"So, you weren't in the academy?" Jasper whispered to himself. He did find it strange that so many letters were sent to the Dor Castle while Khal was away for a year, but he dare not open them. He knew neither who sent them or what they contained. Now, he had finally given them to Khal before learning the truth.

"Yes, I've been training on grandfather's orders," Khal said as he held the letters in his hands. He knew they were all addressed to him from Erik.

A week had already passed, and Khal was close to Pinetown, where Baron Carmona's death had shaken his grandfather. His group numbered four after his great-grandmother forced him to take one of her men with him. Although he was there, the man was quiet and only uttered a word if Khal directly spoke with him. Lowel's many urges and annoyances had gone unnoticed by the man, something Khal greatly admired about him. Khal had eventually learned his name, Kaiser. He suspected that it was only out of necessity since the man seemed neither curious nor eager for conversation.

"I see," Jasper nodded to Khal as he controlled his horse. Khal had only now realized how uncomfortable Jasper had been. He was neither used to armor nor riding a horse for such a long time. Khal remembered his first time, he had gone for weeks crying out in pain. He could see the town in the distance, a high watchtower that had not been there before now nested at the gates. The town seemed more protected than needed in Khal's opinion.

"Who is the new Lord of Pinetown?" Khal asked Jasper.

"Baron Howser Longcross," Jasper said as he rubbed his inner thigh. He had been collecting information on everything he possibly could since Khal last saw him. "He's-"

"One of Count Rhodes' former mercenary leaders," Khal finished. He didn't forget the young Gale Longcross from Stigs that ran him out of Teal City. He gazed to his left to see Lowel's quiet demeanor. It was rare to see the man so serious.

"Right, he's only been Baron for less than a week, but it seems like the watchtower has been here for months. Count Rhodes power within Gontu has increased further. It's only a matter of time before the other Great Houses wrestle away some of it," Jasper said.

"Unless this is part of their plan," Khal mumbled.

"Milord?"

"Nothing," Khal said as his horse neighed in agreement.

"Our supplies are low, I suggest we resupply at the town before we carry on," Jasper said as he stroked his chin. Khal though about it for a second before he nodded his head. As the Baron, the chances of meeting Longcross was slim. He would take his chances, there was no way the new Baron would risk a war with House Dor.

---

Pinetown's main source of revenue was still healing water from Crystal Lake. Khal stared from on top of his horse as the merchants paraded their wares for all to see. Some sold the plain water in various vails while others added different fragrances to create feminine beauty products. Lowel seemed especially fascinated by a large crowd circling one of the stalls.

"That's supposed to help with libido milord," Jasper whispered to Khal before nodding. Khal had an awkward smile on his face as he headed towards the stall. It was weird to him, he had focused so much on becoming a Knight and proving to his father that they didn't need to hide that he never really thought of it. Even now, it was an awkward concept, sex just always seem to be something out of reach. Most men his age were already getting married while others had already started a family.

Khal stared at Lowel as he carried five vails with him. Under Baron Longcross' rule, a brothel was erected to attract more people to the town. It went without saying that they were frequently crowded, mostly with mercenaries. What could possibly be so fascinating about sex? Khal wondered. "Jasper, you and Lowel will get the supplies then we will spend the night in Pinetown, make the necessary arrangements."

Lowel's eyes glowed at Khal's gesture while Jasper grumbled under his breath. Both men took off further down the street, buying up the necessary supplies. Khal continued towards the stables as he rubbed Windcrest's mane. Windcrest had to maneuver through the streets that were littered with garbage of every kind while Khal witnessed at least two muggings on the way. It took more than military merits to run a town and Khal was sure the old mercenary knew very little other than swinging his sword. Khal could still feel the sting in his heart as he once again appreciated Lord Tommel's wisdom and teaching.

The stable held mostly warhorses, something Khal had expected with so many mercenaries around. Although it was rundown, Khal could still see that the horses were well cared for. He removed an apple from a nearby ledge and quickly handed it to Windcrest. The horse cheerily bit into the apple as it giggled in a way only Khal could understand. Despite growing up, the horse was still every bit as mischievous as when Khal first rode him from Sydenham Town to Elfheim. "Oye!" An old man screamed out, but Khal simply flipped a small copper coin towards him.

He dismounted his horse and landed with a small thump. Windcrest hated to be tied up so Khal allowed the horse to roam within the stable. He was more social than Khal ever was, making quick friends by the look of things. Khal shook his head as he headed towards the inn by foot. He preferred it over riding since less attention was placed on him. The Hollows had shaped his character in more ways than he'd thought possible. He was now more patient and composed and rarely liked the spotlight, a vast difference from five years ago.

The mud below his feet made an awkward sound with every step. Although it was still a good distance away from Crystal Lake, the land was mushier than Khal remembered. He observed the controlled chaos that the mercenaries created. Some were at various merchants drinking merrily while others gathered together in a fighting ring to place their bets. It was the first time Khal noticed how small the town really was. He trotted down the road, eyeing the various shops for anything that could catch his interest. He passed a group of kids playing and giggling as they held wooden swords. One even bumped into him and took off through a side street. Khal smiled a little before patting himself quickly. He grunted softly and took off through the side street after the kid. The little shrimp had stolen a few of his letters. Specifically, the two that remained from his mother.

