Even in the dead of night, the city of Argona was one of the most captivating things Dann had ever seen in his life. Since leaving The Glade, he had seen wonders: Camylin, Midhaven, Belduar, Durakdur. Each of them held their own splendour, and none of them truly compared to any other. But Argona was special. It was the capital city of Illyanara.
When Dann was a child, Belduar was a city of legend, and he had not even heard of Durakdur. He had never had any true desire to see either. But Dann had wanted to see Argona ever since Therin told them the story of the Siege of Argona during the Varsund War.
It was the destruction of the Varsundi vanguard at Argona that turned the tide of the war. He remembered the story as fondly as any he had ever heard. Apparently, one man had challenged the famed Varsundi General, Durin Longfang, to single combat in his own war camp, and won. Then the man simply walked from the camp, leaving the army in disarray. It had taken two days for the Varsundi army to gather themselves, and in that time, reinforcements had arrived from Midhaven, burned the Varsundi supply lines, and forced the army to surrender.
"If you keep gawking like that, somebody is going to think something is wrong with you," Aeson said, his lips pursed and an eyebrow raised.
Aeson had taken Dann with him into Argona to meet one of his informants and collect correspondence. The elves were camped just a few miles south of the city, by the river Marinelle. Dann had never really paid much heed to the fact that, growing up, Therin was the only elf he had ever seen. And it hadn't helped that Therin was so well liked in the villages. But if Dann truly thought about it, he could see how the cities of men could be a dangerous place for elves, particularly after The Fall. People tended to fear what they didn't understand, and fear was a good friend of hate.
"Something probably is wrong with me," Dann said with a shrug, gawking up at the enormous rectangular towers that loomed over the city. "In my father's words, 'You're a strange boy, Dann. You're my boy, but you're still strange.'"
Aeson looked at Dann as though he were going to say something, but he simply scrunched his eyes and tilted his head, then continued walking.
Dann had found that there was always a simple way to end a conversation with someone. You just had to know what worked for different people. With Rist, you had to agree with him. He never expected you to agree with him. With Calen, the key was to be overly nice. He never really knew how to handle that. All he had to do to end a conversation with Aeson was to act strangely enough that the man felt uncomfortable. It worked like a charm.
As they walked through the flagstone streets, Dann decided Argona was nothing like The Glade, and he didn't mean that in the obvious sense. Yes, Argona was a large city with tall walls and impressive towers, while The Glade was only a small village with a single inn and far too many sheep. But that was not what he meant. There were no homeless in The Glade, or any of the villages. If someone was left without a home, then they would be taken in until a new home could be built. That was what you did. You looked after your own.
Here, homeless men, women, and children lay huddled at every second street corner, wrapped in blankets that looked as though they had passed the point of being useful a decade before. Many of the windows glowed with the lights from candles and lanterns, yet nobody invited these poor souls in to share the warmth of their hearth. It just didn't seem right.
"Pick up the pace," Aeson said, turning to Dann, who had slowed to a pensive walk, his eyes lingering on a small girl huddled into her mother's chest, blankets draped over them both.
Dann felt a hand on his shoulder.
"I know," Aeson said, a melancholy in his voice. "This is the precursor to war, Dann. This will get a lot worse before it gets better. There is nothing we can do for them now."
"And you want this? You want war?"
"It's not as simple as that."
"It's as simple as you make it."
Aeson didn't say anything. He simply gave Dann a weak smile and gestured for them to continue.
It all set an uneasy feeling in Dann's stomach. Aeson wanted to start a rebellion, to bring the empire to its knees. He wanted to start a war between the North and the South. Despite all the silver-tongued excuses and noble reasons of valour, that's what it all boiled down to.
Dann wanted the empire gone as much as anyone. But was there truly no other way? Did all these people really have to suffer? Did so many people have to die? Taking a deep breath, he pushed those thoughts down, letting them fester at the back of his mind. "Who is this we are meeting? We shouldn't be stopping here at all. We should be moving as quickly as we can to Drifaien."
"He is a contact of mine from a while back. He keeps my correspondence here. I need to collect some letters, but we also need to get an accurate lay of the land. The Angan may be capable of communicating information quickly, but they often miss the things that matter."
Dann raised an eyebrow.
"They are not part of our world," Aeson explained. "They do not care for the whims of High Lords, the movement of armies, or the cost of grain. They pay no heed to the civil unrest in cities or the starvation of people. These are things we need to know. We also need to know who stands by our cause."
Aeson yanked Dann into a dark side street at the sound of footsteps, raising his finger to his lips. Six men strode past the street, dressed from head to toe in red and black leather armour with steel breastplates, swords strapped to their hips, and rectangular shields across their backs.
"Why are we hiding? It's not like they'd know who we are." Dann whispered, leaning out to look down the street after the soldiers.
