It took Madog and Conrad two days to clear the road of the remains of the victims of the caravan and bury them in a shallow grave.

  In that time, others had passed by that they hoped would help, but none cared to help, merely lowering their eyes as they passed by.

  Madog approached Inura. She had long since stopped crying, but the brilliant spark that she once held no longer showed in her countenance.

  Madog set her on a cart they found in some bushes that had escaped the burning and they set off.

  The journey was quiet, but without the caravan, their progress was faster and cities let them since they didn’t have the stigma of the caravan, allowing them to buy food with the meagre coin they recovered from the caravan and from selling Cutting Man’s tools.

  Weeks passed and Conrad recovered quickly, becoming excited as he saw the first sign they approached the city of Others. New Kaduna. Once in English, with it written in several other Earth nguages.

  “Verily! We hath finally arrived!” Conrad gushed as he fondled the sign and traced his fingers across the lettering.

  Madog smiled and pointed, “Inura, look! We’re finally here! We’ll see if they have a cure for your White Pgue and then find somewhere to live.”

  Inura looked at the sign and Madog saw hope in her eyes for the first time since the attack, “Really?”

  Madog couldn’t be sure, but aside from the Heam, a city filled with people from Earth and full of knowledge was the only other pce he could think of, “We cured it on Earth. There has to be someone here who knows how to do it.”

  Madog looked at the nearby mountain range that the road they traveled on for most of their journey paralleled. He could see a fortress city built on the back of a foothill in a narrow valley that hid much of it from view. A road shaped smoothed by magic lined with watchtowers snaked up to it and Madog saw many travelers and merchants walking to and from the city.

  In the sky above, Madog saw airships of all shapes and sizes circling an airship port built higher in the mountains above the city. This caused him to think about the book he found in the ring the young man in the tower gave him. A book on airships.

  Madog turned to Inura, “I’m gonna get a job at the airship docks and one day I’ll take you on one. Maybe try building a small one for ourselves.”

  Inura smiled. It wasn’t the bright smile that he missed so much, but it was a smile and it made him happy, “Really?”

  Conrad looked at the airships above, “To fly in the sky as a bird! Such a wonder man has achieved! But as, mine heart is elsewhere, for I pn to join a troop and drink wine with the fair maidens!”

  Madog rolled his eyes, “You do realize your drinking is why you got kicked out of college, right?”

  Conrad did an exaggerated gasp, “You hurt mine heart by bringing up mine past follies! But fear not, I will not make such a mistake again!”

  Inura let out a small giggle that immediately caused a short coughing fit and Conrad immediately used his clothing to cover his mouth. Madog looked at her sadly, but it was how much weight she had lost that concerned him more than the coughing.

  Inura stopped coughing, “Tell Conrad I want to watch one of his pys.”

  Madog turned to Conrad, “Inura wants to see your py. And try learning their nguage already…”

  Conrad uncovered his mouth, “Tell the sickly ss that I will put on a show that will be remembered for a lifetime! And our destination shall not require me to learn their nguage for they speak the King’s speech!”

  Madod shrugged, “I guess that’s true.” Madog took one st look at the sign, “Let’s go. We might make it by nightfall if we hurry.

  Madog turned the carriage up the road and started walking.

  Inura id down, watching the airships fly by overhead, “Will I really be okay?”

  Madog wasn’t sure how to answer, “This is a city of Others, people from my world. If there are any Others that know Earth medicine, it’s here.”

  Madog and Conrad pull the cart up the mountain road, the slope steep but bearable.

  Neither Inura nor Madog talked, so the ever noisy Conrad recited lines of pys, mostly Shakespeare as they walked.

  Late afternoon, they crested the foothill New Kaduna called home. The walls lined the hills around the valley the city y in so Madog couldn’t see inside yet, but they were impressive at probably ten times his height, with no seams in the stonework that suggested the builders used some sort of magic to mold them. Creneltions, arrow slits, and other defensive structures lined the wall and guards patrolled on its top.

  The road led to a gate where a few merchants waited, being checked by guards. This was nothing new, as all the sizable cities did this. Even the vilges had fences or palisades to keep the critters out during the night.

