Perenenda’s company of three hundred descended the high pass that joined Neredun and Kienne and onto the southern plains of the Promise. They followed the same formation with Dao’s Reapers taking the vanguard, Xaykansam’s Sworn Riders following, Perenenda riding with Big and Little Tim, followed by the faithful followers that joined from the various cities they passed, and Kamfongil’s Butchers watching the rear.
Perenenda waited until there was some space between her and those in front and behind before turning to Big Tim. “Why do they call this the Promise?” she asked as she noted the destitute open country.
“This part of the country is called Ronyn's Promise,” Big Tim answered. “After a series of natural disasters, many people outside of Kienne were left destitute. Misfortune breeds opportunity for warlords, so the land endured years of bloodshed. Ronyn the king promised this land as a refuge for all seeking a better life. A life lifted out from poverty, war, sickness. All three seem to be kin when it comes to the less fortunate. So the foreigners came and settled here.”
“Without protest from the land owners?” she asked.
“You can imagine how well that was taken by the Kiennese nobles at the time,” Big Tim nodded. “Someone has to pay to host so many people. The wealthy lost a bit of their wealth. Kienne was better for it, history now tells us for sure, with such an influx of culture and creativity. But much later, a less compassionate king sat on the throne. One that could not see past these people’s inability to pay their taxes. And the population was growing. Menfryd II was an old king that didn’t dare take the action he wanted, so he abdicated his throne to his son who took the action he couldn’t. Mass exile. Anyone with any traceable foreign blood was banished to the west to Aredun, or to the south to Neredun.”
"This Ronyn, the one who made the promise, he sounds like a benevolent king," Perenenda said. “You are well versed in history.”
“Benevolence doesn’t mean free. Every king must pay way or another, whether they accept refugees or not.”
“How about the current king? There are many following me looking for a better life, just like in Ronyn’s day. Is the current king as welcoming?"
"The days of refugees settling in the Promise is old history, my lady," Big Tim said. “Kienne’s King Gordyn is wise in his later years but it’s his son that sits on the throne while the father is ill.”
"The rains are picking up. We are lucky to have departed Neredun before the summer floods, else we all could have been stranded until the rains subsided," Perenenda said. "I don't think you've been in Neredun long enough to experience the floods, though you claim it."
Little Tim looked at Big Tim.
"Don't look at him for what to say," Perenenda added. "I'm grateful for your help, even if you were hired by someone to help me. I made sure no one is near to hear this. Tell me, who hired you?"
"No one hired us, my lady," Big Tim began.
“You’re not whom you say are,” she said. “For one, Little Tim isn't familiar with our long summers, nor of Sol’s Day. No one who has experienced a Neredunian summer will not know of Sol’s Day.”
Big Tim shot the boy a stare. “You should have paid more attention to Neredunian holidays in your studies,” he said.
“What did you say to the guard to allow such ease to our passage?" Perenenda asked. "Did my father send you to accompany me?"
"We were sent by Menquist, the Grey Herald," Little Tim blurted.
"The Grey Herald," Perenenda repeated. "My husband left Kienne with the Grey Herald and entered the Soot. Did you know that was going to happen?"
"No, my lady," Little Tim said. "The General Sarengerel had a part in our coming to you. We were to protect you, by his command. We came to Neredun to serve you."
"Serve me? Did they know I would be leaving Neredun?"
"Serve you and do as you say," Little Tim said. "That you would follow your own path, and that we were to help you on that path. If you stayed in your father’s castle, we were supposed to stay with you. But if you left, we were to go with you. That was our command.”
“And your husband knows you well , my lady,” Big Tim added. “He suspected you would leave your father’s castle.”
"Who are you? And does he know I've arrived in Kienne?"
"I am Little Tim, or rather Timlan. No one knows we're coming, my lady."
"And what about you?" she asked. "Is your name Big Timlan?"
"My name is Sornam, my lady, and I am sorry for the ruse. Timlan obviously is not my son.”
“Hm, that explains why you two look nothing alike,” she said. “You will have to reveal yourselves to the council of Captains tonight, but I will allow you to spend one last day in your charade. I long suspected you were not who you said you were, but your ability to talk to the border guards to let us through confirmed it. What did you tell them?”
“I am a Peer of the Scales,” he replied. “Some call us Knights of the Northern Houses. I serve the king at his pleasure, which means I am the authority they needed. I entered the watchtower to convince them of who I am.”
Sornam removed his turban and a single long braid unraveled itself from the top of his head.
“When I revealed my braid they recognized me.”
“Free passage based on recognition, even I don’t have that,” Perenenda said.
“Well, I also happen to have a letter from Menquist,” Sornam said, pulling out a letter with a broken black seal from his pocket.
“And you?” she asked Timlan.
