My parents were having breakfast as we were leaving and mom asked me a question which made me a little tense.
-Dear, who are your polite friends? You've never told us about them, and I don't remember anyone like that from your class.
[Right. This would come up sooner or later. I'll tell them once I have time, which right now I don't have. The more time I waste right now the more unrest there is among people of both sides, so...]
-Sorry, I'm in a hurry right now, but once I get back I'll explain everything, but not right now.
She raised her brows In surprise as he was leaving, and father smiled as he was chewing.
[We really do have to hurry, time is running out as we talk and walk.]
Emily and Mark went out on the street following Zaxton, with both of them feeling a pair of eyes drilling them with an angrily-suspicious look. Both of them paid no mind to it, both of them having thoughts along the same line.
[His excellency seems to have a different reputation here.]
Which was true. In reality Zaxton had a very different reputation compared to Engania.
Almost everyone who knew Zaxton here, thought that he was very inconfident, a bit idle and indifferent to what's going on around him. However...
If you ask some one who was closer to him, like the person they were going to meet, they would tell you more.
And specifically two things.
First, he had difficulties setting his mind on a goal, unless this goal was essential to him.
And second... If he DID set his mind on a goal, he was incredibly determined to complete it.
On the other hand, in Engania not many people knew about the first opinion, for two reasons.
Firstly, not many people knew Zaxton personally in Engania. Basically, only heads of key departments had personal contact with Zaxton, who was later replaced with Emily, who was personally introduced by Zaxton. Of course, Emily and Mark had personal contact with Zaxton, and had good knowledge of his character, as such they knew how determined he was about some things, like stability and safety of society, Z-S-M and Zegrahael.
That doesn't mean that Zaxton didn't have an image among people of Engania. He did, and had quite a positive image, and for a good reason too.
People's lives were at the very least good. No matter what job someone had, they were paid enough to live a stable life and then some! This meant that people could live a life doing what they loved, which meant that they were doing a good job if they did.
This didn't mean that people all were doing only what they loved. There were quite a lot of people who worked at the factories, despite their interests lying in, for example, cooking or writing.
People who worked at the factories did so because they loved their country which needed them, in order to keep... order and itself. Country, which provided them with knowledgable, safe and justiceful society, which favored the innocent and encouraged the smart.
The coat of arms of the country was made by it's people, and it wasn't the only honour received by the people from their country. There was at least one more wich was presented publicly.
Once the country has completed it's construction, which started with houses inside of cities and finished with factories and essential laws, there was a single question, asked publicly by Zaxton on the central square of Oblahroad and by his subordinates on other cities.
"Is there someone else, beside his excellency/me who you would like to rule over yourself?"
This question was simple. And all of the people inside those cities heard it. And the answer, given the next morning in the same way was even simpler.
"No."
To which, a bit more complex question was given the same morning.
"Then who would you like to represent your opinion to his excellency/me personally?"
This was the second honour. People had their say in the direction their country was headed, and a week later every city, by themselves, have chosen three people's representatives each. Going even further, once every three months people were asked wether or not they were satisfied, and if they weren't they coul re-elect their representatives.
These 27 representatives have formed a government, an alternative and support to the current trio of Zaxton, Emily and Mark. This alternative was created by Zaxton because he wanted his people be autonomous in case of his disappearence, since he wasn't sure as to the way this Dream functioned.
This may not be an issue right now, since his dream has become reality, this was still an important part of his image. He was respected and loved by people of Engania, and even before that organ was formed people were encouraged to send letters to Zaxton and Emily, which would convey their ideas and worries related to the state of country.
Thanks to all of his desicions making country safer and lives of it's subjects better and impactful, he was widely and openly supported and respected, which made his image of a justiceful and respecting leader.
And now, 500 000 of his subjects were thrown into a world, where they had no home, only able to depend on three people they respected - Zaxton, Emily and Mark. All three of whom were now going to meet someone who Zaxton knew, his friend and probably the only person who he could ask for help.
Anslare. Zaxton's best friend, best student in the city and son of the seventh richest family in the city. Which is probably the most normal family among the High Feef Tin as some mockingly call them.
The Fifteen Families are the most influential in the city, thanks to their finances, with the most respected among normal people being the seventh, and the richest being, well, the first and least respected.
Reason as to why the seventh is respected so much is quite simple. They formed a conglomerate with other eight families with lower wealth, in order to have more influence and hold other six families back. The main reason is that, the "lower" nine families are a lot closer to the majority, to normal people, compared to the "higher" six, as such, all of them were interested in increasing their voice.
