The last three days had been especially tiring for Kaewyn. His time had been filled with new challenges in organising the troops for the campaign against the Elentide. Their home province of Edheren may not have been far geographically, but he had discovered that organising an army’s march was a gargantuan task regardless of the distance they needed to travel. Unlike in his surprise attack on Lord Severus, they needed to bring with them supplies and equipment for a prolonged campaign. A great many resources also needed to be gathered and distributed in a very short time, namely horses, grains, weapons and armour. Most of his day was taken up by delegating such tasks to those skilled enough to complete them, for any mistakes could be costly and delay their march by several days or even weeks. If the Elentide discovered their preparations to march, they too, could start preparations of their own, thus speed was of the utmost importance.
In addition, Kaewyn had been advised by both Marcus and Seneschal Talbury to send out a call to arms to the surrounding villages and towns, as the battle against Lord Severus and his father’s campaign against the Great Traitor had largely diminished the number of troops readily available. Those who answered his call to arms also needed to be equipped and supplied for the journey. In short, he had been busier than he had ever been before.
When Kaewyn was fortunate enough to find a spare moment in the day, rather than seek out much needed rest to recover, he opted instead to spend his time with Camilla. The two of them mostly went for walks together around the castle or spoke within the privacy of his chambers. He cherished those moments. They were the few times where his mind was free to focus on something pleasant instead of the seriousness of the campaign. Though usually their time was cut short by someone needing something from him relating to the preparations. Once, when he was lucky enough to have a whole hour free, they saddled up two horses and went for a ride in the surrounding countryside. His advisors had struggled to find him then, but he never stayed away for long. He didn’t want to avoid his responsibilities like he had done regularly in the past. Those days were behind him now.
On the eve of the third and final day of preparations, Kaewyn was too busy to spend any time at all with Camilla. In the middle of one of many meetings that day, she sought him out and explained that Captain Alaric told that her brother had indeed requested her return to Vinum Province now that their land was secure. Despite this, she had decided to refuse her brother’s request to return and wanted to remain in Xu Castle. She asked once again if she was allowed to stay, to which Kaewyn gave her his blessing and reiterated that she was welcome to stay as long as she wanted, so long as Rhys knew it was her own decision.
Kaewyn awoke before the sun had risen the next morning, for the day of the campaign to begin in earnest had arrived. The army had been assembled outside the castle and the officials, both military and civil had gathered. The general mood was one of restlessness and anxious faces. Some of the officials seemed overly worried, whilst others appeared supportive and confident. It was then that Kaewyn officially handed over the governance of the castle and Oakerton to Seneschal Talbury in front of everyone so that no one could deny the Seneschal’s authority. He placed the region in Talbury’s capable hands with a small supporting staff of civil officials to assist him.
Just before the army was to set out and begin the march, Kaewyn, clad in his scaled mail armour and equipped with the sword his father had made for him, walked over to Camilla and said his goodbyes. In front of all of the assembled troops and officials, Camilla had wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She then whispered softly into his ears, telling him to make sure he returned safely. Some of the officials awkwardly averted their eyes while others smiled subtly. A public display of affection like this was not proper for those of their station, but if Camilla didn’t care, then neither did he. After he hugged her for the final time, he told her that he had left her a gift in her chambers. She seemed curious and asked what it was, but he shook his head and told her she would find out once he had left. He wanted to tell her that he had found the book he had told her about and left it on her bed. The one detailing the tribe of warrior women who defeated the founding Emperor in battle. He thought it best however, if he left that for her to discover herself. He left Camilla by the other officials who were to remain behind and then climbed back up on his horse and joined the others who were waiting for him.
With that, the entire Greystone Province army, marching under the Edderfield banner of white, grey and black, began the descent down the winding hill of Xu Castle. At the bottom of the hill, they turned left, away from Oakerton, and then headed north east down the Emperor’s Way road. A road that if followed all the way to its natural end, would lead them into the Heartlands and the capital. Their destination however did not lie in the chaotic Heartlands in the northern part of the Empire, but in the neighbouring Edheren Province, the home of the Elentide family. It was estimated that the army would take roughly another three or possibly four whole days of hard marching to reach the border. Kaewyn looked back at Xu Castle atop the hill once more, hoping that he would see his home again soon.
