Yohren nodded and smiled as Kaewyn took him by the shoulder and ushered him toward the tavern’s entrance. The Lusty Woodsman was a large tavern and relatively well maintained considering its age. It was built entirely out of the local oaken wood, and was, Kaewyn recalled, one of the original structures of the first settlers who had come to cut the oak forests of the province. It had gone through countless renovations since then, mostly to modernise the interior or to repair damage or decay.

On the inside of the tavern, several tables were arranged in not so neat rows and last night’s empty mugs were scattered all over. The interior was nearly devoid of people and only dimly lit by a few surviving wax candles that had kept burning throughout the previous night. The inside was further illuminated by streams of light which shone through several open windows, revealing the heavy traces of dust in the air. Kaewyn spotted a single black cat sitting on one of the tables in the darkness which stared unblinking at them as they entered.

They spotted the large bodied barkeep on the far side of the big, open room, busy cleaning the counter and floors. He barely noticed the pair enter his establishment and continued to clean up. Kaewyn, followed closely by Yohren, wandered over to the cleanest table they could find and took a seat. Only then did the barkeep notice their presence and he acknowledged them with a nod and a quick wave as he hurried over. Kaewyn could smell the dust and alcohol, but he still preferred it to the stench of the crowd that had been gathered outside. The floorboards creaked with every step the heavyset barkeep took toward them, and as he got to their chosen table, his face widened with happiness and recognition.

“Kaewyn! I haven’t seen you for a fortnight at least, how are you?”

“I am well Harold; it is good to see you as well.” Kaewyn said with a smile. “This is Yohren, from… uhhh…”

“…I’m from the south.” Yohren chimed in.

“Ahh, Vinum Province, a wonderful place full of wonderful people, and their wine is the best.” Harold the barkeep said cheerily.

“…Not Vinum Province, but close enough.” Yohren replied with an awkward smile.

“I must apologise for the state of the place, I haven’t had much of a chance to clean up until now.” Muttered the barkeep awkwardly. “Don’t mind the vomit and piss in the corner, I was just getting to it. So, what brings ye here Kaewyn? Food or a beverage?”

“Both I think, and for Yohren as well. Though I feel my appetite has partially waned after your remarks.” Kaewyn said. “I will pay for us both.”

“Ahhh there’s no need to worry about coin when friends are involved.” Harold replied. “Though I must warn ye, all I have at the moment is an onion broth which is definitely not worthy of your mouth.”

“Onion broth will do just fine Harold, you know it’s my favourite, at least when it comes to what you serve here anyway, and I will be paying.” He insisted

“As you wish, and what about drinks, for you and err, Yorek?”

“Yohren.” corrected Yohren nervously. “And anything is fine, whatever is available.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have any Vinum Province wine would you Harold?” Kaewyn asked slyly.

“Err… no, ‘fraid not. Some arrogant merchants tried to sell me some this morning, but their prices were far too steep for me.” Harold said sadly. “But I do have some fine wines from the capital, they cannot compete with Vinum Province wine, but it’s the best I got right now. Other than that, beer, ale and mead are always available. Pick yer poison.”

“I’ll have some of that Imperial wine, if it is no trouble, and you Yohren?” Kaewyn asked.

“Uhm, I guess I’ll have some mead.”

“Two bowls of onion broth and a mug of Imperial wine and another of mead, sound good?” Harold recounted.

“A mug of wine?” Kaewyn asked in surprise. “No glasses?”

“Fraid not, glass get smashed round here to easily, can’t really afford to replace em all the time. Loggers and quarry workers aren’t known for their gentle hands.” Harold explained. “Sorry Kaewyn.”

“It’s no problem.” He assured the barkeep, who then trotted off quickly disappeared into the back rooms behind the bar.

“Kaewyn, then.” Yohren said awkwardly.

“Hmm?”

“Your name. The barkeep called you Kaewyn.” Yohren explained. “It is nice to meet you, Kaewyn of Oakerton. Uhm, you are from Oakerton right…?”

“Oh, yes I am, well, close enough anyway. My father would strike me if he knew I had not introduced myself properly, for that, you have my apologies.” Kaewyn said with a genuine smile, a little annoyed that he had forgotten his manners.

“It’s no problem…” Replied Yohren, who all of a sudden seemed more withdrawn and less chipper than he had been only a moment ago.

Kaewyn leaned forward and pulled the table’s lit candle closer to him and began playing with the small flame. He ran his hands over it slowly, letting the heat built up, then he ran his fingers through the flame directly one by one, doing the motion fast enough so that there was no pain. In the corner of his eye, he saw that the black cat was still staring at them.

“So Yohren, you’re from the south.” Kaewyn said, more to break the awkward silence that had formed, but also because he was genuinely interested in getting to know the young man who’d had the courage to stand with him during the brawl.

“Yup.”

“What has brought to you Greystone Province, and Oakerton, for that matter? You do not look like a scholar; the gods know hundreds of them flock here every month.” He asked as he continued to play with the candle flame. “That is, if you do not mind my asking.”

“My father sent me here.” Yohren replied with a touch of sadness to his voice. “I was to seek an audience with the lord, but I can tell by the words of those arguing scholars that I arrived too late.”

