The Story of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book One

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Lars was an impressive merging of modern human technology, magic, and medieval buildings and dress. Above us skimmed men and women going about chores on silver disks with handles that made them function like scooters. Between the spires and along the rooftops, diminutive winged men car wearing gossamer outfits and carrying letters flitted into large, boxy entries. Large, warrior-like centaurs clopped down the road ridden by important-looking ladies. The centaurs carried heavy spears in their hands.

I could see the difference in power between the sexes much more clearly than at the party. Women mostly veiled themselves, and most had a man (or had men) attending to them. Very few were unveiled, and those that were seemed to be slaves or servants as they would duck out of the way of those more important. Those who were not servants wore fine clothes and strode down the streets with some grand purpose, a trail of men following behind them. Shop owners and government officials were women, it seemed, since they were the only gender wearing badges. Men who held any power appeared to be from noble houses or had a high rank in the military. Even though they might have had influence, they would defer to any women that they passed.

Although this city seemed so orderly and peaceful, I wanted the crazy hustle of SF back. I liked that egalitarian sense of democracy there. When we were nearly at the temple, a small, goat-horned man dressed plainly in a homespun tunic had the unfortunate accident of getting in the path of an official woman. She kicked him out of the way, and he went sprawling. Then, he cringed in a ball and held up a hand in entreaty. She walked by as though nothing had happened. I stopped and turned towards the man, worried that she had injured him.

"Do not," Luke said.

"What do you mean, 'do not'?? She kicked him very hard!"

He bowed before me, blocking my way.

"What's the deal, Luke?" My brow wrinkled with exasperation.

"If you help that man, My Lady,  you will insult the official that passed by. She may decide to challenge you to a duel, and you might lose."

"Way to instill confidence, Luke." I looked over his shoulder at the man on the ground.

A few other poorly dressed men had already gathered around the man and were helping him into a building. I could hear a woman shouting at him from inside.

I clenched my fists as I struggled with my desire to march right in there and rescue the poor guy. "Why is it that there never can be a balance around here? Isn't that what true purity is?" I glanced around for bones to give that lady who kicked him a scare. She wouldn't know it was me.

A nearby chicken carcass rose and hurtled towards the noblewoman who was continuing down the street.  A hand reached around me and tugged me into a hard chest. The carcass fell with a clatter a few feet from the woman who turned to see what had happened. When she saw the carcass at her feet, she shouted at the men. That brought out their mistress, who started to beat them more. 

"Let me go," I muttered at Luis as I turned towards the woman who was abusing those men. I was about to yell at her, but his other hand went over my mouth. 

"You're not helping, Matt. Leave it for now." Luis said. He was looking towards the building like he was about to throw hands as well.

As we moved on, Luis put his arm around me so he could whisper in my ear. "Matt, what you did back there was stupid."

My jaw jutted forward. "Why?"

"In a place that values purity over all, how would they view a necromancer like you?"

"Dude..." Adrian glared at Luis, overhearing what he'd said. 

I shook Luis off, "I'm not a necromancer!"