Whether or not its important to know, it is important to note, just so you understand the kind of world our hero comes from, at least one of them.
The Kingdom of Valdemar isn't overly impressive as far as kingdoms go, at least in size and geography. That is perhaps why it is such a successful kingdom. In the central southern areas, it is gentle rolling farm lands, a little bit more southern towards the mountains that separated it from the larger kingdom below, it was a little harder to farm.
What they did farm was hops. They also raised sheep, for wool.
The wool was hearty, warm and a little more water resistant than most. It was not however terribly soft. This made it the perfect kind of wool for the Guard. The Guard used it for everything from uniforms to bed rolls. Some of the Guard even claimed that they used it for field rations. The quartermasters denied this citing that horse droppings were cheaper.
The beer was also incredibly popular with the Guard. They had deep contracts with the beer brewers for supplies for the postings of the Guard throughout the kingdom for the fine dry pale blond ale.
This county was the sort of picturesque land that people hated to be from, but couldn't wait to visit. The roads were rough but well leveled. They were traveled by merchants going north to the Capital, and the usual sorts as well.
This day there was a young traveler. The kind of young that said not a child, not yet an adult, with an androgynous build that could be either male or female. For now, let us call our hero, a him, should it become prudent to amend the gender later we will.
The boy, man, traveler rode a nearly white horse that was dirty and dusty and looked more cremello then grey. If there was a careful look at the creature by someone who knew horses, other difference would come up. But the casual on looker would look and see a fine cremello horse. The cream colored horse was very fine indeed.
The rider was dusty as well, though dressed in sturdy well made clothes of leather and linen. The saddle was a worn saddle, second hand from one of the retired guards that lived in the town the boy was from. It had a sheath for a sword, and was in fact occupied with a sword that, like the horse, it was a bit finer than what looked like a farmer's son gone a voyaging could afford.
Typically for such tales, the traveler wasn't a farmer's son. Rather he was the son of a Herald, and a second daughter of a minor noble. The boy's mother was still in their family home, aware that her son had gone out to discover the world. They raised sheep, and rented land to farmers for growing hops. The home that the boy had left, was a nice home, and the kind of home that people never admitted to being from.
Riding the horse north, with the merchants from the south heading for the Capital, the young man tried not to look hopeful and excited about the journey he'd begun.
The kingdom had been in a bit of turmoil in the last year or so, after the previous queen had been assassinated. Her only child, and son ascended the throne under a regency until he came of age. The regency had been appointed by the Council, as well as the marriage about to take place negotiated with the northern kingdom of Iftel. The princess was already in transit to the Capital with her retinue.
Now though the turmoil of the past year had calmed. Traveling had never become dangerous, as the Guard still maintained the roads carefully. Commerce was very important to the kingdom. While the kingdom could exist without it, it flourished with it.
The journey was important to the boy though, because like his father, he went to serve the new King and Country as a Herald. His horse was a Companion, and not a horse at all. Though, so far, the Companion was silent about its true nature, and simply pushed his Chosen to the Capital with the silent goal of becoming like his father. It never occurred to our young hero to think of his own father's Companion, and know that there was something more mysterious than usual about the fine magical creature.
So we leave our hero traveling north, along safe roads and comfortable Inns.