The grandeur of the mountains was regal. Murky misty blue peaks were aimed towards an evening sky so close that it looked that they were embracing. They rose just above the horizon like a wide pointy sun, hiding a part of the sky from The White Rose's prying eyes.

They weren't sharp and pointy like those you hear about in stories about evil witches and the like but were broad with a gradual incline as if they were trying to take up as much space as possible while still having the composure of a mountain.

They were beautiful. It was as if someone heavenly had dropped a blessed piece of land at the end of this pebbly, dry, empty desert. The White Rose wasn't surprised when her jaw started aching from having her mouth gaping for too long. It really was beautiful and the name 'The Cliffs' that they used in her nation was definitely an understatement for the breadth of these mountains. How come The Ruler had never taken her here? He had always been for teaching The White Rose about their country and their neighbours. Why had her brothers never spoken of this sight? Did they even know it existed?

These thoughts twisted around in her head as she urged her horse forwards once again. She heard "I'll be damned" and other phrases of (what she guessed [and hoped] was) awe from the guards behind her, as they inch by inch came closer to the base of the blue mountains that they were a reasonable distance away from.

After a few minutes of being with her own thoughts and trying to keep the whiteish horse at a unexessive pace she realised that someone was calling her name from behind. The White Rose slowed down her horse until she was riding side by side with the guards who were sitting with their backs against each other, so Sash was facing the road behind them and Cha-el holding the reins.

Sash's skin looked quite rosy to an unhealthy level, while Cha-el's skin who used to be quite cracked and flaking seemed to be improving just like The White Rose's. She guessed the spit-thing that Sash had recommended really did work, unlike what the White Rose had thought.

"Is it just me, or if you squint really hard at the bottom of the mountain you can see some sort of forms?" Cha-el said looking at the mountains with screwed up eyes. Sash turned her head to look over Cha-el's shoulder and squinted as well.

When The White Rose tried she realised that she could see a tiny path winding up the first part of the mountain range that quickly disappeared behind the clefts of the nearest mountain. She could see small specks walking up and down it that she guessed were people. Were there people who lived in the mountains? She actually had no idea.

She followed the path with her eyes towards the base of the mountain while she tightened her reins with her clenched hands. Just as Cha-el had said there were shapes at the base of the mountain; right next to where the path started to wind up the mountain side.

"Yes, I see them" The White Rose said while clenching her reins a bit tighter. "What are they?"

"Let's get closer and find out." Cha-el said with a hint of a smile, before urging the black horse into a gallop that made Sash hold on to the saddle like her life depended on it. The whiteish horse ran after them without The White Rose even urging it. This horse was in desperate need of some training, she thought to herself as she tried to get the horse to follow her commands.

Once the black horse before them slowed down to a walking gait, The White Rose had trouble slowing down her horse who simply just wanted to run free but managed in the end by being tough with the reins.

The White Rose knew this must be the creature from the basin but wasn’t yet completely sure for the visions didn’t have to show her moments that she would experience. It could be from the past of someone else or the future of someone else.

"Having trouble princess?" Sash said with concern, as they managed to ride side by side. The White Rose shook her head grateful for her concern about her riding, but she wasn't going stop without a fight against her uneducated self who had never learned horseback riding.

"Pretty sure that's some sort of village down there." Cha-el said. And sure enough when The White Rose looked closely she could see houses with candles in their windows in the evening darkness and grazing creatures in pastures just beyond the shapes that she guessed was a very small version of a village centre.

"Are there villages in the mountains? I always thought they were empty." Sash said while picking her nails in a disinterested manner. Her skin had started to turn back into it's pale shade once again now that the sun was going down the horizon in the west. She also seemed less fatigued. "Because I mean who would live on a mountain? There's no food and nothing to make money off."

"I suppose that's partly true but there are actually many mountaineers who live off the mountain beasts and who actually mine a bit. I think there's a decent ore in these mountains that gives them this blue colour." The White Rose said recounting what her geography teacher had told her in the castle back in the capital.

