A/N: This chapter is not proof read as I wanted to give you all a long awaited update. Enjoy.

Chapter 50

Aura tried to ride the horse without looking back at the huge fortress, but she failed. She couldn't quite remember the fortress ever having seven thick square towers or that they reached twice the height of the walls that was connected by lower massive walls. She also couldn't remember the fortress ever being this large!

The original fortress had the capacity to accommodate almost eight-hundred troops, now the number had almost five-doubled. Manson's was now working on a fourth wall that would surround the additional barracks that was shooting up from the ground like mushrooms. Aura knew that once the fortress was done being upgraded, it would be as grand as...well, she actually didn't know anything that was as grand as the Brick Stone Fort.

The few days she had spent inside the fort had made one thing sure. The Tortallan King certainly knew how to prepare for an upcoming war, even though the official story about the upgrade was just something every fortress or fiefs was undergoing. She had been standing at one of the upper walls overhearing a conversation between one of the many guards that each and every night the Fort received loads of supplies, but none during the day.

As she had been standing with the cold wind playing through her short hair, she had observed how calm and harmonious everything outside the fortress was. Aura knew however that this wasn't the case, especially during the night where the field crawled with hard working men and women.

She admired those, who was digging in the ground each night without any light to reveal their presence. As she rode forth, she knew that if she strayed from the path that had been shown to her, her horse would eventually fall down into deep pits filled with sharp spears.

Glancing back at the only visible way in and out of the fortress, she saw a bridge that lead over a deep moat that was filled with pitch black cold water. As her eyes moved over thousands of dark stones, she wondered how many secret passages the workers had incorporated in the design of the Fort. During her short stay, she had of course tried to ask a few questions about them, but those who she had asked had only shrugged as if they didn't care or they simply didn't know. Well, Aura though, as she nudged her horse forth, a secret wouldn't be a secret if everybody knew?

Aura shuddered and turned her head to the east, where the sun was hanging low in the horizon. She wouldn't want to be the one who attacked this massive fortress. Turning her head back, she saw rough windows that was scattered here and there across the walls in an asymmetric pattern, along with same-sized holes for archers and artillery. She moved her eyes down to the end of the bridge and saw a colossal gate made of iron that protected the massive metal doors. Also the fortress was secretly preparing for an impending attack. Aura had seen large tubs being filled with acid, tar and even sharp stones like flint, that would penetrate a helmet when dropped from the top of the wall.

She turned her head away, focusing on guiding the horse. She had done what had been requested by the old woman and apparently by Ademia. It hadn't been a problem to deliver the forty-three women.

The commander, a huge man called Lord Lyman had firstly sized up the group as if he had considered his options, but when Aura had finally given up any hope to be rid of the women, he had given her a curtly nod and walked away without a word taking with him the Scanran man they had brought with them.

Aura had found the man's behavior rather rude. She had provided him with skilled warriors, some of the women was better archers than she was and a prisoner they could interrogate and the prick had practically ignored that!

It wasn't until one of the sergeants hurrying came and apologized for Lord Lyman absentminded behavior, explaining that the commander had just received some disturbing news. Aura had waited, curious as she was, for the sergeant to tell what it was, but she had been gravely disappointed. Instead the sergeant had told the woman that they were to stay three night and then move on to Swanhelm in small groups where they were to help fortifying the small village.

Swanhelm was the first village to pass on the way back to Corus or the way from Corus. Aura knew the village by its rumored reputation to keep Scanran's at bay. The village had been established on the western side of the main road and at first sight the village looked unattractive with its murky wooden rooftops, blackened walls and foggy fields. The people in the village sustained themselves through wood productions, crafting and carpeting. Aura presumed that the village supported the ongoing upgrading of the Fort.

It was rather clever, Aura thought, while she rode on. Anyone observing Swanhelm wouldn't notice that forty women would be added to the village's population. If it had been men, it would have been another matter. Aura's attention was abruptly being brought back to the horse underneath her as it took a large step to the side, trying not to step down into a large hole made by the numerous wagons driving on the road every night.

