His men had endured a hard march and a brutal battle, and they needed rest, more rest than he could spare for them. There was also a tremendous quantity of loot. The Justiciar remnants had abandoned their baggage train, and both the Justiciar knights and the armsmen had carried the finest armor a...
While Caina missed her long hair, she had to admit that her close-cropped stubble made it easier to don a headscarf. Istarish women never went in public with their hair uncovered, and there were entire volumes of epic poetry describing how a woman would at last let her hair down in front of her h...
said Damla. Caina adjusted the leather satchel she carried, the strap digging into her shoulder. “They are,” she said, “Master Cronmer’s Traveling Circus Of Wonders And Marvels.”Caina had stayed in more inns that she could remember, and the Inn of the Crescent Moon, despite its Istarish architect...
"Gaston of Travia, at your service. I've come with two hundred doughty lads."Sir Hagen Bridgebane, Mazael Cravenlock's armsmaster, gave a sour grunt. Despite his size and strength, the knight looked tired. Which was not surprising. No doubt Hagen had spent the last several months in the saddle, h...
She heard shouting and the clatter of Rezir’s armor against the cobblestones. No doubt Rezir and Andromache were blaming each other for her escape. That would not last long, though. Once Andromache and Rezir regained their tempers, they would resume their assault on Marsis. And then they would di...
The steady murmur of conversation filled Riothamus's ears, rising and falling against the sides of the mountain. A few spearthains and swordthains patrolled the outer camps, making sure the baggage and the animals did not fall prey to Malrags or other predators.But most of the Tervingi had gather...
After that she practiced her unarmed forms until sweat dripped down her face and her arms trembled from exertion. A hot bath, and she felt much better. Nightmares she had, but exercise and a hot bath did much to drive them from her mind. She put on a simple dress and cloak and went to the common ...
Hundreds of merchant stalls filled the wide square between the outer wall of Istarinmul and the rambling tavern. Most of them focused on selling boots and weapons and blankets and travel rations, all the things traveling merchants and their guards might need. Caina saw a merchant charging double ...