The next day Perenenda’s company marched in proper formation through the Promise, the hawks circling above as the nippy air of the morning bit into Perenenda’s bones. This was the furthest she had ever travelled from Neredun, and although it was nearly summer, she was not accustomed to the weather the more she went north.
They passed small villages and farming hamlets, and with every place she passed, she found people standing by the roadside. Some watched with curiosity, others provided simple gifts or bread or abundant crop. What they really wanted was to see the the lady of Neredun who had brought justice to criminals in her own city and rallied heroes across her own country to fight evil in the west. They wanted to see the pampered princess of the court who had abandoned the comforts of royal life and was forged into a battle hardened warrior who was gaining such might that she was taking the fight to the foreign invaders. Every time Perenenda heard the stories, something got embellished further. It seemed to Perenenda that her reputation seemed continuously invent itself with every town she visited, before she could even arrive to hear it. Perenenda wanted to meet this sure fast version of herself, to ask her for advice.
When she neared Ronynhall it was already beginning to get dark. Her Sworn Riders, Reapers, and Butchers made camp at the city's outskirts while she rode in with the two SanKai and her three captains. At the center of the city it indeed looked like a fortress, dull and grey, forged from iron and laid with stone.
"This is the citadel of Ronynhall," Sornam said. "We meet with Caspyr, Earl of the Promise. As Earl, he has dominion over these lands, and of the Crossing."
At the gates to the citadel Sornam introduced himself and the princess. The guards granted them entry after collecting all the weapons and horses from them. They continued by foot, escorted by guards in cloaks of black with green trim.
The interior was just as grey and spartan as the exterior. The guards led them through polished stone hallways and through a large archery training courtyard until they arrived at a dining hall where Caspyr and several finely dressed and groomed men were eating various roasted meats with bread and nut pastes.
"My lady of Neredun," Caspyr greeted her, setting his fork down and wiping his mouth with a crisp white linen napkin. "Excuse us, as you have caught us while we sup. Will you join us?"
Perenenda sat down, with Sornam, Timlan, and her three captains standing behind her. "Forgive us, Earl Caspyr, for intruding upon your supper. We move to the west with haste, but but I was told we cannot pass through the Crossing into Aredun without the blessing of the Earl."
"You would like passage west, my lady?" Caspyr asked. "Seems to me you've come a long way to pay the toll. The Crossing is over two hundred miles that way. I have a man at the Crossing that would have gladly let you pass."
“Then I have your permission, for which I am grateful,” she said. “As an ambassador from Neredun, I would also care for an escort.”
"An escort? I will gladly arrange a carriage to accompany you to the border," Caspyr replied. "How many riders would you like?"
"My lady thinks five hundred men, perhaps," Sornam answered.
Caspyr almost spit out his wine, and the men at the table laughed. "I know you," Caspyr said. "You are one of the SanKai, at Edmon's council. In fact, I now remember the crown prince of Neredun there, bald fellow with the stern look. Was there another meeting since then? I must not have been invited. Tell me, my SanKai friend, how came you to serve the interests of the lady of Neredun? I thought the SanKai were bound to our kingdom."
"The Peer serves my interest, as my interest is in the well being of all kingdoms," Perenenda said. "The three behind me are my captains Kamfongil, Xaykansam, and Dao. Sornam is my personal guard and serves me as far as it will benefit Kienne."
Caspyr eyed Perenenda. "You will forgive me Princess if I say that I am not accustomed to discussing such affairs with a woman. In my country this is normally the practice of men."
"As it is in my country," Perenenda said. "I hear that the Yghrs make no such distinction between men and women, that they may equally hold office. Have you not dealt with Yghr women, Lord Caspyr?"
"My lady of Neredun," Caspyr said, ignoring the question, "even if I wanted to hand over troops to your cause to aid Aredun I am bound by orders by our own crown to settle domestic affairs. Edmon, Steward to the King, tried to rally all the Earls to the aid of Neredun, to fend off a foreign invasion. It went nowhere. I am sympathetic toward your desire to aid your husband. This is what this march of yours is about, isn't it? To traverse the length of your own country and through ours to rejoin your beloved?"
