It always excited Hank, entering a new town. What’s it going to look like? Would it be similar other towns? Sameness he detested. It was definitely not on the menu when entering ‘Big Tree’.

One minute they were in dense forest the next in a large clearing with a massive tree in the centre. The tree wasn’t taller than the surrounding forest. It was, however, astonishingly wide. Much wider than it was tall. It was mind bogglingly large.

For a moment or two Hank couldn’t see the town. He was about to ask Tom where it was when he saw Sabine looking up. He copied. High in the branches of the surrounding trees, a motley collection of buildings, shacks, tents and strange awnings depended from large branches and sturdy trucks. Connected by rope bridges in various states of completion the entire ensemble looking like a hoarder had tossed around his junk in a fit of pique. Strangely nothing touched the tree before him. Staring in wonder, Hank climbed off his palfrey, ‘Glue’.

Hank asked the first question that popped into his mind. “Why don’t you build on the ground?”

“We used to.” Tome replied casually. “Before that problem with the figs and the Harissii I mentioned. Arachnids also travelled through a few of times. The sentries kept us from losing too many people. But arachnids, due to their size, tend to trash anything left on the ground. Thankfully neither they nor the Harissii climb trees. So it’s generally safer.”

Tom pauses for a moment. “Well, apart from the tree panthers, constrictors and the Exi. Come to think of it, it’s not much safer. We loose two or three people each year to the wildlife here. But we won’t leave.”

“Why not?” Sabine asked.

“Have you not realised how beautiful she is? Don’t you hear her singing?”. A faraway look appeared on Tom’s face.

“Who?” Hank asked.

“Beleg Pedgaladh.” Tom was genuinely incredulous.

Hank starred at him blankly.

“The tree of course.” Tom pointed at the tree. “She’s wonderful.”

Hank liked a nice tree as much as the next guy, especially if it came with plumbs, cherries or some other fruit but it was just a tree. “It’s… ahh… great.” He stumbled through a response.

Tom was genuinely put out by this. “Well if you don’t see her wonder then why are you joining us?”

“We’re not.” Hank stated bluntly.

“Then why are you in our forest?” Tom turned to glare accusingly at Hank.

“Your forest?” Hank responded.

“Yes ours. We belong to it and it to us. Everyone else just wants to cut it down and destroy it. We’re the only ones who can look after it.” A self-righteous tone crept into Tom’s voice that gave Hank a bad feeling.

“I’m not here to chop it down. I’m passing through.” Hank cautiously replied.

“Passing through. There is no passing through Ronanan. Which is what we call…” Tom started to wind himself up.

“Yes, we know, the Great Northern Forest. We’re still just travelling though.” Hank cut him off.

“It’s not some little wood you traverse in a day or two. You lot call it ‘great’ for a reason. It extends from the Tillerman to the Northern Ice Sea.” Tom retorted in a louder tone of voice.

“Ahh but we are heading for the mountains to the east.” Jamie tried to calm the naturalist.

“The Spine. This far north. Why?” Tom asked brusquely.

“Yes, Why?”. A slightly older looking woman approached the party.

“Why not?” Jamie responded amiably.

“That isn’t an answer. Why are you in our woods?” The woman was clearly taking over the conversation.

“So. You believe that because you have claimed the great northern forest, you alone get to use it.” Hank queried.

“No, as Tom said we tend the forest. We do not clear and destroy.” She sounded guarded.

“Right and you do that by, what? Leaving it alone to do its own thing?” Hank knew he was needling her, he just couldn’t help himself.

“Well yes.” She remained guarded.

“So you’re planning to leave. You obviously see that you are changing it. You are not letting it develop under in its own way. What do you offer that it does not provide itself?” Hank was getting belligerent.

“We protect it.” The retort was sharp.

“From what?” Hank asked. “Tom explained in some detail that large spiders and the rest of the local wildlife seem to destroy human intruders, randomly, without trying.”

“No, it's a careful balance. Humans who venture here upset that balance.” The lady snapped her response.

“You mean like introducing figs?” Hank couldn’t help himself.

“Yes, a regrettable mistake.” She dismissed the incident, before continuing in a m ore aggressive manner. “But others will want to clear the land. They will destroy various species of plants and animals.”

“You mean like the ones that Nancy lied about in her works of fiction. If she hadn’t lied, maybe there would be a greater desire to preserve rather than destroy.” Hank retorted.

“No my writings had a purpose. We don't want your kind coming here to dig up the countryside. It's better nobody knows what’s valuable here.” She responded.

“Your books?” Hank questioned.

