'Click'
Door opens.
'Step, step, step, step'
Walking.
Aneria, Autumn, and Martin headed downstairs.
They walked on the grey brick stairs that led down to the cells.
Then Martin asked.
"So how did they work out?" (Martin, asked)
"I have decided on the Black Knight's sword." (Aneria, said)
She answered indifferently.
"Are you sure?" (Martin, asked)
Martin's steps halted and looked back at Aneria.
'I thought the Celestial Imperial Knight's sword would work... I should just trust her choice.' (Martin's inner thoughts)
Then Martin continued to walk as Aneria continued to speak.
"I will use the Aspen Black Knights swords as the first trade between the Celestial mercenaries. You will send a few limited amounts of swords to make them want more and you shall not disclose my name. Only go by investor 'D'." (Aneria, said)
'What a business like a woman' (Martin's inner thoughts)
"If they ask to meet me tell them that "Unfortunately I myself don't know the boss behind it since they always send different hooded associates with a letter from investor 'D' and products." That is what you will say." (Aneria, said)
"Then about the Celestial kingdom merchants?" (Martin, asked)
"We will still trade with the Celestial merchants but not with the swords as of this moment. I want to trade with the mercenary guilds first to provide higher profits and then deal with the Celestial merchants." (Aneria, said)
"Ok I will do that." (Martin, said)
Aneria continued.
"There are about fifteen mercenary guilds in the Celestial kingdom, so send one to each one for free and tell them that since the swords take quite a long time to make we can only make a certain amount of swords therefore the highest mercenary guild who offers to pay a higher price will be provided with the swords for his guild." (Aneria, said)
Aneria continued talking in her business-like tone.
" From that amount of money that we receive it should be an excuse to produce more. The other guild members will envy the first guild that got his hands on the good swords, eventually, that will make us raise our price higher once there are more demands." (Aneria, said)
Martin's mouth almost dislocated of how big his mouth was open after hearing such business tactics.
Martin gulped.
"Now that I have purified the Nicole river and the surroundings, I will need a couple of men to start the plantation so we can finally trade healthy fruits and vegetables with the merchants." (Aneria, said)
"!"(Martin)
"Y-you purified it already?" (Martin, asked)
Martin almost fell down the stairs. He could not believe it, but to think that she might be telling the truth.
'Something that Martin has learned was that she had no reason to lie if she has no proof backing her up.' (Martin's inner thoughts)
"Then what would you like to do with the rest of the men?" (Martin, asked)
"Clean up duty."(Anneria, said)
She answered without hesitation.
"Eh?" (Martin, asked)
Aneria smiled like a child looking at Martin's dumbfounded face as they got closer to the cells.
"With the money that will be gained from trading the men shall rebuild the town. I specifically, need them to build a pharmaceutical store, a doctor clinic, a textile store, and school academy." (Aneria, said)
'And most important a citizenship examination office for protection' (Aneria's inner thoughts)
"..." (Martin)
"To make the process faster I shall provide you with strong enough wood from the maple, walnut, elm, and ash trees so do you agree?" (Aneria, asked)
'Drop, drop'
Tears fell down Maritn's face once he had arrived at the last step then...
"Wahh can you be my grandaughter?" (Martin, asked)
"Your granddaughter?!" (Aneria and Autumn, asked)
They were left shaken and speechless.
Aneria was startled by the unexpected title but in her heart, she felt his sincere request but she was embarrassed.
"W-Well I suppose I'll think about it." (Aneria, said)
Aneria said as her flushed cheeks turned redder.
With a proud look, Martin shook his head and coughed.
"Ahem..then I shall guide you to the dungeons but ...there are over 100 people here." (Martin, said)
The cells were tall and wide with rusty grey bars. Somehow it looked as if the bars were covered in oil and the floor had cracks all over including growing grass underneath those cracks.
When Aneria, Autumn, and Martin stopped in the middle of four full cells, two to the right and two to the left. Almost left Aneria and Autumn speechless.
'Wow to think there were this many people (Aneria's inner thoughts)
It was set in two genders, female and male. There were two sections for the women that decided to take the offer and the women who decline. Luckily there were no women that refused but the men's section was different. There were more on the rejected offer side than on the side of the agreement.
'Well good thing I came undercover'. (Aneria's inner thoughts)
"Ahem.." (Aneria)
'That should draw their attention right?' (Aneria's inner thoughts)
'They are already looking at me as a threat already.' (Aneria's inner thoughts)
"I'm sure you are all wondering why you are here." (Aneria, said)
" Well, some of you have committed crimes like robbery or inciting violence. Of course I don't blame you since everyone has a difficult situation but-." (Aneria, said)
"Who are you? You're the one in charge that ordered us to be locked up in here didn't you?" (Steven, asked)
Steven, a tall muscular bodybuilder body with red hair and orange eyes interrupted Aneria.
"..." (Aneria)
'If I show them they'll probably react as Martin did. They will know right away I'm not from here. These people hate the Celestial people even more.' (Aneria's inner thoughts)
"Answer me! Show your face! Or don't tell me your scared to show your face because you'll think will remember how you look and come out to kill you once we know who you are?!" (Steven, yelled)
Steven yelled then snickered making fun of Aneria's cowardly reaction.
'Hazz, what did I expect? I knew what I had to do from the start.' (Aneria's inner thoughts)
Aneria took off her hood.
