going?" the other scout asked the leader.
"My gut tells me that Laborg is about to fall into the hands of the Borundans," answered the leader. "War has come to the Land of the Nine Kingdoms."
Chapter 5 - Unfinsihed Business
Unfinished Business
The Odessian warrior galloped across the sand and raced into a small oasis. He dismounted before the horse had come to a complete stop and ran towards the yurt reserved for the royal family of Odessia. The warrior burst into the yurt to find Prince Umal sitting with a foreigner. He bowed low, not only to show his respect, but also to regain his breath. The Odessian prince looked up with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
"What urgency causes your haste?" asked Prince Umal.
The warrior locked eyes with the prince and then glanced at the foreigner. The warrior's fingers moved swiftly alongside his leg with a question about the identity of the visitor.
"Sandar is a guest from Arin," Prince Umal declared. "There is no need for secrecy among our friends, besides he understands the horse language very well. Speak what you have come to say."
"Legions of Borundan soldiers are marching through Odessia," reported the warrior. "It appears that they mean to attack Laborg, but we cannot tell if they will be satisfied with only one country. Our eastern armies are preparing to defend the Natura-Laborg Road."
Prince Umal's eyebrows rose in surprise. "And we thought that Arin would be their first conquest," mused the prince. "Is there still time for me to enter Vineland before the Borundans seal it off?"
"Doubtful, my prince," the warrior shook his head. "If they seek to conquer Laborg, they must control both bridges over the Vine River. The only way into Vineland now would be through Caxon, and there is no telling how long that will last. Eventually the Borundans must also close off that access as well if they are to subdue the entire nation of Vineland."
"Then we have little time to waste," Prince Umal said as he rose to his feet. "Come, Sandar. It is time to put into practice what you have learned in the horse camp."
"You are not joining the eastern army to rebuff the Borundans?" asked the Odessian warrior.
"No," replied the prince. "The Borundans are not foolish enough to attack Natura. I could understand the allure of Oran to them, but not Natura. The Borundan armies are on the wrong side of Odessia to worry me where our nation is concerned, but I do have a different concern that is affected greatly. I have friends in Vineland who must be warned to flee before the bridge at Caxon is closed."
* * *
In Kyland, the Salacian prince strode into the armory and looked for the officer in charge. When he found the man, he approached him.
"You have a driver who makes regular runs to Anatar," stated the prince. "I need to know when he is next expected."
"We have many such drivers, my prince," answered the officer. "We ship about a dozen wagons a week to Anatar."
"This driver is neither Salacian nor Arin," replied the prince. "His name is Kerzi. Can you check your schedule and determine when he is due into the city?"
"There is no need for me to check," replied the officer. "Kerzi's wagon was loaded less than four hours ago."
"Four hours ago," echoed the prince. "He usually loads in the morning. Why would he begin a trip so late in the day?"
"He has not left yet," declared the officer. "To make it easier on our men, I now have the drivers leave their wagons here. We load them as we can and then notify the drivers when their loads are ready. No doubt Kerzi will depart first thing in the morning. Is there a problem with this particular driver, my prince?"
"No," Prince Derri shook his head. "Kerzi is an excellent driver. I just needed to get a message to him about a friend who is in need of help."
The officer's eyebrow rose as he watched the prince turn to leave. Members of the royal family were not known to be messengers for drivers.
"Let me get his records," offered the officer. "I can
"My gut tells me that Laborg is about to fall into the hands of the Borundans," answered the leader. "War has come to the Land of the Nine Kingdoms."
Chapter 5 - Unfinsihed Business
Unfinished Business
The Odessian warrior galloped across the sand and raced into a small oasis. He dismounted before the horse had come to a complete stop and ran towards the yurt reserved for the royal family of Odessia. The warrior burst into the yurt to find Prince Umal sitting with a foreigner. He bowed low, not only to show his respect, but also to regain his breath. The Odessian prince looked up with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
"What urgency causes your haste?" asked Prince Umal.
The warrior locked eyes with the prince and then glanced at the foreigner. The warrior's fingers moved swiftly alongside his leg with a question about the identity of the visitor.
"Sandar is a guest from Arin," Prince Umal declared. "There is no need for secrecy among our friends, besides he understands the horse language very well. Speak what you have come to say."
"Legions of Borundan soldiers are marching through Odessia," reported the warrior. "It appears that they mean to attack Laborg, but we cannot tell if they will be satisfied with only one country. Our eastern armies are preparing to defend the Natura-Laborg Road."
Prince Umal's eyebrows rose in surprise. "And we thought that Arin would be their first conquest," mused the prince. "Is there still time for me to enter Vineland before the Borundans seal it off?"
"Doubtful, my prince," the warrior shook his head. "If they seek to conquer Laborg, they must control both bridges over the Vine River. The only way into Vineland now would be through Caxon, and there is no telling how long that will last. Eventually the Borundans must also close off that access as well if they are to subdue the entire nation of Vineland."
"Then we have little time to waste," Prince Umal said as he rose to his feet. "Come, Sandar. It is time to put into practice what you have learned in the horse camp."
"You are not joining the eastern army to rebuff the Borundans?" asked the Odessian warrior.
"No," replied the prince. "The Borundans are not foolish enough to attack Natura. I could understand the allure of Oran to them, but not Natura. The Borundan armies are on the wrong side of Odessia to worry me where our nation is concerned, but I do have a different concern that is affected greatly. I have friends in Vineland who must be warned to flee before the bridge at Caxon is closed."
* * *
In Kyland, the Salacian prince strode into the armory and looked for the officer in charge. When he found the man, he approached him.
"You have a driver who makes regular runs to Anatar," stated the prince. "I need to know when he is next expected."
"We have many such drivers, my prince," answered the officer. "We ship about a dozen wagons a week to Anatar."
"This driver is neither Salacian nor Arin," replied the prince. "His name is Kerzi. Can you check your schedule and determine when he is due into the city?"
"There is no need for me to check," replied the officer. "Kerzi's wagon was loaded less than four hours ago."
"Four hours ago," echoed the prince. "He usually loads in the morning. Why would he begin a trip so late in the day?"
"He has not left yet," declared the officer. "To make it easier on our men, I now have the drivers leave their wagons here. We load them as we can and then notify the drivers when their loads are ready. No doubt Kerzi will depart first thing in the morning. Is there a problem with this particular driver, my prince?"
"No," Prince Derri shook his head. "Kerzi is an excellent driver. I just needed to get a message to him about a friend who is in need of help."
The officer's eyebrow rose as he watched the prince turn to leave. Members of the royal family were not known to be messengers for drivers.
"Let me get his records," offered the officer. "I can
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