“Indeed?” Kaewyn said curiously, suddenly intrigued by the stranger. “Yes… I’m afraid Lord Corrhen left with the troops over a fortnight ago.”

“Damn it!” Yohren said, a little bit louder than he expected. “…Sorry, it’s just that I promised my father I would meet with him…. There’s something I’m supposed to tell him.”

“Your father, he knew Lord Corrhen?” Kaewyn asked with full interest. This strange large nosed young man was becoming more fascinating with each passing moment.

“Oh yes, the two of them travelled together in their youth, or so my father used to tell me when I was a child.” Yohren explained. “He used to tell me stories of the two of them travelling the land together, visiting cities and villages, fighting bandits and mercenaries. I grew up on those tales.”

“…I’ve never heard of such stories before.” Kaewyn said in surprise.

“My father never stopped retelling them, our entire village knew. I think that’s why when he fell ill for the final time, he knew… he knew I’d be safer, have a chance at a better life, if I sought out his old friend.” Yohren said with a sad smile. “I really do miss him.”

Kaewyn was eager to learn more about this strange looking man with the olive skin and large nose, and felt the urge to ask as many questions as time would allow, but he tempered his curiosity and forced himself to slow down. If he was correct in his feeling, he guessed that he would have plenty of time later to ask such questions.

“Sometimes I wondered how my father ended up poor and living in a small village while his old friend rose to become a lord of a whole province, but he never told me.” Yohren said.

“…Well, I’m sure if you visited Xu Castle, just up on the hill, they’d send your message with a messenger to Lord Corrhen.” Kaewyn explained. “Of course, you’d probably have to wait a couple days until your message could piggy back some other important news that Lord Corrhen needs to hear as well, but I’m sure that could work.”

“Thank you, but it is not a message that can be relayed. I need to present myself to him in person… besides,” Yohren told him. “I already tried to go to the castle, and I was… told to leave.”

“Told to leave? By whom?” Asked Kaewyn curiously.

“I don’t know his name. He never offered one, but after I explained my situation, he just laughed at me and told me to beg somewhere else.”

Kaewyn sighed. He knew exactly who it was. He knew the one of whom Yohren was speaking enjoyed using his power and position to demean others, it was beginning to become something of an issue, an issue that he would have to deal with sooner or later.

“When I insisted, well… he threatened to have the archers on the wall loosen arrows at me!” Yohren said in disbelief.

“…I’m sorry Yohren.” Said Kaewyn softly.

“Why? It’s not your fault.” Said Yohren with a sigh. “Anyway, that was earlier today, since then I’ve just been wandering the town, unsure of what to do. Now that I’ve learned the lord is away, I’m really at a loss for what I should do. I can’t really go home.”

“Why not?” Kaewyn asked.

“…Because I don’t have one anymore.” Yohren said with obvious sadness.

“What happened? If you don’t mind sharing of course.”

“It’s no trouble. After all, you’re buying me a hot meal and a drink, which I could barely afford myself.” Said Yohren with a forced but friendly smile. “No, it’s not that I couldn’t go back South, to my village. More that I have no reason to anymore.”

Yohren leaned back in his chair and cocked his head sideways. “Tell me Kaewyn, if you had no family here, no property, no job and no… friends, would you still consider it your home?”

Kaewyn immediate feeling was that he wanted to say that yes, he would absolutely consider Greystone Province his home, but something within him made him hold his tongue. He thought about it a little longer and became less sure. The more he pondered it, the harder the question became to answer.

“Truthfully I am not sure.” He finally responded. “Maybe not, but I would hope so, though I cannot bring myself to say for certain.”

“Well.” Yohren said softly, sadness had taken over his expressions. “My father recently… returned to the gods. I found him in his bed one morning… he had gone in his sleep.”

Kaewyn stopped playing absentmindedly with the candle and the flame and turned his full attention to the young man in front of him. He could tell that even talking about his father was causing him great pain. The sorrow and pain of loss was plain to see on the young man’s face and judging by how much it was affecting him, he figured that Yohren’s father must have passed away only a little while ago. He wanted to comfort him, but he did not know what he could say that would make any difference. Kaewyn always felt awkward in these situations. What possible thing could he say to make anything better? In the end, Yohren’s father would still be gone, and all he would have to comfort him were the words of someone whom he barely knew. Better to just listen he figured, to lend an ear so that he could vent his feelings.

“I stayed in the village only long enough to have him buried. He wanted to be laid to rest by the rose garden that he and my mother had started together… then I left for Oakerton.” Yohren explained with a slow, deep breath. “That place holds too many memories for me to return, and besides, I sold off the small bit of land and nearly everything else to pay for passage to get me here. I suppose… I suppose I thought everything would just work out when I presented myself to the Lord.”

“Hmm.” Kaewyn mused with a knowing smile. “Try not to fret too much. These things have a way of working themselves out I’ve found.”

“I appreciate your optimism, but even I can see that I was just being naïve. With the war raging on in the heartlands it made sense that Lord Corrhen would be gone from Greystone Province, and even if he were here, he’d probably be far too busy to see the likes of me anyway.” Yohren said dismissively.

