"Wow! This looks amazing!" I exclaim from the deck of the airship Bav and I were on to survey a plot of land to purchase for turning into greenhouses for my tea shop to have year round supply of particular ingredients. Bav was watching my excitement with a relaxed smile on his face. My hand kept going to my skirt where my hidden pouch was located. I don't know why but I brought my mothers necklace that she left me long ago with me today. Maybe I just was missing her as time grew closer to the wedding, or I needed the strength since we were on an airship.
I was terrified of heights, but Bav's reassurance and slow coaxing had me out on the decks of the airship, not too close to the railing, but close enough to see the view. Bav stretches his hand out for me to grab onto him closer by the rail.
"Don't worry, Kara. I won't let anything happen to you." He soothes me and I hesitate placing my hand in his, but finally lay is softly on his. His tug on me is gentle, but urges me to his side. I hold on to him desperately, as he continues to soothe me.
"Look at the horizon, steady yourself on the horizon and you'll do much better." He instructs and I do as he suggests as the crew come forward.
"We will be landing here shortly. We have to ask you to step away from the railing please."
Thanking him, I'm quick to step back and take a ragged breath as my body shakes a little. Bav still holding onto my hand takes me to the center of the deck. I watch as the sails of the air ship move about, controlled by the chains attached to the gears that the captain controls from his control box.
I can hear the gas being adjusted through the piping as we start to descend. I cling tight to Bav, feeling my stomach do a flip when we lose altitude rapidly at first. I've never been outside of the cities lower gates before. My dandelions were always harvested from the undercarriage widows and older orphans, who couldn't work a normal job. However, I was making so much now, that the widows and orphans couldn't keep up with the demand and were running out of areas to collect the flowers. I felt guilty spending so much gold on something for my shop, as if I was being selfish about it. So as the air ship came to groan and creak as it drifted down to the airship dock by the farms, I knew I would be giving more jobs to more people, which helped ease my feelings of guilt.
Ropes are thrown down by the crew, to the men who will tie the air ship and pull her closer to the dock. The shouting of the landing dock crew can be heard as they pull on the ropes to attach it to the gear that slowly cranks us to the dock.The groan of the ship as we are moved makes me clutch closer to Bav, and giggle nervously.
Bav gives me a warm smile and place his arm around my waist, "Almost done, then we can get off." He murmurs into my ear.
"Sir, ma'am, if you would like we can accommodate your departure from the vessel sooner, if you go by that gentleman over there." We are directed to stand near the port bow of the ship, where another man is standing next to the crew who are securing a solid walkway down to the platform for all of us on board.
We walk down the ramp, gripping Bav's hand for dear life and the railing as I do so. Once on the landing platform, I have trouble walking.
"My legs have been turned to jelly I believe." I laugh as my knees shakes and I must hobble to a bench where I see others also sitting.
"You'll be fine in a minute, young lady. You'll have to get your land legs used to be stable again after they have become adapted to the swaying of the ship." The older gentleman passenger that had got off before us, informed me politely.
"Have you been out here often?" I ask as I take a seat next to him.
"Yes, I have. I own a tract of land that I am to retire on away from the city." He states.
"You can retire on the land out here? I thought only the farmers and army guards could stay outside the city proper?!" I exclaim as this was news to me.
Bav quickly explains, "You can buy property out on the land outside of the city, but it costs a substantial amount to do so. You have paid a kings ransom for just the land, I believe."
The man looks confused, "A kings ransom?"
Bav looks embarrassed, "Sorry, wrong terms, the head of governments council members ransom."
The man blinks and then smiles, "Yes, I paid more than half of my entire life savings. It is worth it in the end. I find it peaceful and breathe better than I did back in the Gilded district. I must excuse myself, I see my motor carriage coming. Good day." He stands and walks off to an approaching motor carriage.
I find my legs are working again, so we head down the rest of the platform to the little collection of sandstone brick buildings with a calm and peaceful atmosphere. Bav directs us to a building labeled Office of Agriculture, and opens the door for me. Upon entering, we're greeted by the man we came to meet who begins to talk about the parcels of land. Much of it is beyond my knowledge of farming, but I understand it well enough that I only need a few things explained.
He takes us out and drives us to the parcels so I can survey them with my own eyes and check the soil and grades of them. I think I have made up my mind on the parcel and we head back to the motor carriage, when someones voice can be heard.
Looking around, "Does anyone else hear that person talking?" I ask confused.
The officer with us jumps at my words and takes off to the carriage. Bav and I quickly catch up to see him talking through a talking tube in the carriage as the voice comes through a large circular black piece in the dash.
"Bav! Do you know what that might be?" I whisper in astonishment. There's no tubing attached for it to be a talking tube, yet, two people are conversing rather rapidly too.
"It's ... Well I would call it a radio. I'm not sure what you would call it here." Bav says quietly into my ear as we catch a few words of conversation.
"...attack on the Dipton's manor. Send all to be escorted to safety from airship. Repeat, all military are to report to stations, there's been attack on Dipton's manor. Send all to be escorted to safety from airship."
