The Rain Passes are named as such due to the sheer volume of rain that falls in them. Every month there would be several days where the rain falls nonstop, creating new rivers that threaten to flood the entirety of the passes. Some would question the importance of these flooded ravines, yet they are of the utmost strategic value. Each pass is blocked by water mills, three massive wheels churning in each of them. Gigantic fortress bridges made of black stone and iron protect these wheels, and each one is used for a different purpose.
The first Rain Pass holds the Iron Bridge, so named not due to its materials, but rather due to the copious amount of metals it can manufacture using the power from the vast quantities of water that flow through it. The Second Pass holds the Wooden Bridge, and the Third Pass holds the Grain Bridge.
All three bridges are protected by a garrison of 500 Storm Guard each, and each are loyal to the three Lords of the Rain Passes, Lord Sturnn, Lord Terron and Lord Umbric. All three are sworn to the Lord of the Iron Raven.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lord Corvus stood quietly, his men running around busily preparing the final stages for departure. His warhorse stood nearby, a gigantic destrier, its hide as black as midnight. Its armor was painted black as well, and it had a dull grey trim, the colors of the Iron Raven. The standard bearers mounted swiftly, hoisting the massive flags that are their duties up high, displaying the Raven in flight, its claws clutching a sprawling scroll that read ‘Sapientia est victoria, Scientia est potentia’.
“In wisdom, victory. In knowledge, power”, Corvus muttered. Often the Ravens of the mountains were praised and feared for their seeming knowledge of everything, yet in this occasion Corvus wished that were true. He was going in nearly blind into the capital, with only the knowledge that the other Lords were planning to do the same as he had done, to march out in force and meet the Drake King.
Common sense dictated that such an action would result in open hostilities, yet the thing no one but the Five Lords knew was that the Drake King himself told them to bring their men if they so wished to. Why he would bid them to do so Corvus truly wished he knew why.
A faint coughing sound broke Corvus from his reverie. He looked to his side, and saw his Scout Captain, still thin and gaunt, his wiry black hair greasy and his dark brown eyes deeply sunk in their sockets.
“My Lord, your men have all rallied to your call. We are fully prepared to begin the march towards Drakenhold.”
“Good”, Corvus replied curtly. He was not pleased that the two Lords of the Plains both acted so heatedly and rashly. Had they not already declared their willingness to set forth with their own forces he could have potentially persuaded the other Lords to agree on a more peaceful measure. Instead both Lord Leoric and Lord Tauros have mustered their men and set forth, forcing the other Lords to do so in kind so that should hostilities break out they would not be caught unawares.
‘Perhaps the Lords of the Plains caught hint of my own plans…’ Corvus thought as he tapped the hilt of his sword. The timing and the manner with which the current events were flowing troubled him. It was all too convenient, too perfectly timed to be a coincidence, yet it was not within the nature of the rash and bullheaded Plain lords to act as such.
‘It would mean that there would have to be a third actor in all of this. The only question is, who?’
“Derrick”, Corvus spoke softly, calling the Scout Captain by his name.
The Scout Captain seemed surprised for a moment, his eyes widening for a brief second before he leaned closer to Corvus.
“How many days are the others from arriving at Drakenhold?” asked Lord Corvus.
“The Lion and the Bull march together, 5 days distance from the capital. The Sharks are riding their ships north and will arrive in 6 days. The Bears departed a day before us and will arrive in 5 days.”
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Corvus rubbed his chin as he mulled over this new information. The distance from Aquillum to Drakenhold was significantly less than any of the other Realms, but the terrain itself would cause significant delays, especially with the amount of provisions and men he was gathering. Had it been 3 years prior he could have gathered his men closer to the capital at Ferusium, but the fortress was in a state of severe disrepair after repelling the large-scale raiding parties from beyond the Iron Mountains.
Shaking his head Corvus dispelled his worries for the time being. He mounted his horse and looked towards the three Lords of the Rain Passes who had gathered near him.
Lord Corvus of the Iron Raven gestured towards his signalmen. They breathed in deeply, a blew out a loud note from their massive war horns. The time was nigh to march for the capital.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As mere Recruit-Wards our location in the procession was towards the back. We were to defend the more insignificant supplies that we brought, scrap leather and iron for mending boots and saddles and whatnot. Despite the menial task we were given Trest and most of the others still had the excitement from several days before, if not more. They were joking to each other and discussing what they would do in the capital once given free time.
