Engelsain Tales 22

Allowing his mount to circle freely for a while gave Jordan time to reflect on his return home. This perspective also gave him the chance to see the Mior Mountains as he had never seen.

Watching them from above made him love his homeland even more, but there was a certain fear in him. That’s what he couldn’t understand since Lord Aujir told him he should go home for a brief time.

He now knew what his assignment was, which was a reassuring; but he felt not all had been said and that maybe there was unpleasant news waiting for him at home.
The stir in his stomach returned and his discipline helped him breathe and regain control over his emotions.

Below he could spot the outpost where any traveller could use to make entry into the Mior cities territory. He could see a carriage approaching. He smiled at the thought of the endurance land merchants need to travel to Mior and back anywhere.

About a mile and a half from the foot of the mountains, the merchant was probably eager to reach the outpost, so that the animal could have some water and the way down to the cities would become easier.

Jordan leant forward and his giant eagle plunged diagonally towards the outpost. Feeling the wind rushing strongly through the mounts feathers always thrilled him, and Jordan was looking forward mounting one of the young drakes back at the academy.
Still, RedSting the nickname of this war eagle, was a great companion and helped save Jordan’s life at Inkmaar.

And the land was coming closer, so fast, Jordan had his best times then, flying freely and fearlessly. All the details becoming blurs of speed; as the land approached.
RedSting’s wings shifted and they softly landed behind the outpost.

Jordan decided to wait there for the merchant and maybe escort him into the city.

RedSting flew off into hunting, she would return at nightfall, after enjoying her meals and her spare time.

Jordan opened his waterskin and smiled at the thought of his admiration for Lord Aujir’s wisdom.

The way all the creatures had been trained to be effective and still having a time when they could just be the creatures they were struck Jordan as a lesson he was still yet to fully understand, but he felt it made sense somehow and he smiled as he drank and waited to welcome the merchant’s carriage to the outpost.

Johnathan was usually very scared of wandering around unknown places. He had even been very afraid of Arphork’s animals. But one of them seemed to like his company and even guarded him at times. Johnathan felt less bad having such a warm big dog to rely on, especially during the day, when the others would sleep.
Still, the daytime was his favourite time. Then he wouldn’t have to feel the pain in his stomach, and all the fear he had for Dryan, Arphork and even the sad eyed lady, Margaret.

She was a strange person like the men, but there was something different in her. He thought that she had something in common with him but couldn’t define what.

And now the big dog tugged him away from the village they had stopped at.

Johanthan was already used to the pushes of Moonfang, as Arphork had called him.

And so they went to a hill away from the seemingly deserted village, to watch the sun go down and the fears come back…

Rafanael could clearly see that Toren felt relief in arriving at the outpost at the end of the road up the mountain.

Toren had said the road went only half the way up and that after reaching the outpost a fire should be lit up, during the night so that a guide from the city could come and welcome the visitors as well as check for their intentions in the area.

Rafanael had unexpectedly fallen asleep again during the trip towards the mountain, and the dream had come as strongly as before, but the voice hadn’t come and all he could see was the boy holding on to the winged horse as it landed in front of some kind of arena.

He had shaken the dream away, but the subject was too insistent.
Adding up to his own disturbance he could now see there was a young man waving at them from the base of the outpost. He was wearing some sort of military uniform, and Rafanael tensed up for unwanted confrontations with any authority. He flexed a part of his jaw and brow, hunched a part of his back and in no time he was no longer Rafanael or even Rov. He was old Rover, the hunch back that carries the arc of a family from the east as a gift to a cleric in the west.

He whispered to Toren not to be startled by the change in him, and the man looked at him with a certain fear noticing the change in his voice already.
He also said Toren should do the talking and not really mention Rover’s business, except he came from the East for a delivery.

Jordan was glad to welcome the travellers but as they really approached and halted, he could see they were both weary, and there was something odd about them.

He was still smiling and he remembered he had once, as a kid, wanted to serve as a guide to incoming merchants, so he could see what the other side of the mountains looked like.

“Welcome to the Outpost of East-Mior! I must inquire as to your purpose and how long you intend to stay in our city.”

The driver hesitated a bit before talking, as if trying to remember a message he should say exactly as he had been told.

“I am Toren the merchant, sir, and we travel from the East to make a delivery. I do not believe we are to take long in the city, sir, just the time to recover some strength and get on back to our own homes, sir.”

“I am to escort you into the outpost, good people, but I am unauthorized to take you into the city just yet. Please follow.” Jordan was proud of somehow serving his city; he also remembered he was not officially appointed for the task and that there was a specific order in which guards and guides came to the outpost. He had already started the fire, and hit the bell of the tunnel, so the guide would arrive sooner than at dusk.
Jordan offered some water from the nearby spring and mugs were put on the table so they could sit and wait.

Only Toren came to the table, and the other man remained in the carriage.

“Rover has some backache, he prefers to lie down quietly for a while if it’s OK, sir. It’s been a long ride, sir, and none of us is as fit as a soldier like you, sir.”
“Have some water, good sir, and rest your peace. Soon you both will have a comfortable bed to recover your strength.”

Jordan climbed to the watch and sat there. His stomach was tensed again and taking some moments to scope the landscape would help him ease the feeling in his gut.

It had been long since he had felt so disturbed, especially without knowing exactly what it was that disturbed him.

Northeast from the outpost he could see RedSting circling again, in the distance. He had learned how to distinguish giant eagles from common eagles in the distance, by watching carefully the rhythm of their wings, and the distraction would help him relax a bit, while the sun made its descent to the back of the mountain.

Now it was but a matter of time until the guide would be with them. All he had to do was focus
on the tasks ahead and the love for his family…