Luna

There weren’t always dragons in The Valley. Some said they came with the first walkers. Others said they came after the second Sun came into the sky.

A long time ago the first walkers tried to tame them, ride them, coexist even. That all failed when the Daealing came to Sept. The Daealing came with the power of the stars, the fire of all Seven suns and turned the dragons against the walkers. The Daealing used the dragons to establish their dominion over them. Over us.

Now the Daealing ruled from their palaces on the mountain side leaving us to toil and work the lands in The Valley, perpetually watched by their dragons. Their birds of prey.

“Next!” An angry sturman called out to me.

“Oh, sorry. Any pigeon left?” I asked, suddenly remembering why I’d made the climb up the foothills.

“Pigeon? You came all this way for pigeon?” The Sturman sneered at me and walked farther down the counter.

“We don’t have any in my district. We don’t really have any meat.” I replied, unable to stop myself from over explaining. “My mother and siblings are sick and I thought a good pigeon stew might help.”

“Sick, sick with what? It’s not the black is it?” The sturman stopped short of me with the bag of pigeon.

“No! No! I don’t think so. I mean. I haven’t caught it.” I was sweating. The Sturman eyed me and my blues. Behind me a young man in reds coughed, wanting to speed things along.

“5 coppers” the sturman replied.

“I only have 3, what will 3 get me?” My face flushed red hot.

The man behind me in reds came up and tossed two coppers on the counter.

“Here, take this, but for the love of stars please get on with it.” The man in reds said. He didn’t even look at me as I placed my 3 coppers on the counters. A small mercy amid this embarrassment that I didn’t even have enough for pigeon.

The journey here took two coppers by tram, but I’d gotten off and walked a coppers worth of stretch just to save money. Even I couldn’t reasonably walk the climb and the distance across districts, so I’d needed to use one copper. Now I needed to decide if I wanted to use the copper to climb down by tram or wait and cross the districts down in The Valley. Spare myself the humiliation of being seen walking down the foothills or the guilt of having pigeon when some in the districts didn’t even have bread.

Outside, I looked at my coin purse. A singular copper and a couple pence left. I sighed, apparently loudly because the same man in reds came up behind and asked, “Don’t have enough to make it back to Luna?”

Startled I jumped back. Clutching my pigeon and coin purse, as though anyone here would think to rob me. He noted what I did and laughed. Heat rushed my face.

“What are you even doing here?” He asked. Looking at my blues.

“Like I said inside, my district doesn’t even have meat and my mother and siblings are sick. I thought a good stew would help.” I stuck my chin out and angled my body away from him toward the tram. I’d risk the need of The Valley districts over any more humiliation here by these colors.

“Let me help you get back,” he offered me a copper and a smile, “to get back to your sick family safer.” I glared at him. Did he really think so little of The Valley districts? “Em, sooner. Not necessarily safer.” He amended.

“Fine,” I said. I hated the idea of taking charity, but it was getting dark on the side of The Valley I lived on and that would definitely mean a lack of safety getting home. “Thank you for your generosity, May the planets align for your endeavors”.

“Wow, that sounded like the Ascended, are you taking the oath?” The man gave me a look over once more. This time really seeing me past my blues and my sad story. My linens were clean. My sandals were sturdy and freshly laced with leather, the strap on my bag had a seemingly unnoticeable yellow stitching on it. He stopped when he noted the yellow.

“I have to go now.” I darted onto the tram headed back down and willed the doors to close sooner. They didn’t. But, mercifully, he stayed outside the tram and just watched me through the open doors. He smiled and waved before he walked off. I began to sweat, whether it was the smile or fear of being chased by an inquisitor, I didn’t know.

He probably didn’t notice the yellow. If he did, surely he wouldn’t call in an inquisitor over yellow thread, even if it was indicative of me having stolen the thread from a yellow. The doors closed. No inquisitor came for me about my yellow stitching. I relaxed a bit and leaned to look out the window.