Aeson frowned, pushing Dann back against the wall. "There's no sense in taking unnecessary risks. It's better to be safe. This city is crawling with imperial soldiers. Their garrison usually numbers no more than a hundred or so, just enough to remind Castor Kai who the true ruler is. But I'd say they're closer to around three thousand now."
Checking the coast was clear, Aeson gestured for Dann to follow. Dann adjusted the bow on his back, then followed after Aeson. It wasn't long before they came to an innocuous looking wooden door set into the side of a large, grey building that rose four or five storeys into the air. Aeson rummaged through his pocket, then pulled out a simple iron key, slotting it into the lock and turning it until it elicited a click and the door opened.
"When we meet Arem, don't say a word. Let me do the talking."
"You know me," Dann said with an all too serious look on his face. "Quiet as a mouse at a parade."
Aeson tilted his head, staring at Dann in disbelief. "Dann, what does that even mean?"
"If you don't know, then I can't explain it," Dann said with a shrug. In truth, Dann had no idea what it meant. He had heard an old pedlar say it once when the man had given Dann and Rist some candy and told them not to tell the other children, lest they come begging him for more. But Aeson didn't need to know that.
"Just keep your mouth shut when we're up here."
Dann made a gesture as though he were stitching his mouth shut, then threw away the imaginary needle, which seemed to fetch him an even stranger look from Aeson. The man had little to no sense of humour. And that was being generous.
The inside of the building was just as grey and drab as the outside. As soon as Dann and Aeson stepped through the doorway, a stone staircase stood in front of them, going upwards, then turning around on itself, then upwards again. Wooden doors sat on either side of the foot of the staircase, presumably leading into the homes of residents. Dann had heard about how people in some cities lived in houses stacked atop one another, but he had never seen the inside of one himself. All the homes in the villages were completely detached from the others. He didn't think he'd like to live in these 'tiered houses.' There was absolutely no privacy in them, and nowhere to practise the bow.
Another door sat at the top of the four flights of stairs, thicker than the others, with iron slats across it.
"Remember," Aeson said, pausing at the door.
"Keep my mouth shut," Dann said, cutting across Aeson. "I know, I know. You sound like Rist."
With a sigh, Aeson turned back to the door and pushed it open, revealing a wide-open rooftop trimmed by a low ledge. A large wooden structure ran the length of the left side of the roof, stretching upward about a foot or two over Dann's head, with a green awning that covered it, supported by beams another few feet higher again.
The large wooden structure was broken up into over a dozen segments, each one large enough to house a wolfpine, although maybe not one of Faenir's size, but still. Each of the sections had latched openings latticed with metal wire and were filled with straw. Dann almost leapt out of his skin as something moved inside one of the segments, squawking and flapping its wings.
"Hawks," Dann said, his mouth open. He knew certain breeds of hawk were commonly used to send messages over long distances, but in the villages, most letters were just sent by rider or whenever a well-known merchant was travelling village to village. Nobody really had much need of hawks.
Aeson gave Dann a sidelong glance, which reminded Dann of the only thing Aeson had said. 'Just keep your mouth shut.'
Aeson sighed. "They're not just any hawks. They're starhawks, after the white feathers that form the shape of a star on their chests. Incredibly intelligent creatures. Capable of remembering multiple locations and associating them with things like colour, smell, and words. Arem's hawks are some of the finest in southern Epheria."
His eyes adjusting to the darkness within the cage, Dann found two gleaming eyes staring back at him, shimmering in the light of the moon. The hawk's gaze locked with his, unyielding, unblinking. Dann couldn't help but smile. He wasn't sure how he knew, but the creature was fascinated by him. "Do they have to be kept in cages?"
"They're not actually cages," a voice said, stepping out from the shadows on the far side of the roof.
Dann had to stop his natural reflex to reach for his bow. If speaking irritated Aeson, shooting his informant would likely not go down well.
The man wore a long black mantle, hood drawn over his head. He moved with a languid gait, almost gliding towards the wooden structure that housed the hawks. "The latches aren't closed, so each of the hawks can leave whenever they wish. Hawks are diurnal animals, so at this time, they usually just sleep. Except for Vela here." The man walked over to the hawk that was still staring straight at Dann and ran his finger along its beak, which was extended out through the latticed metal that fronted of the 'not cage'. "It seems she has found something worth stirring for."
The man drew his hood down, his gaze, much like the hawk's, fixed on Dann. His head was shaved bald, as was his face. His eyes were a dull grey, barely visible in the dim light. "Starhawks know when they have found a home. And this hawkery provides a safe place for them, away from the large predators. They sleep here, and they eat here, and in exchange they carry messages. It's a mutually beneficial relationship."
