Neal Auch | and its place remembers it no more

Centuries of war, conquest, and foreign invasion have drawn and redrawn the map of Argia countless times, leaving the country’s boundaries ambiguous and ill-defined. It was in the summer of his fortieth year that Franz Sieber found himself in that contested region, escorted by a small team of mercenaries, guides, and translators. He had come in search of flowers. According to local legend, the outskirts of Argia were home to the Hyacinthus mercedes---a rare breed whose pollen plays a crucial role in the manufacture of certain microchips. ©2023 by Neal Auch. Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices