The sun beginning to set and it lit up the plains, casting a shadow of a farming village that was not far from them. Soon, the sun descended and darkness filled the land. It was late, and Arvin knew that they needed to cook, and a hot meal would be better than a cold one.

“If we’re lucky, the market will still be open,” Arvin said.

“Sounds good,” Monti agreed and they headed to the village. The farmers on the stalls turned to the aeronauts as they landed with a nonchalant look on their faces. The continued packing up as Arvin and his crew left their airships and came over to them.

“Good evening,” George said to one stall owner.

“Eye it is that,” She replied and George paused. It had been a while since he had spoken to a farmer.

“It is, indeed. I would like to purchase 4 ounces of goat’s cheese, 2 leeks and a carrot.”

“You’re a strong-looking man, so I’ll give you 6 ounces of goat’s cheese,” The woman said and George fished money out from his pocket. With their ingredients, the aeronauts were hoping to make soup. It was a favourite meal in Ansora and as such, they had books full of the recipes for just soup. Arvin opted for pumpkin soup while Brenna and Monti went for sweet potato and beetroot respectively. Matthew just had a block of bree, which was, oddly enough, also a favourite lunch between aeronauts and travellers alike. A farmer, who had previously been sat on a bench, came over to Breanna.

“What’s a good girl like you doing in these parts?”

“Watch it,” Breanna said as she turned to him. The farmer was about 60 years old, with a shaggy grey beard and a pipe in his mouth. Breanna often enjoyed having banter with the farmers as they were honest and easy to talk to. “You should respect me more than that.”

“I should. But then I don’t see flying women often, with spending most of my time in fields with sheep and that.”

“Well, I should hope that I am prettier than all the sheep in your field.”

“All but Betty, you’ve got nothing on her,” The farmer said and Breanna smiled as she held out her hand.

“Breanna Arma.”

“Derek Northwich,” The farmer said as he shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“And you.”

“Come. Have a seat, you look like you’ve had a long day.”

“I have. We visited Seatle.”

“Ah Seatle,” Derek said as both he and Breanna sat onto the bench. “It’s been a year or two since I last visited it. I guess it hasn’t changed much.”

“I wouldn’t guess so.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it my dear. What happened there, happened a long time ago. We must all focus on the present.”

“Indeed we must, however, my crew and I are concerned that other cities might lock their gates.”

“Those who live in cities are a strange bunch, and many a strange city there are.”

“And what cities do you know of?”

“Seatle of course. Then there’s Auksand, the city of healers. Lila, the city of ‘explorers’,” Derek said before he laughed a little. “What do they know? They’re nice folk, who live in there, and more outgoing than the rest of them. There’s Saoulhul to the north, with close connections to your community, and its famous heritage as the starting point of the spice road. I’ve only ever seen pictures, but it looks magnificent.”

“It used to be. We visited there just over a week ago and they’ve become afraid, and their markets are empty.”

“Cities are changing. And not all for the better. It’s this whole business with ‘MA’.”

“How do you know so much about the cities?”

“I use to be a merchant before my father died. We use to travel up and down the continent together, selling goods and visiting lots of places. After he died though, I lost my love of travelling. It reminded me of days that I couldn’t get back, so I worked on a farm here and eventually worked my way up to owning it. The rest of my family are farmers and I guess that they’re right when they say that cattle runs in the blood.”

“They say that of us too, that flying is in our blood, and I think that they must be right,” Breanna said before she looked at her crew cooking on gas stoves in a circle beside their airships. Derek glanced down at the raw vegetables in Breanna’s grip.

“You should go and cook with them. You must be hungry.”

“I am, but I’m enjoying talking to you. Farmers always make such honest conversation and they’re hard to disagree with.”

“We are. Which is why you, young lady, should go and cook your soup,” Derek said and Breanna smiled before she stood up. She paused and turned to him once more.

“What do you know about Vortexia?”

“The city in the sea? Not much. Only that in its centre rages a huge waterfall that is rumoured to fall for eternity. It is the only city that I know of, which is rumoured to have no gates.”

“It’s also said to be the oldest. From before the sea level rose and the water came cascading in.”

“If I live long enough Breanna. I’d love to visit it. It was the one place that I never got to see with my father.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Breanna said with a smile before she went to join her crew.

“Who were you talking to?” Monti asked her as she joined them.

“Derek Northwich. He’s one of the local farmers, but he knows a lot about quite a few cities.”

“Farmers know more than you think,” Arvin added. “They’re not great travellers, but they are curious and they pick up knowledge and stories from all the people who pass through. Often they’re wiser than most men you come across.”

“If they love their cattle a little too much.”

“If indeed,” Arvin said as Breanna began cooking her soup and the others ate theirs. They slept on their airships, using bags and spare rope as pillows.