“Don’t be so sure about that.” Kaewyn explained. “He often made time for the common people.”

“He did?”

Kaewyn nodded. “Once every fortnight the gates of Xu castle would open and food was made available in the courtyard. The commonfolk would be welcomed in and the castle came alive with people. The courtyard became somewhat of a festival during those times, story tellers and scholars would make speeches and entertainers would perform. If someone wanted speak with the lord of their province, then all they had to do was find him amongst the merry makers. Even Bailiff Mallis and the guardsmen would join in on the fun, often getting so rowdy and drunk that it was the commonfolk who had to restore order.”

“That sounds like quite a place to be.” Yohren said with a smile.

“It was, but we haven’t had a day like that in a long time. The war has a habit of getting in the way of such things.” Kaewyn said.

“Lord Corrhen sounds like a compassionate lord to be ruled by. “Yohren said. “The lords from where I come from barely recognised us in the border villages as their subjects, except when it came time to collect taxes…”

“That is unfortunate, I have heard similar stories from all over the Revaryn Empire.” Kaewyn explained with a shake of his head. “My father has often told me of other lords who care not for the lives of their people. He believes that happy people tend to be productive people, and productive people are seldom poor, which in turns makes the province rich, and when the province is rich, the people do not want for much.”

“That… makes a lot of sense. Your father sounds very wise Kaewyn.” Yohren said.

“Hah!” Kaewyn laughed. “He can be wise, but also stubborn. I suppose that is where I get it from in the end. Though my mother is not much better truth be told.”

Yohren laughed alongside him and then settled down, returning to his more serious, but still relaxed look. “Has your father shared this philosophy of his with Lord Corrhen? I’m sure any lord who’d care to listen would benefit from such sage advice.”

“Oh… well, he--” Kaewyn stammered.

“--My apologies!” Harold shouted as he emerged from the backrooms of the Lusty Woodsman, carrying in both big hands of his two large bowls that left trails of steam behind him as he walked toward them. “I prepared this as fast as I could, my cook is probably still sleeping the lazy bastard, but I taught him everything he knows, so no need to worry.

“Wait a moment, weren’t you just cleaning up last night’s… remains… and you cooked our food?” Yohren asked with a horrified look etched firmly upon his face.

“Don’t be silly lad, I wash my hands… most of the time.” Harold burst into laughter. “You young’uns are so funny. I’ve never had a customer die on me in all my years of cooking.”

“Do not worry yourself Yohren, I would not eat here if I suspected Harold did not take due care when preparing the food.” Kaewyn said with a chuckle.

“If you say so Kaewyn.” Yohren said with no certainty.

Kaewyn sat up in his chair and he could already begin to feel his mouth water at the prospect of eating. Since he had snuck away early this morning, he had not yet had a chance to eat anything at all. Though onion broth was considered a poor man’s meal, this particular broth that Harold made was something he enjoyed very much. Harold said that he always added a touch of exotic spice that Kaewyn had tried in the past to figure out, but Harold never revealed his methods, citing that if he did, Kaewyn would have little reason to return.

Harold placed the two bowls down in front of the two young men and then disappeared for a moment, then reappeared with the mugs, wine and mead. Harold then placed the mugs down and poured Kaewyn and Yohren their respective beverages and went to leave, but Kaewyn stopped him with a quick movement of the hand and paid the barkeep his due, slipping him a few coins and giving him a wry smile. Harold chuckled and the thanked the pair for their patronage and then returned to cleaning up on the far side of the room.

Kaewyn eagerly smelled the pleasant aroma of the freshly prepared broth. Even without tasting any, he could already detect that unknown yet familiar spice he liked so much. The broth was still boiling hot, so instead of gulping a mouthful, he swirled it around in the bowl for a while until it cooled. Across from him on the other end of the table, he saw Yohren imitating him. He stared at the young man and cocked his head, then raised a spoon of broth to his lips and tasted. It burned his lip and he jerked his head backward. Yohren stared at him and waited, either he was wise enough to wait a little longer for the broth to cool, or he wasn’t sure about the food, either way, he let out a small smile when he saw Kaewyn’s face grimace from the pain of the slight burn. Eventually, when the broth was cool, Kaewyn began to have some. Yohren tested a small spoonful, but only after saw Kaewyn down a few more spoons did he begin to eat as well.

Kaewyn poured himself a mug of imperial wine and then filled Yohren’s cup with the mead he had ordered. The imperial wine was not as good as he had hoped, but it was a sufficient accompaniment to his meal. He much preferred the subtler taste of Vinum Province stock, which possessed a stronger taste and flavour, but less of the alcoholic burst afterwards.

When they were nearly done with their meals, Kaewyn decided to strike up conversation regarding Yohren’s equipment, namely the chainmail he wore and the longsword he had upon his hip. Yohren smiled and finished his mug of mead, then stood and undid the sheath and blade from his hip and placed it on the table for Kaewyn to inspect, before returning to his seat. Kaewyn could immediately tell that the blade was of a superior quality, and whilst it looked deceptively simple and unadorned, the blade itself was expertly made. Judging by the age of the steel, pommel and grip, all of which were marked with little scratches and scuffs, Kaewyn guessed that the sword itself had seem some use and was at least a two decades old. Yohren confirmed his suspicions and explained that his father had used it in his younger adventuring days and that the blade had never failed him. Kaewyn decided to show off his own blade by placing it on the table alongside Yohren’s, and the two began to discuss.

