"...a messenger was sent by land to warn the count about the pirate attacks that plagued our journey," Sir Damian said in a grave voice as he looked out the window of the mansion where they were staying. He noticed that Lucios was lost in thought, staring into the fireplace, oblivious to his words. Sir Damian stomped his foot on the wooden floor, making a thunderous noise that echoed through the empty hall, and spoke in a tone of reproach, "Young noble Lucios, are you listening to me?"
Lucios quickly raised his head with a startled look at the noise, which quickly turned into focus on the image of the knight who had accompanied him since he left his father's castle. Lucios felt embarrassed for being distracted and apologized, "Forgive me, Sir Damian, I was thinking about other things. Yes, I'm listening, please continue." Lucios still found it a bit strange to hear Sir Damian's voice, the frightening knight he always thought was mute.
Sir Damian nodded in satisfaction to see that Lucios was now paying attention. He continued with his explanation, "Considering that the risk of this journey has increased due to the threat of pirates, I went to Baron Angus's residence to request that he provide a contingent of soldiers to assist in your escort. However, to my surprise, I discovered that Baron Angus left the city nearly two weeks ago to go to the capital. The servant whom the Baron left in charge of the territory is a weak and cowardly man who lacks authority or courage to dispatch soldiers or make any decisions."
Listening to the bad news, Lucios felt a chill in his stomach. He could already guess what Sir Damian would say next. They could not travel through the main roads, which were faster and safer, because they would have to avoid any risks such as bandits who might be in collusion with the pirates. Lucios would have to travel only with Sir Damian and the three soldiers who were sent as his personal guard by his father, Count Tiberios. This meant more delay in completing his journey to the territory of House Kamaiura, where he was supposed to meet Baron Oliver.
Sir Damian continued speaking with determination, "I have some experience traveling in the north, as I have participated in several missions and battles in this region. Therefore, I intend to continue the journey on an alternative path, through the forests that border the mountains. It's a longer and more difficult path, but also more discreet and less guarded. Therefore, we cannot use carriages, which would attract too much attention and hinder our mobility. We will all travel on horseback, with little luggage and only the essentials for our survival. If all goes well, we should reach Baron Oliver's territory in three or four days. Are you ready to depart, young noble Lucios?" Words that were met with a nod of agreement from Lucios.
Lucios looked at the gray sky and felt a shiver run through his body. He was dressed in a wool cape and a thick tunic, but the cold was still intense. He adjusted his leather gloves and held the reins of his horse firmly.
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They had left the mansion in Sucundo two days ago, heading northwest towards House Kamaiura. The journey was not easy. They had to cross a dense and icy forest, where the trees were covered with a layer of snow. The trail was narrow and uneven, full of rocks, holes, and branches. The horses had to tread carefully to avoid slipping or stumbling. Lucios struggled to maintain his balance, as despite being larger than boys his age, he was still small compared to an adult.
He had learned to ride from an early age, but he had never faced such a hostile terrain. He felt his legs and back ache, and sometimes he had to cling to his horse's neck to avoid falling.
The cold was another obstacle. Lucios had never seen so much snow in his life. He was used to the mild climate of the south, where flowers bloomed in spring and birds sang in summer, and it never snowed in winter. Now, he saw only a white and gray scenery, where the wind howled and the snow fell. He shivered with cold, even with his warm clothes. He had to cover his face with a scarf to avoid freezing his nose and lips. He felt his fingers and toes numb, and sometimes he had to rub them to regain feeling.
The stops at night were the worst. They had nowhere to shelter, nor a fire to warm themselves because they did not want to attract attention. They had to sleep in the open, wrapped in blankets and animal skins. They had to share the little food they carried, which consisted of hard bread, dried meat, and water. Lucios was hungry and thirsty, but he did not complain. He knew it was a matter of honor and courage, and he had to show that he was worthy to be a noble of House Apurina. He admired Sir Damian, who despite the difficulties still remained expressionless like a block of steel.
Lucios knew the journey would last another two days until they reached their destination. He hoped everything would go well. On the third day of the journey, Lucios and his companions spotted smoke on the horizon. They headed towards the smoke, hoping to find some sign of civilization. They were tired, hungry, and frozen, and they needed a place to recover.
They arrived at a small village, consisting of a few wooden and thatch houses, surrounded by a stone wall. There were some people in the street, dressed in simple cold weather clothes. They looked at the travelers with curiosity and suspicion, standing out with their armor and capes.
Sir Damian approached an older man, who seemed to be the village leader. He introduced himself and asked if they were far from House Kamaiura's territory, and requested permission to spend the night there in exchange for some silver coins. The man accepted and warned them that they were on the outskirts of House Kamaiura's territory. Lucios felt a mixture of joy and relief at finally arriving.
He followed Sir Damian and the soldiers to one of the village houses, where they were welcomed by a woman and two children. The woman offered them a room with some straw beds, and a cauldron with hot soup. Lucios thanked her and felt relieved to have shelter and a decent meal. He ate the soup hungrily and then lay down on the bed, covering himself with a blanket. He felt more comfortable than in the previous nights, but still couldn't sleep well. He kept thinking about what would happen the next day when he finally met Baron Oliver.