The army marched for nearly a full hour and left behind civilisation, following the Emperor’s way into the relative wilderness without incident. Kaewyn spent this time in the saddle watching the troops and guessing where they had come from and what their own individual stories were. He wondered what they thought of him, the war in the Heartlands, and their campaign. Above all of that however, he hoped that they too, would be fortunate enough to see their homes once again.
The army of Greystone Province was made up of troops with a great variance in experience and equipment. Nearly half of the men were simple levies, peasants armed with basic equipment and training who were conscripted and pushed into military service in times of need. While they made up a large percentage of the army, a considerable number of troops were also made up of guardsmen and men that had served in the militia for a time. These troops possessed some experience and basic training, and most were armed and armoured relatively well compared to the levies. However, neither these men nor the peasant levies came close to the quality of the professional troops. Even though these men made up the smallest part of the army, they were truly professional soldiers. They had followed Lord Corrhen and served in his campaigns for years. Possessing superb training and discipline, armed and armoured with the finest equipment, these men were well paid and extremely effective in their chosen field. It was these men who, like Rahim, felt a burning desire to avenge their late lord, and it was obvious by the way they carried themselves that they took this campaign very seriously.
Several hours into the march, an alarm was shouted at the front of the column. Initially Kaewyn felt a rush of panic travel up his spine but then he calmed himself. Yohren rode beside him and looked around nervously, while Marcus Linforde, accompanying the army as the military strategist, looked around in confusion. The former Captain, now General Alaric, rode ahead with Rahim following suit. The two military men paused at the head of the marching army and after a short delay, Kaewyn saw the General wave him over. He spurred his horse forward and joined them.
“What is it?” He asked. “What going on?”
“A small force is blocking the way ahead.” Rahim said seriously. “Can’t be more than thirty.”
“Are they Elentide scouts?” Kaewyn asked.
“No, my lord.” General Alaric stated. “Look closely.”
Kaewyn shuffled in his saddle and covered his eyes from the sun to see better. He saw the thirty or so men, they were armed and looked at ease. At their head was a familiar warrior atop a magnificent white steed.
“It’s Arlan!” he said excitedly.
“Who?” Rahim asked.
Kaewyn ignored him and rode towards Arlan and his men. General Alaric, Rahim and even Marcus followed suit, and naturally Yohren as well. Once he was close, he called out. Arlan, wearing his battle helm, dismounted his horse and walked toward Kaewyn who dismounted as well. The others remained in their saddles and watched on curiously.
“Arlan… what are you doing out here?” He asked. “I thought you and your volunteers had returned home two days ago.”
“We did my lord.” Arlan said muffled through his helmet. “But these men and I, we…. we wanted something more.”
Kaewyn cocked his head to the side, unsure of the meaning behind the stalwart warriors’ words.
Arlan removed his helmet and held it firmly against his side, then to everyone’s surprise he dropped to one knee. His men followed their leaders’ example and fell to their knees as well.
“We wish to serve you my lord.” Arlan said loudly, as if he were speaking for all of his men at once. “We swear to serve until death takes us!”
Kaewyn was at a loss for words. He had always wanted Arlan to serve, but knew he was a proud man, and asking him to swear fealty would only have pushed him away. Arlan had to choose to serve a lord, and he had just chosen. He was so overwhelmed with gratitude, that he leant down and lifted Arlan up by his shoulders and resisted the urge to hug him.
Rahim snorted derivatively. “And you think yourself and a bunch of peasants are worthy to serve the Edderfield name? What makes you so certain of this?”
“My lord Rahim.” General Alaric said. “This man is Arlan, grandson of Arlan the Swift. He and his volunteers helped us greatly during the battle against Lord Severus.”
“And?” Rahim said annoyedly. “A volunteer may be brave, but that does not make him a worthy servant.”
“I vouch for him personally.” The General added. “He has proven his worth.”
“Very well General, you and your father have always been hard to impress. I trust your judgement.” Rahim sighed and then nodded to Arlan from atop his horse. “You have my approval then.”