“It’s so shiny, and those symbols on the hilt, very nice looking. It puts my old blade to shame, especially side by side like that.” Yohren said in wonder. “How old is it?”

“Barely a year.” Kaewyn explained, recalling the memory of him receiving it. “My father had it made for me. Said it was about time I had a blade to call my own that wasn’t old and rusty.”

“Old and rusty… sounds a lot like my chainmail.” Laughed Yohren as he picked at his armour.

“That was the first thing I noticed about you actually, whoever sold you that must have a golden tongue!”

Yohren chuckled and shook his head. “…I didn’t buy this either, another gift from my father, well, sort of. After he passed, I sold near everything to get me to Oakerton. I wouldn’t have gotten much for this rusty mail and I didn’t have any armour of my own, so I decided to use it for myself.”

“That’s very practical of you.” Said Kaewyn, again uncertain of how to respond when Yohren spoke of his deceased father.

Yohren stared at what was left at the bottom of his bowl idly, with a ponderous look upon his face. He then suddenly picked up the bowl and slurped down the rest of the broth water in a few quick gulps and then let out a long sigh. He grabbed his blade and re-attached it to his hip.

“I’m not practical at all. After all, I’m here with no money and not even a place to stay. The smart thing to do would have been to stay in my village and work as a farmhand instead.” Yohren sighed again, then stood up, forcing a smile to his face. “I thank you Kaewyn, for providing for me and sharing with me this meal.”

Kaewyn could tell that Yohren was anxious. It was probably midday by now, if not past already, and if he had no accommodation organised and no coin to pay for a room, then that was something he would want to sort out as soon as possible. He found Yohren interesting and a likeable sort, and if he wanted to present himself to the Lord of Greystone Province to fulfil the final wish of his recently passed father, then Kaewyn wanted to help him do that. It was the very least he could do for him after he had helped him during the street brawl. He was also very curious about Yohren’s father, and his supposed relationship with Lord Corrhen.

“This is a nice tavern. Do you think Harold would accept work for board?” Yohren asked.

“I…think he is more interested in coin. Folks have taken advantage in the past, and now he’s more of a payment first, service later kind of man.”

“In that case…” Yohren said sadly as he tried to hide the tears welling up in his eyes. “Do you think he would take my sword as payment for a couple days?”

Kaewyn shook his head. “Where would you go? Stay a moment, maybe I can help you.”

“Sorry Kaewyn, I appreciate your generosity, but unless you have a place for me to stay, I should probably head out…while there is still some daylight.” Explained the desperate young man.

He had to admit, he couldn’t help but enjoy another’s confusion. He wasn’t someone who liked to be cruel, but he did like to be deceptive upon occasion, a trait that drove his father mad. It was part of the reason why he had not told Yohren the truth outright. That, and that he liked to get to know people as equals, or as close to equals as possible, before they discovered his family name. Most people knew Kaewyn by name, they recognised it and quickly made the connection, but Yohren was not from Greystone Province, there was no reason for him to be familiar with his name. As much as he wanted to continue with his deception, Yohren had done him no wrong and was in a truly desperate situation. He knew it would not take much effort at all on his behalf for him to help the young man, so Kaewyn decided to offer his assistance, and to tell him the truth.

“In that case, in return for your assistance on the street earlier, please allow me to offer you lodgings until Lord Corrhen returns from the war.” Kaewyn offered with a slight bow of his head.

“Wait, are you serious? But you’ve no way of telling how long that could be, I wouldn’t want to become a burden on you or your family, what about your father, would he mind?” Replied Yohren in earnest worry.

“He will not mind as he is away on campaign with the army.” Kaewyn explained with a friendly smile. “When he returns you can present yourself to him. After all, is this not the whole reason you made your journey?”

A look of realisation dawned upon Yohren’s face as he shook his head in disbelief. “Your father? Lord Corrhen is your father?”

“Yes, he is my father, but please allow me to introduce myself formally, as I should have done when we first met.” Kaewyn began, clearing his throat. “I am Kaewyn Edderfield, son of Lord Corrhen Edderfield, Lord of Greystone Province, and Lord of Oakerton and Xu Castle.”

“Kaewyn… Edderfield? You’re an Edderfield?” Yohren fell to his knees and lowered his head. “Please my lord, forgive my ignorance. I meant no disrespect, If I had known…I only…”

Kaewyn sighed. “And this is why I prefer to conceal my identity whenever possible. Why do you fall to your feet and beg forgiveness? We were getting along so well before now. Get up. Come on, get up.”

Harold the barkeep chuckled loudly from position in the far corner of the tavern. He had known Kaewyn a long time and always enjoyed watching a stranger’s reaction when they found out. Some fell to their knees and begged forgiveness, some refused to believe Kaewyn was truly who he said he was, and others quickly began to grovel and curry favour, one particularly aggressive and drunk man had even threatened Kaewyn once, but was quickly restrained by other tavern goers.

