Legacy of Ages: The Colony

Chapter 34

Sip goes to the stable to get the Carriage and the Vort's hitched up, as the rest of the travelers gather up their things and prepare to return to The Capital. They get out on the road towards Ned's home town of Orgin and arrive just as the sun is setting. They rest at the metal shop behind the General Store before getting back on the road in the middle of the night, hoping to get to the Capital the evening of the next day, after a short stay at the Prancing Vort Inn, situated in Elstown, on the way through.

The same guards are at the south gate to the Capital as they enter just before sun down. The head guard Cal approaches the carriage. "Who do we have here?"

Sol opens his overcoat to show him his Readers robes. "We have met before, Cal, and this is Ned, one of my Readers from Orgin and his Brown. He has come to meet The Teacher and offer his services to Ren, in the Marking and Banding of the Browns."

"Good, the Browns are acting strangely these days. They have always been our servants, but now they seem to think they should be free to roam the countryside uncontrolled. The steel band will show them who they belong to now, so there will be no confusion as to their ownership," adds Cal. "I just don't understand them."

Sol smiles at him from his seat in the back of the carriage. "Don't worry, things will settle down soon, I am sure of it."

"I hope you're right. I don't like putting down Browns, it is such a loss of wealth for most people," adds Cal. "Oh, by the way, I am to tell all the Seven that return to go see Ren and Ulis as soon as they arrive back in the Capital."

"Thanks, as soon as I get the carriage to my home, I will go with Ned to see him."

Cal nods his head. "I will have Tel run to the Readers Complex and let them know that you have arrived."

"Thank you," responds Sol, as he leans out the window slightly to call up to Sip. "Boy, to the house as fast as you can, we can't keep The Teacher waiting."

Sip uses the short whip to get the Vort's moving through the gate and into the unusually quiet city. Widget looks around before leaning towards Sol and Ned in the back of the carriage. "The Browns are getting more confused, I almost need to see them one at a time to open their minds and instruct them to wait till everything is ready."

Sol nods his head as he smiles slyly. "I have a plan for doing just that. I will explain at the house before we go to the Readers Complex."

Widget sits back and lets his mind wander around the city trying to project calm and soothing thoughts to the Browns and True Blues that are receptive to his Sense.

They arrive at Sol's residence, and Sip takes the carriage around back, so they can unload the supplies they had taken with them. Sol takes Widget into the main room to fill him in on his plan for Ned and himself helping with the Marking and Banding of the Browns.

Ned, who had been helping Sip with the heavier things from the carriage enters the room. "We should get going, so we can stay on the good side of Ren and the other Readers."

Widget gets up, saying, "good luck," as he heads to the back of the house to help Sip finish up unloading the carriage and stabling the Vort's for the night.

Sol and Ned hurry down the road to the Readers Complex and are quickly admitted and instructed to go to the private chambers of Head Reader Ulis. The two guards at the door part as soon as they see that it is Sol coming down the highly-polished marble floors of the hallway.

They enter to find Ren sitting in a heavily padded chair to the right of the door, right in front of a roaring fire. The flickering light from the fireplace is sparkling off the crystal glass half full of clear wine from the decanter sitting on the small table beside his almost throne-like chair. Ulis reclines in a smaller one at a ninety-degree angle to Ren's on the other side of the small table, also drinking his wine from an identical crystal glass.