  The guards stopped them, and spoke in English, “New Others and a local girl?” One man, the one speaking to them, wore chainmail, gambeson, and a metal helmet. Madog noticed a symbol etched onto the helmet and stitched onto each shoulder of the gambeson that looked like a diamond shaped star with two bandaids in a ‘x’. He also saw bars that probably signified rank in the normal spots he thought of when thinking about rank insignia. The other guard, the one that didn’t speak, had a hand sewn onto the left shoulder but wore otherwise identical armor.

  Both men looked native, though the English he spoke sounded native, so they must be born and raised in this Other city.

  Conrad approached, a wide grin on his face, “At st! Other countrymen that speak the King’s English! Yes, we hail from the sphere we call Earth. I am called Conrad,” He turns to Madog and Inura, “These are my companions and fellow travellers in this strange nd, Mad Dog and his wife Inura!”

  Madog face palmed, and the guards looked taken aback, not sure how to respond, “It’s Madog and Inura isn’t my wife…”

  Inura sprung up, the first mischievous grin on her face since the attack, “Wife? Yes! Mad Dog wife!”

  Madog gaped, it looked like Inura had been picking up some English. And of all the words she had to pick up ‘wife’? Of course she did. He wasn’t like those thick skulled anime protagonists that infuriated him, so he knew how she felt about him, even if he never pnned on returning those affections. And screw Conrad for teasing Madog about Inura being his wife.

  The guard nodded, “Uh… So two Others, and a native wife. The king will want to see you. Head to the pace. You’ll see it when you pass the gates.”

  The guards waved them through, giving Conrad a strange look and not giving Inura and Madog a second gnce.

  A shiver went up Madog’s spine as the guard raised a hand to his ear, “Two Others and a young woman are heading to the pace. Record the girl, Inura, as being married to the one called Madog. Conrad is the other.”

  Madog turned, “Hey! Wait! I’m not really married to…” Had he just used magic to communicate to the city’s version of immigration?

  The guard gave him a disinterested look, “Only natives with citizenship, a merchant’s license, or are married to Others can enter. I can tell them the mistake, but she’ll have to live outside until you finish your business or pay the immigration tax.”

  Madog looked at Inura, he couldn’t leave her by herself, and he didn’t trust Conrad to get anything done…

  Conrad made an uncharacteristic noise of joy, “Mad Dog! Look! A bar!”

  Madog turned to look, only to find what was definitely a bar. It was wooden with few decorations. It was rectangur, with a sloped roof with baked cy shingles. To the side, he saw pens for triceratops and parking spots for the carts they pulled. Madog also saw two legged dinosaurs that couldn’t pull as much as a triceratops, but moved faster. He even saw an ox-like mammal.

  In front of the building, there were several people drunk, with a few passed out. Among these were some that smoked some sort of hallucinogenic pnt that Madog had noticed people smoking occasionally during the trip here.

  Madog shook his head, “Inura, let’s leave him. He’ll just make things more complicated if he comes.”

  Inura wasn’t even paying attention and was looking at Madog with a look of joy, “Married…”

  Madog was about to correct her, but this was the first time he’d seen her happy since the attack so he stopped himself. He’d still need to clear up the mistake eventually or he knew it would stick, “Let’s go…” He let out a deep sigh.

  Madog gawked at New Kaduna.The city had many of the normal round huts made from stakes and walls of dirt, brick, or stone, depending on how wealthy the person was, but there were Earth style homes. Some were round and looked like something you’d see in Africa, simir to the normal circur houses the locals of this world used, but painted with African themes. There were also Western-style houses made from wood or the same magically fused stones used in the city walls.

  Then, there were the electric lights! It was daytime, so Madog hadn’t noticed them at first, but they were there. From street lights, inside lights, and even a few neon lights.

  Inura gaped at the Neon lights, “Husband! The lights are like the ones from your stories!”

  Madog sighed again, “You’re enjoying Conrad’s joke too much.”

  Inura grinned, her old energy returning in full force, “Lots!”

  Now that Madog thought about it, Inura did always seem to perk up whenever Conrad joked about Inura being his wife for a while now.

  He was still uncomfortable thinking about such a young girl that way, but apparently it was normal for children to be considered adults around her age here as soon as the effects of puberty became obvious. Didn’t the ancient Greeks marry off their daughters when they had their first period? Biologically speaking, they could have children, but he’d seen enough teenagers to know that most of them weren’t fit to be parents yet. Though most kids here didn’t grow up in luxury like in the States and had to work from a young age, so matured faster he guessed.