Kaewyn lifted Yohren up by his shoulders to his feet and slapped him on the shoulder encouragingly. The young man was still struggling to look him in the eye, but after a few more moments he loosened up and became more comfortable.

“I’m sorry my lord, I just never expected to meet you like this. Well maybe once I arrived at the castle, but certainly not like this. I had a whole speech prepared and everything.” Yohren blurted out.

“I’m not technically a lord Yohren, not yet anyway, so you can stop calling me one okay?” Kaewyn remarked with a little bit more hostility than he intended.

“But I thought you were Lord Corrhen’s son? Does that not make you his heir apparent?”

“Normally yes, but I have a… brother. A brother who my father loves very much. It’s obvious that he cares for him more than I as he picked Rahim to accompany him on campaign as his second in command and left me here instead.” Kaewyn said sadly. “Regardless, I’d rather not spend time talking about my brother, I wanted to ask you more about your father’s relationship to my own, but we can do that later, once you’ve settled into your room at Xu Castle.”

“You’re inviting me up to the castle?” Asked Yohren in amazement.

“Of course, or would you rather stay out with the horses?” Laughed Kaewyn.

“Well, I do like horses.” Replied Yohren with a smile.

“In that case I’ll have someone set up a sleeping skin in the stables! Just for you!”

Kaewyn’s words had eased Yohren’s tension, and after the two of them finished off the rest of his Imperial wine, Kaewyn decided it was time to head home to Xu Castle. In truth, he wanted to remain in Oakerton a while longer, but felt it was probably best to return soon. The advisors his father had left in Xu Castle to assist in governing Greystone Province in his absence had been demanding his attention day and night. Every day was scheduled and busy, with appointments to make, meetings to attend, finances to manage and inspections to complete. Kaewyn was tired of it all. He guessed that they were very frustrated that he had disappeared this morning and avoided his usual responsibilities.

He bid farewell to Harold the barkeep and thanked him again for the broth. As soon as they moved toward the exit, the black cat in the darkness leapt from its table and wandered over to Harold, who bent down and gave the small animal a scratch. Kaewyn smiled and nodded to Yohren, who followed him out of the Lusty Woodsman.

Kaewyn led Yohren through the streets of Oakerton, past the brothel, smith, leather tanner and the wine merchants who were busy arguing with fresh customers. The streets were busier than before, and when they entered the town square, they saw that a bustling market had been set up. The market primarily consisted of farmers selling their fresh produce. Potatoes, carrots, eggs and more than a few chickens were available to purchase. Yohren was in awe. He explained to Kaewyn that he had never seen such a large gathering of people before, even during the biggest festivals in his home village where everyone would gather. Kaewyn smiled, this was a normal occurrence for him, Oakerton was always busy and packed full with people. Scholars particularly came in numbers and there was never a shortage of travellers of merchants either. It had become clear to him that Yohren was not exaggerating when he explained that he came from a small village, if Oakerton seemed large and populous to him. Kaewyn hadn’t done much travelling himself, but he had visited some cities in the north with his father that were easily three times as large as Oakerton was, and far more populated.

He signalled Yohren to follow and the two young men left the busy markets and passed more citizens of Oakerton going about their day. Kaewyn could nearly taste the smell of freshly baked bread as they passed by the local bakery. If he had not already filled his belly, he would have been tempted to stop for a while. The baker waved to him with a smile as he passed, and Kaewyn returned the gesture. The bakery had customarily marked the edge of Oakerton but in recent years several farms had been built up around the outskirts of town. It wasn’t a long walk, but they passed a farmhouse that was growing wheat and barley which grew in neat rows for hundreds of metres. Kaewyn decided to strike up some conversation with his new friend, and asked about his home village and how it compared to Oakerton. Yohren explained that Oakerton was easily five or six times larger than his village, without even considering the outskirts that were lined with logging camps and farmsteads. He also explained that there was no Bailiff or guards, the village was a small remote community that relied upon each other for survival, and troublemakers were punished by the entire village. Kaewyn was fascinated with the concept and wanted to inquired further, but he could tell that Yohren was feeling down at the mention of his old life, so he decided to let it go.

Along the road, another farmhouse soon appeared, and the smell of animal dung also became stronger the further they went from the town. Kaewyn saw a few pigs and cows scattered about within fenced perimeters and a horde of brown and black chickens streaming out of a small barn. Many of the small rotund birds came bolting over when they saw them, probably thinking they were going to be fed. Kaewyn chucked as he did his best not to step on any of the ravenous birds. Yohren laughed as they swarmed him, but the birds quickly figured out that no food was to be found, and hobbled back to their barn.

Not long after they passed the animal farm, the road split in two. The road straight ahead led into the woods and was considered the main road into and out of Oakerton. If one followed this road, eventually they would come across another main road called the ‘Emperor’s Way’ that led to the neighbouring province of Vinum to the south and the imperial heartlands to the north. Kaewyn however, turned left and began up the steep winding path that snaked its way up the hill that overlooked Oakerton.