“With respect…my lord.” Arlan said as he looked to Kaewyn. “I do not seek out your approval. I only wish to serve Lord Kaewyn.”
Kaewyn saw the shock in Rahim’s eyes, but to his credit, he did not show it for long. He merely turned his horse and re-joined the column without a word. General Alaric bowed in the saddle and did the same.
“Is this truly what you want Arlan?” Kaewyn asked with the biggest smile on his face.
“It is, my lord. You have shown yourself to be a worthy lord in more ways than one. My spear is yours.” Arlan said, his voice thick with emotion. “until I draw no more breath.
Arlan tried to fall to his knee again, but Kaewyn caught him and prevented him from doing so. He laughed and welcomed him, then waved over Arlan’s volunteers, now officially troops of their army and welcomed their support as well. Most of the men seemed surprised to be personally welcomed but they showed their gratitude through their awkward smiling faces. After the ex-volunteers had joined the column, they set out once again.
Rahim remained silent for the rest of the day. Only when the sun had begun its descent behind the horizon and the army had made camp for the night, did he speak. Rahim explained that he was pleasantly surprised that Kaewyn had finally come to his senses and decided to avenge their father. He then went on to say that he looked forward to campaigning together as brothers in arms. Kaewyn felt awkward but smiled back all the same. He was glad to be on better terms with his brother, but in truth he still felt that a distance had formed between them. There was a certain tenseness that lingered in the air whenever they were together that was not easily dispelled. He hoped with time, it would fade.
The next morning, well before the army had woken up and begun to pack up camp, Kaewyn was woken by Yohren. When he asked why he was being woken before the sun had even thought about rising, Yohren explained that Arlan wanted to see him. Begrudgingly, he pulled himself out of his warm sleeping furs and found Yohren in a small clearing between some small trees. He was practicing in the very dim morning light with a training sword and explained that the early morning was the best time to train. Kaewyn shook his head and chuckled, but decided it couldn’t hurt to get some practice in. He sparred with briefly with Arlan who tutored him on the basics once again and soon had Yohren joining in as well. Kaewyn and Yohren then sparred with one another while Arlan looked on and shouted encouragement and instruction. Before long, the sun had risen properly and the army had begun to stir. Already exhausted, Kaewyn called an end to the training and began preparations to march for the second day.
Around midday, the cold wind blew harshly and Kaewyn found himself wrapping his cloak around his body and hugging himself for warmth. He noticed others doing the same and often felt his teeth chattering. The sun was mostly obscured by clouds today and he hoped that it would return tomorrow.
Later in the afternoon, they came across a group of two-dozen or so refugees wearing tattered clothes and dragging behind carts nearly emptied of food and water. The refugees were initially terrified of the army, but after Kaewyn sent Yohren to reassure them, they seemed more at ease. Yohren reported that the refugees were fleeing the northern wars in the Heartlands and were seeking a peaceful place to hide out until the Emperor’s peace was restored. Kaewyn offered them safe haven in Greystone Province, but all the refugees saw was another army and politely declined. He wished them well and decided to give the poor people enough supplies to last a few more days. Even this small gesture was met with concern by Rahim, who emphasised that the army needed all the supplies they could get if they were to avenge their father. His complaint was ignored, and the supplies were given. The refugees parted with smiles on their faces as the army continued north toward Edheren Province.
The cold and windy day came to an end with no further events, other than when Yohren nearly fell off of his horse because he thought a spider had crawled up his leg. An incident which caused a cheer of laughter to spread down the column. The army set up camp on a small hillside by a gentle stream. Kaewyn downed his meal hungrily and then nearly collapsed from tiredness, falling asleep amidst his warm furs by the fire almost instantly.
The next morning, he woke up still feeling tired. He had expected for Yohren to wake him just as he had the previous morning, but he was nowhere to be seen. Pulling himself out from under his warm furs, he searched the camp and found Arlan and Yohren training together. When he joined them, he questioned why he had not been awakened, to which his retainer said that he had tried, but he had not responded and continued to sleep so he figured he was too tired to train. The three men then trained for a short while before the army set out again.