Timlan’s face was flushed red. He removed his cap to reveal a much smaller topknot. “I’m not a Peer or a Knight. I work in the libraries. All I ever wanted was to see the world, and do whatever Menquist told me to do.”
“And instead all you’ve seen is Neredun and do as I told you.”
“Seeing the length of your father’s kingdom, and meeting the lords, and building your army, I’ve couldn’t have asked for a better adventure,” Timlan said. “I can’t wait to tell my friend Kidu about all of this. But serving you has made me happiest, my lady. I didn’t realize how much I’d enjoy being responsible for so many things.”
“So you’re a knight,” Perenenda said to Sornam. “That explains how you handled Kerati's men and the Pyderi. Tell me, Sornam Peer of the Scales, can all of your kind handle themselves the way you did?"
"Not all, my lady," he replied. "But many. The Peers are the guardians of the kingdom. We are from three islands in the snowy north, and our people are called the SanKai. To become a Peer requires a lifetime of learning and mastery, and of the Peers, five are chosen to serve at a time to serve the king. So for me to be one of the five, I suppose I am currently more able than most to handle myself."
"There are four others of you, here in Kienne?"
"No, there are three others. One perished at the hands of the Isnumurti. His death is the catalyst for our motion, including General Sarengerel's departure from Neredun, and our arrival to you.”
"The one that perished...was he not as great as you?" Perenenda asked.
"He was the greatest of us all. The four of us would have been defeated just the same," he said. "This is the reason for our concern, that the greatest among us would fall to the enemy. Sarengerel is on a course to unite the kingdoms, but in my opinion, uniting all the SanKai would turn the tide in the war."
"If they are near you in skill you would easily turn the tide," she said. "Why have they not joined?"
"Those three islands I talked about, they are called the Scales, and they are at the furthest point north of the continent," Sornam said. "It is called so because from the mainland, in Sundersport, you can see the three largest islands. Angshar with her sharp peaks jut like a dagger from the sea. To its left is the flat Rimsat. To Angshar's right is Sui'din, a plateau with sheer white cliffs against the strait. It is said that when our ancestors arrived at Sundersport and looked out at their new home for the first time, the islands reminded them of a scale.”
“And why haven’t they joined the cause?”
Sornam frowned. “There is only one port from Angshar to Sundersport, but Sundersport has been commandeered by Visant, a baron who has made claim to the northern seas. He has shut down all ships traveling between the Scales and Sundersport, and therefore my kin are all stranded on the islands.”
"For what gain would this baron have in making the king his enemy for ownership of the northern seas?" she asked.
"That we do not know," Sornam said. "Though for years we SanKai have been in conflict with brigands that have roosted in Angshar's mountains. We suspect their leader Brandarm is aligned with Visant for some purpose. One of my brothers have been sent to infiltrate Grastenport, Visant's stone fortress by the sea. There is much focus to the west, but I believe the key to this war is through liberating the Scales and unleashing the Peers."
That night they made camp outside a small farming village that was still a day's march away from Ronynhall. Perenenda had never left the Neredunian capitol, and had always imagined the foreign places she would visit. Kienne thus far has been only fields and farms nestled between mountains.
"That is the Promise, by and large," Sornam said. "Though if we go west to the Crossing we will past through Cathasach, the largest forest of the Promise. The biggest cities are East, along the Sea of Firgan."
"Tell me about Ronynhall," she asked Sornam.
"It is the largest city in the kingdom," he said. "While Lanfrydhall is a shining city on top of a mountain overlooking the sea, Ronynhall is an iron fortress, home of the Citadel that trains Kienne's armies. The city lacks the beauty of the Capitol, but makes up for it in the number of boots that pound its pavers."
“You know a lot about Kienne’s cities and armies,” Kamfongil said. “And you’re not wearing that silly turban anymore.”
Sornam looked at Perenenda then at the others. “Well…there’s something you should know. My real name—”
“Sornam, Peer of the Scales, Knight of the Northern Houses,” Xaykansam said. “Did I get any of that wrong?”
“Monk of Angshar,” Dao added.
“And something about the SanKai,” Kamfongil said.
Sornam was perplexed. “How did—”
“The boy told us earlier,” Xaykansam said.
“I’m sorry,” Timlan said. “After the lady found out, I thought it was safe to tell them.”
“It doesn’t bother me, as long as you keep your religion to yourself,” Xaykansam said. “I am aligned to the Field God and nothing will change that.”
“This is good,” Perenenda said. “We meet with the Earl of the Promise tomorrow without any secrets. With a little bit of luck, we’ll be on our way quickly to Aredun.”
Kamfongil laughed. “Luck.”
“What’s so funny?” Sornam asked.
“I’m glad I never killed you,” Kamfongil said. “Killing a monk is seven years bad luck.”