The two young men climbed the path together and began to chat about their fathers as young adventurers. Yohren spoke with the fondness of a child recounting his favourite stories and Kaewyn couldn’t help but listen with fascination. His father had never spoken of himself in the context that Yohren was describing him. The man he knew was a stern, honourable, dutiful and serious man, but the way Yohren explained it, his father in his younger years was a rash, charming and risk-taking man of action. The more he listened to the stories, the more differences he noticed. Perhaps it was that his father had changed as he had grown older, or that Yohren’s father had a differing view on the man who was his friend. Either way, Kaewyn looked forward to discussing these stories with his father when he returned from the war.

As he walked on up the familiar hill, Kaewyn noticed that Yohren was struggling to match his pace and was quickly falling behind. He slowed his pace to match his companion and guessed that he was struggling because of the steep incline of the hill. He himself was used to going up and down this very hill all of his life and his legs had grown accustomed to it long ago. When he questioned Yohren about it, his suspicion was proven correct, for Yohren’s village lay in the centre of the plains where the land was almost perfectly flat. Kaewyn walked on a little longer and urged Yohren to continue on through the pain in his legs, explaining that they had practically arrived.

Soon after, they came to a plateau of open ground that Kaewyn knew was regularly used as a temporary marketplace and campsite by travelling merchants and peddlers who used to location as it was very close to the walls of Xu Castle. The merchants set up their market stalls as close to the castle as possible so that it became much easier to lure out the inhabitants and visitors of the castle to browse their goods. If they had set up in the Oakerton markets, they may attract a far larger number of potential customers, but the commonfolk could never match the nobility in terms of wealth.

The plateau was currently packed full not of merchants, but of war volunteers. Ever since Kaewyn’s father Lord Corrhen had sent out the call to arms and set off with the forces of Greystone Province, volunteers had begun to stream in, usually no more than a few each day. Some of them came armed and armoured, some even with their own mounts, but many arrived with nothing more than the will to fight. They had set up tents and formed a makeshift camp outside the walls of Xu Castle, presumably awaiting some official word or order.

Kaewyn told Yohren to take the opportunity to have a quick rest upon one of the many scattered logs that many had used as a seat while he wandered over to the edge of the path and looked down upon Oakerton from up high on the hill. From up here, the town looked like a simple gathering of wooden buildings of differing shapes and sizes. It was hard to fathom just how many lives were intertwined there and how much they relied upon the Lords of Greystone to protect them. Naturally Oakerton was not the only town in Greystone Province, several other major towns dotted the province and more than half a dozen villages too, but Oakerton was definitely the largest. The province was fairly populous compared to others of the Revaryn Empire, but it could never compare to the massive urban environments of the Heartlands in the north.

Looking down on Oakerton made him realise that as his father was gone, everyone down the hill and in Xu Castle, in addition to the rest of Greystone Province, was in his care. It was his responsibility to make sure their lives continued on in relative peace. It was up to him to protect them, and he was terrified of that responsibility that his father seemed to bare without a fuss. Kaewyn shook his head and returned to the present. He nodded to Yohren and signalled that his break was over, and the pair continued up the path.

Before they had taken more than a few steps, a man on a stunning white stallion rode out of the volunteer camp and blocked their path. The man wore basic but usable armour and carried in his right hand the shaft of a long spear. The man was young in age, similar to Kaewyn and Yohren, and the way he handed his beautiful mount led Kaewyn to believe he was an expert rider.

“Hail friends, might you be heading to Xu Castle by chance?” The young man asked with a friendly smile from atop his magnificent steed.

“Indeed,” He replied. “I am Kaewyn and this is Yohren, might I have your name stranger?”

“I am Arlan, from Vinum Province. I came a few days ago to volunteer for Lord Corrhen’s army, but it seems I have arrived too late.” The man known as Arlan explained. “I want nothing more than to defeat the Great Traitor and restore our Emperor. It is heartening to see so many volunteers share such ideals.”

“Yes,” Kaewyn replied. “I am afraid that Lord Corrhen left with his troops over a fortnight ago.”

“I thought as much…” Arlan said sadly. “Say, the both of you look like the adventurous sort, have you come to volunteer as well? There is plenty of room within our makeshift camp.”

“Well, no… we—”

“Not exactly.” Yohren interjected. “Though I came to Greystone Province to have a meeting with Lord Corrhen as well.”

“Ahh, messengers then perhaps? Or diplomats? I can see by the looks on your faces that you do not wish to reveal the nature of your visit to me, so I will not press you any further.” Arlan explained as he scratched his stallion’s ear gently. “I will warn you though, if you intend to enter Xu Castle, that the one who calls himself the captain of the gate is a prickly one. Twice he has denied me an audience and threatened me with violence. It is all rather frustrating. Say… if you do by chance gain entry, could you notify whomever inside is Lord Corrhen’s chosen representative that I and the other volunteers are at their disposal, or better yet, information on where Lord Corrhen is himself. I am sure the lord would appreciate some more willing and able men to assist him.”