Both Sash and Cha-el both raised an eyebrow at her, surprised she guessed, that she knew of such fancy things as nearby countries. She guessed that in the underground barracks that the guards and soldiers slept in, they didn't care much for enlightenment. After all as a soldier the only skill one needed was the skill of strength and endurance. One that The White Rose desperately and shamefully lacked.

"Beasts? As in those that the treers have?" Cha-el asked as he urged his horse forwards a bit faster to be able to keep up with the pace that The White Rose's horse had. Sash stiffened, either at Cha-el's mention of beasts or the faster pace. The White Rose found it hard to imagine Sash scared of anything. The strength she wielded when she fought those figures at the capital was like a force of nature.

The White Rose shivered slightly at the remembrance of the dead bodies and the splatters of blood on the pebbly ground. She had never seen a dead body before, nor had she even witnessed real violence. In the moment back at the castle she had been running on adrenaline, but during the last moon and sun circle the thought had started to disturb her more and more.

"No, not like that." The White Rose answered trying to tear herself away from the pictures in her mind. "I've seen sketches of them and they're more like furry half men--"

Before The White Rose could finish her description Sash broke into laughter that made the foot soldier clutch her own stomach. Cha-el was also snickering to himself for a second before composing himself unlike Sash who kept on laughing with joy. The White Rose couldn't help but smile at her glee for now that she thought of it this was probably the first time that she had seen either of them laugh or even smile properly for that matter; even though she wasn't quite sure what they were laughing at.

"I'm sorry princess." Sash said while still chuckling to herself then and then, interrupting her own words. "But how could any creature have resemblance to a half men?" She said before bursting out in a hearty laughter again. "I'm sorry but just imagining what you're saying makes me think of some sort of crazy dwarf covered in fur. How is that even possible?"

Both Cha-el and Sash chuckled some more at the mention of those words, even though The White Rose still didn't understand what was funny, for Sash had just described the beast how it had looked like in that sketch. But The White Rose felt like they weren't laughing at her only with her which made her feel like she was filled with some sort of happy buzz. She only felt like this when she was with her younger brothers usually. The White Rose felt her lips part in a smile.

"I'm sorry princess, I'm sorry princess." Sash said heartfully but The White Rose just shook her head still smiling. She really didn't mind.

Before they knew it they were nearing the village drastically just as the sun finished it's circle across the sky. It was really an overstatement to even call it a village since it had no more than eight houses and only a few fields beyond them. They weren't really fields either since they were just plot of pebbles with a few shrubs growing there and there. There were no creatures in the fields so The White Rose couldn't really prove her theory about the beasts.

They trotted up into the centre of the "village" where a little well had its place and most of the stone houses were placed around it in a circle formation. Across from the road they had taken was a tiny, cobbled path which led up the mountain side that they were at. The White Rose looked up the whole mountain that towered up in front of her making her feel incredibly small. She was at the end of her nation's reach, or on the border one could say and be more correct. Just one step up that steep path and she would be beyond the rule of The Ruler. Beyond his laws. The thought fascinated her and scared her all at once.

Cha-el and Sash both unmounted the black horse one at a time before attaching the black horse's reins to a post where several other mounts stood. Sash helped The White Rose off her horse before also binding the whiteish horse to the post. The village seemed to have awfully many horses and carriages for just eight houses.

"Wait why are we unmounting here?" The White Rose asked as Sash unhooked her square shaped bladed scythe from the black horse's saddle. Cha-el who had been sitting on the stone edge of the well stood up and handed her the bag that had their tasteless food in.

"Here's why." He said before sneezing in his elbow a couple seconds after. The sudden sneeze made The White Rose jump but she quickly composed herself and opened the bag. Where there should have been some dried foodstuffs, there was only two mushrooms and a strip of dried sheep jerky the size of The White Rose's middle finger. This wouldn't feed anyone's stomach and she could see the urgency in the situation for in the mountains they surely wouldn't find any food.