Adam was silent, his eyes closed as he seemed closed off to the world. Tranquil, calm and collected.....is how I would describe him if his face didn't have a slight green shade about them. That and the fact that he kept swallowing every 5 seconds, as if he was trying to hold something in.
To be fair I couldn't blame him for being slightly queazy. The cart that we were riding right now had the worst sense of balance, clearly a result of hurried work. It lurched and swayed and trembled as it slowly moved over the gravelly ground.
I sighed as I pulled out my cleaning kit, a simple rag and some grease. Although my normal training sword would be full of dents and nicks along the edges, the blade I carried with me right now was far superior. I smiled as the gleaming steel blade reflected the sunlight back at me, shimmering as I turned it slowly.
While my training sword was made from iron, this one was made from the steel from the Iron Bridge. Out of all the Realms in the kingdom, only our Realm had the capacity and ability to create steel in such large quantities to the point where even a Recruit-Ward such as myself could have a blade made from it.
I indulged in its radiance a bit further before I set myself to clean it. A smooth tapering tip, with a central groove, the sword was simple, but elegant. The hilt was made from hardwood wrapped in black leather, capped by a Raven emblem pommel.
Beautiful.
"Seriously, how much do you love that sword to be cleaning it religiously every day?"
I raised my head to see Trest grimacing slightly, attempting to acclimate to the swaying motion of the cart. I grinned sheepishly, sheathing my sword and putting away my things as I replied.
"I can't help but to appreciate it you know? It's the only thing I have that is worth anything, and it's probably going to be the only thing I have to be of some worth."
Trest looked at me quietly through his dark brown hair. He sighed as he sat down, leaning against the wall.
"Have you ever thought to enjoy the small things in life? Get a lady, or indulge in some drinking with us?"
The cart went quiet, Adam opening his eyes slightly to look at me and Trest. Trest was still looking at me, waiting for my response. Despite the fact that the three of us had spent a year and a half together in the same room this was the first time we've had the time to have a talk like this.
Slowly, I opened my mouth.
"It's not that I haven't thought about doing those sorts of things. I wish I could have gone with you drinking, and maybe find a girlfriend. But I have to uphold my oath."
Trest sighed slightly before asking.
"What oath? And to who?"
"The oath I gave to Lord Corvus when he spared my life." I answered softly.
Adam opened his eyes properly at this, giving off an air of confirmation as opposed to one of surprise. He spoke, though with slight difficulty.
"I figured as much. Your name, and the way you stare over at the Keep occasionally. That and the scar on your chest always bothered me, but I figured it rude to ask."
Trest rolled his eyes at that.
"Yeah, of course you would know everything, but some of us mere mortals do not have such great intellect oh mighty Crow."
Adam glared at Trest, opening his mouth slightly before closing it immediately as he turned a rather violent shade of green.
Trest, looking slightly satisfied, turned back to me and asked,
"So, what happened?"
I placed my sword between my legs, holding it upright with both of my hands as I leaned my head against it.
"I was a orphan when I was little. My parents never knew me, my father died in the raids from the northerners as a soldier and my mother died giving birth. I was lucky enough to live at the orphange for a short time but even the caretaker there died of old age, and I was thrown out into the streets. I had to do something to survive, so I did odd jobs for the local gangs, delivering things like messages and small packages."
A bump in the trail tossed everything in the cart around, especially the contents of Adam's stomach. I paused as he wretched out everything over the side, loud complaints echoing from the unlucky few behind us who had to walk over the bile.
I continued as Trest gestured at me, urging me to continue my story.
"Usually the people I deliver my packages to are addicts and debtors, as well as the occasional guard that we bribed to look things over. But one day I had to deliver a package to a few men who had just entered the city. I never saw them before, which I thought was strange, especially since I did most of the deliveries and I know all the regulars. I was happy though, they gave me five silver coins, much more than what I usually get."
I gripped the scabbard of my sword hard. Hard enough for my knuckles to go white.
"That was 6 years ago."
Trest gained a dark look in his eyes, glowering at me slightly. Adam looked at me with a slight hint of contempt. They knew what happened that day, 6 years ago. Everyone knew what happened that day.
Lord Corvus's son was murdered that day.