Chapter Eleven-Vandersil under Occupation
The days went by and Amber made no further attempts to cause trouble or to try and escape. She became friendly with her captors, singing to them in the evening, telling them jokes and stories and keeping them amused. And they trusted her and let her walk around the ship. At last they reached the port of Vandersil, the City of Bronze, famed for it's riches, a place where even the poor were fed.Normally the sun would be gleaming off the streets of polished bronze and the great golden copulas and domes of the temples, state buildings, and the homes of the rich.
Instead, the gold and the bronze had been peeled away.The roads of which the citizens had been so proud were reduced to muddy tracks and the buildings, stripped of their treasures which made them look so good, were now no longer waterproof and were dirty and decaying. Where once there were great crowds buying and selling, haggling and hurrying, now there were a few sad-faced people dressed in little more then rags. And there were patrols of soldiers from Vallermoore, well armed and arrogant, who pushed anyone who got in their way into the gutter. Where once the blue flag of Vandersil with it's silver cross fluttered in the breeze, there flew the red flag of Valermoore with it's golden crossed sceptres.
Before entering the harbour the pirates raised the Valermoore flag and a few positioned themselves next to Amber in case she tried to betray them, but she just put her head in her hands and wept at the state into which her country had fallen. A skinny old man, dressed in the remains of what had been fine clothes once recognised her and came halfway up the gangplank where Amber, Jenya and two pirates met him.
"Princess Amber? Is it really you?" His voice was croaky now.
"Mayor Auric! What have they done to you?"
"They threw me out of office and put their own man into my job and my house. They treat us like dirt. They tear up the roads, strip the roofs from the houses so they rot, steal all the star stones and the other jewels, feast whilst we go hungry, and bully us. The people hate them with a passion. There is a secret army, the Home Army, that has been waiting for your return, many in the police are on your side, and the people are ready to join any revolt which has a good chance of success. All we need to do is get organized, and grab the Horn of Vandersil from those who have taken it. Where is your father?"
"They killed him in front of me." And Amber started to cry again. When she could control her sobbing and had wiped her eyes she turned to Jenya. "Help me retake what is mine, and I promise you and your men will recieve a starstone and eighty golden ducats apiece, as well as a pardon for any crimes you may have committed. I promise this upon my honour and on the soul of my father."
"We'll have to put it to a vote," said Jenya. "Come aboard, Mayor Auric."
The days went by and Amber made no further attempts to cause trouble or to try and escape. She became friendly with her captors, singing to them in the evening, telling them jokes and stories and keeping them amused. And they trusted her and let her walk around the ship. At last they reached the port of Vandersil, the City of Bronze, famed for it's riches, a place where even the poor were fed.Normally the sun would be gleaming off the streets of polished bronze and the great golden copulas and domes of the temples, state buildings, and the homes of the rich.
Instead, the gold and the bronze had been peeled away.The roads of which the citizens had been so proud were reduced to muddy tracks and the buildings, stripped of their treasures which made them look so good, were now no longer waterproof and were dirty and decaying. Where once there were great crowds buying and selling, haggling and hurrying, now there were a few sad-faced people dressed in little more then rags. And there were patrols of soldiers from Vallermoore, well armed and arrogant, who pushed anyone who got in their way into the gutter. Where once the blue flag of Vandersil with it's silver cross fluttered in the breeze, there flew the red flag of Valermoore with it's golden crossed sceptres.
Before entering the harbour the pirates raised the Valermoore flag and a few positioned themselves next to Amber in case she tried to betray them, but she just put her head in her hands and wept at the state into which her country had fallen. A skinny old man, dressed in the remains of what had been fine clothes once recognised her and came halfway up the gangplank where Amber, Jenya and two pirates met him.
"Princess Amber? Is it really you?" His voice was croaky now.
"Mayor Auric! What have they done to you?"
"They threw me out of office and put their own man into my job and my house. They treat us like dirt. They tear up the roads, strip the roofs from the houses so they rot, steal all the star stones and the other jewels, feast whilst we go hungry, and bully us. The people hate them with a passion. There is a secret army, the Home Army, that has been waiting for your return, many in the police are on your side, and the people are ready to join any revolt which has a good chance of success. All we need to do is get organized, and grab the Horn of Vandersil from those who have taken it. Where is your father?"
"They killed him in front of me." And Amber started to cry again. When she could control her sobbing and had wiped her eyes she turned to Jenya. "Help me retake what is mine, and I promise you and your men will recieve a starstone and eighty golden ducats apiece, as well as a pardon for any crimes you may have committed. I promise this upon my honour and on the soul of my father."
"We'll have to put it to a vote," said Jenya. "Come aboard, Mayor Auric."
