Distribution day

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Yogriche pushed the last chest into place in the fifth cart, his shirt soaked with sweat despite the cool morning.

"There," He said, "That should be everything. Every week it takes longer to pack these wagons, I swear."

One of the other volunteers laughed and said, "That's a good thing. More for the refugees to use."

"That doesn't make sorting it any more fun."

"You're only complaining because you have to put in effort."

"Ha ha very funny."

Eira came around from the front of the wagon as she pulled her work gloves off. "You two lover birds done yet?"

Yogriche stuck his tongue out at Eira, to which she responded in kind.

The other volunteer said, "Yes'm we are. By the way, your hair's coming loose again."

"Really? Ugh, I need a better tie. Whatever, I'll fix it when we're moving. Yogriche, can you call everyone here?"

Yogriche nodded, then he cupped his hands and shouted for all to hear, "OI!!! ALL VOLUNTEERS, FINISH YOUR INSPECTIONS AND MEET UP ON ME!!! IT'S ALMOST TIME TO MOVE!!!"

"Thanks Yogriche."

"Yo- *Ahem*. You're welcome."

Once all of the volunteers had arrived, Eira had everyone gather into a ring so she would be heard. She counted roughly 35 present which pleased her, much to her own surprise.

She opened with, "Alright everyone, it's good to see all of you. I see some new faces, and plenty of returning ones. To those who don't know me, my name is Chamile Fern, I am the founder of this little outreach, and the last eight months we have been doing what we can to provide for the needy refugees outside of the city. It's thanks to all of you that we've gotten this far, so give yourselves a round of applause."

The whole crowd clapped, with a pair of ear piercing whistles also sounding off from one of the volunteers. 

"I know you all went over everything at the meeting yesterday, so I won't repeat the boring details. Just remember to stick close to your carts and crews. I don't want any incidents while we're in the camp. Keep an eye on your *&@^, we are not responsible for anything that goes missing. All that being said, load up! We got people to feed!"

Eira stepped up into the cart that would be going last of the five that were present. It was the only cart that possessed a cover big enough to stand under, which was necessary for what was about to happen.

Outside, all of the volunteers filtered to the other carts that made up the convoy. Eira made sure to shoo off any who tried to get into hers.

The cart jolted as it began it's journey out of the city.

Eira tied her hair back up, making sure to tie it in only one place, and threw her it over her right shoulder so the tie was visible from the front.

Everything is ready.

She took a deep breath. No matter how many times she did this, it still caused her heart to flutter. 

The sound of the wooden wheels rumbling against the streets mixed with the hissing of bronze smiths pouring their casts as the caravan passed through the crafts district, and feint shouting could be heard coming from one such smith a few roads away. A journeyman yelling about missing stock. Someone else calling him heartless for choosing to focus on metal over a man's life.

Eira looked back into the cart at a chest that was buried near the back of the stock. Even with the strength of The Blessing, it had been tough to move. She thought about the knife she'd lost while getting that very chest and hoped all the trouble she'd caused was worth it.

Better in our hands than theirs.

Eira sighed. She really liked that knife. It had a cute engraving in the handle of a little bird on a flower.

They passed by the end of the merchant's district, and the buildings began to spread out a bit as they neared the first checkpoint through the outer wall of the city. 

"Halt!"

Eira felt the wagon slowing down. Her stomach sank. Burying her fear in feigned annoyance, Eira stepped out from the wagon and saw four lamellar clad checkpoint guards stood in the middle of the road with weapons drawn. In front of them a fifth, dressed similar to the rest except with additional regalia that no doubt showed his rank to anyone who cared, had his hand raised to the front cart.

"Hey," she said, "What's going on up here!?" 

The officer's hand dropped. He said, "Appologies for the inconvenience Ms. Fern. I am Captain Hakkoz. By order of Buruzagi Jormund Skov, all wagons entering and exiting the city must be searched for suspicious persons. This includes all five of yours. Please, ask your volunteers to step away from the wagons while we conduct our search."

Eira, her annoyance now genuine, asked Gali, "Is this why you were late today!? Why didn't you say anything!?"

"You were busy filling the bags, and honestly I didn't think you'd be this upset about it."

"We're supposed to be in the camp at a specific time, we can't afford to make the refugees wait! Not to mention the cerfew!"

"Alright, alright, it won't happen again. I'm sorry."

Eira grunted, then with a shout said "Listen up! Everyone off the carts and stand up against the wall!"

The volunteers all looked at eachother, confused, then promptly obeyed. 

Eira turned back to the captainand asked, "Why are you doing this now of all times? You think we're trying to smuggle someone out of the city?"

The captain gestured to the four other guardsmen who began to examine the carts one at a time. "We've had reports of one stricken in Thruf, with unconfirmed rumors of more. We're only checking for stowaways. It's a precautionary measure."

*&!^ did I miss someone? I thought I got all witnesses!

"Did you find the ukitu you were looking for?

"We did, he's been escorted out of the city."

Eira couldn't help but feel relieved.

It didn't last long however. When the guards were about to move on to the the covered cart, she yelled, "Some of the stuff on that cart is fragile!"

"We'll be careful ma'am."

Two of the guards crawled inside the canopy while the other two stood outside. Eira angled herself to see through the open flaps as they snooped.

