Ice-Bound Promise [Wattys 2023 Shortlister]

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The constant pace exhausted Únik. She had thought she worked hard back at Tracis' Midden, but her work there paled in comparison to everything she had done since, but riding a horse, doing nothing but sitting on the creature's back and holding on for dear life, tired her more than anything.

A steep rise came into view and the sight caused Ylthara to shout out in triumph. Únik didn't understand why. They had raced through flat lands, undulating hills, bypassed forests large and small in their race to the coast and Star Harbour. Why this rise could cause such elation escaped Únik, but it felt as though they had reached a milestone of some kind.

Despite the fast pace they had already kept up, the horses suffering even as they swapped rides every so often, Ylthara kicked her horse to even greater speed. Upon the raised road way, they had managed to rush ahead of Hatyara and Shihiri, or so Ylthara had informed them after another meditation.

The Ice-Kin had gripped the star-shaped pendant so tight on that last, magical search for Hatyara, that Ylthara had drawn blood in her palm from the points of the star. Almost collapsing from that effort, Ylthara, nevertheless, had jumped to her feet, ordering the horses saddled and the race to continue as soon as possible.

Bohyiris and the Hagragng captain, Turug, had responded without words, but Únik had risen with a deep sigh and sad pat upon the neck of her horse. She wished that this could all come to an end, for the sake of the horses, herself, Ylthara and her sister. Everyone. The entire situation seemed to drag on and on with no end in sight.

The crest of the rise neared and, finally, Ylthara drew them all to a trot instead of a gallop. Raising herself in her saddle, giving her pained backside a little respite, Únik wondered why the Ice-Kin had rushed, only to slow them down before passing over the rise. With a mischievous look, Ylthara jerked her chin towards the tip of the hill they had ridden up.

"You'll want to take the time to take this in." Rolling her hand, urging Únik forward, Ylthara continued up the hill. "I doubt you've seen anything like it."

With a furrowed brow, Únik rode her horse up the last twenty feet, or so. She saw nothing of consequence, at first, only the sight of the great iceberg infested ocean stretching out far into the distance. The further they moved forward, the more Únik saw and the more she felt excited in anticipation of what Ylthara wanted her to see.

And then her eyes fell down the western face of the rise and her mouth gaped wide.

She saw the entirety of the harbour, a natural bay of immense size with arms of land and stone curling outwards, into the cold waters of the ocean, almost touching with only a slight gap between them, capable of allowing two, three ships, at the most to pass by. It made the bay of Tracis' Midden look like a tiny ripple in the coastline.

What caused her to gasp more than anything, was the city. Star Harbour. Sat upon an island in the centre of the bay, the city filled almost every nook and cranny. From one side to the other. A great wall, dozens of feet high, followed the very edge of the island, including the seven arms that gave the city and the bay their names.

A seven-pointed star, made of rock and stone and soil. As she stared, Únik could not believe that the island had formed in any natural way. She knew from recent experience that the Patrons had abilities to shape landscapes and she felt certain that this island, this incredible island, had seen the touch of the immortals.

From five of the star points, bridges stretched out towards the land, leaving only two arms pointing out towards the ocean. Even from here, Únik could see vast numbers of ships at dock, with dozens, hundreds more anchored out in the bay, surrounding those two arms. The ruined city of Pithnar had stretched further, but this city was a marvel unto itself. A fortress. A testament to the ingenuity and skills of people. Únik stared at the city and couldn't believe any nation could fight these people and win.