The Fires of Cerran

Chapter One

They had been riding for days. They had stopped, only occasionally, for essentials like water or sleep. Even then they watered and ate hastily and they slept uneasy. The winds had been rough from the start and the the cold fronts had rendered any chance of an easy pass through the lands as nothing but a decent dream. Lenren slowed his mare to a steady patter, his companions soon followed. The Eastern Road had led them ever closer home, or what the Riders called home in any case. The rider allowed his mind to wander for a moment, he recalled how quiet the journey had been. Brodon had ruled for nearly thirty years now, and the lands were peaceful. Lenren recalled the last time he had ridden The Eastern Road, formerly a place strategically connecting the city to the strongholds near Blackridge. He turned and saw his companions following, Elson was gravely ill and though Lenren had managed to stop the bleeding it was doubtful that the Knight would see morning. All that could be done was to see that he was given a comfortable bed to sleep in. A sleep that he wouldn't awaken from. Elson had been the King's choice, and though Lenren had maintained his own reluctance to have the boy as part of the clan, the King had had his way.  The mare had now come to a stop. Lenren turned and faced the castle moat. He whistled three times, as loud and clear as a hawks cry. The bridge was lowered slowly. Lenren dismounted and walked beside his mare across the drawbridge. His sword swayed at his hip, the tip still slightly bloodied and a bag weighed heavily against his shoulder. He removed his helmet, freeing his greying hair and sighed. The place smelled like home. He stood for a moment in silence.
'The boy will die.' said a low, sombre voice.
'Aye, I know. But he fought hard, and took each blow as a Knight should. The King will be proud. And so will the boy's family.' the Rider returned. Astriel looked back towards the boy, a few knights and gatekeepers were carrying off into the Tower. She returned her gaze to the castle, a place she had left three months ago. She was glade to be home. The sound of the drawbridge being lifted the clanking of the iron gates shutting brought both back to reality. They watched as a stout man wearing a long grey cassock bound towards them at a frantic speed.
The man, short and fat with cheeks as a red cherries let out a few hurried breaths.
'His majesty is waiting for you. Please, come this way. We will see to your horses.' the man gestured the two to follow him.
Astriel turned, she watched Ramon as he stroked his mare's mane. He hadn't said a word the entire ride back to Ceraborn. He had hardly said a word the way there either. He removed his armour methodically, as any King's Knight does. He wiped the dried blood from his chest plate and asked the gatekeepers if he could have his sword sharpened. It had taken him six blows to kill it. It shouldn't have taken six blows, not for Ser Ramon. Astriel saw the man staring towards the Tower where they had taken the boy Knight. She knew what he was feeling. Knights are brothers, in battle and out.
'Ramon,' she called out, the man returned a steely gaze but nodded and lumbered his way after them.

The Riders followed the quick paced priest and made way from the outer defence towards the stables. The horses were fed and watered, the stable boys knew well how hard these mares had been worked in recent weeks, they would take good care of them.
'His majesty has been waiting eagerly for you.' said the man.
The group made no reply, they knew exactly what the King had tasked them for. They had known the moment they been taken to the dungeons and seen what had happened to the band of thieves who had tried to hunt and kill the beast. Five men had set off, each was told that he would be a hero, a God amongst men. All were dead. The beast had been merciless in its actions. It had dragged the men back down from the Tower and laid the bodies along the main road towards Redmire. It was a travelling band that had found them. Soon enough every Fort and township was abound by rumours of the beast.

The King had ordered a meeting the moment the news reached him. The Lords of the Western Regions met at Redmire Point, just East of the Tower. According the transcripts taken by Arch Maester Tulloch, the beast had taken refuge in the Tower sometime after the Winter had set into the mountains. Clearly it had been forced down and found the the Tower as a homestead. Tulloch had remarked about how the King had wanted to ensure that the Beast was moved back to the mountains instead of being killed. However, with the deaths of the thieves, as well as cattle and herds being attacked, that would be impossible. The beast had found itself a hunting ground, where food and shelter were abundant. In the mountains it would take elk, deer and perhaps the occasional bear. But in the Tower, surrounded by rugged Highlands and the first outer rims of forests, it had nothing to fear.