Early in the day, the scouts that had been sent out the previous night had returned. They reported that the border was well within a day’s march and that they should reach it by the middle afternoon if they continued at a steady pace. Word of this spread throughout the ranks and the men celebrated with a low cheer. He was grateful that they had made such good progress as his backside was sore from all the riding he had done. When he said as much to Yohren, he saw the faces of a few of his troops who had overheard him complaining. He quickly realised that these men had not had the privilege of riding on horseback all this way, but instead were forced to walk carrying a full load of equipment as they did so. Immediately guilty, Kaewyn quietened and suffered in silence, realising that the majority of his men had it much worse than he did.
As the sun reached its zenith, Kaewyn found himself enjoying the sun as it warmed his skin. Today had been much warmer than yesterday and the wind was no more than a gentle breeze. His mind began to wander as he wondered about what was happening back home, but his thoughts were interrupted when he noticed Yohren and Arlan arguing loudly ahead of him. He decided to get a little closer and listen in to what had them so riled up.
“I simply do not believe one should use the connections of their family to gain status.” Arlan said passionately. “I think it is far more admirable to earn reward and recognition from my own deeds, rather than rely solely on the reputation of my forebears.”
“Not everyone has a choice like you did Arlan.” Yohren countered. “Look at me, my father died and left me with nearly nothing. If he hadn’t sent me to Lord Corrhen… I never would have met Kaewyn or entered his service. I would probably be begging for scraps in some city.”
“Does that not bother you Yohren? That all you have has only been given to you because of your father?” Arlan asked.
“No, it doesn’t.” Yohren said defensively. “Kaewyn has placed his trust in me and I will do everything I can to earn what he has given me. I will be in his debt for the rest of my life.”
“But surely you would prefer to rise up due to your own efforts and not—”
“You aren’t listening to me!” Yohren snapped.
Kaewyn saw that the situation was getting out of hand. Arlan and Yohren’s arguing reminded him of when he stumbled across the two arrogant scholars hurling insults at each other outside of the Lusty Woodsman back in Oakerton, though it hadn’t gotten quite to that stage just yet. He decided that he better calm them before they escalated any further.
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He spurred his horse forwards and positioned himself between them both, then slowed his horse back to a trot. “I’m happy to see you both getting along so well. I had some concern to begin with but it appears my fears were unfounded.”
Both of the heated young men lowered their heads in shame and looked away embarrassed. Kaewyn suspected it was likely that neither of them knew he was overhearing their argument until he had appeared beside them.
“I’m sorry Kaewyn, I shouldn’t have gotten angry.” Yohren said. “I apologise Arlan.”
“I too, offer my apologies Yohren.” Arlan added. “Though I do find myself curious as to your opinion on the matter my lord. Would you prefer to use your family name for your personal benefit or would you rather stand on your own merits?”
“Hmm. Honestly, I have always despised how people have treated me differently once they knew who I was. Either they wanted to ingratiate themselves with me or they are overly hostile.” Kaewyn pondered aloud. “In the past, I have preferred to meet people and see them for who they are before revealing my lineage to them if at all possible. I think it allows me to see people for who they really are at heart.”
“Is that why you didn’t tell me you were an Edderfield when we met for the first time?” Yohren asked.
“In part, yes.” Kaewyn admitted. “I like for people to judge me for who I am and not by which family I belong to. Though I must admit, in dire situations I know would not hesitate to reveal my identity if I knew it was to my benefit. I proved this when I told the leader of those deserters who I was, just so they had a reason to refrain from hurting us. I suppose that means to a certain extent, I agree with the both of you.”
“An interesting point of view.” Arlan said as he scratched his chin lightly and supressed a tired yawn. “I suppose that I should not be so judgemental in my opinions, and for that I do apologise again Yohren. While I am not of noble blood, I know that I was raised in a life of relative privilege. I had a personal tutor and was well educated in my youth. I also had the benefit of being instructed in the ways of combat by my famous grandfather. I suppose… if I did not have the benefit of any of these things, I might think very differently.”
“I’m glad you now see it that way.” Yohren said happily. “I wish those born in my situation had the chance to prove themselves as you have. It would be a better world if that were true.”
