"We should reach the homestead by the afternoon," said Willy turning around to Michael. "Then we'll have a great big feast. Oh, and a doctor too. I have one at the homestead. We deserve it for all the shit we've been through eh?" He laughed.
Michael smiled. His stomach rumbled at the thought of food. The cornbread had only awakened the hunger inside him.
"I hope ya'll ain't cheating me," said the driver.
"Don't you worry," said Willy. "I am a very honest businessman. I make sure I always fulfill any deals."
The driver rolled his eyes and muttered to himself. "An honest businessman. I'm more likely to shit gold than meet one."
The landscape began to steadily change as the buggy blazed ahead with greenery slowly starting to appear. Within an hour, they had entered a huge forest that although, retained much of the desert's features was still something rare among the Freelands. After exiting the forest however, it didn't seem like a desert at all.
They had entered an area known as Grandeur Hills, one of the most luxurious 'towns' of the Freelands. They consisted of huge squares of lands owned by the richest among the Freelands and Michael could see huge castle-like homesteads dotted around the hills.
The noon sun was blazing overhead now and Michael was starting to feel weary. His thoughts began to drift to his friends again and more specifically, Elena. So, they're alive. But for how long? Michael made up his mind that he would ask Wilson all the information he needed. He had to come up with a plan soon but he could not do that without information.
Soon enough, they reached a huge farmland which Willy described belonged to him. He was one of the largest distributors of farm goods in the Freeland and he explained this very proudly to Michael (again). Michael could see workers working tirelessly under the hot sun as they tilled away at the soul, herded the animals and harvested the lands. A few of them waved when they saw him.
Willy's homestead was at the end of the farmlands upon a small valley that overlooked them like a king's palace overlooking his land. It was a beautiful location with a lot more greenery around which seemed to make the temperature around a lot more bearable.
The buggy stopped in front of the gate and the guard hurriedly opened the gate to let them enter. As the buggy stopped it in front of homestead, two servants hurriedly walked up to it.