Motonari the Capital

Although there were some mishaps with Sachi's steering, thanks to Itsuki's guidance, the capital was within their sights by the time evening fell. 

"Do you see it Sachi? This is the capital of the land, Motonari!" Itsuki yelled over the galloping. 

From afar the capital was difficult to see as all that was visible were well guarded grand towering walls closing off a large portion of the land. What could those walls be trying to keep out? Or keep in?

When they finally approached the capital, Sachi slowed the horse to a stop to join the line of travelers entering the gates. Itsuki dismounted the horse and grabbed ahold of the reigns to walk the horse forward. Sachi kept her cloak low in her face to hide her eyes. When their turn arrived, the guards stopped to search the horse's satchels before making way to let them in.

They walked through the long tunnel of a gateway of the thick walls infused with earth and magic. 

"I didn't think it would be so easy to get in." Sachi said.

"Getting in is easy, getting out is the issue."

"Huh? Why?"

Itsuki's face was grim. "The capital might seem like a place of luxury, but in reality, it's a prison."

Once they were through the tunnel, the capital of Motonari was finally within sight. The city pulses like a great machine. Streets are narrow and straight, designed for efficiency, not comfort. The air was thick with smoke and heat. Even though night had already fallen, people continued to work without rest. The clang of a hammer on anvil echoed endlessly through the alleys, mingling with the hiss of oil in massive kitchens, and the weaving of silk in the factories. These were the only sounds that showed life here - not laughter, not music, not words. Only labor.

There was no talk. No play. Even the children, pale and silent, moved like ghosts between the forges and factories, already bearing the weight of society rather than childhood. The people's faces were gray with ash and grief, bodies riddled with exhaustion without thought to stop, atmosphere heavy with despair. 

Itsuki was right, the capital felt less like a capital and more like a prison. People seemed to live not by choice, but by necessity. 

Sachi felt the weight of the city, just being in it felt taxing, she couldn't imagine how these people felt. "Why is it so lifeless...?"

Itsuki guided the horse down an alleyway, hushing Sachi. "Shh... Speak no words until we arrive."

Sachi felt the sternness in Itsuki's whisper and held her tongue. 

After walking through the restless capital, they came across a housing building. Sachi dismounted the horse with Itsuki's help and Itsuki put the horse in the stable behind the housing building. Quietly, they both entered the building and climbed five flights of stairs. Itsuki approached one of many doors, took out a key from her pocket, and opened it. 

They entered the room and once Itsuki locked the door behind them, she exhaled loudly as if she had been holding her breath the entire time. "I hate coming to the capital."

Seeing as Itsuki spoke first, Sachi figured it was okay to talk finally. "Why couldn't be talk before?"

Itsuki rolled her eyes. "The capital has a certain way of doing things and talking isn't one of them. People are to be seen, not heard. They're to work, not play. They're to follow order, not live. And there's eyes everywhere in the capital, you can never know who's watching or listening, especially at night while the shadows roam."

Sachi cautiously looked around the room. "Is it safe here then?"

"Don't worry, this place is infused with my brother's and my magic. If there was something in here, I would know."

"Your brother?"

Itsuki plopped down lazily on the couch. "Yeah, my older brother."

Sachi cautiously took a seat at the table. "I thought you were the oldest?"

Itsuki laughed sarcastically and dryly. "Ha! I wish. Foolish brother of mine. He's the only reason I have to come to the capital once a month."

"Why's that?"

Itsuki slumped further into the couch. "As you can see, the capital is not a place that is desirable. But to everyone outside the capital, it is. They promote that everyone can work and can make a life for themselves and their families. They advertise housing at low cost and endless opportunities. But the reality is they trap you here. Once you buy a house or start a job here, you can't leave."

"But why?"