“Yes mine, we needed funds in the early days. But it’s a long time since we needed anything. Now all we require comes from the forest.” Her last statement carried a note of fervour in it.

“You’re Nancy Greenwood?” Hank was sceptical.

“Yes, the last name is somewhat pretentious I’ll admit. Thankfully I no longer need it.” She replied.

“So you’re over 100 years.” Jamie shared the scepticism. “I suppose that could account for your accent.”

“Accent.” Nancy snorted derisively as she tuned to Jamie. “Young wanderer, I learnt my common in the Lords assembly before they crowned that ridiculous strumpet, king. Why they wanted to copy the Fujiks is beyond me. Though I hear those smarmy southerners wised up and booted their emperor.”

“Yes, fifteen years ago.” Jamie replied. “Though there’s now some tension between the kingdom and the states. Supposedly the kingdom is sheltering the last emperor, his brother and his brother’s family.”

“Why did they do that?” Nancy sounded disappointed. “Just kick the royal asses to the curb and let the Fujiks sort them out. Couple of knives in the night and there won't be any royals to cause trouble.”

Jamie smiled. “Because the emperor’s brother married the king’s cousin. She was beautiful, smart and closer to the king than his actual sisters and brother. Rumour is, she passed away a few years ago after giving birth to a royal successor.”

In Hank’s opinion, Wanderers had an unhealthy passion for gossip, but he was happy to let the conversation tend in a less confrontational direction.

Jamie continued. “Everyone knows that ‘chief advisor’ Nakimori hated foreigners. Further that he hated the princess. And he started the rebellion to ‘stop the contamination of the throne’ by the princesses’ baby.”

“Wasn't she married to the younger brother?” Obviously Nancy was a fellow gossip.

“Yes, but according to rumour, the emperor was infertile. So even married, his brother and any offspring would inherit. It’s all moot now, but he hadn't married before he lost the throne.” Jamie was in his element.

“And now he’s a pauper living in the kingdom somewhere?” Nancy questioned

“Well not a pauper. The rebellion become very unpopular because they increased taxes so much. The military is everywhere just to keep the peace. Rumour has it that the former emperors derived their wealth from trade not taxes.” Jamie looked positively conspiratorial as he chatted away.

“What a scandal?” Hank sarcastically interjected.

“Exactly.” Jamie grinned as he continued. “Royalty shouldn’t work. However, the advisors who knew the secret of the royal wealth, either joined him in exile or disappeared. 10,000 Suiden less in the national coffers they say.”

“10,000 Suiden yearly, that’s blatant exaggeration,” Hank scoffed. “The kingdom only taxed about 6,350 Suiden last year. Nobody can steal 10,000 Suiden.”

“Another reason war is coming. Nakimori wants that money. He thinks the king knows where the brothers are and what happened to the money.” Jamie was matter-of-fact about it.

“So, there’s going to will be another war. This one over racism and treachery.” Hank wasn't impressed.

“Should have killed all the royals to start with it would have prevented that mess.” Nancy interjected.

She seemed to have a dim view of royalty, which peaked Hank’s interest. “You don't like royalty much.”

“What's to like?” Nancy snarled “Jumped up pretenders who think they know what’s best. The people have their own voice and don't need kings sending them to war.”

“Compared to the current democracy in Fujiyama, being led by an elected warmonger?” Hank acidic comments highlighting his opinion. “He’s already fought one war, and he is lining up another. The Duke of Sarness was elected, and he kidnaps, rapes and pillages.”

“He’s also pushing the war agenda.” Jamie interjected.

Hank seemed to have pushed his own button. “Reputation is a personality score, nothing more. But you think popular rulers are automatically good rulers. That’s nuts. Popularity, worst reason to rule, ever.”

“No, democracy relies on people choosing the best person. It is the best way of choosing a ruler.” Nancy was adamant in her defence of democracy.

“And what guarantee do you have that the ‘great masses’,” Hank actually used finger quotes. "A, know the truth. B, that it is the whole truth. C, the right people are even options. D, candidates have the right training and experience and e, voters judge on character not appearance. I can go on.” He took a breath.

“No democracy is a popularity contest won by the candidate who tells the best stories about himself and the worst about all the other candidates. Truth is irrelevant. Then once you have won, lie, cheat whatever else you have to do to stay there. With royal succession you have none of those problems. They have the gig for life.” Hank was emphatic.

“No, they just lie, cheat and all the rest because they answer to nobody.” Nancy wasn’t phased by Hank’s comments, getting just as wound up. “They play favourites, encourage nepotism, harbour corruption, oppress the low born and push an agenda that is self-serving and self aggrandising.”