Dann focused on Vela, the hawk that had been staring at him. The man was telling the truth. There was no sense of anxiety in the hawk, no panic or worry, only comfort and curiosity. Again, he was not sure how he knew, but he did. The man's voice dragged Dann out of his ponderings.
"Aeson Virandr, I wondered when I would see you next, though I hoped it would be sooner."
Aeson stepped past Dann, pulling the man into an embrace, patting him on the shoulder. "Arem, it has been too long, and for that, I apologise. I won't be staying long, either."
"I did not expect you would," Arem said, pulling back from his embrace with Aeson, patting him fondly on the cheek. "You have come for responses, I assume?"
Aeson nodded. "That, and I would know if you have heard any rumblings."
Arem's mouth drew into a thin line, a soft sigh escaping his nostrils. "First, I will bring you the responses. Then we can talk more."
Without awaiting any form of confirmation from Aeson, Arem strode off, again seeming to almost glide towards a hatch Dann hadn't noticed before that was set into the other side of the roof. That must have been how he had shown up without Dann seeing him.
"He's a bit… peculiar?" Dann said, pulling a face as he walked over to Aeson.
Aeson narrowed his eyes, raising one eyebrow.
"Right, yeah. Shut my mouth."
Aeson nodded.
"Mouth firmly shut."
Aeson's eyes narrowed further.
Dann mouthed the words, "Not gonna say another word."
Aeson just shook his head.
"Here we are," Arem said, lifting himself out of the hatch and handing a cloth bag to Aeson. "Forty-seven in total, I believe."
"That's it?" Aeson held the bag in front of him, looking in at its contents. Dann only managed to catch a glimpse, but it looked like letters.
Arem nodded. "I would expect more to arrive over the next few weeks. But for now, yes. Is that enough?"
"That depends entirely on who has written back." Aeson slung the cloth bag over his shoulder. "Before we go, what news?"
"There is war in Valtara," Arem said, his tone flat. "Though the empire is keeping a tight hold on information coming out of the province. The word is that Skyfell has fallen to rebels."
"Valtara?" Dann hadn't seen Aeson smile often, but at that moment, there was a toothy grin spread across his face. "Dayne must have succeeded. Valtara is a big piece on the board. That is good news indeed, Arem. Very good news. What else?"
The bald man stroked his chin as though he were plucking the bits of news from perches in his mind. "There are rumours floating on the wind that Arkalen, Carvahon, and Varsund are on the verge as well, though the sources are not as solid. My own reckoning is Arkalen and Carvahon are probably close, but Varsund… not so much."
"I would say you are probably correct. The empire's hold on Varsund is too strong. The gold mines in Aonar are crucial to their strength in the South, and the Varsundi Blackthorns are too valuable an asset for the empire to risk losing. How about here in Illyanara?"
Arem sighed. "It's slow to spread here. But I can feel it. A few factions have broken out around the province. A group calling themselves 'The Red Suns' have started raiding farms near Baylomon, and another flying the banner of old Amendel have laid claim to quite a bit of land south of Fearsall. There are others, but those two seem to be gaining the most traction. They have the empire's hackles up. I'd say the empire's garrison here in Argona numbers north of three thousand now, and patrols seem to run night and day between here and the borders with Carvahon, Drifaien, and Arkalen."
Dann stood there, his mouth agape. "How… Aeson—"
A hard glare from Aeson stopped Dann in his tracks.
"Some good news, some bad news," Aeson said, scratching his chin. "Starting a rebellion brings both. What of the North?"
Arem grinned. It was one of the widest grins Dann had ever seen. His snow-white teeth glistened, and the corners of his mouth were just short of touching his eyes. "They are in chaos."
At those words, Dann saw another expression on Aeson's face that he had not seen before – surprise.
"And you didn't think to lead with that news? What has happened?"
"Uraks," Arem said with a shrug. "The raids that are happening here are nothing compared to the goings on in the North. I had a trader pass through only a day ago. He said Fort Harken's gates have been closed for some time now, and a few of the smaller villages at the base of Mar Dorul and Lodhar have been completely overrun. He also heard that Steeple has been sacked, and the northern pass is… well, it's unpassable. The cities along the lightning coast have been completely cut off from the main continent."
Aeson's face was grim. "As happy as I am that the empire will have enough problems to deal with up North, the Uraks are not on our side. Their strength is not our gain."
"Agreed." Arem folded his arms across his chest and nodded his head slightly. He shrugged. "But for now, waste not, want not. Also, now that I think of it. I received a letter just this morning with news that Arisfall was attacked only a couple of days gone. Apparently, the castle was set on fire, and, if the letter is to be believed, a giant wolf and a dragon were involved. Friends of yours?"
"Calen!" Dann snapped his head around to Aeson, unable to hold back the surge that ran through him. "He escaped?"
"I don't know," Aeson replied. "But maybe Baldon will. Come, we need to go. Thank you, Arem."