  Yeah, he’d need to clear up the misunderstanding. No matter what he thought, getting married to a girl more than half his age just felt wrong, no matter how enthusiastic she was about the idea.

  Madog looked for the pace.

  New Kaduna bustled around him. Most of the people looked native, though he saw a few Others, and some that looked mixed race.

  Shops and stalls lined the streets. He even saw something that looked like a casino, and once even had to cover Inura’s eyes as they passed by a brothel, the women out front wearing the bare minimum to keep warm in the cool mountain air.

  Then he saw it. Built on the far side of the city, on a smaller foothill overlooking the city, was a vish pace. Like many buildings in the city, the pace gave off African vibes. Large circur pilrs painted in cssic African patterns. Tall, with many windows and balconies. There were also defensive fortifications and the most luxurious looking airship Madog had seen yet parked on a rge ft roof among many of the pace’s roofs.

  Conrad’s voice came from behind, “Mad Dog! Y'all got any cash fer some drinks? I plum forgot to ask!” He cleared his throat, “May I ask thee for some coin for mine drink? I cannot purchase any spirits.”

  Madog shrugged, “Nah. This is for traveling funds, not booze. Let’s go talk to the king or whatever, then we’ll see.”

  Conrad slumped, “Ye are right. We should entreat the king and then partake of the spirits! Perhaps if we impress the king he shall gift us with some?”

  Madog sighed deeply and just kept walking.

  Inura was mumbling happily about marriage.

  Madog sighed again. Was he easy to tease?

  They walked through the city, continuing to ogle the sights. A stall of fried dinosaur meat kabobs, they stop at. Conrad drooling at several bars and brothels, Conrad apparently liking more well-endowed women.

  Madog watches Inura, seeing life return to her. He missed seeing her smile and enthusiasm, and New Kaduna was bringing it back.

  Finally, they arrived at the pace gates where a guard approached them, “Two Others and a native wife.”

  Conrad croons at the comment, “My Dear Mad Dog, I see that thee and thine maiden are married.”

  Inura giggled, before a short fit of coughs, “Wife.”

  Madog ignores them and enters the pace grounds.

  A woman, her skin dark, though not quite ebony, her features suggesting she’s mixed African and native, approaches them, speaking English with an accent Madog isn’t familiar with, “I am Patience, and I will be your guide.” She looks at them, “Mad Dog, Conrad, and,” she looks at Inura, “Inura, Mad Dog’s wife, correct?” She is holding a clipboard with some paper on it.

  Madog is about to correct her, but Conrad is faster, “Yes, my sweet dy. That is us. Conrad Forest, Mad Dog, and Mrs. Mad Dog, the maiden Inura!”

  In English Inura nods eagerly, “Mad Dog wife, yes!”

  Madog face palms again and lets out a deep sigh, “They’re just teasing me about being married… And my name is Madog Cadigan, Mad Dog is just the nickname they call me.”

  The woman looks at them with a slight tick of amusement, but remains professional, “If the girl is not your wife, you will need to pay her immigration fee. I will also amend your records to add your family names.”

  So the only option is to pay, “How much is the fee?”

  Patience doesn’t look up as she writes on the paper, Twenty Naira gold. I believe that is thirty-five Sens gold at current exchange rates.”

  Madog doesn’t even need to check. They didn’t even have one gold coin, just two silver Sens and a couple copper Sens, “Inura and I will officially be married if you don’t change the records?”

  Patience nods and gnces up, “Yes. As Others, your immigration fees and those of any family you have are waved. Our founder, King Babayo, in his wisdom, did this to create a pce for those of you from Earth to have a safe pce to live and share knowledge and skill.”

  Madog nodded, understanding, “Sounds fair. How long do I have to change any of our records before they become permanent?”

  Patience finished writing, “Until I turn this in to Records.” She turns and waves, “Come, leave the cart here, His Highness, the Great Toluwani Abiodun King of New Kaduna awaits. Someone will pce your things somewhere safe”

  Conrad preened, “My dy, perchance we can have a change of our garments? Would do thine king a disservice to meet him in the rags of the peasantry!”Patience kept walking, “Those clothes will do. His majesty does not think of himself so lofty as to be insulted by your clothing. He is well aware you will have faced my troubles coming here.”

  Conrad defted a little and Madog suspected he was trying to get clothes out of it.

  Madog just rolled his eyes at Conrad, as he helped Inura off the cart, “That’s very kind of him.”

