The Last Kingdom Book Two Irling

Chapter One JAYGIN

A light breeze whipped through my brown linen cloak, tussling with it like a cat would a leaf floating in the breeze. I bobbed up and down in the saddle as my brown chestnut horse sauntered through the Still Plains.

I still didn't like riding horseback. Horses were so unpredictable sometimes. They got spooked too quickly, that's why I always kept the blinders on.

Beside me, Bremus rode tall and strong astride his sturdy black mare. Even with his plain white tunic and dirty stained pants, he still managed to look like the brave knight he was.

Though, today we were just two traders, coming from beyond the South Sea. If we wanted to get across the Tluthundrian border, that's what we'd play at.

"Ah," Bremus started in his booming yet cheery sounding voice. He dipped his head north, "There it is. You ready, lad?"

I shrugged, "Nah," he looked at me, confused, then I gave him a playful smirk. He laughed.

"You still have an edge to ya, boy," he boomed.

"Don't worry," I said, "I'm ready."

A year ago I wouldn't have said that. A few moons ago, I would've stuck with my original answer. But, last year had proved to be a test for me. A test of courage and a show of who I really was. The man I buried deep down inside.

A year ago I lived in Cathendraal, a city on the far Northwest border of Tluthundra. I was so ignorant then, so innocent.

I lived with my brother and sister, Linny and Ephir. Ephir was a blacksmith's apprentice, but Linny had come down very ill. Me and my brother pushed ourselves to the limits every day, but we didn't make it in time for her.

My brother, though, thought he could save her, so he sold himself as a slave, but returned just as Linny had died.

That's who I was going to look for now, my brother, who was somewhere out there.

We came nearer and nearer to the wall. The guards saw us coming, so they sent a small delegation of horseback soldiers galloping towards us.

"Who is this who approaches?" one of the soldiers called out to us as the group approached and steered their horses to a stop. The horses shuffled on their hooves making the riders bob up and down.

"Traders," Bremus replied, "From across the South Seas."

The soldier raised his brow, "Your goods?"

"Are right here," Bremus finished, twisting to pat a large pack mounted on the horse's rump.

The guard gestured to it with a gauntleted hand, asking silently if he could take a look. Bremus waved his hand over the bag welcomingly. The man dismounted, his few pieces of armor and weaponry clinked together. He walked around the back of Bremus's horse and examined the contents of the sack. Satisfied he turned to me.

"Your's now," he said to me.

I nodded and reached over to open the sack for him. He waved a thanks and moved on to examine mine.

"You look fine," he nodded, then pointed again, "Noticed you have swords as well, for any particular reason we should know about?"

I unhooked my sword and scabbard from the side of the saddle, "None other than just to be cautious," I replied truthfully.

The guard took the sword from my gloved hand and unsheathed it, examining the blade. Then finally he pushed it back into place and handed it back.