After leaving Cromerth. behind no one recognized me which was a relief but I ran into Farmboy I had to run off before he recognized me. Not to mention getting chased by goblins on timberwolves for an hour once we got close to the city they gave up. It's disturbing to see monsters in the heart of the kingdom. We had to stay an extra day so the moas could get enough rest.

They rode on the paved road. They ate lunch in the saddle until huge clouds gathered overhead that might turn ugly.

“how do you turn your face so serious”

“what?” Nyssa rolled her eyes at him

“It’s my normal face, why are you so condescending?”

“I’m not” Nyssa said shaking her head they chatted for a while before setting camp for the night setting up his tent ate are road food

“I hate this trip, no hot baths, no warm food” Falkner muttered to himself. I need something to burn! he thought as he laid in his tent curled in a ball shivering with a blanket Nyssa came in

“We need to keep watch from now on” Nyssa said then left he awoke to Nyssa shaking his shoulder then left to her own tent Getting out of his tent was hard, let alone staying in the freezing cold watching all around seeing nothing but there were some woods the the west so there could be monsters hiding there the hours passed slowly with the only thing of note was an owl flying overhead in the morning Falkner rubbed his bloodshot eyes and woke Nyssa up

“We need to leave.” taking their camp down and then mounting up in silence eating in the saddles. I can barely keep my eyes open on the road. What happened? he felt sore until he realized he was on the ground. I fell out of my saddle!. My moa is getting away! Getting back on his moa Nyssa burst out laughing. They continued on till nightfall.

grabbing all the loose wood he could find for tonight Nyssa looked troubled. Falkner noticed as he was building his campfire, placing the kindle and logs it took forever getting it all together. Nyssa sat there frowning

“what?”

“Nothing” Nyssa said without looking at him, opening his hand and shooting fire. It immediately began to burn. Finally, I’m not going to freeze to death. setting as close as possible without lighting on fire so he doesn't have to buy new clothes that would be a pain.

“Do you remember when we first met and learned we were going to be siblings?” “yes I remember you were hiper as ever playing killing dragons with me and John”

“No sooner than when we were at father’s castle your face when you heard you were getting a stepfather your eyes lit up in flames” Nyssa said with a chuckle I don’t remember any of this

“do you think we will see home ever again?” Nyssa whispered

“Yes we will, I don't know when but we will” Falkner assured her. she gave a half smile at that

“Why did you come to me with this knowledge?” she looked serious

Stolen novel; please report.

“Simple, I don't trust a large group with this knowledge and so I needed a godling to survive” Nyssa nodded as the fire was beginning to die down already. he got up to look for more wood crossing to a small cluster of pine trees picking up a few branches before he couldn't find any more before waking back to throw in the fire after that sat back down. Will the king find me? Did he ever try? Is he just behind me? Or maybe did no one notice we were gone. I’m a man now but I never realized how hard traveling without my comforts would be. What about Lilly? I hope she isn’t too heartbroken running away from my duty. I can't let the heavens fall into the wrong hands. Am I really better than Farmboy? I told myself that he would be inexperienced but do I really know anything more than him when it comes to something like this? No I have to claim it in case he should fail but what if we both make it? Then what? So many questions and I have no idea what to do.

He set up his tent and took his watch with nothing but a hard a deer of note then went to sleep but sleep won't come. his mind had too many questions. He lay there tossing and turning for several minutes before sleep came in the morning when he awoke to a blizzard.

The wind cut like daggers. They got the moas in the tents so they wouldn't freeze to death. Nyssa stayed outside to give them more room and because she enjoyed it.

I wish it was summer already. crammed in his tent with two moas isn’t fun or comfortable. They kept pecking at each other and moving too much. Will my tent survive this onslaught? He tried stroking their necks to soothe them. With little help only getting out for anything absolutely necessary.

After two days it subsided.

“Next town I’m getting a new tent” Falkner muttered to himself. They packed up and headed south once more. Nyssa hadn't talked about how nice the blizzard was; she must have been worried about Stormbreaker. Riding side by side with the pack moas behind them. stopping at a small town surrounded by a tall wooden wall with a mix of round and rectangle houses with thatch and tile roofs. passing through the gates. The guards bowed

“my lord my lady” they said as they passed through. Is it that obvious? our cloaks are dirty and we don’t wear that fine of clothes. Nyssa looked as pleased about being recognized as nobility. Being a lord is great unless you want to pass by unnoticed which will help us oh well. they found the marketplace and bought a new tent he loaded on his packmoa

“your crazy to travel in this weather” the merchant said toying with his mustache “not as crazy as you might think” Falkner replied he walked away laughing

“crazy” he said then laughing harder will see who’s crazy when you worship me as a god

a woman middle-aged long brown hair came crying to me wearing a rich dress tears running down her face

“Please my lord, bring those bandits to justice” she regained some composure then started crying harder than before “they took my son from me and everything I own. please you have to help”

“have you talked to the the town watch”

“yes but they said there to far east for them to catch and with monster attacks ramping up but you can you must have man-at-arms” she said clinging to my coat east that won’t bring me closer to mount Iroswell and besides

“I don’t have any men-at-arms” Falkner said with pain “somebody will help you” turning away Nyssa looked with sadness but they turned from the weeping woman and rode out of town

“it’s not right” Nyssa said

“We can't get distracted, we can't afford to farm boy might be ahead of us.” she looked disappointed “we can’t do anything because we don't have the manpower.” After a few minutes of riding Nyssa turned around and started back back to the town “what are you doing? we don’t have time for this”

“yes we do” hotheaded fool well I better keep her from killing herself

“fine let’s help her” Nyssa gave a satisfied grin

“let's go and teach these lawless thugs a lesson” Nyssa said kicking stormbreaker's ribs and galloping back we only slowed down at the gate we entered and soon found the woman sitting on a street corner “tell us everything you know we are going to get your son back” Falkner said.