His grandfather had been a king. An actual king. He knew there were places where that title still held meaning. There were those rural townships that had not yet bent to the powers of metropolis. Far flung places at the edge of the encroaching cities and deep in what wilderness still remained. In truth, he had no real concept of those wilds. He had lived within this little tame forest most of his life, and knew only the small wilderness of the river valley; any real expedition to a rural kingdom would have left him shaking in astonishment. It is nearly impossible for one to truly imagine the felt power of a place they have never visited themselves.
He sat at one of the stools, facing out at the small square. Over his tea he watched the late morning traffic. The place still functioned as a thriving village market, preserved in its quaint country nature. Two main roads reached out into the flat forest north and east, while a third street dove down the hill behind him to access the Upper Pond. At this tip of the hill, the forest road made a wide curve through town, doubling to form a separate main street. Upscale older houses lined the panoramic shore road below, close to the square yet removed from some of the shade. Over time, the primary area of commerce had shifted east, to what was now known as the Grand Square. The forest roads had widened considerably since his grandfather's time. They were busier now, with constant visitors from nearby cities, or from the military base to the north. The township had changed. It had kept some of its charm, but he felt sometimes it had lost just as much.
They had a good relationship with the fort. Its proximity kept them safe from most of the unsavory activities that plagued other metro-surrounded wild towns. The institute to the east also provided a buffer of safety. Students could be stupid and reckless, but they were usually only a harm to themselves. The historic smaller square was well set away from the center of activity now, and was a haven for locals who relished their quiet rural life. It was still a natural place, even with the wide roads and nearby city noise. He held a certain pride for his township of Gilbrook. It had once been only a small upstream settlement; overflow from the proud Casavant riverside. Down there one could really see remnants of the mighty kingdom that had once ruled the banks. Upon the fall of that regional rule, Gilbrook had separated, claiming the highest ground in the area around a small marshy headwaters. The streams had been dammed, forming the Upper and Lower Ponds, and the new kingdom had flourished. A small but proud locality, Gilbrook had held onto its land and water as cities encroached ever closer. Eventually the headwaters forest was surrounded on all sides, and the township became formally adopted by the Winniaska Metro. The endorsement came with support for emergency services, very positive trade agreements, and additional funding, but required the abdication of the local monarch. The kingdom would be transferred into a township council model, retaining autonomy but reporting regularly to the Metro Parks Department.
The young man watching the square had never begrudged his grandfather's decision. The township had only thrived in the time since. Though he had not followed in the family's steps and sought the Premir position, he still felt a soft obligation to his home. He did sit on a couple of the town boards for organization and development, lending a voice to the shaping of the community. Furthermore though, he kept an eye on the town. He liked to spend time in this or one of the other small village squares in the forest. He would sit in a cafe, or walk along the streets, taking in the energy of the townsfolk, many of which he knew by name. The life of the town was usually friendly, and always interesting. He saw reflected the cultures of the surrounding cities, and how they interacted with the folk who lived here in the woods. He saw how Gilbrook presented itself to its visitors, who came for its quaintness, its magic, and its rural qualities, however modest those may be. Lately the energy of the town seemed to be in a good way, of which he was quite pleased.
This late in the morning the square was quiet, with only a few folk going about on errands. The bustle of the cafe had stilled as well. There was a meditative quality to the air. It only slightly wavered by the interest he took in a new party that had entered the scene. The Commandant of the nearby base was known to visit the forest from time to time, but it was still a sight of note. She seemed pensive today, surrounded by a small protection detail. Looking at her, he guessed the personal squad was merely formal; she clearly had no reason to fear anything in these woods. He wondered why she came though. This wasn't the first time he had seen her come to the township, seemingly on casual business. The base owned a sizable amount of forest itself- surely if she simply wanted to go for a nature walk she had more private options. They headed for the shore road along the pond, taking little interest in the goings-on of the village square. It didn't seem like a military operation, and he reasoned that if there were anything serious going on he would know about it soon enough. Judging from the past sightings though, she was probably off-duty today. What did a military leader like that do in her downtime he wondered?