She shifted in the saddle to give her horse a better chance to balance. Glance back over her shoulder she sighed low. Ever since meeting Kaya, Sun Tzu's long forgotten sister, had left her with a nagging feeling that she should have paid more attention and there was something she was ought to know, but clearly didn't.

As she submerged herself into every single thought that ran through her mind, she didn't notice that the sun was slowly descending towards the horizon. It was almost dark, when she had reached the part of the forest that was more dense than any other she had traveled through. It was only when her horse suddenly stopped and refused to move one, that Aura looked around for the first time.

Here underneath the thick treetops the moss almost almost glowed with a divine light that lit up an almost invincible overgrown path. Taking no chances she dismounted and looked around. On both sides of the path large wild raspberry bushes grew with the last few edible raspberries, but this was no place to make camp for the night.

"Sorry," Aura murmured. Pulling at the reins, she began walking, "we are going further." After what seemed an hour of walking the horse suddenly snorted into her shoulder and gave her a firm push with its muzzle while stopping abruptly. The reins slipped through her fingers as she stumbled forth and landed neatly in a large pool of mud.

Instantly she felt cold soak deep into her clothes and make her shiver. Even though she knew that she couldn't catch a cold, she growled low. Wet and cold clothes wasn't something an Untouchable was fond of, especially when she knew that her other clothes packed in bags that was equally soaked through.

Growling she came up on all four and glanced behind. Her horse had found a small area with grass and was eating with obvious joy. Coming to a stand, she turned towards the horse who had moved further into what seemed to be a small clearing where moss grew massively. She clapped the horse flank absentmindedly and nodded to herself. "This might work." She had to stop for the night and make camp as it was too dangerous for her and the horse to continue moving.

Setting to the task of unsaddling her horse, she kept her mind busy. It was only when she was about to lift the saddle, that she suddenly froze. How could she be so stupid? She had been given the perfect opportunity to find out the exact location of Sun Tzu's well-hidden temple by none other than his sister herself, and Aura hadn't even considered to ask that damned question.

Now it was too late and Aura knew with certainty that Kaya had taken the priceless information with to the Black Gods realm. Maybe one of her daughters or granddaughter knew….Aura shook her head. No, that was too late too. There wasn't any point in returning to Swanhelm. Aura was absolutely certain that if she was to ask the right questions, none of Kaya's descendants would give her an answer.

She sighed highly and lifted the saddle down. Her mission wasn't to find Sun Tzu's temple, but to see her beloved sister again. And that was what she was going to do...after she had gotten a good night sleep.

Hay. A wonderful creation. For other people it was something they never thought about or even bestow a thought upon. It was something that was rather indifferent for those who didn't work with it on a daily basis, but for him, it was something that was a natural part of his home.

It was unique. It was exclusive. No bales of hay was the same. What people didn't understand was that this natural element was really herbaceous plants that consisted of over ten-thousand different sorts. This was reflected in the equally thousand aromas that floated through the air and was inhaled by the every creature breathing. He knew the scent and allowed himself to be overwhelmed by it.

For Stefan, hay was something he worked with daily. It was also something that was keen to hang onto his clothes all the time when he ate or slept. This night, the smell of freshly strewn hay hung strongly in the air as him and his hostlers had used the stable to muck out every stall and inspect each of them for any damage that had to be fixed before the big cold set in. Now the stall was ready for the horses when they was due to come in for the night, which could be any moment now.

It wasn't long before the sound of forty-nine eager ponies thundered inside the large stall. After the horses came the voices of the trainees, clearly gossiping about something. Stefan shifted slightly in the hay underneath him, closing his eyes and tuned out.

He wasn't the least interested in whatever had gotten the trainees upset. The only thing that irritated him right now was the fact that Prince Roald's horse had suffered a serious wound, but had somehow been magically healed again. He had checked the horse himself, on order from his king, and found what someone else had confirmed; that the wound had been human made.

