Being a Chronicle of the Silver River
The watcher stirred as a shaft of sunlight penetrated the gloom outside Heidraen’s North Gate, and lit up a lovely face framed by golden hair. His eyes narrowed as he sought to recognise the girl.
Aha! She was being followed by a fat slave girl. He realised this was Elise, a slave in the household of King Shevak, and so this must be Princess Cordelia! He hadn’t seen her for years, and, By Jedakk, hadn’t she grown into a beautiful young woman!
The two women rode into full sunlight, heading along the road to Ystragarth. The horses stirred up small cloudlets of dust, and the women drew shawls over their heads to protect themselves from sunstroke.
Where was her bodyguard? Surely Cordelia hadn’t set out alone? There had been numerous raids on traffic on the Ystragarth road recently by creatures from Draen, and few were unwise enough to set out without an armed guard. The watcher noted that the women had bows and swords, but they would have little effect on a full strength Draen raiding party.
He reflected on the value of such a prize. Cordelia was well known to be the apple of Shevak’s eye, he would bankrupt Aestria to ransom her if need be.
What to do? Follow, and put himself at risk? He had a healthy fear of Draen savages and trolls. Go and alert the palace guard? Possibly. But Cordelia must be up to something, to take such a risk. This could be the scoop of the century!
And so Wragg went and fetched his horse, who wasn’t at all impressed at being disturbed from grass eating, and he rode out into the hot sun.
He followed the women at a discreet distance.
The watcher stirred as a shaft of sunlight penetrated the gloom outside Heidraen’s North Gate, and lit up a lovely face framed by golden hair. His eyes narrowed as he sought to recognise the girl.
Aha! She was being followed by a fat slave girl. He realised this was Elise, a slave in the household of King Shevak, and so this must be Princess Cordelia! He hadn’t seen her for years, and, By Jedakk, hadn’t she grown into a beautiful young woman!
The two women rode into full sunlight, heading along the road to Ystragarth. The horses stirred up small cloudlets of dust, and the women drew shawls over their heads to protect themselves from sunstroke.
Where was her bodyguard? Surely Cordelia hadn’t set out alone? There had been numerous raids on traffic on the Ystragarth road recently by creatures from Draen, and few were unwise enough to set out without an armed guard. The watcher noted that the women had bows and swords, but they would have little effect on a full strength Draen raiding party.
He reflected on the value of such a prize. Cordelia was well known to be the apple of Shevak’s eye, he would bankrupt Aestria to ransom her if need be.
What to do? Follow, and put himself at risk? He had a healthy fear of Draen savages and trolls. Go and alert the palace guard? Possibly. But Cordelia must be up to something, to take such a risk. This could be the scoop of the century!
And so Wragg went and fetched his horse, who wasn’t at all impressed at being disturbed from grass eating, and he rode out into the hot sun.
He followed the women at a discreet distance.