“That is why we serve Lord Kaewyn my friend.” Arlan said with a chuckle. “So that the world may be a better place when we return to the earth.”
“He has given me this chance, so I intend not to waste it!” Yohren said passionately.
“Uh, you both know that I am still right here?” Kaewyn said awkwardly, but his two companions only laughed out loud and ignored him.
Satisfied he had avoided further argument. Kaewyn reduced the speed of his horse and fell back into his original position. He was surprised to see that Marcus had joined him. The newly appointed advisor had a sinister look planted firmly upon his face.
“A masterful move, my lord.” Marcus said with a sly smile. “Keeping those lackeys’ content will avoid troubles in the future.”
“Is that all anyone is to you Marcus? A lackey to be used?” Kaewyn snapped. He’d had enough of Marcus belittling everyone around him at every opportunity. “I cannot count how many you have insulted since joining me.”
“My lord…” Marcus said shaking his head disappointingly, as a master instructing their inexperienced student might do so. “You should see everyone as a tool to be used, to see them as talented resources to be expended in pursuit of your goals. Only then will you achieve anything of note. Our enemies will do this, mark my words.”
“Then perhaps I shall begin doing as you say, by considering you as such from now on.” Kaewyn scoffed. “Leave me be Marcus, I do not want to hear from you until you are summoned.”
As the day progressed into the afternoon, the sun began to wilt and gentle clouds appeared across the sky. The open fields and rolling hills on either side of the Emperor’s Way gave way to wooded areas that concealed much from view. Before long, the sound of rushing water from within the woods indicated that the Rau River was close now, though just out of sight. Kaewyn remembered from his previous travels and from the maps he had studied before the campaign, that the mighty Rau River ran parallel to the road for a short while before trailing off. It was the river that marked the border between Greystone and Edheren Provinces, between Edderfield and Elentide lands.
Currently riding near the head of the marching army, Kaewyn spotted a faint trail that split off from the Emperor’s Way and spiralled off into the woods towards the river. He had been on the lookout for this landmark and was anxious that he had missed it. Happy that he had, in fact, not missed it, he called a halt to the march and signalled for Rahim and General Alaric to come and speak with him.
“What is it brother?” Rahim asked impatiently.
“Nothing…” He said. “Just… continue on with the troops and set up camp for the night when you come to a fjord. If the maps are still accurate, you should come across it very soon.”
“Where are you going my lord?” General Alaric queried. “I do not think it wise to go off on your own again. I heard about your encounter with the bandits…”
“I will be just fine, General. You have your orders.” Kaewyn said.
“Listen to my brother General.” Rahim added. “We will meet you and the troops by the fjord.”
Kaewyn looked to Rahim who seemed completely calm, despite seemingly having invited himself on accompanying him to wherever it was he planned to go. The general sensed the tension, but said nothing and bowed, accepting his orders. He then raised his hand, signalling to the troops to continue their march. As the troops began to move again, Kaewyn watched Rahim for any sign of what he was up to, but his brother gave away nothing. When Yohren caught up and passed them, but then noticed that Kaewyn was not going to be following the army, he slowed down and returned with a worried look on his face. Kaewyn noticed that Yohren was handling his mount much better, this campaign had forced him to be in the saddle all day and the results were showing.
After he had waved off Yohren and gestured for him to continue on with the army, the two brothers waited until the majority of the troops had passed them. An awkward silence soon formed in the absence of marching troops.
“I thought you might have forgotten this place.” Rahim said. “You didn’t think I had forgotten, had you?”
“I wasn’t certain.” He replied. “It has been a very long time.”
“Not for me.” Rahim corrected. “We visited this place on the way to join with the Coalition of Lords.”
“Then you should lead the way.” Kaewyn said.
“…Alright.” Rahim agreed. “Keep up. I’ll not ride slowly for you.”