We began the descent out of red-Marte. And crossed into grey-Mercurio. We stayed in grey for a while before cutting into the heart of The Valley, white. White was beautiful, the only place in The Valley where the foothill districts and even the Daealing came into. White-Galaxia, was oppulent with all our temples and sun dials to speak to the stars and track the planets. Red wasn’t wrong, I wanted to take the oath. I wanted to be a star gazer so bad. But I couldn’t leave my family. They were always ill, and I wasn’t. I was kissed by the sun itself, my mother would say. The last time she was well she’s returned home with the yellow thread, “to mend your bag, Ana”.

The tram crossed out of white and into the inner ring of blue-Luna. The side closest to white was more well off, with more commerce. My father had worked on this side. He was a wonderful shoe maker. They all came to him to mend their shoes. Sometimes he’d have clients from near by purple and yellow—well, their servants.

My tram reached the end of the track and I got off. The second Sun was beginning to set meaning outside of The Valley was beginning to darken. I made the walk home and entered into the front garden gate.

“Ana! Ana is home! She brought pigeon!” Mateo screamed as he ran back from the front porch to the singular large back bedroom they all shared.

“NANANANA!” Screached Luis, the youngest sibling. At 10 months he was already wobbling around and speaking. More than likely out of necessity, not genius. He reached out his grubby fat hands and asked to be carried.

“Luis, I will spoil you if I carry you any time I am home”. I remarked while shifting him onto my right hip. He replied by burying his face into my hair. “Fine, I will spoil you but only because you’re my favorite.”

“Hey! You said I’m your favorite!” Marsli came out, her blues rimmed with soot at the hem and her hands black and dirty. She saw my face and looked down at herself. “Oh this? The oven started spilling smoke into the house. Don’t worry, I reached in and cleaned it.”

“Again? And the land lord hasn’t stopped by to fix it?” I headed towards the kitchen to inspect the brick oven. It seems Marsli fixed it. She was good at that. “Thank you. But you can’t be climbing in there with that cough of yours. It’s never going to get better. I am going to start on dinner, please go pluck some vegetables from the garden.”

“Can’t, the landlord did come.” Marsli rubbed her nose clean on her sleeve, getting her face dirty. “But not to fix the oven. He plucked everything from the garden and took off”. Marsli said sliding out the front door.

“What?! Everything? Ma!” I spun to the back bedroom. The children peaking in through the screen of the front door. Coughing and sniffling. Eager to see me confront our bedridden mother. “Ma! Did you even speak to the landlord? Did you get out of bed? Did you let Marsli handle it?”

My mother just stared at me. Glass eyed. It was no use. Who knew when the stars aligned to get her out of this mood.

I walked out to the back garden to see if any of the homestead had been left. Merciful Luna, he’s left all the root vegetables. But, they weren’t quite ready.

“So much for pigeon stew”, I sighed.

“Have you tried to eat the leaves?” Our elderly neighbor walked up. Her blues so faded they looked practically grey to match her hair.

“I have not, can you?” I asked examining the left over leaves of the root vegetables.

“Yes, full of good nutrients too. Here, take some of my potatoes. I can’t possibly eat this all.” She handed over two large potatoes. Each one could be a meal for her. A knot formed in my stomach, this is the third time I’d be given charity in one day.

“Thank you. Would you like to stay for stew?” I asked, offering anything to even the trade.

“No, that’s ok. I’ll receive my blessing another time.”

“Blessing?” I asked, puzzled.

“Don’t you worry child, I’ve simply done my part for the least of these.” And with that my neighbor walked off.

I had a strange sensation wash over me. I shuddered and shook it off. Looking up at the stars peaking over head. The two Suns that looked on our end of the valley had both dipped below the mountain range, leaving our district in the dark.

***

“Avalen, where were you yesterday?”, a woman said, not bothering to look up from her periodical.

“I had a hankering for some new meat,” Avalen responded. Sitting at the table, casually, ignoring the sneers coming from where his mother sat.

