Yngvild and the Forest of Dreams

Cavalry Patrols!

We took turns being on watch overnight, but it passed without incident. Erik had the last watch and he woke us all at first light so that we could pack up and start moving as early as we could. Noren and I needed to transform again, neither of us had a clear enough sense of our disguises to keep them up while we slept. We ate breakfast five miles or so down the road while the horses got a breather after cantering all the way. That was to become the pattern of the day, canter as far as we could, then walk for the same amount of time, stop for water and food, swap riding horses, continue until it was too dark to carry on.
After breakfast I pulled my horse alongside Alfinna's.
'You said you'd tell me about the Troll's Head.' I said as our horses fell into step. 'Why is it safe for us to spend a night there, and not one of the inns we've passed already?'
'The Troll's Head is run by some old friends.'
'Wouldn't Rojden know that and have agents in there?'
'These people are no friends of Rojden.'
'That won't stop the agents though, would it?'
'No. It won't stop them trying, but Eskil would spot them, and Arinhildr would make them disappear without trace.'
'They're heroes?'
'Yes. Arinhildr is descended from Aeolf and Meniaxter, so she's pretty deadly. Eskil is mixed, but more Jorunn than anything else, he's a cousin of mine.'
'Is that why he's here and not in Skyss?'
'No. Although it is how I know him. They've been in Cottalem since before I was born and I've spent some time with them when I travelled. Eskil has some Frijdodr in him and is good with making things, and enchanting them.'
'Like Jafnadr?'
'He's not good enough to make something as complex as Jafnadr, Frijdodr herself made Jafnadr.'
'So what sort of things does he make?'
'One of his specialities is finding things, and he can make items that can find things.'
I frowned. 'How does that work?'
'Well he can attune an item to react to the presence of something. Like making a box that will rattle if it's near someone with a geas.'
'He makes geas detectors?' my eyebrows rose.
'The Troll's Head is littered with them. All round the Inn above all the doors and the area around it. Eskil will know if someone under a geas arrives.'
'Can he do other things?'
'Yes. He makes dowsing rods as a sideline, usually attuned to find water, but sometimes for other things. People pay good money for those sort of artefacts.'
'I bet they do. Sounds really useful. Do you know how to do that?'
'Yes. Although I'm not as well practised as Eskil.'
'I think there's a lot I need to learn when we get back to Skyss. Can you teach me some more?'
'One day, maybe, but I'm not coming all the way with you.'
'You're not?'
'Inibrakeme and I have other things to do. Alfarinn asked us to make sure you made it to the coast. After that we—'
'Cavalry!' Jerre shouted back along the line from where he was leading.
Sure enough when we looked to the front there was a group of fast moving horses coming towards us. The rider of the second to lead horse had a guidon snapping in the wind from a lance.
The cavalry patrol was coming on fast, they were going somewhere in a hurry. Jerre kept us walking, but pulled the line of horses to the left of the track to make room for the cavalry to pass us.
With 24 horses between us we took up quite a length of road. There was a similar number of horses in the cavalry patrol, except that every one had a rider.
They swept past us without stopping. Not even a sideways look.
'Just as well that we moved fast yesterday and started early this morning.' Alfinna said as the cavalry passed into the distance, and the dust they'd kicked up had settled.
'How so?'
'I think the reason they didn't stop was because they don't expect us to have got this far yet.'

#

We saw two more cavalry patrols before we were questioned, just as we made our evening meal stop. Six cavalry, an officer, a trumpeter and four troopers, rode into our makeshift horse lines and the officer dismounted to speak to Olaf, who was apparently the one that most looked like he was in charge.
'You there!' the officer pointed his white gloved hand at Olaf as he came closer. 'Where have you come from?'
I kept my head down and busied myself with splitting some wood for the fire. Noren was digging a small pit to light the fire in, and Jerre and Erik were sorting out the horses with Alfinna. Inibrakeme was organising some food to cook from the back of the cart.
'We've come from Caratis, by way of the Riggin Dale.' Olaf replied.
'How long ago were you in the Riggin Dale?' the officer stopped two yards from Olaf, one hand holding his cavalry sabre sling so that it didn't trail on the ground.
'It's been been three nights since we crossed the ridge.'
'You're Skyssians?'
I chanced a sideways look at the officer, his tone seemed suspicious.
'I am, but we're a mixed company.'
'What sort of business are you in?'
'Horses.' Olaf waved his arm expansively at the line of horses Jerre and Erik were feeding grain to.
The officer's eyes followed Olaf's gesture.
'A fine officer like yourself might appreciate a fine horse?'
'You do have some fine looking horses, but I'll wager they're not trained as cavalry mounts?'
'Not yet, Captain.'
'Where are you bound?'
'Dacidade. We thought seemed the best place to get a good price for these horses.'
'Speak to Javier Caballero when you get to the horse market, he trained many of the mounts my brother officers use. I'm sure he'll give you a good price.'
'Thank you kindly, sir.' Olaf bowed his head. 'I shall be sure to do that.'
The officer nodded in acknowledgement and then turned back to his horse.
He mounted it, and looked around,his horse jogging sideways as he did.
'One more thing. Are any of you from the Western Isles of Skyss?' the officer seemed to be looking straight at Noren and me.
Olaf cocked his head to one side. 'Fishing folk?'
'Two of them. Highly dangerous. They'll stop at nothing.'
'No man here like that.' Inibrakeme said, with what I assumed was a Summer Isles accent.
'But if we see any we'll let the nearest guard know.' Olaf added.
'Have a safe trip then.' The officer nudged his horse and it trotted off down the road towards the Riggin Dale followed by his trumpeter and troopers.

#

'So they're definitely looking for us.' Noren mopped the gravy from his stew with a piece of bread.
'They didn't have a description though.' Olaf said.
'We still need to be very careful.' Alfinna scraped some leftovers from her bowl into the fire.
'Should we keep moving?' I asked.
'Best to stay here tonight in case that officer wants to come back.' Alfinna said.
'Isn't that a reason to keep going?' Noren asked.
'No. He'll only come back if he's suspicious. If we're gone then that will confirm it. Every cavalry trooper in Cottalem will converge on us.'
'Alfinna's got a good point. I think we need to stay here tonight.' Olaf said. 'But we should move early.'
'The horses will benefit from a longer rest.' Jerre said. 'Then we can go a bit faster in the morning.'
'One night here, then we'll be at the Troll's Head, after that we can dash for the coast.' Alfinna stood. 'I think I'll get some sleep in while I can.' She put the bowl back in the basket on the cart and started putting up our shelter.
'Noren, Yngvild, you're on first watch until midnight, if the cavalry come back it will be before then, and you won't need to change.' Olaf said. 'Wake me if they arrive. Inibrakeme can take second watch with Erik. Alfinna and I will take third, and we'll wake you all just before first light.'

The cavalry didn't return that night, although a headquarters group, complete with the mobile kitchens we'd seen when Rojden caught us, rolled past and set up half a mile down the road from us. A small town of tents appeared, with fires and lanterns lit for both cooking and light. We could smell the mobile kitchen working while we looked after the horses. All the way to midnight a steady stream of riders came and went from both directions on the road. I saw our officer return about half-way through our turn on watch.
When the time came I passed on everything that we'd seen to Erik and Inibrakeme. Then I gratefully clambered into the shelter fully clothed and fell asleep.