  They walked through the pace, Inura holding Madog’s hand. Spacious halls adorned with art in the local style, some Sub-Saharan African, and others from various Earth styles and cultures. Floors of polished stone, no seam in sight, graced their footsteps. Above, electric lights lit up the hallway and various works of art.

  Inura looked around in awe, “So beautiful!”

  Patience kept walking but continued talking, “This is His majesty’s collection, much of which he inherited from his father, and the founder of New Kaduna, his grandfather, His Highness, the Great King Babayo. It is a symbol of the various peoples and cultures that New Kaduna has given refuge to from Earth.”

  Conrad preened in mock celebration, “A fine collection for a fine King! I myself am a thespian by trade so will not be able to contribute to this fine collection. But! But, I will prepare the finest performance for thy king!”

  Patience kept walking, “I’m sure the king will be pleased. There are two theater troupes in the city that you can join.”

  They stop in front of a rge decorative reinforced door fnked by two guards. This too is African in design, though with some native fre.

  Patience stops them, “Madog Caddigan, Conrad Forrest, and Inura Caddigan, wife of Madog Caddigan, here to see His Highness, the Great Toluwani Abiodun King of New Kaduna.”

  The guards, one a mix of native and Caucasian, and the other vaguely Hispanic and native, wordlessly open the door, revealing a spacious hall lined with pilrs, banners of fine cotton, and a throne where a statuesque man of African and native descent sat on a regal throne reminiscent of English design.The man stood up, speaking English in a faint African accent, “Greetings and welcome to New Kaduna! It is rare for two esteemed guests from Earth to arrive at the same time!” He makes a flourish with his arms, “Come!”

  Conrad walks forward and then bows with a flourish, a confused and flustered Inura following suit, “My King, His Highness Towlni Adbu of New Kaduna!”

  Madog barely stifled a groan at Conrad butchering the king’s name as he moved forward as well, although he lost his thoughts on whether he should bow.

  Inura giggled, catching the mistake too.

  King Toluwani lets out a big ugh that echoes across the spacious hall, “Close enough! It is a lot to remember!”Conrad flinches as he realizes his mistake, “Oh, um… You are most gracious, your majesty.”

  Madog felt he should rescue Conrad, “Yes, we thank you. You have a fine city, and we are thankful for your offered hospitality.”

  King Toluwani looks at Madog, “You are very welcome, Mr. Caddigan. My grandfather, in his wisdom, understood the value of uniting those from his homend. I may not be from Earth, but I too understand not only the skills that you bring from Earth, but the knowledge as well. As you have seen, New Kaduna is a wonder that is advancing with every Other that joins our ranks. Electricity, clean water, more advanced medicine,” He looks at Inura, “Though sadly none that can cure the White Death. We have penicillin, which has improved the health of my subjects greatly, but the White Death is not one of them.”

  Madog deftes and can feel Inura’s tension rise when the king looks at her, “I see. So the Heam are our only hope after all.” But how did he know Inura was sick with the White Death? She definitely looks sickly, but to get it so exact?

  King Toluwani shakes his head, “Yes, though the Avrim Church keep the Heam in their fortress to the west, and capture their missionaries as heretics. I do know someone who could help, though her services come at a cost.”

  Madog notices Patience get uncomfortable.

  Madog gets a little hopeful again, “That’s… Is she here?”

  King Toluwani shakes his head, “She lives in a tower farther to the north in the Sky Touch Mountains with her sisters in name. Witches, some call them. Women who have embraced madness in pursuit of their dreams or desires by breaking the fifth barrier.”

  Madog recalls what he knows about the barriers of magic, the three of them broke the first barrier during the attack. Third was generally where most people stopped, because any more and the magic affected the body and mind…

  Madog looks at Inura, then back to the king, “What price?”

  King Toluwani shakes his head, “I can not say. It could be a back massage or anything that could help them in her goal. In your case, you’re dealing with Rose Bride. Her body modification magic and… other skills, could remove the White Death from your wife’s body. Or at least I hear she is trying to do as such.”

  Inura perks up again at the word ‘wife’ and smiles, pulling Madog closer as if to show her approval.

  Madog sighs, “Can we list her as my daughter? That still counts as family, right?”

  King Toluwani ughs heartily, “And break the poor girl’s heart? Look at how she brightens when I say the word ‘wife’.”

  Inura nods her head vigorously, “Yes! Wife!”

