THE HIDDEN KEY

The Road to Darkfalls Forest

Gilford clasped the leather reins with both hands while he rode off across the field. His gaze shifted from the verdant flowery grasslands to the rolling hills, and distant mountains above, whose summits were obscured from view by low-hanging grey clouds while the range soared into the bleak sky above the picturesque valley.

As he continued across the field, Eponie sighed and started to slow down before wandering about aimlessly. "Easy there boy." He smiled, running his fingers down the side of Eponie's neck while he gazed around the field for a lake or river where he could rest while his horse grazed on the grass. There must be a river or lake close by.

His gaze shifted across the vast open fields while he continued towards the hillside at a slow and steady pace, hoping to find a river soon before his horse got too tired. Eponie sighed again, his pace continued to decrease from a canter to a trot as he started to wander around in a circle.

Gilford climbed off Eponie and guided him across the field as he stroked the side of his neck. "Just a little further boy."

His gaze shifted across the field as he went towards a wooded dell at the foot of the hills until he reached a small pool of water. He sighed, grabbed the brown leather saddlebag, and slumped on the grass beside the small lake while Eponie lay down and grazed on the grass. He opened the bag and took out a map and waterskin. Darkfalls Forest must be around here somewhere...but where?

He slowly unfolded the map, sprawled it out across the grass and gazed at it as he traced his fingers from the Braidwild Hills to Fallowdale. His gaze shifted across the map towards a small village close to the borders of a woodland. I'll rest there for the night and set off early the next morning.

After he folded the map and put it away, he had a quick drink from his waterskin and gazed into the pool while he was resting. The tall trees creaked, and the leaves rustled while they swayed back and forth in the wind as it swept past their branches. Gilford turned to Eponie with a sidelong glance while he drank from the pool. His gaze shifted back across the field as a rider on a large brown and white horse sped past. Who was that? Where was that person going in such a hurry?

He grabbed his saddlebag from the grass and slowly stood up. His gaze shifted across the fields. A group of soldiers dressed in a red and white striped short-sleeved surcoat darted past on horseback until a soldier in a crested helmet at the front glanced across at him as he swiftly turned and came towards him, followed by the others, and stopped before him. What do they want?

"You there, what business do you have in Farrowdale?" The soldier furrowed his eyebrows as he dismounted his horse and went towards him, clasping the leather hilt of his sword. "Speak."

"I'm searching..." Gilford paused, stepping backwards. "Who is it that you're after?"

"What are you searching for?" The soldier arched his eyebrows while he glared at him.

"Darkfalls Forest." Gilford stared back at the soldier as he slowly crossed his arms. "A friend of mine has gone missing in there."

The soldier glanced across towards Eponie, who was grazing on the grass. "That's a fine-looking horse you have there."

"Who were you chasing?" Gilford glanced across at the other soldiers, who were sat on their horses staring at him while they grasped the hilts of their swords. Could they have been chasing that rider, who was riding off in a hurry?

His gaze shifted back towards the soldier as he turned to him. "I saw someone on a brown and white horse pass earlier."

"Which way did the rider go?" The soldier arched his eyebrows."