Kaewyn followed Rahim into the wooded trail that snaked around tall pines and thick, sharp bushes. He had originally planned to make this short journey alone, but when he saw how disused the trail had become, he was glad that Rahim had decided to come along too. Without his brother who had visited much more recently, he was afraid he may have gotten lost as the trail ended and began several times over. After ten or so minutes, the sound of rushing water grew louder and louder. The faint trail then gave way to old square cut stones that sat neatly in the ground. The stone trail then led up a slight incline that continued on for another several minutes. At the top of this path, the beginnings of a small clearing appeared. Kaewyn and Rahim both dismounted and tied their mounts to a nearby tree that served as a makeshift hitching post and then continued on foot.
Within the clearing more of the stone tiles were laid out in a large square, making up a courtyard of sorts no larger than the one back in Xu Castle. In the centre of this courtyard of stone, a massive, thick tree stood with several grey robed men kneeling in front of it. This tree however, was not like the pines that dominated the surrounding area, for one, it had no branches or leaves. On each side of this tree, giant eagle like wings carved of wood immediately caught the eye. The very top of the tree had been carved down into a round pommel like shape. On the far side of the tree, the Rau River could be seen flowing down below.
“Well. We’re here.” Rahim said flatly.
One of the robed men who was praying to the tree had already noticed their presence. He slowly rose to his feet and began to head toward them. Kaewyn could tell that the man was old even before he approached due to the sluggish nature of his movements.
“Welcome young ones. I am one of the monks who reside here and maintain the grounds. Have you come to visit the Shrine of Ohnix? Or perhaps you stumbled across us by accident?”
“We’re here by choice.” Kaewyn answered.
“Delightful!” The old man said excitedly. “Too many people spurn the old gods in the Empire now. Especially the nobility. They forget the old ways and instead worship dead men rather than the gods! Utter nonsense if you ask me, worshipping your ancestors.”
Rahim chuckled, but otherwise made no comment.
“Actually, we’ve come to pay respects to our father.” Kaewyn explained. “He has recently… returned to the gods, and he often visited this place.”
“Oh?” The monk said with interest. “What was his name? I’ve lived here a very long time; it is quite possible that I know the man you speak of.”
“Uh, Corrhen.” Rahim said hesitantly. “His name was Corrhen.”
“Hmmm.” The monk said deep in thought. “Not a name that brings a face to my mind. I am sorry for your loss regardless.”
“Thank you.” Kaewyn said.
“Listen, if your father revered Ohnix during his life then you must know that both he and us are an increasingly rare breed. Since the founding of the Empire, there are fewer who worship Ohnix and the old gods every generation.” The monk explained passionately. “The nobility practice ancestor worship and have forgotten about the gods. Soon, shrines like this one will become but a memory thanks to them. Your father should have brought you both here as children and showed you the way, as you should with your own children in the future. Only by doing this can we stop the nobility from making everyone worship their ancestors instead of the gods! We cannot let the old ways die!”
“Our father visited this shrine!” Rahim snapped. “Not only that, but he allowed your shrine to remain on this land.”
The monk recoiled in visible confusion. His eyes opened wide and for the first time since introducing himself, he seemed at a loss for words.
“What do you… mean?”
“Our father was Lord Corrhen.” Kaewyn explained. “We are Edderfields.”
“You’re… Edderfields? Lord Corrhen’s boys?” The monk said in shock. “Oh my, I have gone and made a fool of myself, haven’t I? I didn’t recognise the name because we all just called him Lord Edderfield.”
“Changing your tune now, it would seem.” Rahim said with a smirk.
“Gods, no.” The monk countered. “I stand by what I said about the nobility, but perhaps I spoke too rashly. Lord Edderfield was always kind to us, and yes, he allowed us to remain here. The tax collectors were even told to leave us be. For that, I will always be in his debt. That does not mean that what I said holds no truth, the old gods are still at risk of being forgotten, but there are exceptions to what I have said. Lord Edderfield was a good man. I am sorry to hear of his passing… more than you know.”
“I haven’t seen anything like this in any of the towns or cities.” Kaewyn said, fascinated by the sight of the winged tree. “It is not a surprise that people have forgotten if the shrines are only found in such remote locations such as this.”
“It was not always this way, young lords. Before the Revaryn Empire, some four-hundreds years ago, shrines to the old gods could be found in every major city, but the founding Emperor raised up a new noble class and steered them toward worshipping themselves over the gods.”
