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Chapter 9 - The Eastern Pass

Darian and his party embarked on the last leg of the journey to the Barony of Yasiaearly the next morning. They headed out of the cities east gate and along the coast road towards the Barony of Atecto.

The party making the journey consisted of Darian, 15 mounted guards, a further six individuals on horseback, two open wagons, a covered coach, 20 men and 10 women on foot. Ten of the mounted guards were sworn to Darian as they had been to his father. After what had happened aboard the ship he had hired the 5 extra men just for this journey. Hopefully, he would never have to find out if they could be trusted.

Abigail, her maid and two other servants were in the covered coach accompanied by the driver and one guard. Without the benefit of well-crafted springs, it wasn't the most comfortable means of transport but then again on a long journey a horse wasn't that much better especially if you hadn't been on one for a while. The roads they transversed were at least for the moment relatively well maintained and thus in good condition, though not as good as some of those on the mainland of the empire.

The first day of the expected three-day trip was uneventful, they made good time reaching the border between the Countship of Celeste and the Barony of Atecto well before ten. After paying the toll they entered Atecto and made Atecto town just after midday where they stopped for something to eat. Darian and his sister had a meal at the town best inn while a meal was delivered for everyone else just outside the town gates.

After the meal they then got back on the road, reaching the border with the Barony of Ickim two hours or so later. They ended the first day of the journey in Ickim town just moments before the sun set for the day.

Before they set out again the next morning Darian had a quick word with one of his hired guards.

"Are there any bandits at all on the roads of Celeste?"

"Not full-time ones any way you occasionally hear about an individual or a small group of people being waylaid but not a party of this size. Now back when my grandfather was a youngster there was an organised band that terrorised both of the mountain passes but they were put paid to forty years or so ago."

They made good time the morning of the second day reaching the foot of the mountains sooner than expected. There were two passes over the mountains on this side of the island, the middle pass being one and the eastern pass being the other. Darian and his party were taking the eastern one and they reached the start of it and stopped for their midday meal, intending to traverse the pass after having it. However, they were soon informed that a small landslide had temporarily closed the pass.

They were further informed that they should finish clearing it by early the next morning. With that being the case they could either wait until then or turn back and try the middle pass.

After consulting the guards he had hired and some of the locals he managed to talk to Darian decided to wait it out. Turning back and taking the other pass would take up nearly as much time as waiting would anyway who knows what condition it was in.

They camped out for the night at the entrance to the pass and Darian slipped away for an hour or so for sword practise disguised as a ride. When the following morning arrived the pass was clear and they began what was supposed to be the last day of the journey. With the help of experienced local guides, they had problems getting over the pass other than one of the horses going lame that was.

The pass was for the most part in the Barony of Ickim but the terminus of it was in the barony of Prumun which was next door to Yasia. They ended the days journey in Prumuntown and Darian and his sister paid a visit to the towns hot spring.

In the morning the last stage of the journey began and they reached the border of the Barony of Yasia in good time. Crossing into Yasia Darian and his party were met by a large party of local dignitaries and others led by the man who had been his fathers best friend and confidant. Osbern Bucci was a slightly Blump man in his late forties who had served as his father's right-hand man and later junior partner when he was a merchant had become his Seneschal once his father had been ennobled.

He had travelled ahead to the barony to start getting it up into shape and he had only been informed of Adrian's death three days ago when the two flyboats had docked outside Yasia town.

"Baron Darian Leye on behalf of all your new subjects I welcome to your Barony of Yasia, I wish it were under better circumstances but welcome none the less."