Hank drew breath to respond when he was interrupted by Jamie. “I’m sure that you both have fantastic points to make but that’s hardly relevant to the current situation. We have been dragged here by Tom and friends. Why?”

“These are our woods. You may not enter them without joining our group.” Nancy flatly stated.

“Says who?” Hank was still angry after the previous disagreement.

“We do.” Nancy said.

“So what?” Hank’s blood was up from the previous argument and he wasn’t willing to give Nancy anything. “This place is at least five days from where we’re going. If Tom had asked, we would have told him so and could have avoided wasting everyone’s time coming here.”

“This is our wood.” Nancy’s own temper wasn’t going to let her back down.

“I thought you said that you don’t own it.” Hank pushed.

“Stop splitting hairs.” Nancy took a breath. “This is our home it is for us to decide what happens in it.”

Hank snorted. “Right, you control those big spiders Tom was telling us about.”

“No.” Nancy replied.

“Perhaps the Harisii?” Hank pushed again.

“No.” Nancy’s voice was getting more frigid.

“The cat creatures, Exi, the growth of the plants, or the weather, maybe?” Hank’s mouth was running away with him. He didn’t care.

“No. No. And of course not.” Nancy bristled.

“So you control nothing. You own nothing. That clarifies everything, we’ll be off. Enjoy the rest of the day.” Hank derided her almost turning to go.

“Where are you going?” Nancy snapped at him.

“Off.” He bluntly replied.

“So, are you leaving the forest?” Nancy pushed back.

“Eventually,” Hank snarked.

“Which will be… when?” Nancy demanded

“When I’m good and ready.” Hank replied.

“When will that be?” Nancy restated her question.

“No idea.” Hank replied airily.

“I can’t allow that.” Nancy said.

“Why who died and made you queen?” Hank asked belligerently.

“Nobody. There is no royalty here.” Nancy responded reflexively.

“So we can add, no authority, to the list of reasons why it doesn’t matter what you think.” Hank couldn’t help himself.

“Yes it does. I’m in charge of who comes to this forest.” Nancy said.

“Says who?” Hank asked.

“I do. Everyone else here agrees with me?” She gestured to the people gathering in the doorways and windows looking down on the argument.

“Really, prove it. Where is your record of election? Prove that you control the creatures of this place. Show us something that proves you have either power or authority over the whole forest.” Hank demanded angrily.

“Tom said the forest stretches from the Tillerman to the Northern Ice Sea. Prove that you control everything over that thousand plus miles. You haven’t given us a single reason to listen to you or anyone else here. Certainly, we don’t ‘respect’ your authority over us.” Hank continued, his voice rising.

“All these people gathered here, do as I ask. They will make you keep our ways.” Nancy snapped. At this Tom and friends braced as if waiting for a command.

“Really. You control the whole forest based on what happens by your campfire. Please show me a piece of paper where those in the north agreed with you on this.” Hank demanded.

“There’re people in the forest’s northern parts?” She sounded anxious.

“You don’t know? How do you control them if you’re not even sure where they are or what they do?” Hank felt he had scored.

“They will listen to us.” She sounded less certain.

“Really? Why? Because they are scared of you? Wake up. There are what five, six hundred, of you. In the towns and the cities to the south they forgot you fifty years ago. East side of the continent? Bet they haven’t heard of you. You think they are going to magically ‘respect your ways’. Lady, they don’t know you exist. You have zero and I truly mean zero power in this forest.” Hank’s anger deflated as he realised she had no idea about the world beyond her town.

“Not true.” She scrambled to remain in control of the situation.

Hank’s tone reflected his changing awareness of the situation. “Lady, the spiders drove you into the trees. Tom here says that you lose people every year to the local fauna. You dragged us here because your group outnumbered us. But if we aren’t freed, over a hundred other people will come looking for us. And if they don’t return thousands will come.” It was an exaggeration. Nobody would come for the Wee people. She didn’t know that though.

Hank continued “What are you going to do to stop the tide of humanity coming? Looking around here, I doubt that you could hold off the first hundred people who attacked.”

“They wouldn’t dare.” Nancy was aghast.

“Lady let me give you a free piece of advice. I might be one hundred years younger than you but let me say this.” The venom in Hanks voice was fading. “Reality has zero interest in what you want. You’re either going to change some things here or someone much stronger and meaner than I will come and take it all from you.”

“Our forest will protect us.” She almost pleaded.

“Perhaps. But then again, I got here without anything bad happening.” Hank reasoned.

“That’s only because Tom kept you out of harm’s way.” Nancy stated.