"The Enean Conglomerate" is basically a union of the nine not-as-wealthy representatives of Fifteen Families, which holds back anything stupid or unreasonable the other six families might come up with.
And as a family that suggested the idea of the Conglomerate normal people of course very much respected them, along with other members of the Conglomerate, but to a lesser degree.
And right now, Zaxton was going to meet Anslare Areaverslee, first son of the seventh family, who is respected both in his family and in the city thanks to his wittiness and academic achievements, he is the top student of the city after all. And his friend.
Emily and Mark had no idea what Zaxton was thinking about or who they were going to meet, what they did know, was the fact that this meeting was very important for remains of Engania, ass such they just followed him obediently and quietely.
Finally, another few minutes later they halted in front of a beautiful fence. Zaxton came up to the gate and pressed the button. A few seconds later they got an answer.
-Areaverslee residence,who are you and what buisness do you have here?
-It's Zaxton Rohdell, I am here to meet Anslare Areaverslee. I also have two companions with whom I wish to bring with me.
-I see. Please wait a minute, I have to contact a superior.
The voice stopped, and the surroundings were silent for a few minutes. The trio waited patiently.
Finally, silence ended, and gate opened. Zaxton immediately recognized the man meeting them.
-Anslare? I didn't expect you would welcome personally.
Anslare chuckled a little and answerd.
-What are you saying? We are friends, of course I would welcome you personally! I am also quite interested in your... companions. Now that I look closely, these uniforms seem military, but I can't recognize them...
Anslare narrowed his eyes as he inspected Mark and Emily. Zaxton was quick to answer.
-Don't worry, they are a part of the reason as to why I want to meet you.
-Oh? What's the other part?
-There are three other parts, two of which might surprise you.
-Hmm? You seem quick today, what happened?
-The thing why I'm here. Please let's go in, right now we are losing extremely precious time.
Seeing Zaxton's attitude Anslare got more serious.
-Alright, I guess you can explain less important parts to me later.
-Don't worry, I'm going to.
Once they entered and walked up to the second floor, they entered one of the rooms, and sat facing each other.
-Here we are, now, please explain, will you?
-Alright. To put it simply... I can't put it simply, Emily, please make a brief explanation of the essentials.
-Of course! Currently there's around 500 000 people outside this city at the outskirts of the forest. We seek shelter, as simple and basic as it may be. Even receiving tools would make great difference to us.
Anslare was stunned for a moment. Finally, he returned to his sences and stood up, he was furious.
-W-wha-WHAT?! Half a million people is standing at the edge of the Granaut forest?! Are you JOKING with me?! I thought you had something serious to talk with me about Zaxton, but you decided to joke with me?!
Zaxton however remained calm, since he expected this to happen. He answered calmly.
-She is not joking, Anslare. Go and ask some one to check. Emily said they somehow managed to organize them, but without any shelter this won't hold for long. I need your help.
Once Anslare ordered one of his servants, standing outside, to check the situation near the forest, now a bit more calm, Zaxton continued:
-Since you will ask anyway, I'll explain. These two are my subordinates, they are from my dream and the dream somehow has become reality. I have absolutely no idea what happened, nor do they. What happened is a fact and we can do nothing about it. Now, introductions are in order.
-This is Mark. Head of Ministry of defence of Engania and also General-Fieldmarshall. He is a talanted war master, and I entrusted him with defending Engandia. Next, This is Emily. She is my deputy and the one formally leading Engandia, with me just giving her, and Mark, general goals to achieve.
Anslare suddenly became serious.
-Dream coming to life..? Wait, just half an hour ago dad said something about strange happenings around the world involving "Dreams coming to life", could it be..? Wait, no, in those incidents it only amounted to a few creatures, people or things, not 500 000 people!
-So we are not the only ones. Engania is the country I came up with in my dreams, probably thanks to the fact that I wanted it to be as realistic as possible the impact was so huge. Wouldn't it be a good idea to involve your father right away?
-First I want to confirm what you said is...
Suddenly, his phone rang.
-Yes? What is it Calvone?
# S I R , T H E R E ' S A S E A O F P E O P L E H E R E ! I D O N ' T K N O W H O W M A N Y , B U T I T ' S A L O T ! #
Anslare's face darkened, he told his servant to return and dialed a different number.
# Y e s ? #
-Father, can you come to the meeting room please? I have no doubt that you already have the news of what's goin on outside the city, so please come. It's a realted matter.
# . . . C o m i n g . #
Half a minute later they heard footsteps outside the room, and then Anslare's father came in.
-Father/Mr. Areaverslee.
Anslare and the trio stood up. Zaxton formally greeted the one who entered and bowed, with Emily and Mark following his example.
-So what's the matter?