Fredrick rode at a brisk pace, making good use of the single road that led north to the capital of Orthan. The morning sun beat down on him as he rode. His heavy armor weighed him down as well. The saddlebags on his horse contained the items he had been given to investigate. Many of the people in his homeland were superstitious when it came to magic. Even those who did not believe in the 'arts' still feared the idea of a magician in the flesh. Not that he blamed them. If I was born in this world and learned what I did without ever knowing why, I would probably be afraid of magic road had changed little in the past few years, other than the fact that it had been widened and improved. The King had just recently ordered another stretch built to accommodate the increased traffic. On a normal day he would not have minded the speed, but today he kept looking behind him over and over in fear of pursuit.

A sudden breeze blew across Fredrick's face causing his hair to blow back slightly. The momentary distraction caused him to glance back again, but this time he swore he saw someone following...and trying hard not to be seen. All at once, he set his horse into a gallop, but the mysterious figure was fast. As Fredrick tried to close the distance, the figure darted into the forest. [Dammit!] With his bulky armor and horse so laden down, there was no way to catch them. Fredrick decided to stop and make camp for the night. By morning, the trail would likely be cold. He checked his chronometer (a device crafted by the artificers. it kept time via a small coiled spring and and an intricate set of gears) and discovered that it was nearing midday. Normally he was accustomed to traveling on horseback for days without stopping but today he could feel the fatigue in his muscles.

Forgoing a tent Fredrick set up a simple bedroll and drifted off to sleep. Strange dreams came to him that night. They started with him standing in front of a group of people who were listening intently to his every word. All of a sudden, the ground began to shake violently, causing everyone to fall over. Then everything went black. When he awoke, he noticed the campfire was still burning and his gear undisturbed. Looking around he could see footprints that circled, but did not approach. Confused he got up and stretched. Whatever had visited while he slept had not attacked though the prints looked like those of some large beast.

Still confused he walked over to his pack to make a note in his journal. What he did not expect was a note that had been slipped between the pages. [That was not there when I laid down...I'm sure of it.] The note was sealed with the Orthan crest. Curious he opened it, and read the words. "Pray that you find what you seek. For if you do not you will be lost, forever." The message was signed "Maythin, High Mage of Orthan". Fredrick pondered the meaning of the note for a moment before shrugging and heading off to the nearest stream to wash off the grime of travel.

Eliya watched as the sun set behind the trees, leaving only faint shadows behind. She had been riding for hours now and her body ached from the long ride. She was so focused on keeping her horse steady, that she hadn't even realized that she had nearly caught up with Fredrick. Looking ahead, she gasped as he turned his horse and galloped straight at her. Panicking, she pointed Dullahan towards the wood line and made a break for it. Once she was certain that Fredrick had lost sight of them, she slowed to catch her breath.

She had forgotten what it felt like to be out of breath. She had been forced to be still and silent most of her life, locked away in the tower. She had always loved running. The exhilaration, the burning in her legs and the not so subtle pride at outpacing any who might chase her. Such nimbleness helped her 'escape' a number of times and she cherished those brief moments of freedom. That felt like nothing compared to this...she had nothing to fear from Fredrick, but this was not about him. It was about her. Her proving to herself that she wasn't just some little caged songbird. This was her moment to soar. After a few more moments, she returned to the road and this time made sure to keep much further back.

After what seemed like an eternity of riding in silence Fredrick was finally approaching the edge of the city of Orthan. The road widened and became much more crowded. Only a few merchants or wayward travelers had passed him on the way there, but now dozens of people crowded the busy inlet. He was suddenly overcome with a sense of foreboding. Something was wrong here and it wasn't just the crowds. The air smelled stale and damp as if it had been raining recently. Oddly enough, the sky was clear and the sun shone brightly down on the city walls. Perhaps it was just his imagination. After all, he had been a bit paranoid on this trip...perhaps he was just starting to feel the strain.

He carefully pulled his horse to a halt and dismounted. "Come on, we need to get this over with." Fredrick said, leading the horse in the direction of the city gates. A quick chat with the guards and he was able to find a good stable and a place to rest. Walking through the streets of Orthan was surreal to Fredrick. He knew that many of the people were staring at him...and not just because he was wearing the armor of the king's guard. Orthan was a city he avoided for...reasons. "Hello...brother." A woman's voice coldly greeted him.