"Contracts. The capital sure loves their contracts. They tell the people that come here if they sign the contract they'll be set for life. A house, a job, education if they want it, and if they have family, they can bring them into the city. But that contract is binding them to the capital. Most people who come here, come here in hopes to secure a future for their family on the outside. But the government uses those families as blackmail, saying you can't leave unless you want something to happen to your family. The people that do come here together as a family are just as trapped. You come here with kids and it's 'you don't want something to happen to your kids, do you?'. Same sort of thing for whoever comes here. Something is being held over them."

"That's awful... If this is so known though, then why do people still come here?"

"It's not as known as you might think. Barely anyone that enters the capital ever leaves again. So, people that do hear about this just think it's conspiracy."

"Is there no way to leave though?"

"If someone signed a contract then unless you're brave enough and sane enough to break it then there's no other way. Not only are the people being blackmailed here, but those contracts are literally binding, through high levels of dark magic. The only other way to break it would be to become stronger than the contract creator to break the spell I suppose."

"But you said you come once a month, so how do you get out?"

"Well, first off I haven't signed any contract so there's nothing binding me here. Second off, I have help on the inside."

"Who?"

Itsuki rolled her eyes again. "My stupid brother who fell for this dumb propaganda. He came to the capital 3 years ago, when my mother discovered she was pregnant with the twins. My brother, being the oldest, felt it was his responsibility to help provide for the family. My parents told him he didn't need to do anything. But he didn't listen. He disappeared into the night leaving a letter swearing he'd give us a better life."

"What happened?"

"After we didn't hear from him for six months, my dad went to the capital to find him. Haven't seen the old man since..."

Sachi recalled she never saw a man working at the tavern, just Itsuki's mom, Itsuki, and her siblings. "Do you know what happened to him?"

"Nothing for certain. I would assume he's either dead or locked up somewhere. I'm still trying to find him, but it's no easy task."

"What about your brother? You said he's help on the inside, does that mean you found him?"

"Sure did. When pops didn't come home for a few months, I took it upon myself to investigate. After all, I am the smartest one in the family." Itsuki sat there with a proud smug on her face. "My brother started out as a blacksmith and then somehow got recruited to join the soldiers since he seemed good with a sword or something." Another eye roll. "It didn't take long to find the big dope; he sticks out like a sore thumb among the other soldiers."

"You can't bring him home?"

"Nope. He signed a contract, and he's bound by it. If you look carefully, you'll see people that are bound by a contract have a glowing black mark on their wrist. My brother along with the rest of the people of the capital are bound by a contract of dark magic and there's nothing to be done."

"This is basically slavery..."

"Pretty much. People are lied to about jobs and opportunities that could change their life only to end up trapped with small dingy housing, no income, no free time, no way to see their loved ones again, and constant state of fear."

"No income? They don't even get paid? And what about the education you mentioned?"

"They get paid in housing and food; that's it. The education is just another lie, the people work the majority of the day just to pay for the bare minimum, they don't have time for education even if they wanted to."

"What about their families? What do you mean no way to see them again?"

"Like I said, we didn't hear from my brother for six months. No letter, no visit, nothing. When I first came here, I went to the government office to inquire about him, and they told me that he never moved here and that he probably ran away from home. I would assume they give similar excuses to other families that ask too."

Sachi's head sunk. "When you said the capital was awful, I didn't think it was this bad..."

"Like I told you, the rich use the poor as steppingstones to reach new heights. With the free labor the people do, the rich profit and can sell at any price without worry about the costs of production."

Sachi heart ached for the people. "Surely there's something we can do?"

"I would suggest a revolution, but the people here have all but lost hope, some even brainwashed into thinking this is the dream they wanted."

"Is your brother like that too?"

Itsuki's eyes lowered. "I would say he's lost hope, yes. He's not the same person he was before... All I can do is come once a month just to let him know we're alive and well, at least try to give him a reason to push on..."

Sachi smiled softly. "I'm sure that helps him... Maybe there is still a way to help the people, we just need to find it..."

"As much as I hate the capital and feel for the people, I don't see what all we can do."

"Surely there's an answer somewhere. Even if it is just the two of us, I'm sure there's something we can do."

Itsuki chuckled softly. "When you say it like that, I almost believe you."