The Exiled King

Chapter 13 - Reunion

Jason fingered the circlet on his forehead, removing it and throwing it far away from him. In a strange defiance of nature's laws, the circlet immediately circled back and reappeared on his forehead as if it had never been thrown. The magic obviously imbued in the circlet both frightened him and piqued his curiosity.

Magic had been virtually absent in Sanobar since the demon war and many humans still found it difficult to accept it after trade opened up with the elves and they were exposed to the elven lifestyle that had woven magic deep into the society's everyday life. Even before the demon war, wizards had been few and far between and of those, only a handful possessed any significant amount of power—most notably was Garyth Herus, infamous for causing the demon war and inevitably angering the gods. He was never seen walking amongst the mortals again.

Having been otherwise occupied, Jason had not noticed the new addition to his outfit until a passing remark by Lirya alerted him of his new headgear. It truly felt like a million years had passed since they had left Throeyns castle and everything had begun. He pulled the circlet off his head and held it in his hands, admiring the craftsmanship. It did not fly out of his hands this time.

The companions were resting, part ways through the deep valley cut into the border mountains, as if a giant being had dragged a sword tip through the mountain range. Beyond those lay the seaside town of Jaromaen, named after the beloved elven guardian after the demon war, and further still were the raging waters of the Eruen ocean. Although the waters were dangerous, the narrow strait between Sanobar and Silvardor was still a bustling spot of traffic. The steep peaks of the border mountains shielded the waters from the worst of the chilling winds, rendering the strait passable by boat on most days.

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Fresh winds blew from the opening of the valley, bringing with it the scent of salt. The wind had noticeably picked up since the companions neared the end of the valley. Below them, lay the sprawling seaside port of Jaromaen—where they would catch a ferry to the neighbouring Silvardor to seek answers. The port town, although modest in size, boasted the most foot-traffic in the entire Throeyns territory. Sailors came and went—often arriving with full purses and leaving with them significantly lighter after spending at the numerous taverns, brothels and various other places of entertainment near the docks. Further inland lay the markets and inns dotted around the place, forming a hub of activity. A large wall circled the town, built of sturdy Agvine wood from the elven forests welded together with huge steel spikes. Guards manned the only gateway entry to the town, but security was lax. The guards sat at a little table, drinking and playing games. Some were sprawled in the shadows to take a nap, and a group had gotten hold of a leather ball, which they kicked around.

Joining a stream of travellers entering Jaromaen, the companions made their way into the city. Although Haverik's long white tresses were hidden under a cloak, the trio drew occasional funny looks—since Cloudfire, the weather had been warming as spring began and no one wore much more than a light cloak to protect themselves from the elements. And of those, fewer still wore the hoods pulled up completely.

"I'm hoping we can buy some dye in the market," Haverik said, "How much coin do we have?"

Leus pulled out their coin pouch and poured the contents out into his palm. Six bronze brynus tumbled out, as well as a single gold gylin and five silver seguns. The companions had sold the horses for two silver, realising that the plains horses, unaccustomed to the steep mountain terrain, would be unable to cross the border mountains with them.

"Dye?"

Haverik nodded, "For our hair—especially mine. The people here tend to have darker brown hair so all of us stand out—He gestured to his impossibly white hair and to Jason and Leus's wheat-golden hair—and we need to fix that quickly. If Lord Throeyns asks around here, we don't want to be easily identified in the crowds."