ever since his mother died and the reality of his departure without him made Jonas realize how important he was to him.
Prince Baylin rode up to Jonas, addressing him seriously. “Are you ready, young Jonas?” he asked. The prince looked magnificent. He, too, wore the blue tunic of Finarth, but it was laced with silver and gold thread that glittered in the morning sun. A shining chain mail shirt and matching metal greaves and wrist guards completed his uniform. He was prepared for hard traveling, and hard fighting if need be.
His men rode up behind them all similarly outfitted. With them were Graggis and eight other men, all hard looking men who were forged from the many battles they had fought. Sal, the young knight that showed them around on their first day, was there and he nodded his head at Jonas as he rode up. There were also Jorm and Nogris, two brothers who were known for their woodcraft. They had been hunters and trappers as young men before they joined the Finarthian Knights. Next was Dagrinal, fourth lance, who rode up on a large and magnificent warhorse. The last four were all young knights recently accepted into the order. There was Largress, Togin, Gar, and Piap. Finally there was the king’s tracker, Beorth, who knew the Tundren Mountains intimately. He was dressed in light woodsman’s clothes and high leather boots. The horse he rode was smaller, lither, unlike the bulky horses the others rode. Beorth was outfitted with a long hunting bow and a thin rapier dangling from his hip. The man was thin and wiry, his un-kempt hair and beard giving him the look of a man from the mountains.
“Be careful, Jonas,” warned Calden, walking up to him to shake his hand.
“And you, my friend,” replied Jonas with a smile.
“Let us go,” ordered Prince Baylin riding forward followed by the rest of the men. Jonas smiled one more time at his friends, locked eyes with Fil, and rode off into the morning sun.
***
The first two weeks of travel were easy and without incident. The terrain made for easy travelling. Expansive meadows of grass with spotty patches of trees could be seen as far as the eye could see. The grassy hills they rode through were gentle and allowed the traveler a clear view of the expansive sky to the east and the craggy peaks of the Tundren Mountains to the west. They had headed south through the Finarthian hills and across the Bitlis River that flowed into the Sithgarin River, which meandered all the way to Lake Lar’nam. Jorm and Nogris, their scouts, always rode ahead of the group. Beorth rode with the main group and his knowledge of the area allowed him to estimate that they had about two weeks of travel before they would veer west into the Tundrens towards Kiln’s location.
***
They were resting one night around a fire they had built alongside the main road to Annure. The topic of discussion was how they would find Kiln’s location.
“Actually finding Kiln’s compound will be another story,” explained Beorth to the others as he sat on a log by the fire to eat his stew. “I do not know its exact location since we only followed Kiln’s men part way there.” Beorth was one of the king’s scouts who had been the given the task of finding Kiln several years back. “We will have to do some scouting to find it.”
“Understood. Nogris and I can help with that. It shouldn’t take us too long to find it if you can place us in its proximity,” mumbled Jorm as he shoveled hot food into his mouth.
Jonas smiled inwardly as he looked at all the faces sitting around the fire. He liked these men and he appreciated their help in getting him to this mysterious Kiln. These were men of honor and courage and he was enjoying their company.
“I hope my father was right and that the letter that he gave me will be enough to convince Kiln to give Jonas shelter,” added the prince.
“If not, we’ll just have to convince him,” added Graggis with a smile, patting his axe blade.
Baylin laughed out loud at the confident warrior. “Graggis, we were all young when Kiln was general. In fact we were not even of age to join the apprenticeship. Have you not heard the stories about Kiln the warrior?” he asked.
“Some, but I only know of the legend. And he is just a man. Legends are just that,