"I mean it! If you break any of that I'm taking you to court!

Out of the corner of her eye, Yogriche crossed his arms, and the curls of his mustache raised slightly as he tightened his lips. 

Eira's body tensed as the guardsmen edged closer to the chest in the back. She forced herself to regulate her breathing. They poked at some of the larger bags, trying to see if any moved. None did. One guard stepped next to where the chest was and Eira held her breath as he looked around the back of the cart. Her fist clenched. The air around her felt cooler.

The guard turned around to his comrade, clearly satisfied. Eira relaxed.

Both guards exited the cart and went back to their posts, as they did so Captain Hakkoz smiled and said, "Looks like everything's in order. I apologize again for the inconvenience, as I said it's just a precaution. You are free to go."

Yogriche shouted, "You heard the man, load up! We've got refugees to feed!"

He approached Eira as she took a seat on the back end of her cart, concern painting his gaze.

"What is with you recently?"

Eira glared at him, bewildered.

"Oh don't give me that look. You've been acting weird, I want to make sure you're alright."

"I'm fine Yogs, I've been... really stressed the past few days. It'll all work out, it always does."

"I know I give you a hard time, but-"

"It's not you. There's... There's a lot on my plate right now. Don't beat yourself up, I'll tell you if you do something wrong. You know I will."

Yogriche nodded and said, "well, if you need to talk, I'm always here."

"You'll be the second person I look for," Eira replied with a sly smile.

He laughed dryly as he walked back to his cart.

Around the time they cleared the gate, she realized her hair had come loose again. Retying it, she watched as the three-story walls of the city slowly shrank away, and continued as they passed the four guardsmen of the riverbed checkpoint. She'd nodded to one guardsman who was normally posted there and averted her gaze to the road. Her hands clasped together to maintain control, but she couldn't keep herself from bouncing her leg.

The cart hit a particularly nasty bump which shook her out of her head.

"What are you doing up there?"

"Sorry Ma'am, I thought I was further from the root than that."

Eira perked up and looked to her right to see a fully grown oak tree. Sitting on the ground leaning against it was a bronze-skinned man with shock white hair, piercing blue eyes, a jagged scar across his face, and two legs that became pegs halfway down the shins. He looked at her briefly before knocking on the tree a single time.

Eira grabbed the edge of the cart to brace herself and let her other hand dangle loosely off to the side. She felt a single, disembodied poke on the arm and outstretched her hand. An unseen, thick, vascular-feeling arm grasped it and Eira gave a tug to hoist up her invisible comrade. Once inside, his form appeared, a luminite with grey-streaked brown hair. His translucent skin glowed with power from within, though very dimly. It was very prominent at his veins, which were gold instead of the blue she'd come to expect from most living creatures. She closed the flaps of the cart and he stood up.

"Ny," she whispered to the man.

"Eira." He whispered back.

Eira pointed to one of the locked crates and handed him a key, which he pocketed. From the same pocket, he produced a single, whole pecan which he place on the top the crate and held in place. Before her eyes, the pecan sprouted and stretched wiry shoots that grew thick and covered the entirety of the crate.

Ny tried to pick it up alone, though quickly stopped. He shook his head, looked at her and mouthed "What's in here, metal?"

Eira nodded.

He suppressed a scoff and waved her over to help. Together they placed it at the end of the cart. Ny tapped the roots of the sapling twice, and then looked to her. Eira understood. She opened up the flaps as she watched both Ny and the root-covered crate disappear.

She saw brief flashes of the tips of the roots and leaves as the pecan plant continued to grow, then she heard a wood-on-wood scrape and the single Thud of Ny's foot as it hit the lower step.

Eira waited a moment to see if the driver commented on it. When he didn't, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Another success. 

She leaned back against one of the crates and closed her eyes. 

Its good that the humans don't have it any more, but I hope the huntsmen can find a use for that Tin. I'd hate for it to go to waste. Now, the easy part.

Eira allowed herself to rest for the remaining few minutes it took to arrive at the site that the refugees cleared for the caravan. They were almost instantly mobbed.

"Oi, back off while we get set up!"

"You heard the man, back away!"

"You'll get your turn, there's plenty to go around!"

"Hey! Don't touch! Get in line with the rest.

Eira briefly whished she could use her powers to get everyone away from the caravan, but quickly scolded herself for the thought.

They're just excited to get some food in their bellies. Poor *#&@ probably haven't eaten in days.

She grabbed some of the leather bags that sat on top near the front of the cart and stepped down from her cart right as both the driver and a mustache twirling Yogriche came around the sides.

"I'm going to help with coordination. You two got these?"

Yogriche said, "Sure do boss."

She looked to the driver and said, "keep him in line, will you?"

The driver smiled and Yogriche rolled his eyes.

Eira oversaw the volunteers who handled the supplies and Galilahi coordinated the refugees into neat lines while they waited for their turn to receive. Together, they established a solid ring of crates and chests over the course of half an hour, and they very quickly began to distribute bags, sacks, and boxes of food and blankets.

Eira didn't care that her hair came loose again, all of her attention was on the smiles of the ukitu refugees as they thanked her when she handed them a satchel or basket. Her heart broke when they cried at what they recieved, and filled with joy as they hugged her tightly in gratitude. 

There truly was nowhere she'd rather be.

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