“You think it all a joke, don’t you? There is little separating us from those on the plains in The Valley. Your complete disregard for how things are done might land us all back in there.” Avalen’s mother, Cresilda, scolded—never really changing her tone. It made the whole thing chilling, for others. Avalen was used to it and mimed along with her speech. It wasn’t the first time.

“Mother, don’t bother with him. He does it to get a rise from you. When the time comes, he’ll fall in line.” Gregory, Avalen’s older and more perfect brother walked in. “Besides, even you wouldn’t want to live in the lower districts.” Gregory directed his speech to Avalen as he poured custard over his morning berries. Smiling. It was his signature move. Well, it was their signature move. Avalen couldn’t deny that he’d used the Luzcheck smile to get his way. He just hated being on the other end of it.

“I don’t know. It could be fun, never knowing where my next meal will come from. Taking charity to buy pigeon because the Daealing use and exploit our labour without providing a living wage.” Avalen tossed grapes into his mouth.

“You dare speak against the Daealing as though it wasn’t their benevolence that brought this family out of squallor.” His mother’s voice hitched at the end. She was angry now, truly. He should stop now, but Avalen couldn’t help himself.

“I thought it was great great great Grandfather making a conduit to connect the Daea with the dragons that brought us out of squalor. You’d think with such an invention they’d have rewarded our family with lands higher up the mountain. Or maybe even give us honorary Daealing status. After all it’s how-“

“That is enough Avalen.” A booming voice came from the far end of the room. His father, Luis Luzchenko the millionth as this point, spoke little. He gave Avalen a pointed look and took his seat at the head.

“Father, I think it’s time Avalen came to work at the factory with us. Louie-“ Gregory began before being cut off.

“Luis” His mother corrected.

“Right, Luis Luzchenko the millionth and one” Avalen corrected for his brother Gregory.

“Yes, we could begin to show Avalen his place in the family line.” Gregory finished.

“No, can’t do that. I’ve got…” Avalen began before realizing he couldn’t say school. He’d been kicked out for absenteeism. “Stuff”

“I think that’s an excellent idea. You can accompany your brothers today. Go change for work”. His mother wasted no time before sending her third son away.

Avalen looked at Gregory, proud of himself for winning his mothers approval, then at his father who merely nodded his agreement. Avalen glared back at Gregory and left the table to go change.

Returning dressed in his business reds, Avalen saw Gregory waiting at the foot of the stairs. “Taking long won’t stop today from happening you know,” Gregory remarked looking at his watch.

“No but it might make less of it suck.” Avalen said mussing up Gregory’s hair before landing at the bottom.

“When will you grow up?” Gregory said.

“When you stop making adulthood seem like I’m selling my being into indentured servitude.”

“Avalen, this isn’t the joke and now more than ever you need to stop this.”

“Why now?”

Gregory shifted his weight and looked around. “I’ll explain on the way. Let’s go”.

“Ok, we are far enough from home. What’s the problem?” Avalen asked shifting in his seat to turn towards his brother.

“Where were you really?”

“What?”

“Yesterday? Venturing down to get ‘new’ meat wouldn’t take you all day”

“Wait, really? This is what you want to know? I thought we had a serious problem but you want me to answer this?” Avalen stared at Gregory in disbelief.

“Yes.”

“To which? We do have a problem or you need me to answer this?”

Gregory just stared at Avalen.

“I saw a girl. From Luna at the market.”

“From Luna?”

“Yes, she said Luna didn’t have pigeon so she came up”.

“Why come to Marte? Why not Saturno?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. Maybe she wanted a change of sceanery? Anyhow. She was really poor. But really well spoken and clean. And she had this big long unbound hair. And it’s the weirdest thing, she had a yellow-“

“You followed her back to Luna didn’t you?”

“What? No. Yes. But only because I was curious because she had the yellow stitching. And then I got distracted thinking of why the Daealing sorted us into color and why is it forbidden we wear other colors? Do they think someone would take their precious green?”

