Wallace

Even though it was only for an hour or so at a time, riding around in the back of the pickup as it bounced and rumbled over rough ground was not the most comfortable experience in the world. I'd been through worse of course, such as every time I'd ever tried to take a train. But all the same, when I twisted to look over the cab, I found myself wondering if I hadn't fallen asleep at some point.

The sun had slipped below the horizon over an hour ago, but there was still enough light reflected off the clouds and cast by the stars to make out the terrain's general shape.

Unable to make out the details, the scale was difficult to judge, but it certainly seemed large enough to be Pelignos proper.

The top was flat, or nearly so, reminding me of the Caniforman mesa. Little flickers of firelight lined the rim, and though I saw no windows lit from within, I supposed that tracked with what Val had told me of the technology available to the fey.

Until a decade ago when they'd been taught of iron and steel by the elves, the fey had spent most of their history limited to copper and bronze. In actual fact, they weren't a whole lot more advanced than the little human village Cassius had been holed up in. The only thing that separated them from the villagers' mud huts and stone weapons was the greater resources at their disposal.

Though flat-topped, it wasn't a mesa we were approaching. The slope dropped off sharply from the firelight's edges, but the grade quickly began to level out. It became gradually less steep the further you got from the top, fading eventually into the surrounding terrain.

"Val, is that the city? Did I fall asleep?"

Val gave a little start when I broke the silence, neither of us had said much since leaving the waste storage facility, but she gathered herself and shook her head, "Many people make the same mistake on their first trip south. No, that's Crater Farm. It'll be another hour before we reach the city."

I let the truck rumble along for another minute or two before something occurred to me.

"Where do they get all the water from? Would there even be a water table under a meteor impact?"

"They don't draw it from wells, if that's what you're asking," Val replied, "They take it from the tides. The crater's lip is only just high enough to keep out the water each morning, and Simon had some gnomes in to construct some clever earthworks for them. Just enough laps over the top to irrigate the crops. They have a bugger of a time keeping the water out of the mines, but it's not as if he has better options."

"Simon owns this whole thing?"

"Not as such, men can't own land in Pelignos, Simon is no exception. One of his pet noblewomen holds the actual title, though everyone knows the truth of it."

The truck rocked as I tried to stretch in what little space I had, and I shifted around until I was on my knees in a vain attempt to give my back a rest. But within a few minutes, I found my knees were just as sore, and again I went looking for some comfortable way to sit.

"It won't be much longer," Val promised me, "We'll get to the city, and you can stretch out. I might not be as good as Irony and her girls, but I'll do my best.

Pelignos was, in a word, underwhelming.

I'd been expecting a look back into history. A peek at what Rome or Athens may have looked like at their height. While the buildings were more or less what I'd expected, I was a little let down by the scale. This was Rome in the same way that Cleveland is New York. I've got nothing against Cleveland, but I bet most tourists would be pretty let down if they got off their plane expecting to take pictures at The Statue of Liberty, only to find that they'd arrived at Cleveland Hopkins International instead of JFK.

Yeah, they had a little colosseum, and it looked pretty cool all lit up at night. But I'd been to Rome, and I'd seen the real thing. Even in ruins, the memory of it was far more imposing than what Pelignos had to offer.

Even the land around Pelignos was boring, and it was only after the gates of the city had drawn into view that I realised I'd missed the transition from the lowlands up to the area safe from the tides. Though Pelignos was supposed to be the city with the most farmable land, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Perched atop mountains and mesas, Parabuteo and Caniforma were more imposing but far less practical than Pelignos, which had the good fortune to be placed atop a natural rise in the landscape. It was boring, but it kept everyone fed.

Val flicked on the dome light as we approached the gates, and the guards there let us pass utterly unchallenged.

She stuck to cobbled streets as we ventured deeper into the city proper, but from my vantage point in the back of the truck, I saw that most of those branching off from the main road were little more than packed earth.

We approached a vast estate, situated near the city's centre, but we passed by the front entrance and the soldiers standing guard there. Instead, Val took us on a long circuit around the low wall that surrounded it, finally pulling up to a small wooden gate near the estate's rear.

Val had me hop out, and I reached over the gate and slid the bolt out of the way. The hinges creaked as I shoved the gate aside, closing it behind once the truck had passed.

Val stopped to let me back in, but I waved her on, preferring to walk up the gravel lane to the small guest house at the outskirts of the estate.

I grabbed the last of our things from the truck and trudged up the creaky and dusty steps to the bedroom. I heard the water running in the next room, and set down the packs by the door before investigating.

Though I saw candle holders on the walls and an oil lamp on one low table, the bathroom, such as it was, was lit only by Val's magic torch.

She'd filled the tub by its single tap and now sat on the edge of the copper basin concentrating on a spell. As I watched, steam began to rise from the surface of the water, and she dipped a hand in to gauge the temperature.