Aneria's straight yellow corn hair and dark blue eyes startled the people.
Even though she was wearing a robe her beauty and features were not common in Aspen so the people immediately knew she was from Celestial.
"!" (Prisoners)
"Celestial?" (Whispers)
"She's not one of us." (Whispers)
"No wonder she did it." (Whispers)
"But she's so young?" (Whispers)
Everyone started whispering once Aneria showed her face but then Steven yelled again.
"Celestial! You Outsider!" (Steven, yelled)
Steven yelled and glared at Aneria
Aneria spoke again and looked directly at Steven.
"I am aware I am an outsider which knows nothing of how you live your lives." (Aneria, said)
"Ha, if you know that yourself already then you know why we despise you people." (Steven, said)
Steven snickered.
"I am also aware of how much you dislike people from the Celestial Kingdom because they abandoned you when you needed their support the most." (Aneria, said)
"..." (Steven)
Steven stayed silent this time and so Aneria continued to add.
"You are filled with rage, betrayal, and hate for the Celestial people who left you behind. They left you with nothing, only to feed for yourself and your loved ones." (Aneria, said)
"Tsk." (Steven)
Steven knew Aneria was right.
"In order to survive, you had to steal or act out violently because that was the only option you were left with. I am standing in front of people who committed crimes, I could have disregarded the reason why you did it. But I didn't because we are all different just like any other living person." (Aneria, said)
"I didn't automatically label you as a bad person because of what you did. Just because you hate the Celestial kingdom people doesn't give you the right to label them that way. You might not know yourself if there were any Celestial Nobles out there who tried helping you out within the best of their capabilities but failed and lost everything trying to help you." (Anera, said)
Everyone's judgmental face turned pale in guilt.
"That is why I hope you could judge me by my own character, not by a label you set out for me. I came here today because I hoped we could trust each other and cooperate together. I want to give you the option you never had." (Aneria, said)
As invisible stabbing arrows stabbed the people around Steven did not back down.
'Does she think a little girl like her can give us hope and lie about it? Celestial nobles must find lying as a hobby.' (Steven's inner thoughts)
"Ha, a person like you? What can you do? What power do you have? Why don't you go back to your cherished Celestial kingdom instead of giving us fake hope!" ( Steven, yelled)
Steven started throwing questions at Aneria.
"Where are your parent's little girl?" (Steven, asked)
He snickered and continued.
"Little girl didn't your parent's not teach you not to wonder in wolf territory?" (Steven, asked)
He snickered as he gripped his hands in the iron bars.
Aneria looked down and glared at Steven dead in the eyes as she clenched her fist.
"My parents are no longer alive in this world but they have thought me to be grateful and have compassion towards others. I didn't come here to waste your time. Tonight you all shall be released from here, you can go directly to the Nicole river now that I have purified the water. If by then you still don't trust me, then keep living the way you did. As for the people that decide to take my hand show up tomorrow in the morning at the center of the Nicole river. " (Aneria, said)
Suddenly whispers began among people.
"What she purified the water?" (Whispers)
"But how?" (Whispers)
"Maybe she's lying?" (Whispers)
Steven spoke again.
"Fine, let's say I check it out and you gain my trust what of it. What will you provide us?" (Steven, asked)
Aneria answered.
"I will provide you with work, medical help, food, and rights. In addition, we shall rebuild Aspen and build an Academy for your children that want to learn." (Aneria, said)
"I'm also already preparing procedures with the Celestial merchants to allow trading back again in Aspen. So if anyone has made an early decision, please speak now." (Aneria, said)
"!!" (Everyone in prison was in shock)
This made Steven nervous.
'It's too go to be true she probably wants us to do something worse than these crimes to get that benefit..' (Steven's inner thoughts)
"T-then what do you want us people to do?" (Steven, asked)
'Oh he's nervous, he probably thinks I'll ask them to commit a bigger crime..' (Aneria's inner thoughts)
"Since I have purified the river and the area surrounding it, I need a couple of ladies to plant some vegetables, herbs, and flowers. I will need some men to cut certain trees and hand them out to the men that will be in charge of the rebuilding project. The rest of the ladies will be provided with lace and fabric to produce good clothing. So if anyone of you has a special specialty like in the medical, pharmaceutical, teaching or anything let me know I will do everything to the best of my abilities to provide that job here in Aspen." (Aneria, said)
"So how about it?" (Aneria, asked)
'I don't know if they will agree which makes me more nervous.'(Aneria's inner thoughts)
"It sounds good and we can see if the Nicole river is in a good condition." (Whispers)
"Yeah, my kids need a good life." (Whispers)
"She said she'll provide schools for our kids." ( Whispers)
Then one brave lady spoke up and asked.
"Miss, about the lace and fabric is it true that you will provide us with that?" (Nora, asked)
Nora had brown hair and red eyes and seemed to be around her early 40s.
"Yes, with everything. All I want is for Aspen to be a good living place. I promised my parents that I will make a change even if it costs my life. I can't keep people living like this anymore." (Aneria, said)
"So then do we have any objections?" (Aneria, said)
Silence...
'For some reason, this silence was the fist time it felt satisfying.' (Aneria's inner thoughts)
Luckily there were no objections and so it was time to head back.
**Next Chapter...you'll see some future side couple moment's in a meeting along with Aneria's two goals.