Kaewyn smiled. Arlan spoke with the grace of a learned man, which was rare for someone as obviously as young as he. He had no doubt with the way Arlan held his spear and controlled his horse that he was also a formidable warrior in his own right, a fascinating combination of skills. He was someone that under normal circumstances, he would want to stop and get to know better, but right now he just wanted to be back inside the castle.

“I thank you for the warning Arlan.” Kaewyn said. “And as thanks, I will deliver your message personally to the one who needs to hear it.”

Arlan nodded his head in appreciation and then pulled the reins of his horse to the side and let them pass, before trotting off back toward the volunteer camp. Kaewyn took note of Arlan one more time, curious about his origins and skills. He would not forget the young man easily.

The small but formidable Xu Castle appeared before them at the very top of the hill that overlooked the town below. The walls were thick, solid and high. Three sturdy looking towers raised out from within the walls, and atop each flew a tall banner in the colours of white, grey and black, the banner of Greystone Province. The gatehouse blocked the road that led into the castle and stood impressively and imposing to any who wished to entrance to the castle without permission. On either side of the gate, banners of white, grey and black were draped down from the walls. He could see a few armoured figures patrolling along the parapets, the protective barrier that troops could hide behind as cover from arrows, which lined the tops of the walls. A single guardsman stood alone outside the open gate, oblivious to their presence.

“Yohren.” Kaewyn said as he blocked his path with an outstretched arm. “I have a plan.”

“A plan? To do what exactly?”

“I think I know who gave you and that Arlan fellow trouble when you were last here, and I want to catch him in the act.” He explained with a cheeky smile. “Can you help me?”

“I suppose so, what do I have to do?”

“Just walk up to the gate and ask to be let in, as you did the last time.” Kaewyn explained. “Except this time, I will be there too, and when he comes over, I will reveal myself to him.”

“They threatened to fill me with arrows if I returned, but if you are with me, I guess it makes sense.” Yohren explained. “But won’t they recognise you?”

“Normally yes, but I’m not wearing my usual garments, I only wear this when I want to slip away and visit Oakerton without being noticed as much. They did not notice me when I left, they should not notice me now.” He explained as he lifted up a hood and covered most of his head. “And that’s why I have a hood.”

Urged forward by his gestures and movement, Yohren began walking up toward the single guardsman who had the duty of guarding Xu Castle’s gate. Upon their approach, the guardsman spotted them and jumped to attention. He picked up a small horn from a wooden table that had been set up by the gate and blew it twice. It wasn’t very loud, but it was loud enough to alert the rest of the guards who patrolled the walls.

“Who’s that coming then? Name yourself!” The guard shouted at them as he stood upright.

“My name is Yohren Metinley.” Yohren replied nervously.

“And the other?” The guard asked aggressively. “Who is he?”

Yohren hesitated. He had not planned for this. The guard looked at him and readied his spear, his eyes stared in suspicion.

“…He’s my brother.” Yohren managed to get out. “…He’s simple, doesn’t talk much.”

“Oh… wait, I recognise you. Wait right ‘ere and don’t move one bit. I need to get the Captain.” Commanded the guard as he spun around and shouted some alarums.

A strong looking tall man with a thick stubble, armed in heavy mail and wearing a feathered helm came jogging out of the gate with an angry look firmly planted upon his face. The man was young, but he looked much older than he was. In his hands he wielded a long spear with red feathers adorning the end of the shaft, just before the metal tip.

“I told you to bugger off once already! I will not have anyone beg while I guard this gate.” The young man with the red feathered spear shouted angrily. “Men, draw your bows and nock arrows!”

“Please, stop, I just—” Yohren pleaded, but the young man would not hear of it.

“I’m not bandying any more words with a filthy beggar!”

Yohren immediately turned to him in a panic, his eyes begging for the intervention he had been promised. Kaewyn almost felt like delaying the moment for dramatic effect, he did like his deceptions, but his logical mind knew it was simply not worth the chance of something going wrong. He took an aggressive step forward, and lowered his hood.

“How about bandying words with your Lord?” Kaewyn said firmly.

The guardsman and the others up on the walls who had drawn bows, had already slinked backwards and hid behind the parapets. The young man with the red feathered spear however, had no such place to hide. He stood awkwardly in the open, the anger in him had faded as quickly as it had come.

“Kae… Kaewyn?” The young man stammered, his face was frozen in complete and utter confusion. “I thought you were inside? I thought…”

“I don’t care what you think, Captain Alaric, your prime responsibility in your position as Captain of the Gate, is to protect Xu Castle, and act as first point of contact for visitors.” He lectured sternly, very much enjoying being on the other end of a lecture for once. “Pray tell, what drove you to threaten violence against the man beside me?”

“I…he…” Captain Alaric stuttered. “He’s a beggar, he claims to be friends with Lord Corrhen, and obvious and blatant lie!”

“I didn’t claim I was friends with Lord Corrhen.” Yohren interrupted. “My father was his friend, not me.”

“A likely story all the same. My job is also to stop thieves and beggars from entering the Castle, or would you prefer to have them stink up the Great Hall?” Captain Alaric said mockingly as his eyes locked with Yohren’s.