“Perhaps,” Hank conceded the point. “If you’re unfortunate, you might find out if that statement reflects reality. That’s an awfully big bet. Perhaps you and your clan should all vote on it. Maybe they won’t agree with you.”

“They will follow what I say.” Nancy confidently replied.

“Really. So queen then, in action if not in name.” Hank’s response was a little mocking.

Nancy missed the tone as she replied. “No I am nothing like a queen.”

“Lady, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. It doesn’t matter if you’re called queen, maharani or most equal of equals. If you speak and others do, without vote or question, then it’s a dictatorship whatever name you have. Just ask the average Fujikan how democratic their new democracy actually is.”

He took a breath before continuing. “If you want to protect the forest, then just claiming it’s yours will never be sufficient. You may have escaped the countries to the south. But you are just the first of those moving north.”

He gestured to the the hosing above. “Your society is nuts, in my opinion. I don’t want your lifestyle. I don’t share your beliefs. I’ll take my people and settle elsewhere probably to the east. We will be delighted to take people who don’t want to join your collective. But if you genuinely want to defend the GNF you’ll need more than six hundred people and a belligerent attitude.”

“We won’t allow you to settle in our forest.” She snapped back.

“So you are going to try stopping us from entering the forest. And by us, I mean all those people fleeing north to avoid the coming war?” Hank asked cynically.

“Yes,” She replied.

“Thousands of people will be stopped…” Hank paused gesturing to the crowd. “… by the few hundred naturalists you have here?” Hank scoffed. Nancy nodded.

“Delusional,” Jamie mumbled so quietly only Fritz heard.

“Well, good luck with that.” Hank was tired of the argument. “Where can we get rooms and food for the night? And how much will that cost?”

“We don’t charge for room and board.”

“Fantastic.” Sabine had joined in.

Jamie was doubtful. “By don't charge, you mean that there won’t be any obligations. No five finger discounts in the night. No expectations of behaviour, attendance or anything else.”

Nancy snorted “Everything has a price.”

“In that case we’ll be on our way. Tom brought us here against our will, so food can be our compensation.” Jamie replied.

“Not so, I taught whilst we walked. Payment was given and accepted.” Tom piped up.

“And you’re not going anywhere.” Nancy was adamant.

Around the clearing weapons were being drawn. Hank stepped into what Sabine referred to, during his training, as first stance, quarter staff, ready facing Nancy.

Nancy smirked. “Your big stick won’t defeat all my archers?”

“No but you’ll be just as dead as I,” Hank grinned back.

Nancy’s eyes flicked to the staff then back to Hank. Then as if something clicked, her eyes snapped back to the staff. “You monster,” she screeched.

“What?” This latest reaction completely confused Hank. What had her upset now.

“That staff is made of Singwood.” Nancy replied.

“So,” Has didn’t understand her problem. “I thought you, of all people, would know that Singwood is not cursed.”

“No, the trees are alive.” Nancy replied anger in her voice.

“All trees are alive. So what!” Hank didn’t understand her point.

“No you evil boy. They think, they speak.” Nancy snapped back at him.

“Nice story, but I deal in reality not fantasy.” Hank dismissed her concerns foolishly it turned out.

“You’re all to be executed. You chopped down a Singwood tree.” Nancy declared.

“I chopped down nothing. I bought this staff with Tsuki. I have no woodworking skills. Nor foresting skills. You’re one batty lady.” Hank still didn’t see the point.

“Get out, get out. You desecrate our home with the dead remains of a Singwood tree. Get out. Get out. You animals.” Nancy started screaming, almost frothing at the mouth she was so angry. It worked for Hank. She hadn’t been specific. As Hank mounted, he was once again grateful for choosing the ‘cursed’ staff. It had delivered exactly what he wanted, freedom, without any of the fighting he had imagined just a few moments ago.

“Somehow, the entrances you make always end in a fight.” Jamie whispered to Hank as he tilted his head slightly towards Hank. He continued, almost as if savouring a humorous memory. “There was the bandit camp, the incident at the Cockerel and now my only visit to Big Tree. You really have issues making friends don’t you.”

“Thanks for those words of encouragement, Jamie, they’re just what I needed.” Hank grumbled.

“No really you and that staff, one knock out combination.” Jamie grinned broadly.

“Oh, really and how was your golden tongue and Wanderer ways going to get us out of that situation.” Hank ground back. “Really, please elucidate. ‘Cos I’m just peachy keen to learn.” Hank’s mood was sinking fast.

Jamie responded with an under the breath grumble in Compidge. Given the giggling from the four shorter members of the group it was at Hank’s expense. Though maybe not since Jamie’s grin had been replaced by a frown.