I look to Bav in fright. He quickly takes me into his arms as the guard with us turns to instruct us to get on the carriage. He is quickly starting her up and driving us back, faster than I have ever been, bouncing along with Bav in the back. My brain feels rattled and my teeth are clacking as we go.
"SORRY ABOUT THE BUMPY RIDE! THE SOONER WE GET BACK THE BETTER OFF WE WILL BE!"
The guard shouts over the rushing of the wind.
"WHO IS ATTACKING?" Bav shouts back.
"THE WILDS! THEY CAN BE PRETTY FIERCE TOO!"
His response has me racking my brain to think of who the wilds would be.
"SURELY YOU DON'T MEAN...?" I start to yell when the guard interjects.
"SHIT!" There's a large group of men ahead of us, holding arrows, spears and mounted on Vargu, the fast and nimble beasts that live in the mountains.
He slams on the brakes, and throws the carriage into reverse as the group start rushing forward.
He's driving as fast as he can, when an arrow the window.
I scream and Bav pushes my head down, covering me with his own body. I hear the ting of arrows hitting the metal and our guard cries out in agony as I feel the carriage hit something and suddenly we are weightless. Bav who still is clutching me, but now rather weakly, is breathing hard. The motor carriage hits the ground hard, sending all us flying out.
I connect hard with the ground, making it feel like and accordion who's been rapidly squished together. My breath is gone from my chest and I feel like I can take a deep breath. I choke and sputter, finally able to draw a ragged breath as I sit up.
"Bav?!" I look around and see the guard, dead with an arrow in his back. "Bav!" I cry out for him again, looking for him. I see him off to the left of me and I crawl to him and see an arrow sticking out of his shoulder.
"No, Bav...Please no..." I start to cry and roll him to check his breathing when the group of attackers shows up.
I'm clutching on to Bav, crying and becoming furious as I look at our attackers. I grab my mothers necklace instinctively and put it on. I need her strength, I don't know if Bav is alive or dead yet.
The second it goes around my neck, I feel a jolt go through me but think nothing of it. All I do is check to see if Bav is still alive. If he is, we may have a chance of surviving this. Bav's breath is weak and whisper to him to hold on. I break the arrow's shaft, and Bav groans but not much.
Our attackers make their way to the carriage and search through it, finding nothing they make their way to me and Bav, another goes and checks the guards pockets.
"What do you want?" I ask clutching Bav, tightly to me. I had my knives on me, but they would not do much good against a boy and arrow, or a spear chucked at me. The people are all wearing a similar leather and soft grey material with metal links and plates through out the fabric. They seemed primitive, but I knew that it did not mean they were any less dangerous. These people lived outside of the law, outside of the cities, survived without any of our technology and were known to be fierce.
They do not respond to me, or even acknowledge me there until one whispers into another mans ear. I catch it as he stares directly at me, his gaze deep, cold, and calculating.
"Bav, wake up, my love...I can not lose you, Bav. Do not go where I can not follow, please..... I need you to wake up. I will not allow you to die on me, now wake up." I beg of him, still clutching him close to me.
Two men walk over and pick me up roughly by my arms.
"NO!" I scream and fight against their holds effectively making them head butt one another by pulling down hard at the same time.
I collapse back on the ground next to Bav and hold him tightly to me. My mothers necklace pops out of the top of my dress and catches the suns light. I care not, I will not be separated from Bav, even if it means we have breathed our lasts with each other.
The two men go to pick me up again, but one man barks out, "HALT!"
He's a big burly man, with long wild curly blond hair and a beard that matches. His cold hard eyes look down on me as I clutch Bav tighter to me to keep us together. The man kneels down and looks me straight in the eyes, and reaches forward.
I lean back away from him and he huffs, " I'm not going to hurt you, I want to see your necklace."
I reach into my pocket and throw my bag of gold at his feet.
"You may have that, but you'll not have the necklace. It's all I have left of my mother." I refuse to part with it and place it back inside my dress.
The man growls, "I don't want your stupid money. I want to look at your necklace. I never said I was stealing it you daft broad."
I've insulted him. Well, good. He's responsible for our guards death and possibly more, why should I care? I might as well show him quickly though. He may leave us alone and then I can try to get Bav back to get some help.
With out taking off the necklace, I pull it out and show him before putting it back into dress.
"Who was your mother?" He asks eyeing me keenly.
"Abigale, Abigale Langridge." I don't see why that's relevant but I tell him anyways.
"Do you know what the necklace does?" He asks as Bav begins to groan awakening.
"No, it's a necklace." I place my attention on Bav. "Bav!? Darling, are you awake? Oh my... I thought I lost you." Relief enters my heart, but just for a moment.
"It hurts..." He says weakly.
"Bav, I need you to wake up now, please..."
I tell him as the old bearded wild man stands up and instructs his men.
"Take them both."
I shake Bav, "BAV NOW!"
My urgency makes him open his eyes and focus on the situation. He snaps his fingers and suddenly we're on the side of the ramp to the airship at the docking bay.
"HELP SOMEONE! HE'S BEEN SHOT!" I quickly scream out for someone to help me carry Bav onto the airship. Some of the crewmen rush down and take him from me to get him on board and I follow closely behind.
Please Bav, be alright!