The Book of Terrus: A Land of Sunlight

Chapter 30 - Departing

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Surprisingly wistful despite the relatively short length of their stay, Lhara stood atop the hillside taking one last look at the city of Blue Stone. It was an overcast, somewhat chilly day, but the waters of the lake still managed to perfectly reflect every wisp and curl of the clouds floating overhead. The hour was still quite early, and with the help of her new eye-glasses Lhara could just make out the distant forms of owls gliding around the spires of Mirrormorn Castle. A breeze carried the scent of salty water and baking bread to Lhara, along with a healthy helping of goose-pimples. Drawing her new cloak tight around herself and flexing her toes inside her boots, Lhara turned away, once again leaving behind civilization to confront an unknown wilderness.

The rest of the group was still getting themselves organized. A handful of horses grazed to one side, the long silvery-green grasses almost brushing their bellies. Standing on the trail – narrow, winding, and practically hidden amongst the grass – Reyson and Darenel were talking while Jath and Yidu finished securing their packs to the horses' saddles.

"Once you reach the edge of The Night Forest, send the horses back with one of the guides. The route you'll be taking cannot safely accommodate travel on horseback. From there, if all goes well, you will likely be outside the gates of Hashodi before the second harvest festival."

Reyson listened carefully to Darenel's instructions. The breeze tugged insistently at the nobleman's hair and cloak, even pulling loose a decorative feather from his broach. Despite his cane, Darenel himself seemed to lean with the wind, as if at any moment he might simply dissolve into dust and be blown away into the horizon too.

"Will anyone be expecting us?" asked Reyson. "Jath has a social contact within the city – another young nobleman by the name of Zhaiden – but we haven't dared risk sending a bird this close to the capital."

"I'm afraid not then. You will simply have to make your own introductions upon arrival," Darenel replied.

"Hmmmm." Sonak, the lead guide, frowned and stroked his chin. He pointed at the map held between them. "We will be passing through a small outcropping of mountains along our way. They will slow our progress somewhat, and be likely the most dangerous part of our journey. The path we follow is an old hunters' trail. Unlike the main road to Hashodi, it is relatively unknown to Gorians, and so not often watched. It is also unshaped, save by the passage of travelers' feet, both human and otherwise."

"Otherwise?" Reyson cocked his head questioningly at the old trail guide.

"Mmhm," was all that Sonak would elaborate.

Including Sonak, they were to be guided through The Night Forest by a trio of mercenaries employed by Darenel's company. All three were northerners, and Lhara found herself fascinated by them. Northerners never came to Trosk, despite the entire eastern edge of The Night Forest running up against the northernmost leg of The Teeth. This was the first time that she had ever so much as seen one of their people.

What their leader, Sonak, lacked in height, he more than made up for in personality. His dark eyes twinkled merrily from amidst a maze of laugh lines, and his face and hands were both the shade and apparent texture of old leather. He wore a coat made from unusual silver-black fur, and carried a short bow and quiver full of red-fletched arrows over one shoulder. When Sonak spoke, his accent was full of soft, lengthened vowels and consonants pronounced from the back of the throat. Lhara wondered if the people of the north had their own ancestral language, much like the old mountain tongue.

The other two guides – a man and a woman – were a great deal younger than Sonak. In fact, upon introductions, Lhara discovered that they were actually Sonak's twin son and daughter. Their names were Turak and Konnah, and Lhara's best guess placed their ages at a few years older than Jath. Like their father, they wore knee-length coats trimmed with fur, and Konnah's long black braids were threaded with decorative ribbons and bells. Both twins spoke with their father's accent, but seemed friendly enough as they helped sort the horses out for travel.