Khal quickly caught up to the child, grabbing him by the collar, but he had already pawned the letters off to another. Khal rolled his eye as he shouted, "Get back here!"

Although he had placed the weapons in a way to prevent them from moving as he was in motion, they were still too much for him. Without cladding, the added weight caused his boots to sink into the mud a little. The narrow alley was favorable for the child as he maneuvered between them with ease. Khal had to slowly catch up as he frequently had to dodge rocks and other material that the other kids threw at him from higher up. There was little he could do without hurting the children, something that never crossed Khal's mind, to begin with. He eventually caught up to the little rascal but a small ladder at the side of the alley conveniently allowed him to slip away. Khal began to think that they were used to this. They were too versed in the layout of the city for Khal to beat them. The alley was already small, dark and full of obstacles.

Just as the child was at the top of the ladder, Khal could hear a few other children rustling on the other side. They were probably going to withdraw the ladder from the wall, giving Khal no way to climb up. Maybe this method would work for most victims, but Khal was an elementum. He quickly embedded the wind around the ladder, shaking it enough for the child to fall.

"Ahhh!" The child shrieked as he fell. Khal quickly caught the screaming child as he removed the two letters from his grip. They were both still in perfect condition from the time Khal had stolen them. Now, they were both smeared by mud and whatever else these homeless children had on their hands. Khal knew he should have read them both a long time ago but after the first one, he couldn't deal with the emotions that the two might evoke.

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The child flailed about until he was free from Khal's reprimand and scurried away before Khal could speak with him. Khal saw him crawl through a small hole in the wall further away. Having no way to catch him now, Khal shook his head as he turned towards the direction he came from. "Sneaky wee bastards ain't they? A man shouted to Khal as he exited the alley. "how much did they take?"

"Nothing worth losing sleep over," Khal said as he tried his best to see the man in the darkness. "Aye," The man said as he quickly rode off. Khal stood in the middle of the road as he stared at the man riding off. The horse had two tails with scaly armor covering the hind legs. It was unusual to see a warhorse that had awakened. In fact, Khal knew that the only ones he'd ever seen were the awakened horses of Alec and his grandfather.

When Khal finally made his way to the inn, he was unimpressed. The inn was a wreck, that was his first thought anyway. Although maginite lanterns weren't valuable, they were still too costly for most small inns. Since that was the case, the inn had mostly lanterns made of wick and oil. He could smell the burnt wick even though the afternoon sun had only just gone down. The floorboards creaked with every step as Khal approached the receptionist.

He could see Jasper angrily shouting at the receptionist further ahead. What could have possibly gone wrong now? Khal thought to himself. He had brought Jasper along for the ride because he couldn't manage with the day to day activity while he was mourning. As it turned out, he was met with more trouble than he intended to. "What's the matter, Jasper?" Khal asked softly.

"My liege!" Jasper said as he straightened up. Khal had grown tired of the man's treatment of him, especially during this trip. Is this what great-grandmother felt? Wait, am I becoming like her? Khal cringed at the thought, he hoped not. "Baron Longcross has given orders to restrict us from booking the rooms. I've informed the owner that Khal of House Dor wish to receive his hospitality but-"

"We will continue to Gontu then," Khal knitted his brows together as he interrupted. He had already gotten enough of Pinetown. Usually, the Dor name held more power in the north. It was strange for him to be rejected service on the basis of the Baron's word without an explanation. Khal's first meeting with Baron Longcross was at Braxton Bridge, there was no way he would meet him again. The only reason he even decided to stay was that they were low on rations and the journey towards Sydenham town was still a long way ahead.

"But Milord-"

"I've already decided Jasper," Khal said, not wanting to divulge too much in the inn.

He turned towards the door and was about to head out when a strange voice said, "Father invites you to his mansion to spend the night."

It was a tall, slender man dressed neatly in a grey tunic. Khal instantly recognized him as Gale Longcross. Although it was far too dark to be recognized at Teal City, Khal instinctively released his killing intent. It wasn't until Jasper's voice resonated that he quickly hid it. Whether Gale noticed it or not was lost to Khal.

"My Lord had already decided to leave Pinetown," Jasper said as he stepped away from the receptionist and towards Gale Longcross. Khal had forgotten how intelligent Jasper was. Although he was frequently quite timid in front of him, the man knew how to read a situation well. His armor, although useless in Khal's opinion, still allowed him to look the part of a capable warrior.

"I'm afraid I'll have to insist," Gale smiled as two soldiers walked in with Lowel in tow. Even Kaiser quietly followed Lowel into the inn. Whether Kaiser was just planning to see how he handled the situation was unknown. Khal instantly heightened his cognizance to notice a few more soldiers outside. He slowly touched his leg where two of his throwing knives were easily accessible. He contemplated only for a few minutes before Gale added, "One of your companions was implicated in the death of Baron Stigs and his niece." Khal could hear the added emphasis on niece, but it only served to strengthen his killing intent.