The White Rose handed Cha-el back the bag and looked towards the only building that had some resemblance to the previous taverna they were at. She guessed it must also be something of the similar like. A faded green copper sign read: "The hitch hiker" Not only did the name make sense for the taverna was placed right next a mountain which you are supposed to hike up for, but it also had a personal eerie feeling to it.

The White Rose knew that The Ruler's most active advisor was also called The hitch hiker (well not in a formal face to face way but more in a behind his back manner. Her brothers were the only ones she had heard use it, but she guessed it was used more often among the servants and guards.) It was just a coincidence, but it still made The White Rose feel uncomfortable. No matter where she was her mind always went back to the palace. She didn't even want to remember what immoral actions she had heard The Hitch Hiker had done.

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Sash pulled open the door for the taverna and held it open for The White Rose and Cha-el to go inside. Just like the outside of the building the walls were made of big stones and pebbles held together with some sort of blueish clay. In the centre of the cramped room was an island table with a few glass bottles containing vibrant liquids and steaming plates of supposed hot food on it. There were no other tables in the room only chairs and bigger armchairs and on them sat people chattering lowly to themselves.

These people were unlike the inhabitants of her nation in many ways. Their skin was a pale brown and most people's hair in the room was a dark brown with flat characteristics unlike the common wavy/fro hair in her nation that The White Rose and Cha-el had (or guessed had. His hair was cut so short that the only thing visible was the colour black.) Sash’s hair was foreign with a mixture of dark brown and blond strands along with her pale, white skin.

Unlike the other taverna in the capital the people here didn't make eyecontact nor did they even speak too loudly. They kept to themselves with their eyes focused on their plates and silently sipping their drinks. Cha-el took her by the arm and pulled her through the tiny crowd of less than a dozen people, right up to the counter of the island.

Cha-el said to Sash, (who had been behind The White Rose) "Keep quiet" before turning towards the counter to meet the gaze of a burly tall man behind the counter.

"Excuse me, but we're heading up the mountains and we're wondering-"

"Are you looking for a way in?" The man said, cutting Cha-el off. He had all characteristics of all the other people in the room. A local, The White Rose guessed, though with quite an exotic accent to her ears and pretty ink works crawling up his wrists and under his tunic.

"What?" Cha-el asked, clearly confused at what 'a way in' meant. The man behind the counter looked up at him for a couple seconds before stating "I’m guessing that you aren't from here. Probably from the pebbles if I had to guess from the dust on your clothes. I'm also guessing you're looking to cross over past the Elees."

The White Rose bent over to Cha-el's ear and whispered "Elees is the name of the mountain range in cliff speech." He nodded in acknowledgment before saying "Yes, we are."

"Afraid that there's a storm around the peaks causing avalanches." The man said with a shake of his head. "Been so for months. No way up nor down."

"What should we do then? And what do you mean with a way in?" Sash said cutting in. Cha-el's face soured once she spoke but the man looked at her and actually smiled a missing-front-tooth-smile almost as if he hadn't realised, she had been standing there. Actually, The White Rose guessed he hadn't since he, just like the rest of the patrons in the room, hadn't lifted his head when the party had entered the room nor had he looked at anybody else than the person he was talking to.

"Now that's the sort of face I can recognise anywhere." He said in an almost curious manner. "But what I meant with a way in is that you can take the mining rails in through Elees instead. Anyone who had planned their trip properly would have known what I meant."

"Do the mining rails spread through the whole mountain range? All the way towards the most eastern reach?" Cha-el asked. "Are they safe? Can we bring our horses?"

"Yes to all of your questions." The man said with a stretch of his neck. "But your horses will have to be blindfolded and this is quite a small mining outpost, so it won’t be the best experience."

"What is there to mine in these mountains anyways?"

