The sun had just hit the highest point in the sky meaning it was finally noon. An exhausted young rider looked up to catch the time of day to see just how much longer they had on this pointless journey. He looked back down and straight forward to see his brother a few feet in front of him whistling a soft tune. This of course annoyed the boy because how on earth do you find time to be careless when the bloody sun is beating down on you and you haven't eaten a proper meal in a week. The boy huffed and signaled his horse to speed up to catch up with his brother.

"Noah, how can you be whistling when it's too hot to even steer the horse," The youngest whined.

"Oh come on Theo. It's not that bad out here and besides whistling is a good distraction to keep up the spirits," Noah answered back kindly.

"Yeah well, it doesn't work for me. I'm hot, tired, and hungry and we've been riding for at least a week. I thought you said that this would be a short trip?" Theo impatiently vented.

"Nico said somewhere around a week to a week and a half." Noah looked across at Theo frowning a little. He squinted his eyes as the light was quite blinding. "Could be worse. We could be traveling straight through a snowstorm." Noah gave a lazy smile causing Theo to dramatically throw his head back and groan. Noah only rolled his eyes at his brother's antics.

Theo for the most part was okay company but had his moments of being childish. Once, when Noah was finally old enough to go with his father on the annual hunting trip many of the men of the city took, Theo threw a fit like a toddler as to why he couldn't go. It was times like this Noah wanted to smack some sense into his brother but also understood what it was like to be his age as well. Noah wanted his brother to be able to have an actual childhood and not have to grow up as quickly as he had to. So the childish moments were tolerated.

Theo stared back at his big brother. "Nico is also full of shit."

"For the most part yeah, but he knows his stuff when it comes to travel." Noah chuckled at the reaction to his explanation. "Besides, it shouldn't be too much longer. Probably another hour or so."

Theo didn't say another word. He lifted his hood on his cloak to keep the sun from beating on his neck so fiercely and kept on. The wilderness around them was a sight to behold though. One that Noah seemed to appreciate more so than Theo. Large mountain ranges rose up towards the heavens in the east and green fields dotted with colorful flowers ever so often for as far as the eyes could see to the west.

A gentle warm breeze blew through to fields dancing with the tall grass and flowers. Some say that these beautiful flowers hold special properties used by some healers. Others believed these flowers held more than healing properties and were used in secret. However, magic had been a long-forgotten practice of the past. While many believe magic to never have existed, fields like this hold great secrets and sometimes let out whispers of a bygone era.

To the east was the Empyrean mountain range. They stretched from deep in the Northern Kingdom to the Southern Kingdom creating a natural border for a fair bit of the Eastern Kingdom. Some of the oldest giants rise into the skies as if to touch Heaven.

"Those stories are real, you know?" Noah shook his head a bit lost in thought to see Theo staring at him.

Stories of Gods calling those mountains home. The brother's mother had a large family book of old stories that had been passed down for decades. One story she would tell would be that of the Gods who resided within the Empyrean Mountains. They were the protectors of the mountains and did so strictly. So much so that the Empyrean Range was given quite a nasty reputation. Those who trekked across were never seen again. It was believed that the Gods killed any who set foot in their home. Then again it was just a story.

"Theo, those were just stories to scare us at night. Those Gods never really existed." Noah sighed looking back in front.

"How do you know they never existed?" Theo challenged him. He always fought Noah on these things. It was rare to find anyone in Líadain, the royal city of the north, who believed Gods ever existed.

Noah looked Theo dead in the eyes, "And how do you they did?"

Theo looked down at his saddle. He didn't dare challenge Noah.

