The Dawning Ore

The city of Overlay was a square city in the middle of a circular fresh water lake- Ishara. It was a modern city that had an ancient feel, hosting a steady population of three hundred thousand people. The bulk of the city rested in the Southern portion of a lake. There were habitable islands in the Northern part of the lake, where most of the wealthier people lived. Northern Ishara had the unique feature of being cradled by a quarter moon shaped mountain range, the Goddess’ Tiara.

The prominent artifact of Overlay was the flat top pyramid dead center of Southern Ishara, where the elite and gods looked down upon the people. Aztec, Buddhist, Egyptian, and Venetian attributes suggesting a collision of art and architecture that would make an origin anthropologist give up their religion. Much of the pedestrian traffic and movement of commodities to and from Overlay was by canal. There were solid roads, bridges of part earth that ran East to West, and North to South. The North road led to an island in Northern Ishara and from there one would take a boat to the appropriate island of choice. South, East and West roads led out over Ishara where the outer satellite cities filtered traffic and exchange. A bridge connected to sides of the Tiara to Overlay, and an Impossible Bridge went across the south connected the tips of the crescent island. The Impossible Bridge was a garden park. Two living trees rose from the water and towered above the bridges, offering their support to the bridge. The canopy of the trees intermingled with clouds. By road, it was faster to cross the East West Passage than to go around the lake, except for all the tolls and harassment that slowed human progress. Beyond the city was a mixture of wild and cultivated forests. As world law had it, all trees lining roads connecting cities were fruit or nut bearing trees. The walking man was not likely to starve. The world was a paradise for squirrels.

Ishara was closed to foreigners. To become a citizen, one had to live in an outer settlement and through documented and established history as a person of good repute for one year before on could apply to go in. To even get to an outer settlement, on had to live with the Far Elders for six months. The tribe of elders occupied the outer most circle of the city, the last boundary of what constituted the city. The Elders were the preferred ambassadors to the remote, neighboring cities and villages. Every city had a buffer of Elders. Strangers tarried and mingled with the elders, and after six months if the Elders so approved, the stranger could pass to the next station. Strangers at the periphery of Overlay were subjected to daily examinations, harassment, coerced sex, the loss of personal property which may or not get returned, and barrage of repetitious stories from Elder that adopted or hosted you for six months. If you were not adopted, you paid the host. You could be adopted and still end up paying the host. The lay people had forgotten the origin of the custom. No one wanting to become a resident of Overlay questioned the custom. The Elders were not abandoned to the outskirts of society- this was their retirement package; in truth it afforded them a bit more leisure and freedom than the folks inside the city were privilege to. A few of the Elite remembered the reasons- this was disease control. Healthy people could be carriers, and a city could be devastated in no time at all. If a stranger made it six months without killing off the Elders, they were allowed passage into the next social tier. If after a year, they were still relatively healthy, and demonstrated a useful art or skill, they could be passed on the next tier.

No modern city relied on tourist for income. Travel and exploration was highly discouraged in the folklore. Most cities had a minimum standard of self-sufficiency. Work and leisure were well balanced, and most people could weather a storm or siege for six months without too much discomfort. At Overlay, one of the barometers for whether or not they were living in accordance to Ishara’s will was the visibility of the water in the canals. On the second day of not being able to see the bottom of specific streets, if the fish withdrew to the outer lakes, a period of rest was called for. Rest meant people stayed home. They stayed at home until the canals were liquid-crystal clear and the fish once again returned to the steps of Overlay. If you could see a fish and the fish could see it’s shadow, things were good.

There were bazars, and entertainment, and places to eat for the citizens. There were places to live around the city, some on solid earth, tiny islands that orbited the stepped pyramid. Many floating homes, with netted trap doors that kept farmed carps. There were occasional flash floods that cleaned the city and killed folks, but life continued on. It was pleasant for many. Not for all.

Kea wanted out. Getting out of a city was almost as difficult as getting in, more so for women than men. Men could be travelers, it was even expected of them, but women were considered the settlers and land owners. Kea owned no property. She had had many trades. She grounded corn into meal. She washed clothes. She had catered to several wealthy families, which typically meant cleaning. She had experience cleaning the giant aquarium, caring for the farmed species; as a mermaid she had earned some notoriety. Her most lucrative venture was being the paramour for the Prince. Paramours were esteemed. Marriages were mostly for the elite. Only women held property. A husband was property, by definition; property in this sense being the equivalent of a pet or a farm animal and though some women wanted to show their husband the way dog breeders showed their dogs, most wives didn’t want to be obligated to appease a spouse by design, to groom and dress them proper, and so a Paramour was brought in to do these things and more. In Kea’s case, she was paid handsomely to tolerate the affections of the prince. He was not a nice man. She didn’t mind his weight, but he was offensive, and resistant to being instructed to clean. His teeth reflected his taste for sweets, and in rare moment of compassion directed towards him she would entertain the idea he was not nice because he was in pain.

