Desert King ch 1

~~~~~Ch 1
             Amor, a small quiet village filled with charm and happiness. Here children played easily while the elders watched from their carved furniture and small brown birds sang a lovely song in the background.

             Amor was located in an ideal spot. On all sides were high mountains making up a natural wall against the elements. It kept the village 10 degrees cooler in the summer and blocked the harsh winds that stirred up powerful blinding dust storms. Nearby a powerful river flowed providing the people with water and a means to grow large farm crops. The villagers of Amor were able to grow more crops then they needed to survive and this meant the excess could be sold other market places to bring back money.

              As for the local government, the oldest of the elders was considered the wisest person living in the town. It was their responsibility to make sure crime was punished and rules were kept. 
  
              At this time his name was Ross. This year marked his forty fifth birthday. Living that long in the new age was almost unheard of.
Elder Ross was indeed a smart man a little too smart. Once he became the village elder and gained the peoples trust, things began to change. A tax was place on every home, a first in Acirema history. Angry villagers that gathered around Elder Ross hut shooting their displeasures once the guards had announced the new tax. Ross hobbled out with his hands raised above his head to calm the villagers. Elder Ross was a short plum man. He stood a mere 5'2, leathery skin, and wore a simple white tunic with a large red ruby that was passed from elder to elder. His head bold but his grey beard long curling down to his belly button. With a smile he explained The importance of the tax, he gave three reasons:

      First, the money would be going right back into the community repairing homes and the outer walls that where falling in.

    Second, some of the money was going to be put far away to be saved to pay for a Desert Master if the need ever came.

     And finally, part of it was for a "rainy day fund", just in case the crops ever failed. They would have enough to buy food and seed to help them survive until the next growing season came.

      The villagers being uneducated were easily pleased with such an explanation. It made them happy and that accepted it thinking that their Elder was a wise man.  Thinking so fair ahead. Ross turned from them feeling very pleased with himself. After the creaked close the elder chuckled shaking his head. "The fools." He muttered to himself

       Once all eyes turned away from him, he quickly diverted the money towards his own personal gain. Better clothing, fine foods and wines, and entertainment of all kinds were his compensation for being the Elder.
Not one cent was paid back into the village. The walls had huge gapping holes and family homes began to crumble and their roofs caved in. When they questioned Elder Ross he easily explained it away saying either the money was being spent for seeds for storing away or that not everyone had been paying in their fair share and the funding was lower than expected. Again the uneducated villagers were unwilling to think for themselves and accepted his words for the truth and went on. Doing what they could to repair their homes on their own.

           Too keep the villagers distracted and happy Elder Ross proclaimed that the village had been forgotten by the Tancerta. No longer should they fear being attacked because god was happy with them and was honoring all their sacrifices by putting up a holy shield that wards the demons away. At this the villagers cheered and even held a celebration that night.
It was true that not a single Tancerta had been spotted for more than a year.  Everyone seemed pleased and even more relaxed about life beyond the wall. Everyone except for one forgotten family.

           Siman's home was on the furthest edge of the village. He was not a farmer but a wizard, famous for being a healer. He use to work in the Desert Master Guild as a traveling healer that went along on the more dangerous missions. Now retired and married he hope to spend his days being a woodworker. He was still young at 28 years old, with long black hair wrapped up in a loose messy braid. He was slim but strong. Even though he was retired, he still wore his old wizard jackets that covered him from head to toe.

       For him this time of peace reeked of disaster. Those Tancerta may be animals, but they where smart. Hunting in packs, it was very well known within the Guild, they tended to stalk and wait for their prey to become lazy. With Amor's defense now relaxed and the people dropping their guard it would be only a matter of time.
Siman wanted to talk to Ross and after many attempts he finally got an audience alone with the elder. Walking into the elders hut the retired wizard couldn't help but notice the expensive rugs on the floor, the small golden table and the bowls filled with fruits that he hadn't seen since his traveling days. In his gut he had a sinking feeling.

          "Elder..." he began showing the proper respect by touching the left side of his breast with two fingers of his right hand and bowing his head just slightly to the elderly man lounging on some throw pillows and smoking a long wooden pipe.
"Aww wizard! Sit down would you and join me in a good smoke. Its blackberry blend from the west. A present from the Elder of Opulenza." Siman could tell that half of the sentence was a lie.

"This won't take long Elder, I have..."
"It does bother me when people stand over me. Sit down."  Elder Ross spoke much more forcibly his overly wrinkled face scrunching up showing his displeasure. Stiffling a sigh Samin sat, crossing his legs and resting his many ringed finger on his knees.

             "There much better!" Elder Ross said, his lips twisting up into a smile showing off his one yellow tooth to the wizard. "Now, what where you saying?"
Siman cleared his throat. "I've noticed that the walls are changing."
"I've already explained..."
"And the watch tower guards have also become laxed."
"That is because..."
"And the people are wandering to carelessly outside of the protection of the walls."
"SIMAN! Siman my good lad. What is your point? Haven't I already told everyone that our god is pleased with us?"
"That is my point Elder. God has nothing to do with the lack of Tancerta. They are out there waiting for us to do something stupid. And that is exactly what we are doing right now!"
"Those lizards are not that intelligent! Siman I think all those years travelling with those Guild warriors has messed with your mind. Making you crave for a fight."
"That is untrue." Siman began only to be silenced by the raise of a hand. The Elder had heard enough.
"I say it's safe so it is safe. Either live with it or leave..."
Siman sighed aloud this time as he stood. Again he touched his chest in a salute and turned to leave.
"Then that is what I'm going to do."
He left with the laughter of the old man following behind him.
"What a fool, he well die out there.."