Frost and Flame, Foes in the Dark (book 2)

Chapter 3, The Steps of the Journey

Year 783 Octavus, day 3 of the sixth month of Dailainus

A grimace escaped Akana as the wagon shook when hitting a bump on the road. Traveling with sleigh was far more comfortable, wrapped into thick furs, but there was no snow outside of Eitir so when he had arrived at the border, he had to switch to a wagon.

Looking down on the reports from the headquarters of the Furies, Cathurn in Virtus Scolaris, he decided to put them away. He leaned back, shutting his eyes. Last year he had traveled with Sidastir and had Naga sleeping in his lap. This year he was alone with Naga flying above him with a guarding eye at the wagon. Not a silly idea since they were traveling along the river that separated Domor and Balkrav. A place littered with Balkravian bandits. The dragon would hopefully deter the wiser of the bandits from attacking.

As the wagon suddenly came to a halt, Akana was rustled out of his thoughts. Leaning out to see what was going on, an achievement not easily accomplished as Naga had landed in front of the wagon and Akana had only a clear view of his rear end. He leaned back though when Naga flew away after making clear that whatever stopped the wagon was no threat, giving Akana an idea who it was.

His suspicions are affirmed when the door flew up and a hooded stranger sat down across from him. The stranger pulled down the hood on the peculiar coat, that seemed to shift colors depending on its surroundings, and Akana was met with a sly smirk on a familiar face with glimmering dark eyes. Ceva Le Gu ruffled the white, curly locks out of her round face. The hair was similar to Sidastirs but he looked like untouched snow while hers looked like a brier.

"It was very fortunate that our paths crossed, my friend. Your plentiful baggage lures too much attention on these roads, but with the Ravenking's daughter as your companion, it should deter encouragement to take liberties upon you," Ceva grabbed hold of some of the papers with a frown on her face. "Though it would be amusing seeing the Wetzhur Hadjeananann's faces when they scrabble through your raffle. I'm not sure you own anything of value."

Grabbing hold of the paper Ceva had started to play with, he frowns at her words," A what?" He had a hard time apprehending all the sounds in balkravian. It was a unique language for Noterra, and to Akana it almost sounded like the trolls' rough language.

"Wetzhur Hadjean. Windwanderer. Wetzhur Hadjeananann. The Windwanderers," said Ceva like this explained everything and pointed towards strange shadows over the river. Riders that seemed to shift in and out of the forest.

"Ah, Balkravian highwayman."

"Impeccable description but we balkravians prefer more poetic sounding names. We don't rob. We borrow. Of course, we don't return them but that is another matter," Ceva chuckled. Peering at his friend, Akana clean up his things and she took the opening to put her feet up beside him on the seat.

"I'm surprised the Ravenking would allow his daughter to travel with the Rial Caraid of Eitir."

"Kaarnur Zurinn finds it to be a strategic advantage to be the companion of the Rial Caraid even if he would prefer me to be the Rial's second wife," Ceva muttered, using the balkravian word for the Ravenking.

"Does he still want you to become Sidsatir's second consort?" Despite Sidastir finding out that you are a spy?" asked Akana who didn't like the thought of a second consort. The majority of the countries only allowed you to get married to one person. Balkrav and Huzhidi was the only exception. In Balkrav it was a must since men died young and there was an abundance of women. Since women only get legal status after they married, most choose to become second, third, or even fourth wife.

"My father ensures me that he has no intention of spying on the Rial of Eitir. A lie, of course, but I believe that he is more interested in an alliance that can lead to trade," Ceva looked out onto the river. "We need to change our old traditions. This is not the age of raids. The borders are more secure and our people are becoming poorer. The south is guarded and the north... Irkalla is too dangerous. The untamed lands have too many strange creatures. Red-eyed beasts that come out of the mist, winged gods, and demons. We need to trade with the south. Eitir is our best option."