“We aren’t here for a history lesson monk.” Rahim stated.
“Maybe not, but if you are here to pay respect to your father, then perhaps what I have here will interest you.” The monk said as he hobbled off toward the tree and then returned. “These are tokens of Ohnix, carved directly from the tree.”
The monk held out several small carved charms that bore a likeness to that of the winged tree. Each carving had a small metallic chain weaved through it so that the token could be worn as a necklace or pendant.
“One for each of you.” The monk said warmly as he took hold of their hands and forced them to accept it.
“I’m not paying for this…” Rahim complained.
“It is a gift young one.” The monk countered. “Your lord father visited here regularly. I expect he had one just like these tokens himself. Please carry them with you and think of it as a way to remember him.”
Rahim paused for a moment, and then accepted the monks’ gift with a warm nod. Kaewyn held the item in his hands and thanked the talkative monk for his generosity. Examining the token as he felt it within his grasp, he realised that it was of a superior quality and well made. Even the loggers of Greystone who had developed a significant reputation for wood carvings would struggle to come close to the quality of this token, he thought to himself. The edges had been carved to hard angles and the likeness to the winged tree was nearly perfect. The engravings were parallel on each side and appeared to be symmetrical in every way. Someone had spent a great deal of time making sure that this token was a true representation of the shrine.
The monk then thanked them for coming and soon re-joined the other monks at the base of the tree, leaving the two brothers alone. Rahim gestured for Kaewyn to follow him as he walked to the other side of the shrine, behind the great winged tree. A small stone bench sat overlooking the Rau River. The two brothers sat down together on the cold stone, each holding in his hands their newly acquired tokens of Ohnix.
“He would have loved seeing us here, together.” Rahim said sadly. “Especially with these tokens.”
“I thought you were going to throw it away the first chance you had.” Kaewyn said.
“Maybe I was, but what the monk said. I don’t know.” Rahim said as he lifted the token’s chain over his head, letting the token rest against his chest. “This makes me feel closer to him somehow.”
“I know.” Kaewyn replied as he too, donned the token around his neck. “I feel the same way.”
After a period of silence of the two simply observing the river flowing down below. It was difficult to tell, but the afternoon had snuck up on them and the sky had begun to darken ever so slightly. If they were to find the camp at the fjord before nightfall, they would have to leave shortly.
“Kaewyn.” Rahim said.
“Yes?”
“I am sorry… that things have become difficult between us. I never meant for it to be this way.”
“I know.”
“Promise me something brother.” Rahim said as he stood from the stone bench and anxiously fiddled with his new token. “Promise me we will avenge him.”
Kaewyn nodded. “We will. Together.”
The two brothers returned to their horses and left the shrine soon after. Navigating the trail proved more difficult this time around due to the light having faded significantly since their arrival, but they managed to find the Emperor’s Way all the same. Over the next hour or so of heavy riding, they saw that the Rau River had slowly crept closer and closer to the road as they continued on. Then, up ahead, they saw a dozen or so small fires and rising grey smoke. Further on, they saw their men still setting up camp and erecting tents by a large open fjord that marked the border between the Edderfield and Elentide lands. Their army was large enough to obscure the entire road and whole area had turned into a makeshift camp.
Kaewyn rode towards the camp and was quickly met by several riders who challenged their approach. Upon recognising them, they were led to General Alaric and Marcus who were overseeing the camp’s construction. Kaewyn expected his brother to be right beside him, eager to get into the planning of the crossing the border with their army, but he was nowhere to be seen. When he asked the guards where he had gone, they said that his brother had simply dismounted his horse and found a tent on his own. He was somewhat concerned about Rahim, but soon he realised a more pressing matter required his attention.
“My lord, good to see you back.” The General said. “The camp is being set up as we speak.”
“Good work General.” Kaewyn replied tiredly.
“My lord. There is something I must share with you.” Marcus said as he politely bowed. “An unexpected development.”
“What has happened?” He asked impatiently, hoping that he would soon be able to rest.