“So, what happened?”

“It’s super sad, they live in a shoebox on the edge of the district. Like 6 of them and I don’t even think they have a proper oven. Or dad to work. It looks like that girl might be the one in charge. Pity, she would be a great ascended if she could ever leave.”

“Don’t go back and attach to a blue peasant.”

“Attach? What? No. I was curious- it was all just a bit off like she had this-“

“It’s not just curiosity, what you have is too much time without being useful. This is not the time to be off galavanting. What if the Daealing had seen you? Is having so much time to waste you could follow a Luna on a whim something to be associated with? Especially now?”

“Ok, Gregory, you need to stop referencing this problem we have on our hands as though I know what you’re talking about. What is going on?”

“There aren’t any new dragons”

“What?”

“Do you need me to spell it out for you? No new dragons means no new conduits. No new conduits means production stops. Production stops and we are left with nothing. All those generations of Luzchenko business, gone.”

“Mierd, does mother know? Is that why she’s been on me about preserving status?”

“No, she doesn’t know. She just hates how you sully our name and color.”

“Maybe this is a good thing? No dragons mean that the Daealing can’t-“

“You’re so spoiled. Where do you think we’d fall in this new world? It was our family that helped cement this. Our great great great grandfather.”

“I know! Where do you think the guilt comes from?”

“Who are you to carry the guilt of a whole family. You’re a baby.”

Avalen opened his mouth to speak when Gregory raised his hand to silence Avalen. “We won’t speak like this in front of Louie”

“Luis.”

Gregory glared at Avalen. . The driver opened the door to let them out. Gregory entered into the edifice assuming Avalen followed.

He didn’t.

***

“You never come during the day”, Agatha answered the door and let Avalen come in. “Especially not this early. Shouldn’t you be at school or work?”

“Not you too, Agatha. Not today.”

“All work and no play it is for me today, is it?” Avalen answered by kissing her hard. He pried her mouth open with his tongue and began roving her mouth savagely. She squirmed and broke free.

“Payment please.” She said and held out her hand. She looked at Avalen’s confused face and said “If you’re going to treat me like my permits then pay me like it too.”

Avalen reached into his pocket and took out some coppers and placed them in Agatha’s hand. “More please.” She said. “My rates have gone up. You’re not the only red to want to come to a former grey mistress. In fact, it seems everyone wants to taste a lower.” Avalen took back the coppers and handed her a silver. Her eyes lit up.

“Thank you, my love.” She crooned. She turned to put the coin away in her chest when a flyer fell to the floor.

“What’s this?” Avalen picked it up.

Bringers of light. 0820

Fallen crest.

“Nothing for you.”

“That’s that new thing I’ve heard rumblings about. Wanting a revolution.”

“Again, nothing for you.”

“Why not me?”

“You didn’t have to promise yourself to prostitution in order to be able to move somewhere with better resources. Safer. Cleaner.”

Instant guilt hit Avalen. He swallowed hard. “Aggie, I-“

“Shut up and get what you paid for” Agatha pushed him onto a seat and straddled him. Before he could protest she kissed him just as hard as he had kissed her when he’d arrived. His hands moved to her back side and slid down to cup her ass. He shifted her closer, angling his groin directly under her crotch so she could feel his eagerness.

Her mouth opened up wider to invite his tongue in which He immediately accepted. She bit it lightly and sucked, gently scraping her teeth as she pulled her head back. Releasing his tongue with an exhale. His hands pushed her skirts up and slipped under cupping her bare ass. His fingers spread her cheeks and he began circling her bottom with his finger. She bit his ear lobe. “That’ll cost extra” she laughed into his ear. Bringing his hand to her front so his finger could dance over her clit. She let out a choked breath and reached for the fastening on his pants.

