The Slime Farmer

Ecthys was a city cloaked in rose and red.

The first thing that Defi took in was the red of the roofing tiles and the pale reddish tint of the thick city walls.

It was built on a little spit of land that jutted out into the river, and there were harbors on three sides of the city. The north of the city were low hills and flat plains that were arranged in cultivated parcels.

The intimidating walls, built for protection against pirates and raiders, encircled the city. In the bright light of the noonday sun, the stone of the walls glowed a pale rosy color that stood out against the green of the river and the gold of ripening fields of grain.

"The stone is ordinary," commented Marmocha, "it's the mortar that they spread over the surface to strengthen the walls that gives the color. I hear they make it out of shells of red clams."

There was a citadel on the southernmost part of the city, built on a mass of stone, its domed towers and spires rising high above both river and roofs.

Sarel stirred to look outside the window. 

"It's called the Rosefort," she murmured when she saw him admiring the structure. "It's one of the first buildings built using the pavilioned style of architecture which was based on the buildings of Ontrea."

Defi blinked at her, then looked back at the numerous covered balconies and the columned open levels on the towers of the Rosefort. 

He had felt an easing of something tight in his chest, when he saw that a number of houses in the Lowpool had similar columned balconies as the buildings of his childhood home. But he'd not thought the features were inspired by Ontrea. It would be illogical to assume that an artistic idea could only appear in one place, even with differing cultures.

Of course, he thought, the two worlds had been trading through the Gate for nearly a millennium. It was inevitable that ideas get traded between them as well as material goods.

It had been five centuries since relations between the worlds had soured to the point that only trade went between them, so the styles of Ascharonian pavilion architecture had diverged from traditional Ontrean designs.

But still, he could say that there was something of home in this world.

"It used to be called the Egret Castle, when the city was still ruled by the counts il Marellan. The line of the Marellan nobles ended with the death of a sick child two hundred years ago and the domain reverted to the emperor's control. Instead of awarding it to loyal nobles he gave the castle town a city charter. The Drene family still holds a grudge, I hear, even after they were elevated from castellars to viscounts." Marmocha tapped on the partition between them and the driver; opened a compartment and spoke through it. "Gosseu, make a circle of the city will you?"

There was a muffled reply. Marmocha nodded in satisfaction.

The fluttery wingbeats above them changed and the flying carriage tipped slightly as its direction changed.

Defi caught a glimpse of a number of flying carriages as they flew at the edges of the city. Winged goats and horses appeared to be popular, though there were several grand blue eagles carrying covered litters much like elephants in the lands west of Ontrea were made to carry howdahs on their backs.

"There are twelve gates to the city," Marmocha pointed as he talked. "You can tell the major roads by the fact that they end in one. You can see from here that all the roads lead to Egret Street, the road that leads from the castle to the northernmost gate. As long as you can see the castle, it won't be difficult to navigate. I advise you to keep to the major streets and don't go down any alleys near the harbor gates."

There were carriages and people flowing through the streets, colorful moving patches and specks between the red ceramic tiled roofs. Sails abounded on the western and southern ports, large and small ships entering and leaving. It was a bustling city.

The residences of the people were not contained within the city, as houses and buildings appeared to burst out of each gate.

"How many people live in Ecthys?"

Marmocha squinted out the window a moment. "About sixty thousand, if I recall correctly. It may be small but its history is longer than some of the larger cities on the great river."

Small? Defi resisted lifting a brow. "Sixty thousand people is considered a small city?"

"When the capital city of Carmedel has over a million people then yes, Ecthys is considered small." Marmocha laughed.

"The mercantile squares are near the gates, though that is not the case for the two gates in the east. The central parts of the city around the castle are generally residential. The smaller streets in the northwest quarter of the city have arranged themselves into tradecraft areas and are regulated by the guilds. You'll likely find most of what you need there."

The eastern port appeared to cater only to smaller ships and boats. Defi leaned closer to the window. The smattering of rocks jutting up from the river caught his eye and he understood that the large trade ships would not be able to come near the eastern docks.

The structures on the eastern parts of the city appeared to be less chaotic, less clumped together. Perhaps they were built later, with more of a planned layout.

"The Bluzand building is on Bolhaven Street, which runs between the major roads of Carmeton and Vane." Marmocha continued as they circled inward from the edges of the city. He eyed Sarel, almost pouting in jealousy. "I have yet to know how such a prime location was acquired by someone who was at the time fleeing Carmedel."

Sarel ignored him.

Defi detected a trace of embarrassed irritation flash on her features. He perked up, sensitive as always to possible blackmail material. "That sounds like a good story."

"Doesn't it?" Marmocha agreed.

They stared at her expectantly.

She stared back, unamused.

"Oh, it must be quite a tale," Marmocha goaded after a few moments of silence. "An adventure."

"Daring feats, harrowing escapes," nodded Defi.

"Exotic encounters."

"In high and low places."

"Was it a lover?"

Defi slid away from Marmocha the moment the question left the man's mouth. Fast enough to dodge the book that came flying toward them.

Marmocha was quick enough to dodge the book but the second, coming speedily after the first, caught him between the eyes as he was protesting the damage to good literature. "Kuh!"

Defi huffed in laughter at the look on the older man's face. Then had to block a thick projectile coming at his own head with the book 'A Bard's Travels in the Clouded Continent and the Hidden Islands' that he'd been reading on the journey.

*

They alighted from the carriage, on one of the flat roofs of the Bluzand Merchant Company building, slightly worse for wear.

Marmocha was moaning about the swelling bump on his forehead. "I have to meet people, you know!"

"You have enough lumps on your face that another one shouldn't worry you," Sarel threw back over her shoulder as she stalked to meet the person who had scrambled up from an open stairway when they landed.

"Lumps? Lumps?!" The outraged complaint followed Defi as he jumped out the floating carriage. "What are you calling lumps, you hag?"

"Thank you for the ride!" Defi called back, then waved at the driver sticking his head out a small window. Gosseu waved back.

The roof was three storeys up from the ground, high enough to have a good view of the city, even if there were taller buildings around.

The buildings here and there had domed roofs, spires, and flat roofs or pavilions and large balconies to accommodate flying transport. Across the two-way road from the company building was a large official-looking place, all white columns and intimidating cornices, with a sculpted garden in the front.

Looking at the numerous carriages and people below, and the even more numerous carriages on the main street some distance from the Bluzand building, why this was a prime location for a merchant. He leaned over the balustrade, to see that part of the building was a large storefront, with many people strolling in and out.

The Bluzand company straddled the space between two streets. Defi glanced at Sarel, who was talking intently with two people, and walked to the other end of the roof.

Two sides of the roof were blocked by taller wings of the building and so he could see only a bit of what was on the other street – it looked smaller than the first, but no less busy.

Below him was a narrow alley between the company building and another structure, connecting the two streets together.

"Defi."

Sarel waved him over.

He jogged toward the small group of three.

"This is Defi, the source of what I believe to be one of your smaller headaches. Defi, Tennar is the manager of the Bluzand Company."

Defi bowed briefly, smiled at the sharp-eyed white-haired man studying him. "Good day sir. I apologize for the disappointment of only being a small headache."

The man laughed good-naturedly, a bit wryly, his face younger than the color of his hair would indicate. "I assure you, I am grateful. I know the lady would not have said this, seeing that its her, but welcome to Bluzand."

Sarel made a displeased sound.

Defi's smile widened, a bit more genuine.