“I would prefer…” Kaewyn began. “…that you send for either myself, the Seneschal, or your father, General Alaric, to come and assess the situation, especially before you order arrows be let loose. Do you understand me Alaric?”

The young captain let out a huff and turned his head away dismissively.

“Do you understand!?” Kaewyn said with a touch of anger.

Captain Alaric lowered his head and bowed. “I do, I am sorry my lord.”

“Good to hear it.” Kaewyn replied. “Now have the servants prepare a guest room for my friend here, one close to the Great Hall too. “

“I can’t.” The Captain replied.

“Why not?”

“You’ll see, here they come now.” Captain Alaric said as he pointed toward the gate.

Several people were hurrying over towards them at pace. One was large and tall, nearly the exact match of the young captain in front of them. He sported a thick heavy beard and moved with the confidence of a competent and experienced warrior. The other figure was also tall, but spindly and skinny. He wore white and black robes that flowed behind him and trailed in the dirt behind his feet. His beard was neat, trimmed and styled like a scholar. The rest of the people appeared to just be guardsmen or assistants, hurrying after their masters, but Kaewyn recognised a few.

“Kaewyn! By the gods Kaewyn. Where have you been!?” The warrior-like man shouted at him.

“Indeed, young lord, your disappearance has caused us much distress, not to mention worry.” The skinny robed man said. “Why are you dressed like a common peasant? Ugh! I can smell the alcohol on you already. This is most frustrating.”

“General Alaric… Seneschal Talbury...” Kaewyn replied as he acknowledged two of his father’s most trusted advisors. “I present to you Yohren Metinley, the son of a man once close to my father. He will be staying with us a while.”

Yohren nodded and nervously attempted what Kaewyn thought must have been his interpretation of a courtly bow. He would need to teach him the proper way another time.

“What, who?” General Alaric said in confusion. “…It doesn’t matter. Kaewyn, you disappeared this morning, and now we have important guests.”

“Yes, Lord Sudrow and several of his sons appeared just after dawn. You can imagine our shock when we couldn’t find you in your chambers to come down and greet and welcome him to Xu Castle…” Seneschal Talbury explained in frustration.

“You made us look the fools, and all of Greystone Province too, not to even mention your father.” General Alaric chided him. “You have a responsibility to represent the province and all of us while Lord Corrhen is off fighting the Great Traitor in the Heartlands. You can’t just go off on your own like that anymore Kaewyn.”

Kaewyn sighed. He was back to being the one who was lectured again, and he saw out the corner of his eye, Captain Alaric smirking with a venomous look.

“I suppose I must go and meet with Lord Sudrow immediately then, and welcome him officially to our province.” Kaewyn said flatly.

“See? He knows his responsibilities General. He just decides NOT to adhere to them.” Talbury explained in a derogatory tone.

“I’m still not so sure.” The old General shook his head. “Come on Kaewyn, Sudrow already thinks us fools, you can’t really do much more harm.”

“Give me a moment, I want to speak with Yohren.” He grumbled.

The two advisors only stared at him with impatience, and the general rolled his eyes in defeat. Since his father had left, the two advisors had been getting more and more annoyed with Kaewyn’s nonchalant attitude toward his responsibilities, and they were at boiling point.

“I have been gone for hours, what does one more minute matter?” He said impatiently. “Wait for me by the steps. I will come shortly.”

General Alaric shook his head and wandered off and disappeared through the gate and into the courtyard. Seneschal Talbury soon followed him, but cast a glance that told Kaewyn to hurry.

“They seemed angry with you.” Yohren speculated. “Are you certain I can stay within Xu Castle?”

“They are always angry with me. That is why my father left them here with me, to keep me in line.” Kaewyn explained. “But do not worry, when it comes to a decision, I am acting Lord while my father is on campaign. They still have to do whatever I say, even if they do not like it.”

“if you say so, I just don’t want to be a burden.”

“Relax a little and settle in. We still do not know how long the war will go on, but until it concludes, you are welcome to stay here.” Kaewyn offered.

“Thank you Kaewyn.” Yohren grinned. “I really am thankful.”

“You can wait for me by the stables. It’s not hard to find, just go straight and you’ll see the horses. If you get lost just ask someone. I will try not to be over long…” Kaewyn sighed.

“Thank you Kaewyn, I will. You had better go though.” Yohren warned.

“I know, they will never let me hear the end of it as it is. I must say, I am not looking forward to meeting with Lord Sudrow again. The last time I saw him was at one of his sons’ weddings, and he devoured a full three roasted chickens by himself.” He chuckled. “Which would not be so horrid if not for the fact that by the end he had nearly half a whole chicken tangled in his beard.”

Yohren’s face scrunched up in disgust, but he let out a small smile as well. Kaewyn slapped Yohren on the shoulder encouragingly and nodded. He then began the walk through the gate and into Xu Castle’s courtyard, but called back before he had gotten out of earshot.

“Remember Yohren, I want to hear more of your stories about our father’s adventures when I find you later!”

Instead of calling out, Yohren simply waved to him in reply. Kaewyn steeled himself and took a deep breath. He was going to need all his patience to get through Lord Sudrow’s visit and the constant lectures he was bound to face for today’s escapade.