After undoing them she reached her hand back up. Breaking free from his mouth, she licked the entirety of her palm before reaching back down and wrapping it around his cock. He groaned. He slipped her neckline down under her breasts and fondled one into his mouth. Then the other. Lapping his tongue around her nipple and sucking it hard so it made a pop sound once he released it from his mouth. She gasped. Suddenly annoyed she was enjoying herself, Agatha mounted Avalen’s full cock. She stifled a shudder, not wanting to let on that she enjoyed the feel of him entering her.

She planted herself on him, tightening around him while she swirled her hips around, a move she knew would be his undoing. Avalen snarled, something primitive and deep unlatching inside him. He hoisted her up and flipped her on her back onto the nearby table. He thrusted in her once, twice, before flipping her over on her belly.

“I told you, that’ll cost you-“ she gasped as he drove deep with in her. Taking her from behind. She shuddered as a climax rolled through her as he sped up. His release not far behind her.

He gripped her hips tighter, bringing her towards him as he thrust in her deeper and deeper. He thought he might break her. Finally, he reached climax. He groaned and pulled out, spilling his seed on the floor.

“You know I take care of that for myself, don’t you? Or what? Can’t risk having a bastard child with me?”

“What? No. Agatha it’s not like that. You know I -“

“What? Think of me as more than that? Tell me Avalen, at exactly what point do you begin to think of me less than? Less than wife obviously. Less than girlfriend. Less than potential girlfriend, maybe?”

“I’m sorry I came in with a sour mood. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and nuzzled her hair on her neck. “Really, I’m sorry.”

She turned and kissed him, a sign she accepted his apology. “That one is on the house.” She walked off fastening the front of her reds and adjusting her breasts so they say higher.

Avalen stood there awkwardly for a moment, shoved himself back in his pants, and turned to leave. At the door he looked back at her, she was busy in the Kitchenette area of her studio. If she wanted him to stay longer, she made no motion. “Until next time,” he said. She didn’t look up.

Avalen stepped out into the high, mid-morning sun, unsure what to do. He couldn’t go back home. He could join his brothers at the office. He reached into his pocket and saw how much coin he had to carry him through the day when he had an idea. Maybe his brothers were right, maybe he was crazy. Avalen stuck his hand back in his pocket and headed towards the main tram, the one that cut through the valley.

***

“Suns, its hot.” I looked up and saw both suns shared the sky already. “I’d been out all morning planting whatever seeds I could find, trying to see if anything would take this late in the season and I just lost track of time.”

“Who you talking to Ana?” Marsli came out of the cottage and looked at Ana on the ground.

“No one Marsli, myself mostly. Are you hungry?”

“That depends, do we have food?”

“Marsli! Of course we have food.”

“I am just asking. The land lord took a lot and you spent all your coin on pigeon.”

“Did you not enjoy the stew?”

“No no, it was great! I wish we could have it every meal.”

“Well, you’re in luck. We still have some.”

“What really?” Marsli’s eyes lit up. They’d never had two good meals in a row. Usually it was boiled cabbage, maybe a boiled potato. If they were lucky they might share a bit of egg beside either.

“Yes, really. Go wash up. Have your brothers wash up too.” I looked down at my own hands. I’d need a full scrubbing if I were to go and do day work down with the seamstress.

I stood up and was about to turn in, when I noticed him. He was a ways still, but no one could miss a reds in this part of the valley. It was him. The guy from the pigeon yesterday. How did he know where I lived? Was he coming about the stitching? Or to collect back what he’d given?

“I don’t have your coppers, but if you give me until the end of day I can go earn them down at the seamstress.” I said, not waiting to hear his reason for being here.

“What? No, I don’t want the money. I, uh, I don’t exactly know why I came. I guess I was just curious after seeing you yesterday.” He shifted on his feet outside the front gate. What was he doing there?

“You can come in.” I said, realizing he was waiting to be invited onto our plot. “How did you know where I lived?” I eyed him as he stepped just inside.

“You know, they have little shovels and stuff for that. You don’t need to use your hands.” He said pointing to the ground beside me freshly planted.

