Enna Is a Land God- Book:2

On the Road

Getting everything ready for the journey actually went rather smoothly, to my surprise. Though, I suppose I shouldn't have been; If Lagdon was anything, it was efficient. The prince had bags packed, rohgek saddled, and people assembled by early the next morning. He had insisted that Draxly and Brillum accompany us on the journey, as well as several other men, mostly goblins. Indeed, it was rather impressive that the two foxie males managed to impress Lagdon enough that he viewed them as two of his best men. Though as reliable and true as any of my people, it was just a fact that the hobgoblins and the goblane were natural on the battle field, while the foxes were far more agile than tank like.

I thought the number of guards were a bit over kill but did not protest. After all, it made Lagdon feel better about all this, and it also meant a lot more muscle if it came down to us having to relocate the kobolds. So it was a win win. Besides, I am sure that Lagdon's cautiousness will be needed more than once over his life time of looking out for me. I was a bit of a handful after all.

With us was just one kobold, the leader. The others were exhausted and in all honesty, pretty useless in a fight and not very good with manual labor either. I had them set up with lodging in the estate and the leader agreed to take us to his village and to introduce us to his leaders. I thought he could do with a good rest as well, but we really did need him in order to have a smooth entry into the kobold village. other wise they would just see it as an invasion of goblins aided by the foxes, and the last thing i wanted was for the kobolds to be put under anymore duress.

And so our procession of about fifteen or twenty people set off for our mission. My people would not let me disappear, however, and it ended up being some huge send off; like I was a queen about to journey to another kingdom to greet another royal. It was embarrassing, but it did feel good, knowing that my people worried and wished the best for me.

Nord gave Lagdon's rohgek a finale pat and wished us safe travels, adding that Lagdon had better keep me safe. I rolled my eyes and bade that he be sure to keep everyone in the estate safe, which made him chuckle, but agree all the same. Between him and the ever dedicated Trixie, I was sure my home was left in good hands. With any luck I would be back home in less than a month, back to organizing books and listening to they prayers of my people.

Our trip to the kobold village would likely take about a week to do. We were a large group and even though the rohgek were reliable mounts, they were better climbing mountains rather than going cross country. Either way, it was at least as far from my estate as Gurten was, and we had to circle around Lake Silver (Apparently named after my hair when i got irritated that so many places did not have names around here. I really should have known better than to let the monster's name things. Still, taken out of context it was a pretty name so i just agreed with it.) on top of it all as well. Maybe, one day, we would get some boats for the lake, but none of the monsters I currently knew were exactly knowledgeable in boat making.

So I prepared myself for an uncomfortable week in the saddle and sleeping in the dirt. The dirt I actually didn't mind so much, as it was like camping and before coming to this world I never went before. But, just like the rohgek were not meant for long distance travel, neither was I. At least not long distances in the saddle of an awkwardly loping, stiff backed and spine covered dog/pig. Maybe a real horse would have been more comfortable, I had no clue.

We travelled along the lake in a semi beaten down path that was, at least, a little better than a game trail, while the kobold leader- Who I learned was called Sill, and was a promising young man in the kobold village- told me more about his village and the horror they now faced.

According to Shill, before the Specter appeared some time in the last few years, the village had been quiet and relatively peaceful considering it sat right on the border of the Dark. They had a few run ins with the strange monsters there but, really, most of them avoided exiting the forest at all costs. What the kobolds mostly worried about was being discovered by Aeros or one of the many intelligent monsters that had pledged themselves to him. To be discovered would have meant extermination after all. But the kobolds were lucky, not only did they make their town next to a forest that most avoided, but they also lived rather close to the Barsole border. If monsters were going to keep away from any where, it would be those two places.