"They exist. I know it," Theo whispered more to himself than anything. Noah just shook his head and carried on without another word on the subject.

~~~*~~~

The town of Kestramore came into view after another hour of travel. Theo let out a sigh of relief and picked up some speed. All he wanted was a hot meal and a nice bath.

Many merchants swarmed the brothers as they entered, shoving what they had to sell into the brothers' faces. Noah grabbed the reigns of his brother's horse and pushed them through until it was safe to stop and dismount.

Noah's attention was pulled towards an older woman who was selling fresh bread. His stomach growled. He nudged Theo and he followed Noah over. "Excuse me." The lady turned her attention to Noah and smiled. "How much for the loaf?"

She broke the loaf in half and gave each to the boys. "Don't worry about it." Then she winked. Theo immediately scarfed his portion down and the woman laughed. "Hungry, are we?"

"Starved," Theo answered back with a mouth full of bread.

Noah only rolled his eyes at his brother and shook his head. The lady chuckled again at the sight of the brothers. Noah took a bite and looked around. Most inns on the main pathway would be too expensive for them. It was either sleeping in the stalls with the horses or under the stars.

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Noah turned again to the woman. "Say, you wouldn't know of any inns that we could stay at for a few nights?"

She nodded. "My sister runs an inn just up the street. The Willow Tree. You can't miss it."

Noah thanked her and they were off with their stomachs full for the first time in a week. The smells of the market followed them all through the curving street. Theo could feel his mouth begin to water again.

"You think we could check out some of the other sellers?" Theo asked. He looked around trying to see through the people standing around the tables.

"I don't think the others would be as keen to be giving their food away. Besides we only have so much and it's for important purchases." Noah felt his stomach ache for food. How he wished he could give Theo what he wanted.

Theo leaned down to look around Noah's horse. "Food is an important purchase."

"You know what I mean." He rolled his eyes.

They tied their horses and headed into the small inn. There wasn't much to see walking in. Simply a desk and a bell in an otherwise empty room. Noah rang the bell. He looked back at Theo who shrugged. So Noah rang it again.

"Hold your horses. Give me a second to get down these stairs." A voice rang muffled through the walls and heavy footsteps thudded down the steps. A woman in her fifties came rushing down the steps. Her braided hair whipped behind her, almost whacking Noah in the face as she turned to grab the log book. She tossed it onto the desk and it landed with a thunderous thud. "Now, what can I help you with?"

Noah glanced over at Theo and saw Theo already giving him a look. "Clearly we want a room." He turned back to the innkeeper.

She planted her hands on her hips. "I can do without the sarcasm."

"Then don't ask rhetorical questions," Noah popped back. Theo was mentally face-palming. At this rate, they were more likely to be ran out than get a room.

The woman glanced between the two boys before letting out a chuckle. "I like you." Theo let out a pent-up breath. "Now what are you looking for?"

"The cheapest room you have." Noah placed a few gold coins on the desk. The woman looked at them and then back to Noah.

She pushed the coins back to Noah and leaned forward resting her elbows on the countertop. "Where are you two coming from? You seem awfully young traveling on your own."

Now it was Noah's turn to panic. The innkeeper seemed smart enough to put two and two together. The brothers were indeed fairly young to be traveling, but what other choice do they have?

War or run.

King Erebus had been warring with the Southern and Western Kingdoms for almost a decade at this point. That was no secret, but a new declaration had been ordered six months ago. All males sixteen and older were to join the war effort. Rumors of draft dodgers and runners had become more frequent in the last month or so. Noah saved and saved from working at the bakery that was once in their family. As soon as Theo turned sixteen, Noah grabbed what little they had and they left in the middle of the night. Theo deserved to live a life free of fear that he would be dragged off to fight for a king that didn't give a shit about him.

"Um... Líadain."

The woman nodded and closed the book. She nudged the money again. Noah looked confused but hesitantly took the money. She walked over and locked the door. Theo gave Noah a panicked expression. She turned with a grim expression. Noah was sure they were done for now.

"I'm putting you two in a room on the top floor. You stay as long as you need. No cost for the board. There's a tavern down the road. Tell them Annabeth is taking care of you and they'll have a meal ready for you. You got horses?" They both nodded. "Jonathan owns a stable near the town entrance. Take your horses there and they'll be taken care of." The brothers stood speechless and confused. She rolled her eyes and held her hands out for their bags.

Noah shook his head. "Wait so you aren't turning us in?"

"Turning you in?" Annabeth snatched the bags away from them and headed up the steps without missing a beat. The boys ran after her. "This stupid war has gone on too long and taken too many lives. We've taken it upon ourselves here to help get any runners from Líadain as far from that hellhole as possible."

Theo poked his head out from behind Noah. "That's really kind of you all."

"We're doing our part in protecting our future," she said quietly. Annabeth turned her head slightly to the side as she spoke. Neither of the boys said a word and she nodded and continued up the stairs.

She made sure they were set in the room before disappearing back downstairs. Neither one said a word to the other. The anxiety and fear still lingered in the air. It was becoming more challenging to know who could be trusted as the war grew worse.

A few hours had passed and the boys felt that they were safe... for now. Theo decided to rinse off before they headed out for a good meal and Noah headed to tend to the horses.

Noah mounted his horse and carried the reins of the other firmly in his hand as he made his way back to the entrance to town. As he entered a more crowded area, a stand full of fruit was knocked over causing a dog to let out a loud bark. Theo's horse reared pulling the reins free from Noah's grasp. Many screamed in surprise and scattered to not be trampled by the spooked horse. It bolted down the main path and Noah took off after.

"Shit shit shit," Noah cursed to himself.

Noah yelled for people to move out of the way as he raced by in a blur. He focused solely on getting to the horse but had not made a plan on what he would do when he finally reached the runaway horse. Holding on for dear life he signaled for his horse to go faster as it seemed that the runaway was picking up speed out of the town.

"Oh no you don't," Noah said to himself.

As he focused on not killing anyone and also trying to speed up, Noah had not noticed the second chaser. Until this stranger flew past him towards the runaway at lightning speed. Noah was shocked at just how fast the stranger was going down the street. He then again signals for his horse to speed up to attempt and catch the stranger who had now taken the lead in the chase. Seconds began to feel like an eternity passed trying to reach this horse. People were yelling for someone to catch that "bloody horse" and to "slow down before you get someone killed" but that was barely heard by Noah as he reached the town limits. Finally, he saw the stranger with the reins of the horse. Noah let out a sigh of relief and started to slow down. Finally meeting the stranger.

"Your horse was almost a goner," stated the stranger. He handed over the horses' reins and mounted his own horse again.

"Yeah... um, thanks for the help." He stammered out embarrassed by the entire situation.

The stranger adjusted his hood to block the sun from his face. "Just keep a better handle on that horse and you'll be fine," The stranger uttered.

"Hmm," Noah mumbled. The stranger trotted away without another word leaving Noah to deal with the two horses. He managed to find the stalls and only mentions Annabeth. The stablemen nodded and took in the horses. A man Noah could only assume was Jonathan winked and walked past him. Noah gave one last glimpse at the horses before heading back to the inn to clean up and tell Theo what he missed.

Late evening came quickly and after a good bath and quick nap; the brothers were ready for a good hot dinner. Annabeth was quietly reading at the desk and waved at them as they passed. Theo waved back and Noah ushered him out the door into the warm weather. Food was calling and man was that call loud.