“We don’t have the means for that. You haven’t answered my question, how did you know where I lived?” Heat began to flush my face. I was getting irritated. It wasn’t enough that he humiliated me yesterday, here was was now in my own home telling me how to tend to my plot.

“I, uh, I followed you. Yesterday. I was curious.” He smiled as if to signal all was well.

“You followed me? Have you nothing else to do with your time than satisfy your curiosity? Are you so spoiled that all the districts are your play ground? We just toys to you for your amusement?” I was mad.

The man’s face fell as he looked to the ground. He remained silent. I became uncomfortable with the silence. Had I gone to far? He was from one of the gem tone districts. He was higher. I was out of line. A knot grew in my stomach and anxiety took root at the base of my neck.

“You know,” he began, still not looking up, “that’s basically the third time today someone calls me spoiled. I think maybe I am. I don’t know what to do about it. I could work, but if I do that, it’s with the family and the family business isn’t exactly something I am proud of or feel called to. I failed out of school because it all seemed pointless. I don’t know what to do.” He looked up. He looked so sad, so pathetic. Instant guilt hit me. I much preferred that smile.

“Are you hungry? We were all just about to eat. I am sure we could fashion another plate for you.” Suns. He was probably used to feasting and I was offering left over pigeon stew. He simply nodded and followed me in to the cottage.

“Marsli, set another plate please and grab an extra chair.”

Marsli looked up and gawked at the red.

“Who's he?” She asked. Marsli never minced words and she never shied away from an uncomfortable questions. I loved her for it, right now that is. Other times, I could crawl into a hole and die.

“I, uh, I don’t know your name. I’m Ana. This is Marsli, Mateo, and this little chubby one is Luis.” Luis walked up to me reaching for me to carry him. He immediately settled in with his head on my chest and gave a big yawn.

“Luis, my brother is also Luis. And my dad. And my dad’s dad. It’s a whole thing. I am Avalen. Nice to meet you all.” Avalen held out his hand towards Marsli. She eyed it and tentatively took it.

I served the plates with meager helpings. I placed some plaan in the center.

“You made plaan? When?!” Mateo jumped up and grabbed two.

“Last night with some corn I had hidden and some potatoes the neighbor gave,” I swatted at Mateo’s hand. “Wait until everyone has had one.”

Avalen looked at the plaan in his hand and turned it over. Not sure what to make of the flat round food stuffs in his hand. He looked at Marsli who had rolled hers up and was dipping it in the broth of her stew. Mateo on the other hand was eating it by itself, letting his stew grew cold. Avalen took a bite, and then another.

“This is delicious!” He exclaimed while he spooned a bit of stew into his already full mouth. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. “Oh my suns. This is great. Much better than my cooks.” Did he just say cooks? As in more than one?

“Ana is a great cook when we have food for her to make!” Marsli offered up. I swatted the back of her head. “What? It’s true. He can easily tell we certainly don’t have COOKS.” I stifled a chuckle. She’d caught it too. Now it was Avalen who turned red in the face.

They finished up the meal. I assumed Avalen would leave but instead he stayed. He tried to help clean up but it was clear he didn’t know how.

“I have to clean up,” I said.

“What did we just do if not clean up?” He asked. I gestured to myself and all the dirt still on me from the morning. “Oh. Um, can I wait? And stay the day?”

“Sure? You can wait outside?” I was puzzled at his ask, but it was nice having him around.

***

“You’re new.” An elderly woman in faded blues approached.

“Oh. Yes, I am Avalen. I am one of Ana’s friends.”

“She’s a sweet girl. You do realize she’s Luna, don’t you, Red?”

“Yes, I know. I am ok with that.” She eyed Avalen and smirked.

“Ok. Give her this, will you? You come, too. I’ll see you there.” She handed him a flyer.

Bringer of Light 0820

Fallen Crest.

Ana walked out and he turned to her.“Your neighbor was here. Do you know where Fallen Crest is?”