The man started to rummage through the colourful glasses at the mention of the question, until he stopped and pulled out a tiny crystal the size of a pea. The crystal wasn't very clear but it had a blueish tint in colour and inside there seemed to be a crystalised fly or something similar. There were also veins of something orange in it, with the thickness of a few hair strands. The White Rose knew that whatever that ore was it wasn't worth much in such a small amount.

"This is a piece of elees rock. These are clear mountains even if they don't look the part. The ore inside is únti, or as you more commonly recognise it as; copper." He said while holding it up for them peek at.

Clear mountains? Made of clear mountain rock? The White Rose had never heard of the like. Her studies on the cliffs had been brief and a lot of the information stood as YTBC (Yet To Be Confirmed). Was this common knowledge here? The only thing remotely similar in her studies was that witches used some mountain-core from the cliffs to make charms. And witches charms were commonly made of crystals of one sort or the other now that she thought of it, although it didn't directly say that in her books.

"Do you have any foodstuffs to offer us?" Cha-el asked the man.

He nodded "But you'll have to promise to speak well of us in Tàmhaich. We need more customers. As you can see this village is half dead thanks to the avalanches." The host said gesturing at the silent customers. "Sit down for the moment, I'll bring something." He said after looking at The White Rose's sleepy expression before going out the room and in through a door that had a strong-smelling steam pouring out from the rusty hinges.

Fatigue had catched up with The White Rose and she felt incredibly sleepy after riding the feisty horse for so many hours and for standing up while the guards spoke to the host. She sat down on a stool and rested her head on her knees. The effort of the last days had catched up on her body which now felt like jelly.

The guards seemed fine, not tired at all, but The White Rose guessed that came naturally to them. Sash was picking at her nails while leaning her gangly body against the banister of the island, Cha-el was rummaging through the bag with an unclear expression his face.

"What's Tàmheich?" Cha-el asked when he noticed The White Rose looking at him.

"I think it's capital of the cliffs. It's nothing compared to our capital in size nor wealth. It's at the border with the desert and for the most part a trading hub of sorts." The White Rose said while letting her head droop towards her knees. "Tàmheich actually means home in the cliff speech."

Sash nodded her head thoughtfully and Cha-el hummed an approving mumble.

"Aren't you guys scared?" The White Rose said abruptly. Suddenly she felt so anxious at their nonchalant gestures and way of speech. Just the thought of being at the border made The White Rose nauseous. She missed home and proper food. She missed her brothers and Sohra. This was more than she could handle. In truth she hated it.

Once they heard her say that both of them stepped forwards and patted her back or held her hand. Sash's face held a worried expression. The White Rose thought to herself that she was being burden for her already troubled guards. It couldn't be easy to be in the same young age group as The White Rose and be a guard or a soldier.

"There, there princess." Sash muttered close to her ear. "Of course, we're scared, but whatever happens happens. Life won't always be fair so we just have to bite our tongue and keep on moving, for if we don't worse thing will happen."

Cha-el patted her back and Sash held her hand for just a few moments more before the host came out again and handed them three spoons and three plates with some steaming mush on it. They all muttered their thanks, that the host didn't respond to, before scooping up a section of the mush and eating it. At least that's what the scythe wielding guards next to her did.

The White Rose studied the chunky mush on her very oversized wooden spoon and decided it was worth a taste. Once the food made contact with her tastebuds on her tongue The White Rose immediately had to fight the urge to spit out the mush. To put it nicely; it was disgusting but The White Rose swallowed it anyways trying to ignore the blended flavours of old mutton, potato peel and more undistinguishable flavours that she didn't want to know the name of. Unlike the dried foodstuffs from the other taverna, this bowl was overflowing with flavour maybe not all for the good.

The White Rose looked up and saw the guards gulping down the mush like wolves preying off deer. As The White Rose forced down spoonful after spoonful, she realised that she just needed to keep chewing and swallowing as fast as she could to avoid the food making too much contact with her tastebuds.

After the guards had finished eating they went up to the host and asked more questions about the mining rails that The White Rose only partly listened to.