The rumors the trainees was talking about involved Master Salmalin's new and unknown wife, who was now considered a traitor and an assassin...which he oddly enough doubted. The was so many things about this whole situation that didn't add up and the more he thought about it, the more he was puzzled. Underneath him the stable was slowly becoming quieter with only the pregnant mare greeting her flock, which allowed Stefan to wonder why he hadn't heard anything from the king's spymaster.

He was resting on his back with his hands folded behind his head. There was no need for him in the stables of the warhorses as company of the king's own was keeping watch. He had decided to relocate himself to where the Queen's riders kept their ponies. From his position he could hear everything and every horse. If someone unknown would enter any of the three stables the horses would immediately react and so would he.

Armed with daggers concealed within each booth, several at his waist and behind his back along with four small throwing knifes hidden at his wrists, he could easily defend himself. Although he prefered to annihilate any enemy with only one action; breaking his or her neck. It wasn't that he enjoyed it, but he hated the mess blood created and the stink of it would upset the horses.

Lifting his chin he stared up at the ceiling above him. Even though he couldn't see the sky he knew from the horses munching that night was slowly descending. It was going to be a cold and cloudless night. Tilting his head to the right he caught a faint glimpse of light from the rising moon. Cursing inside himself, he had forgotten all about wanting to notify the carpenter about the roof and the mending it needed before snow began to fall.

As he breathed in, just like every horse beneath him did, he could smell the first hint of frost in the air. It wouldn't be long before they would wake to the first hoarfrost on everything from the fences to the vegetation that slowly prepared themselves for the winter.

He drifted asleep for a few moment, but jolted awake the sound of horses munching stopped abruptly. Even the small gnawing sounds from the mice stopped. Only the presence of a cat hunting or another predator would scare the mice into silence, but there were no cats up here. They knew he didn't liked them, so they made an effort to stay away. As for the horses, it was people they either didn't trust or knew how could produce such a reaction.

He lay completely still, waiting. If the horses didn't resume their munching within the next few seconds, he would know that someone with foul intentions had entered the stable. Stefan waited a few seconds before he with a heavy sigh rose from his warm place. One of the horses had made a small whiny sound, that was a sort of 'welcome friend'. Climbing down the ladder he didn't take his guard down.

Upon reaching the floor he had already held two daggers in each hand. Light was sparingly, but whoever had entered the stable, had chosen to stand underneath one of the few lanterns. He recognized the person immediately, having knowing her for the last fifteen years. He quickly concealed his weapons with an ever larger sigh. "Any news?"

He saw Zofia smile secretly, which was something she had done ever since arriving at the palace. Back then he couldn't figure out this strange woman, and wasn't trying to do it now. She had her secrets and he had his.

"Some," she replied, but didn't continue and silence descended between them. There was some kind of mutual agreement that they didn't intervene in each other work. The first time that had happened had also been the last. He had quickly learned that she was as skilled with knives as he was and it had nearly cost them both a finger or two in the confrontation. It was only through severe scolding from the Baron and the Lioness and several hours sitting facing each other, that they had come to their agreement.

Now, the only time Zofia would seek him out was deliver instructions from the Baron and Stefan didn't have any patience in dealing with Zofia tonight. He saw the same impatience in Zofia and spoke. "Shouldn't we just get this over with?"

The Bazhir-woman nodded. Stefan waited as relaxed as possible while Zofia produced something that looked like a badly made tassel she had cut from one of the many tapestries hanging all over the palace. Stefan knew that it wasn't. He reached for it and Zofia dropped it down into his open palm.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other things to attend to," Zofia replied and turned on her heals, disappearing out into the darkness. Stefan only snorted as a response and moved at forth so he could decode George's instructions. Once he had done it he went pale. This was really bad news and some really difficult instructions, and he was the only one who could do it without being discovered.