“A lone rider appeared shortly after we arrived at the fjord…” Marcus paused. “...from the other side of the river. He brings word that Lady Elentide wishes to parley with you tomorrow morning by the fjord.”
“The bastards already know we are here!” The General said angrily. “I thought we would have been able to cross before we were discovered.”
Kaewyn sighed heavily. He didn’t know what this meant for the campaign. If the Elentide were prepared for their attack, then their chances of success had already fallen considerably. An entire army could be waiting on the other side of the fjord, hiding within the trees just out of sight. The Elentide were famous for their ambushes and affinity for battle near and on the water. They had proven their reputation true again when they attacked his father returning from the campaign against the Great Traitor.
Kaewyn knew that his troops would be leaving themselves open to attack if they were to attempt a cross. With no other obvious alternative, he decided that there was no choice but to meet with this Lady Elentide for now. He then told them to make preparations and to fortify the camp as they may be staying in this location for a while. The General disagreed at first, but Marcus believed that Kaewyn had the right idea and managed to convince him. Exhausted both, physically and emotionally from the long day of riding, he tiredly suggested that the guards on watch be tripled that night as a precaution which was met with approval from both Marcus and the General. Once they were all in agreement, he felt his stomach growling with hunger. He politely excused himself and sought out something to eat.
Kaewyn’s nose led him to a gathering of small fires where several dozen men were seated and sharing warm meals. The scent of cooking meat caused his mouth to water and his stomach to growl again. He looked around briefly for the source of the intoxicating smell but it was difficult to find as the sun had fallen behind the horizon and left only a very dim light. Several soldiers equipped with lit torches were already patrolling the camp and lighting makeshift braziers for light. He was then surprised by Yohren who appeared beside him with a happy smile.
“You gave me a fright.” Kaewyn said with a slight chuckle.
“Oh, uh. Sorry. When did you get here? Have you had something to eat yet?” Yohren asked eagerly.
“Only just before, and not yet.”
“You look tired.” Yohren said with concern. “You should rest.”
“I am tired.” He replied. “How are you so full of energy?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’m just excited… and worried. I’ve never been a part of something like this before.”
“Is there somewhere I can rest without being stepped on?”
“Well, it looks like word has gotten out that we may be here a while. They’ve begun to set up some tents for the officers and the like over there.” Yohren said pointing in the distance. “No doubt one of those will be yours so you probably won’t have to sleep on the ground tonight.”
“Then nor will you.” Kaewyn added, but Yohren only looked confused. “You forget that you are my retainer Yohren. We are sworn to share in wealth and adversity. If I sleep in a tent tonight, then you shall too.”
Yohren smiled. “You look exhausted, let me find you something nice to eat while you rest.”
Kaewyn nodded as his dutiful retainer disappeared behind a wooden palisade that was being erected by several soldiers. He then found a comfortable spot by one of the fires, though he purposely decided to use the only one not being used by anyone else at that moment. He settled down and warmed his hands by the fire and thought on the day’s events.
He wondered about Rahim, about his father and on what the Elentide had in store for him tomorrow, but his thoughts were interrupted by a nervous group of tired looking men clad in armour who lingered hesitantly by his fire. When he looked up at them, they quickly turned to leave, but Kaewyn stopped them and asked them to sit. He realised that these men were probably as tired as he was, if not even more so. With warm smiles, the men huddled around the fire and warmed themselves up much in the same way he had. None of the men spoke a word. When Yohren reappeared with Kaewyn’s food, mostly some dried meats and a little bit of cheese accompanied by enough wine for all of them, the soldiers began to loosen up and talk.
He learned that two of them had served his father in the campaign against the Great Traitor under Rahim, and another had only just joined after hearing his call to arms prior to their march. Another had given up his life as a logger and decided he was better off swinging an axe at Greystone’s enemies rather than at trees. He was shocked to learn that the eldest soldier had served since before his birth and had seen many battles. These men had come from all walks of life with differing experiences and values, but they were united in their determination to protect Greystone Province by whatever means they could. He admired their spirit and told them as much, which seemed to have lifted their moods. These people were his people now. He felt a strong desire to do whatever it took to whatever he had to in order to keep them safe.