Once she too was done with her bowl of barely edible mush, she put it on the island counter and thanked the host once again. Then they left the taverna and walked down to the well where they sat down and made up a plan.

"Well then the strongly remaining question will be 'how will we get through?'" Sash stated more than asking.

"The host said that the rails they were automated by mechanisms, but we don't know how they work, and we can hardly wait here any longer here. Who knows how long it will take before people start suspecting? And I also heard you call her princess inside there! Do you even know who could be listening?" Cha-el accused Sash angrily with a pointed finger.

"My bad," Sash said whilst shrugging.

"This is enemy territory!" Cha-el snapped in a composed but cold manner. "Mind you mouth before you go getting us killed for ransom."

"But the bigger problem still remains; how do we get through?" Sash snapped back.

"Well maybe we could start with where the actual entrance to the mine is?" The White Rose said as she tried to create a bit of peace among the party.

"Well, the host did tell me that it was to the left of the path up the mountain." Sash said. "Maybe we should head there?"

"There could perhaps be a lever or something else to pull. Or maybe some minecarts." The White Rose exclaimed. Both of the guards gave her confused looks.

"What's a LI-VI-ER?" Cha-el asked looking genuinely lost.

"Never mind." The White Rose said understanding that they didn't know of mechanisms nor of the new sciences. After all the only thing needed in the barracks was strength and endurance she thought with a smile. Maybe she wasn't as useless as she thought in this company.

"Well let's head over there then." Cha-el said with a shrug of his shoulders at the earlier confusion.

They unbound the horses and lead them as they walked past the start of the path that led out the country and instead towards the left. And sure, enough just a few paces away was a big cave opening through the misty/clear blue rock. Rails led out of the mouth of the cave like a tongue on the ground ending up in a blockage hindering three minecarts to go any further. And just as predicted there was a lever right next to it.

"What does that stick do?" Sash asked nudging it with the tip of her leathered shoes.

"That's a lever and it starts the mechanism that I'm guessing launches the minecart into the mines."

An uncertain "hmmm" was the only sound The White Rose got in return.

"Should we put the horses in a minecart together?" Cha-el asked while leading the black horse into one of the minecarts.

"I think so. And then us three could be in one together..." Sash answered.

And so it went on until the horses were safely blindfolded and sitting in their minecart (after quite a struggle) and The White Rose was in a minecart along Cha-el and the almost empty bag with foodstuffs. Sash going to pull the lever to force the horses minecart into the mines and beyond.

"Do you think they'll survive?" Sash asked them.

"We can only hope." Cha-el answered while once again searching through the bag with provisions. Sash nodded as if to reassure herself before pulling the lever with all her might towards her. The rails beneath the minecart shuddered for a minute and suddenly the minecart ahead of The White Rose's rolled quickly upon rails and into the gaping mouth of the mines as if upon impact. The White Rose thought she heard a fear filled whinny, but it quickly faded away along with the squeaks of the minecart's wheels rolling on the rails.

"Brace yourselves. I'll pull this then I'll jump into your minecart as fast as I can before we ride off." Sash said with a certain seriousness. The White Rose tucked her feet beneath her to take up as little space as possible on the tiny bench in the darkly dusted minecart.

The lever had fallen to the ground once again after Sash had pulled it the first time and when Sash pulled it again once again it made the rails beneath them shudder in anticipation for the fast movements. Sash immediately made an agile jump into the minecart and The White Rose released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. And a few seconds later they became wind, or at least it felt that way, for everything around them was a blur of a misty blue and small flickers of orange and the air whistled around The White Rose's ears in a painful screeching torment that made her want to stuff her fingers up them.

They travelled up and down and the blue around them faded into a lighter tone of cyan and the flickers of orange became more and more concentrated. The White Rose felt, first, Cha-el's hand clasp around hers and then Sash's, both holding her in either sturdy or clammy grips. She wished that they would never let go from the storm of everything surrounding her.

End of chapter four.