"And if we refuse?" Khal asked in a voice that was neither aggressive nor subservient.

"Then Count Rhodes will notify Duke Braxton of House Dor's involvement in the fall of House Stigs," Gale said as he placed a hand on the hilt of his weapon.

"Now, now, just a minute Milords. I'm sure this is just a small misunderstanding," Jasper said as he placed himself between Khal and Gale. "Which one of our comrades? If I may ask?"

"The archer," Gale said as he continued to look at Khal. His face blank and unreadable.

"Lowel?!" Jasper said exasperatedly. "Lowel if there is something you've done to impede Lord Khal then you will have me to answer to!" He had grown quite tired of Lowel's antics throughout the journey. He was still in awe when Khal had allowed him to follow them to Gontu. He was neither sophisticated nor represented the commoners well in Jasper's opinion.

"Bah, I've done nothing," Lowel said quickly before becoming quiet again. Jasper shifted his eyes from Lowel to the man behind him. The shiny edge of the blade quickly allowed him to understand how serious the situation was.

"You think my archer has infiltrated Teal City and assassinated two prominent members of the Great Houses? You give House Dor too much credit," Khal said slowly as he stepped forward, towards Lowel. Gale took a step back for every step Khal took forward until he was directly in line with his men.

"He didn't work alone, he had another with him," Gale said as he signaled for the men outside to enter the inn.

Khal stopped, finally touching the sword at his waist. "Either allow us to pass or we will cut you down. A mere Baron dares?" Khal wasted no time before removing the longsword from his waist. Nearly losing his precious letters then being denied lodging had pissed him off. He would teach Baron Longcross a lesson if he thought he could flaunt his newfound power. The sword was longer than he would prefer but he still remembered his teachings from Master Copper. It made no sound as it exited the sheath. Its thin blade was difficult to see unless one stared at it from the side. He was glad he had more than the twin blades. Not many were skilled enough to use it and it was far too suspicious if he were to use them now. Although they were placed on his back, they were angled in such a way to be unnoticeable with the surcoat on.

"I am on strict orders from my father," Gale said adamantly.

"Then prepare yourself," Khal said as he seemingly glided forward. He knew better than to use his wind element or his cladding. Instead, he used Trace, allowing his weapon to be cladded covertly. His longsword connected to his opponent's weapon quickly. Although Gale had prepared himself to receive the blow, it was one of his soldiers that was attacked instead.

Khal made sure to attack the soldier that held Lowel first, knocking him back despite the man blocking. He quickly slammed into the wall, cracking the old wooden structure. Khal turned his blade to the flat side as he sidestepped a tackle from one of the guards. He then slashed another on his left, but the man used his metal shield to receive the blow. Khal scoffed in annoyance as he followed up with a kick. The soldier failed to see the attack aimed at his leg and was forced to produce a muffling sound. His guard was broken, but before Khal could finish him, Lowel punched the man square in the jaw, knocking him out cold.

One of the soldiers eventually tackled Lowel to the ground, choosing to wrestle him into submission. Khal ignored him as he faced off with the last man. Khal entered his familiar stance, raising his sword only slightly from the floor. He allowed his wrist to do most of the work as he slashed and stabbed at the soldier. Although he didn't use much energy, he could tell that the man was having a hard time. Khal glared at Gale momentarily while the soldier rushed forward, expecting the opening to be his for the taking. Khal twisted his body to the side and allowed the blade to miss him before he used the hilt of the sword to connect with the man's neck.

Lowel had finally managed to connect with a surprising blow to his opponent while Khal continued to glare at Gale. Jasper cowered in the corner as he covered his face with both hands. Kaiser didn't even blink as Khal made quick work of every guard that attacked him. Gale, however, watched on, unable to even unsheathe his sword fully. He had expected Khal to be easy to deal with. Most of the rumors surrounding him had gone unverified by anyone that had witnessed it. Now, it was commonly known that Khal was nothing more than a weakling that was lucky enough to be born in a good house.

"You!" Gale finally managed to blurt out as Khal sheathed his sword. He couldn't see any cladding, so it must have been purely skills that he used to be able to beat so many of the mercenaries. Since when was a thirteen-year-old this strong? How much muscle strength did he have to overcome five warriors? Although they were among the weakest of the band, they were still veteran warriors in the Cross-Mercenary Band.

"If that's all you have to say then we will be on our way," Khal said as he brushed his clothes. Jasper had only just recovered as he quickly rushed forward with Lowel. Gale stood alone in the inn, with five injured guards as he trembled uncontrollably. He had been made a fool today, in his own town to boot. What he hated most was knowing that if he had only dared to remove his sword, he would be Khal's sixth victim. How did he even move so smoothly? It was as though he was a hungry lion waiting for his next meal. His attacks were well timed and placed, it was as though he knew every move before it happened. Was that cognizance? Maybe he really killed a senior Knight? Gale finally entertained the foolish thoughts.

"You five are useless!" He shouted quickly as he stormed out of the inn, towards his father's mansion.