Perenenda could almost feel the glares from her captains, real or not. "This is about Neredun coming to the aid of a nation under attack, my Lord Caspyr. Do it mistake me. As you said, to challenge the foreign invaders. And to prevent a Third Conquest."
The Earl winced. "That hurt a bit, but history shows that we deserve that. We’ve had two Conquerors come from Kienne and put a dent into the rest of the world, like a mark on a copper pot that never goes away. My lady, I have served this kingdom my entire life, though I have been its Earl for less than a year. You see, I don't have the political capital to just march into Aredun, even if Edmon had planned it. Our old King Gordyn favors me, yes, but he is frail and his time is drawing to a close. When Prince Andrew takes his seat, he’ll see that I'm likely the most expendable of all the Earls.”
"Then let us help each other," Perenenda said. "I am an inexperienced traveler but according to my quick learning I understand there are two ways to cross into Aredun. The easiest way is what we’ve discussed, by going through the Crossing. The other way may be a bit far, but it is through the north, correct? Near the forest you call the Withings.”
“That’s my father’s lands,” a younger man said.
“Pardon me, my manners,” Caspyr put his hand upon his breast. “This is young Lars, son of Larthkyrk, Earl of Ian’s Vale.”
“And you’ll find that passage to be no easy feat,” Lars added. “First, you must go north through the remainder of the Promise, then past the Portlands. That’s when you’ll enter Ian’s Vale before entering the Withings, which is a different set of trouble. You’re not familiar with our local issues.”
“Yes, your father has trouble with a Baron Visant,” Perenenda replied, leaning forward and meeting eyes with Lars. “Sornam has told me about your problems in the north. Let me liberate your northern city to prove our intentions."
"You will free the northmen?" Caspyr asked, pulling the end of his coat down and straightening his doublet. "Both the Earls of the Vale and the Headlands could not free them. What do you have to increase your chances of defeating the Baron Visant?"
"A foreign perspective," Perenenda said. "Caspyr, Earl of the Promise negotiates with Perenenda, daughter of King Burulgi, to bring her personal force of three hundred Neredunian to march north. If I succeed, Kienne is free of a rebel warlord. If I should fail, well, the king of Neredun would surely hear of this and will send more than three hundred against this Visant. My lord, in either case there should be an increase in your political capital."
Caspyr reached for a whole loaf of bread from the basket before him and stared at the bread in his hand.
“Five hundred soldiers,” Sornam repeated the number.
“I will send three hundred men north to match yours. If you liberate Sundersport, I will allow one hundred Kiennese infantry to escort you to Aredun through the northern pass, but not for you to command. My sergeant-at-arms Grim will leave his duties behind in the citadel and command our forces. And you will take Lars here home to his father in Erland."
"I'm not ready to return to my father," Lars said.
Caspyr ignored Lars' plea and held out the bread before Perenenda. "If you break this bread while I still hold it, our deal is struck before the eyes of our ancestors. I’m sure our ancestors will see this deal as valid, even if it it is with a woman.”
"One hundred men that I cannot even command is an unbalanced deal," Perenenda said. “Will your man Grim take my orders?”
“Grim is my man and no one else’s,” Caspyr said. “One hundred of Kienne's archers is all I can offer.”
Perenenda eyed the bread. “And should I be able to muster volunteers to join my cause?”
“Word travels, my lady,” Caspyr said. “Of you going town to town, adding to your numbers. You’ll find the Kiennese better treated than your father’s subjects, and you’ll not find many willing to join your cause. But alas, as long as it's not from my archers, I have no objections to you asking for volunteers, though you might have to go far and wide to find them. I wish you luck on that.”
Perenenda looked at Sornam, who gave a slight nod. "I'll have that bread now," she said.
