-babies.”
“That’s great to hear. I just learned about this practice a few minutes ago when we came through the gate.”
“Are you going to put a stop to it?”
“I’m not that prince. My oldest brother will be King one day, if not him then my other brother. I will send word back to the capital through my convoy, but I have to complete my mission in Meego.” Aero responds.
“You’re going for the sword? You do know that you will die in Meego if you go…” Yorba states confidently.
“I’ve heard.” Aero responds somewhat amused by this woman’s bluntness.
“Then why go?”
“When your father is King, and he commands you to go… Well… Here I am.”
“A man willing to sacrifice his own son for a weapon is no father. He is not even a man.” Yorba comments.
“That’s treason. Be careful who hears those words.” Aero warns.
“The truth shouldn’t be treason, that is why we must abolish the monarchy. The crown has failed the people for centuries. It’s the last relic of the old age.”
Aero stops immediately. He and Yorba have been walking through the makeshift town but when he heard her words, he was shaken to his core. This woman would not last five minutes in his world but here in the wilderness she has been able to speak freely. Her bravado is too much for him.
“You are a breath of fresh air! Yorba, what kind of name is that? I’m not familiar.”
“It’s not my true name, I took it from one of my favorite authors. A real anarchist like myself.”
“What’s your real name if you don’t mind me asking.”
“Yorba is my only name now. I don’t tell people my old name, it would reveal too much about me.”
“You are very well educated, and a name that would give too much away about you. Is it fair to say that you come from wealth? Probably a noble family too.”
Yorba is impressed.
“You are very perceptive, but whoever I was is gone. I have been remade into a new woman. A free woman!”
“Fair enough. How about you tell me more about this community. I also need to find my friend Matt.”
“Yes, the one that drinks; you have already said. He will be around the corner.” Yorba responds “Our community is self-sustaining. Everything we build is ethically sourced to ensure top quality…”
“Ethically sourced? I don’t understand.”
“A good example is our beekeeper. He collects honey in a way that doesn’t destroy a hive but allows it to remain to produce more honey.”
“I see, and what about your ale? Matt has been a fortnight without a drink. Is your ale good quality?” Aero asks.
“Let’s ask him, we are here.” Yorba points him inside a large tent tavern.
As they enter, they see Matthew sitting at the bar cup in hand to his mouth.
“How does it taste?” Aero asks Matt.
“What? Taste? I’ll have to have another.” Matthew responds.
“Miss Yorba, this is one of my sworn guardsmen. Ser Matthew of Two Springs.”
“Ser Matthew the Drunk, the Loyal… I have a lot of names.”
Yorba greets him and gives Aero leave promising to check on them after they are settled.
“So, what do you think of this place Matt?”
“It has ale, Bellum don’t. It’s an improvement. Barkeep, I’ll have another.”
“I’m sorry sir, you’ve hit your limit for the day.” Responds the Barkeep.
“What? I’ve only had three.”
Yes Sir, per community rules we only intake what we can sustain. Our barley fields allow for three drinks a day.”
Aero smiles, it’s been a long couple of weeks for Matthew. He is at the end of his rope. It’s obvious.
“I’ll have one barkeep.” Aero says.
The barkeep places a drink in front of Aero. He raises it and takes a sip.
“Matt, this tastes different than anything I have ever tried before. Try this.”
Matthew picks up the cup and turns it up.
Aero asks for another and the barkeep begrudgingly pours another cup. Aero again takes a sip and passes the drink to Matthew. Again, Matthew turns it up.
Aero asks for another glass. The barkeep pours it, but this time sets it in front of Matthew.
“Drink it and move along friends.” Says the barkeep.
Matthew turns it up “That’s the quickest I’ve ever been kicked out of a bar.”
They share a much-needed laugh.
“Maybe one day we can try to break that record at Maverick’s when we get back home.” It was a moment of forgetfulness for Aero.
He knows he said it, and Matthew knows he heard it but neither acknowledge it. Meego is just around the corner now, and this is one of their last adventures. Neither man is ready to start having goodbyes.
They find the camp on the edge of the makeshift town. Rain, and Roasa are preparing dinner over a fire with ingredients that was given to them by the community. As they do so, Yorba is speaking with them. The sight of Yorba and Roasa together puts Aero on edge. Yorba seems like the type of person that could get on the fiery Roasa’s bad side very quickly.
Once Yorba sees Aero, she joins him for more conversation. She stays by his side for most of the night, speaking openly about every subject they discuss. At times, she seems to lecture the prince much to his brother David’s amusement. With Aero occupied he and Stephan turn in early.
Later into the night, after everyone except for Aero, Matthew, and Roasa had turned in, Yorba treats the group to a few songs. She has a remarkable singing voice.
At daylight, she is in camp providing the group with provisions from the community. Again, she finds ways to interject her beliefs into the group before she sees them off. Aero was receptive and respectful. He enjoyed her company for a day, but he found her dedication to political speak exhausting. He is a soldier at heart after all.
As they leave the camp, Stephan asks “Prince Aero, are we on to the old palace?”
“Not yet, we have one last stop. We ride back west for three days to the Shadow Meadow. I have a promise to keep to Matt, he also deserves it after Bellum.” Aero responds.
“Do we have time?” Asks Will.
“We are a week ahead of schedule.” Stephan responds.
“I say we go… if I get a vote.” Will responds.
“This time you do! Aero, Will and I overrule everyone.” Matthew speaks up.
Everyone looks back at Matthew. He just smiles.
“You heard the man. Let’s go west!”
Relics of the Old Age 