Kea gave birth to a child. This child had the misfortune of being born female to a landless Paramour. She was marked with a tattoo making her ineligible for life from any potential property rights, from either the Prince’s wife, or his parents. Still, they had a pretty good life together, in a tiny hut that was on Northern Island that faced the highest peak of the Tiara’s Crescent range. It was when the Prince started fondling the daughter that she decided she would have to leave.

Kea knew the Prince well enough that she could reasonably predict outcomes. There were times he was in a mood, and he would simply come in and pump her and be gone. The quicker she got him off, the quicker he was gone and she could go about her day. There were the days that he lingered. Usually by the second cumming he had had his fill of her would find excuse to leave. As if he needed the excuse. She allowed him to believe the arrangement was more than trade- but wondered if he truly understood the arrangement. The long days were when he wanted four or more session. First one was always quick. The second one was hard earned and a labor on his part as he would grope her, grind on her, and lick on her till he was up to full performance mode. The third one was a labor on her part, as she was expected to engage him in a manner that shortened his refractory period. Sometimes, he responded to particular techniques. On the times he didn’t, he would blame her. Sometimes accusations of not trying hard enough resulted in injury. She was sporting evidence of this when she finalized the deal for departure.

“I can’t get you out of the North, but if you make it to the West Passage, I will get you and your daughter out. Once in my care, you will commit to the path, or die,” the man said. He had the mark of a soldier, but dressed as a civilian.

“Just tell me where to be, and we will be there,” Kea said.

So, the arrangements were made. On the expected day, the Prince was in one of his lingering moods. She encouraged him to leave sooner than not by giving him such high affections that he actually believed he had been missed during their time apart. ‘Nothing runs a man off faster than genuine affection,’ she mused as she quickly gathered her daughter and what amounted to a shopping purse. She was allowed passage by boat to North passage. She and her daughter walked the edge of the Bridge, hand in hand. They passed under the shadow of Over Bridge, which felt magically placed in the air, vines hanging from the sides. They came to a gate and were passed through to a bazar that ran the rest of the length of the bridge. They catered to the high end. A passerby remarked on the daughters tattoo on the forearm and lamented, ‘life isn’t fair.’ She found the shop and per her instructions made a purchase. She bought a wooden, flat top pyramid coin display. One gold coin would lay on the top, and all the sides the pyramid held coins in a vertical position. The pyramid was capable of spinning so one could examine all the coins from either side without having to take it up in hand. The pyramid pedestal was heavy as fuck.

“You collect?” the woman asked.

“I know someone fond of coins, I thought it would be a nice gift,” Kea said.

“You should buy a mint. I have several here,” the woman recommended. “Unless you want me to make one special- your own coin perhaps? Anyone worth knowing has their own mint.”

Kea pointed to the coin with a soldier symbol. The coin next to it was identical, revealing the flip side- a bow and arrow that hinted at a heart.

“The Heartland’s Protector,” the woman said. “I can’t guarantee its value. Right now the militia is esteemed, so it’s quite valuable. Fifty two gold.”

“Forty gold,” Kea said.

“This is not a haggle. A percentage of the sell goes to the militia funds,” the woman said.

“I was told…”

“That was earlier,” the woman said. “Now, it’s fifty two.”

“I…”

“Can eat apples on the road for all I care. If you find one with a worm, you even get protein,” the woman said.

Kea produced fifty two gold coins. The woman measured the contents of her purse. She also noted the backpack she carried, and the miniature pack the daughter carried.

“You should tip me,” the woman said.

“Twelve extra isn’t the tip of the crop?” Kea asked.

The woman put a hand out. Kea grudgingly put a gold coin in it. It went away with the second coin. The coin and the display case for coins were wrapped and handed over. Kea put it in her pack.

The soldier came forwards. “I couldn’t help but notice you supported the Militia. Would you allow me to buy you and your daughter a meal, as an expression of my gratitude?”

“It isn’t necessary…”

“I am a Gate Captain, and can afford this minimum charity. Please, allow me this kindness,” he said.

“Thank you, Captain,” Kea said. “We accept.”

Kea, daughter Tay, and the Captain walked from North Gate to West Gate. They shared a meal while traffic came and went. Outer gate drivers remained on the outer gates, and inner gate drivers remained on the inner gates, and commodities were exchanged through official vendors and transporters. Carriages were disconnected from horse, or horse teams, and then passed over the receiving horse or horse team. There was a ton of paperwork. If there were bribery happening at this gate, it did not happen while Kea and Tay were guest. At a certain point they were asked to come see something. Another man was there, an assumed traveler based on his loose clothing and side bag. A tarp was pulled back to reveal the content of free lavender. The purple flower had been cut, bundled, and tied with stems. Kea and Tay were instructed to lay in it. The stranger also climbed in it. Kea put Tay on the far side of her.

“You will remain concealed until three wraps are made on the right side of the wagon. If you need to urinate, just pee and lay in it. It will be dark when you’re allowed out. At that time, you will be able to go your way unimpeded. I recommend westwards. You will not speak or make sounds. If you do, you will all die, and likely be the cause of death of my traveling merchant,” the Captain said. He pulled the tarp tight and shut. He called out and the wagon proceeded west.