Yngvild and the Forest of Dreams

Riggin Dale

Two days after I'd arrived at the Temple we left for Riggin Dale. Noren rode next to me, and we found a Alfinna a horse so that she could accompany us to the coast. Alfarinn had asked both Alfinna and Inibrakeme to escort us to the rendezvous with the Seagull at Ocaso, an old coastal fort on the West coast of Cottalem. It was the opposite direction from where we'd last seen Rojden, and took us further from Kronstadt.
I'd used the time to make two new shirts for Noren, the one he'd had on was never going to be clean again. I cheated a bit when making them, channelling Frijdodr to make the ends knit together like they'd been woven on a massive round loom. It made a change from the extra panels that his previous smock had in it to cope with his huge muscular frame.
That wasn't the only thing I'd made for Noren. The two siller coin I'd originally picked up in Beretha during the siege was unrecognisable. After being bent when I'd first turned it into an amulet, and then warped and half melted when I cut it off. It had resembled an arrowhead that had hit armour when I picked it up from the grass. I'd spent an hour carefully picturing a bear, and getting Alfinna to transform a couple of times to help me get the shape just right. It took four attempts before I was happy, but each time it got closer to the right shape.
When it was done I gave it to Alfarinn so that she could intitiate Noren into Jorunn's mysteries, and give him an amulet to protect him from future attempts to involuntarily bind him with a geas. I didn't get to see the ceremony, not being an initiate of Jorunn. So that's when I'd made the new shirts for Noren.
Now, the four of us rode out from the temple of Clewg to the meeting place where we'd find Jerre,Olaf and Erik.

#

Riggin Dale was over a steep ridge from Estreham, about twenty miles North West from the Temple. We left early in the morning, shortly after Alfauda and Gefjun had left in the company of four Clewgists. It had been strange to see Alfauda dressed identically to me, with my shield, bow and wearing a sword that was superficially similar to Jafnadr. One of the Clewgists had a similar build to Noren and was wearing very similar clothes, although they were far easier to tell apart than Alfauda and I.
It was late afternoon when we crested the ridge and saw the river Riggin meandering northwards and glittering in the distance. The Dale was mostly grassland, with patches of trees and widely scattered buildings. Across the area were many herds of cattle and horses. A wide muddy swathe followed the river north on its western side.
'That's the Great North Road, or at least the one they think of round here when they use that name.' Inibrakeme said. 'But it's not the greatest or the furthest of the Great North Roads.'
'Looks like it sees quite a bit of traffic.' Noren said. 'There's a lot of mud down there.'
'It's mostly cows and horses. This area is reknowned for them.' Inibrakeme said.
'So where are we supposed to be meeting Jerre, Olaf and Erik?' I asked.
'There's an inn, called the Wheel, down there, where the road forks.' Inibrakemi pointed. 'We can probably make it before dark if we push on.'

We didn't quite make it before dark, but fortunately the moon was still almost full and it shone brightly enough for us to keep going without me having to help anyone's vision. The Wheel had a large wheel on the roof line, which they'd painted gold. This was bigger than anything that I'd ever seen on any cart, at least three people tall and visible from a couple of miles away. We saw it well before we were close enough to make out any detail, and before it was dark.
Inibrakemi rode her horse between mine and Noren's. 'Yngvild, Noren. Before we get there some words of warning about the Wheel.'
'It's dangerous?'
'Not exactly. We'll be seen by people, so when Rojden's folk come asking questions they'll be told we were there.'
'So why are we going in?' Noren asked.
'We need to be positively identified here, and Alfauda and the others will be seen further up the north road over the next few days.'
'Is this where we're turning West then?' I asked.
'Yes, and when we leave tomorrow, you will all need to look different. So they see Alfauda's party going North.'
'Is Alfauda in there already?'
'No, they're camped in a copse just behind us. They'll sneak in before it gets light.'