“Cold weather plants? So that notebook…”
“I have many little books with notes. But I swear, I have nothing on how your kingdom is actually run. I’m far more fascinated by the culture of a place, and it’s flora and fauna. If the merchant decides to bring the notebook to the Royal Archives in Kespia, he will be laughed out of the sandstone halls while we will be far along on our journey. You did say you needed a horse, yes?”
The scholar affectionately stroked the neck of the stallion. The horse whickered in response. “Kae told me you needed one after the king took yours. She also told me all about your plans.”
“She did?” Loren approached and held her hand out to the horse. The stallion sniffed at her hand and brushed her palm with his large lips as the princess chuckled. “What do you think about them, Cassendir?”
“It’s dangerous, Princess Loren.” Cassendir said seriously. “It’s dangerous, and foolhardy, and in my opinion, you should leave something this monstrous to the people in power. With the people who have spies and an army.”
“Which would be my parents?”
“Precisely! The assassination attempt was an act of war, and the reigning royals should deal with that.”
“Cassendir, I am next in line. I have responsibilities as well.”
“Yes and the heir to the throne shouldn’t be so reckless!”
The two stared each other down, looking at each other from opposite sides of the horse. The stallion sensed the tension between them and threw back his head, taking a couple steps back.
“So, when are you returning to Kespia?” Loren eventually asked.
Cassendir readjusted the strap of his bag and looked back at the princess with a mischievous look. “Not until your foolhardy errand is complete, princess! Imagine, a Kespian scholar turning his back on an adventure like this? Giving up on the hills and mountains, plains and seas, to return to sand and not much else? There is still so much to explore, princess!”
Loren blinked, shocked. “You just said it was a foolhardy errand! Why are you coming?”
“I decided I will accompany you and the dog-scented huntress when we first met at this very inn, princess.” Cassendir said with a chuckle. “Now come on, I thought we were in a hurry?”
Cassendir stroked the horse’s neck one last time before hurrying back into the inn, presumably to gather his bags for the journey ahead. Loren watched him go with a confused smile. It was a miracle she managed to find friends who wouldn’t leave her.
Loren prepared for the journey swiftly. She took up the innkeeper’s offer to use their facilities, and met her friends in the main room fully dressed with riding leathers and surcoat over mail. Kae was throwing scraps of meat out the door to Ma’trii, who politely refused to come in. The huntress greeted Loren with a wave, a slice of mutton still in her hand.
“Princess! Finally ready to go?” She asked, smiling. Loren couldn’t help but smile back. “Ma’trii patrolled all the way up to the border of Rhodia. There are more guards patrolling the Plains after King Jorrne’s visit.”
“More guards?” Cassendir looked up from yet another notebook. “Human-Beastman relations must have worsened after the king’s arrival. It might be better to steer clear of the city itself. The grasses can get tall enough to hide even the horses.”
Loren sighed. She slung her pack over one shoulder. “There’s nothing to do about it then. We have to get past the city without notice. If everyone has enough provisions, let’s go. We have to try to reach the Plaguelands by nightfall.”
The three untied the horses from the horse posts, mounted them, and were on their way. They took the same road towards Rhodia that they took before. The tall grass to either side of the road was tamped down now, widening the road ever so slightly. Kae, with her hunter’s tracking sense, said the grass was flattened by heavy wagon wheels and the steel boots of soldiers. The Aldoran escort. Loren heard Kae’s analysis of the marks in the road and fell silent. Without a word, she steered her horse off the path and into the tall grass. Kae and Cassendir had to rush to keep up, with Ma’trii rushing between the three of them to prevent them from getting lost.
“Princess!” Kae called, kicking her horse forward to catch up with Loren’s. She was getting slightly better at riding. “Are you sure going off the path is a good idea?”
“You heard Cassendir back at the inn, didn’t you?” Loren answered. “The road to Rhodia is heavily guarded. I’ll need yours and Ma’trii’s help to keep up out of the path of patrols, if there are any in the tall grass. We can’t afford to get caught by the Beastmen, or by Aldoran soldiers.” Her voice had a tinge of fear and determination. “Come on, we have to get to the border of the Plaguelands.”
They rode on in silence. Every so often the horse’s ears would perk up and swivel, trying to catch the slightest sound, but there was only the soft wind and the scurrying of small animals hiding in the grass aside from the steady beat of hooves on earth. Kae glanced back at Cassendir, who had let his horse idly follow Loren and Kae’s while he scribbled in his notebooks. Kae looked to Loren, but only saw the princess’ back, rigid and still. Whether the princess was lost in thought or focused intensely, she couldn’t tell.
A soft bark sounded a few feet away from Kae’s horse. She looked over the side of the horse and saw Ma’trii moving aside stalks of the tall golden grass with his nose. The wolf huffed and motioned with his head, then disappeared back into the grass.
“Princess! There is a patrol up ahead.” Kae hissed to Loren, who looked back and slowed her