She shook the water off her fingers and looked up at me, flashing me a weak smile, "You seemed sore, I thought a hot bath might do some good for your muscles," she glanced at the tub, "Sorry if it's a little cramped, but you should just about fit."

"It's fine, thank you. What about you, Val? You look kinda, I don't know- You look kinda rough."

"You certainly know how to flatter a woman," Val replied wryly.

If I sat on the edge of the tub I'd tip it over, so instead, I knelt beside it and put a hand on her arm, "You're very pretty, and you're really smart."

Val rolled her eyes and shoved me ineffectually, "I'm okay, Wally. Coming back here has just brought back some things I'd rather forget. I don't want to stay here any longer than we must. We'll deliver the books you made, you can poke around Simon's holdings, but then I want to be on our way," Val stood up from the edge of the tub and hugged me, "I'll give you some privacy."

Val was already in bed when I emerged from the bathroom, but didn't try any of her usual antics when I joined her. She didn't do or say much of anything really, but did let out a relaxed little sigh when I put my arm around her, and she snuggled closer.

Neither did she try anything the following morning, and I woke alone, though I could hear the dim murmur of voices below.

I dressed, splashed some cold water on my face, and headed downstairs.

"Because I hate every second I spend here. If you want to catch up, take a trip, come see us. Gods, we can meet in Caniforma if you like, but I'm not spending a single moment more than I need to," I heard Val say, and though there was some heat in her voice, she was keeping it to a reasonable volume.

"Val, you know I can't," replied a voice that I could barely distinguish from Val's, "I'm barely holding onto the city as it is, I don't have time to be galavanting around with no regard for the consequences."

I stopped halfway down the stairs, hardly breathing, worried that even it might make the stairs creak.

"I'm not galavanting around, Vivian," Val countered, "This is my life now."

"Then why, in all that is holy, did you come back here?" her sister demanded, "You were supposed to stay out of sight until I settled things here. But now you come back, and instead of staying with me where it's safe, you want to go running off again? The other families had almost calmed down, and before you showed back up, they were starting to get the idea that their choices are either Simon or me. But now every two-bit noble with a squad of sprites will be looking to scoop you up and make this a three faction city."

"Wally needed to talk to Simon, and I had this for you. Wally made it so we can write to each other."

"Val, it's not that I don't want to see you, but if Wally needed to talk to Simon, then he should have come on his own."

"No. Wally and I stick together. And if anyone gives me trouble, Wally and I can sort them out."

"You're going to get him killed, Val. He's the most imposing man I've ever seen, but he's only one man. I beg of you, please, you're here now, stay. If you try to leave, half the city will be after you."

"Stay and do what exactly? Sit around being pampered by your slaves?"

"They're not my slaves, and-"

"I don't care which agency or family you've contracted with for their service, they're still property, and they're still doing whatever you order them to."

"Better they serve me than someone else. At least I treat them like people. You've only been gone a few months, but things are already better than they were when you left, and they'll be better tomorrow than they are today. Stay, not forever, just until it's safe. And no, you don't need to sit around being pampered, help me make things better. Please."

"Unless we're speaking in terms of the number of dead slave masters, I believe we have different understandings of what better means."

The stairs creaked as I finished descending, and I ducked under the doorway and into the sitting area. Val was in her flight suit with her long purple hair tucked inside, sitting on a low padded bench. And lounging on a daybed was who could only be Vivian. She was wrapped in a length of silk, very much like a toga, and though it covered all but her head, hands, and feet, it was evident she wore little else. Her hair was long by the standards of most, and though she was stretched out on the daybed, I guessed it would fall to her waist if she were standing.

"Hi Vivian," I sighed, "Good morning, or good whatever this is," I said, gesturing vaguely at the still-dark windows.

Vivian let out a long breath, "Lord Wallace. I hope I can convince the two of you to stay."

"Sorry, I'm with Val on this one. My people take a dim view of slavery. It's nice to meet you properly, but if Val wants to leave, we'll be going as soon as we can."

"You will be lucky to make it as far as Crater Farm," Vivian urged.

I shook my head, "The truck can move fast enough that we could leave tonight," I waved a hand at the window, "You know, Long Night aside, and still make it to Crater Lake by morning. Hell, maybe even all the way back to Caniforma. And last I checked, fey and sprites both have a hard time in the dark."

"They will have gnomes in their service," Vivian warned, "Well paid and highly skilled gnomes."

"We're not staying," Valentine said with finality, "Every day we stay makes it harder for us to leave. The best thing to do is finish what we came here for and then go as soon as we're done.

Vivian spread her hands, "Val, would you at least stay here while Wallace goes to speak with Simon? If you're not going to stay, at least minimise the risk to yourself, please?"

Val turned her gaze to me, and I gave her a nod.

"Okay," Val relented, "Are you going now, or-"

"Breakfast first."

"I can send a runner," Vivian offered, giving Val a look, "It wouldn't do for you to arrive unannounced on his doorstep."