  Conrad pats Madog on the back, “Mad Dog, make your maiden happy and just accept her as thine!”

  “She’s just thirteen! Still a child!”

  King Toluwani ughs more, “I have heard Earth culture has many backwards customs! Here, we believe love is love, no matter the age, sex, or species! She could be a goat and no one would care! Even the prudish Avrim sees a girl’s first bleeding as a time for their daughter to start looking for a husband.”

  Madog shivered in disgust, “I’m sorry, but just because you’re comfortable with it does it mean I am. Besides, I tried marriage once and it wasn’t for me. I love Inura, but not in that way.”

  Madog hated it when he was forced to think about the two years he was married and he felt his anxiety creeping in.

  Conrad looked surprised, “Y'all never mentioned you were hitched.”

  King Toluwani nods, but just listens.

  Madog sighs, “I don’t like talking about it. We were both lonely and just decided since we were friends, we could try the whole marriage thing. That… well… let’s just say it was a mistake. At least we didn’t have kids.”

  Madog gnced at Inura and wondered if having a daughter was like Inura was to him now.

  King Toluwani cps his hands to get their attention, “I see we have found something that is best avoided. How about we move to how you two can help my little kingdom in the mountains?”

  Conrad pivoted easily, “My liege, I have heard of two fine theatre troupes in thine fair city. I pn on lending them my skill and entertaining many guests!”

  King Toluwani’s eyes linger on Conrad for a moment, “I see. That is certainly a choice, though perhaps there is another way to contribute if that does not work out?”

  Conrad preens, “Nonsense! Theatre is my life! I live it! I have memorized many of the Great Bard’s epics and will bring his greatness to those that wish to partake!”

  King Toluwani’s smile continues, “Then I wish you luck.” He turns to Madog.

  “I’m an electrician. However, could I request a job at the sky ship docks? I have a book on them and would love to work on them. Maybe build an escort flyer for myself some day.” Madog considers taking the book out of the ring, but decides materializing something in front of the king might not be smart.

  King Toluwani smiles, “An electrician and interest in sky ships? I will contact the administrator of the sky port and ask him to find a pce for you.” He turns to Inura, “And what of your wife? Her inability to speak English will make finding her a job difficult and she is not in the best of health.”

  Madog looks at Inura, to Patience, then to the king, “I will keep her at… Um… what should we do for housing? And maybe we can record her as my daughter and not wife?”

  Patience takes Madog’s look to step forward, “My king, perhaps if we are done I can get them settled down?”

  King Toluwani nods, “A minute.” He turns to Madog and Conrad, “Patience will answer those questions ter. I will also have her contact you about meeting the Witches and jobs.” He looks Conrad over, “Perhaps you would join my party ter, Mr. Forrest? You seem like the type that likes to partake in some of the more… How do we say it… Wild things in life?”

  Conrad grins, “Of course, my king. I would be most grateful to accept thy gracious invitation!”

  Madog wondered what exactly would be at his party, but if the city proper itself was any indicator and the king’s… attitude, it was probably drugs, booze, and prostitutes of both sexes. Maybe even animals? Madog shuddered at the thought.

  King Toluwani smiles, almost predatory for a moment before it disappears, “Good! Patience, give the man an invitation!”

  Patience nods once, “Yes, my king.” She bows, “If we are done?”

  King Toluwani nods once, “Do right by my city and she will do right back! I am pleased to add you as citizens.” He nods again.

  Patience gestures to the door, “This way.”

  ***

  “Sisters, we have found two that can help with your experiments.” A woman says, her oily bck eyes coming back into focus on her two sister witches.

  A woman wearing an extravagant bridal gown barely gnces up from a clockwork doll built to resemble a beautiful woman. However she remains silent and goes back to pcing a small gear inside the construct’s head.

  Another woman grins as she drains a still living mb’s blood into a rge pool, other dead mbs sitting nearby, freshly drained, “Oh? The king finally found some Others that can help?” She chitters happily as she watches the life in the mb’s eyes dull as its blood drains from its body.

  The oily eyed woman doesn’t respond and her eyes somehow darken as her attention goes elsewhere.

  Polling to see what readers feel is best for Inura. Did Patience change Inura's status to Madog's daughter or was she too distracted by the mention of the witches and forget to do it? This won't change the story much, probably just dialogue and interactions. Poll closes in six days.