As the sun rose, Samar readied their mounts while Basheer snubbed out the campfire.
Everyone assisted in packing the woolen blankets and canvas tarps back into the packs.
Before continuing to the path, the Dovans performed their morning ritual by the waterfront.
The remainder of the escort mission felt much more amicable than the previous five days.
It is terrible and sorrowful the circumstance that brought these five young men together; however, all of them smiled, chatted and even sang a multitude of hymns throughout the remainder of their journey to make time pass more enjoyably.
The party had made their routine stops for prayer along the way, but they were making great time, in uplifted spirits.
As the sun readied itself to set, and darkness began to threaten the swallowing of the Roszak Forest, the caravan approached the city's main gates.
Thick ornate walls of lime-sand and stone surrounded the large town.
The architecture was clear work of delicate craftsmanship unlike anything either Tadian had ever seen.
Young, effeminate and immodest looking plaster angels adorned the throughway to enter the city.
Each angel held one of a medley of instruments, some of string, and others of wind.
They all had hollow eyes that could penetrate the soul.
Even with the discomforting sight of the angels' eyes, Samar let out a slight but audible sigh of relief at the sight of the great walls of Dova.
This meticulous escorting was nearing an end.
A small flow of Dovan knights and clerics walked through the archway to greet the travelers.
Some of the diplomats had their wives and children here to welcome them.
Six stablemen appeared as well to gather the restraints of the burdened as everyone dismounted.
One of the clergymen approached with a smile.
"Thank you for returning, we were beginning to worry for your well-being."
The greeter did a second and third mental headcount before realizing that Aleph was not among them.
"I may have spoken a little too soon. Are we missing someone?"
"This expedition took a little more than we had originally planned for, Sir.
Brother Aleph had an intervention with nature from which we were unable to save him.
Our deepest apologies and condolences." Sir Edon gave a humble nod toward the man dressed in the darkest of black linens.
"Very well, still," the clergymen stammered.
"Please, follow me. It is getting dark, let us offer you and your accomplice a chamber to rest in until dawn. We will refill your packs as well before you return home to Tadia."
They spoke their goodbyes to Caleb, Gerard and Basheer before beginning to follow the clergymen in black robes through the archway and into the walls of Dova.
The city was alive with lights.
The buzz of what sounded like thousands of insects filled the air, though without seeing them, it was dismissed by both new guests as a possible breach of the imagination.
Even though it was getting dark, the people of Dova continued to carry on all the same.
Samar attention had peaked as they enter deeper into the city, a visible level of sensory overload consumed him, leaving him dumbfounded.
Merchants are pandering to the passerby, peddling their various good.
Some of the open windows dispersed smells that swirled through the air, offering wafts of aromatic samples of fresh baked breads, cured meats and fresh fish.
They pass under another large, decorated arch, into what may have been the city center.
A grand fountain of many tiers, each with their own series of marbled angels, similar to the ones on the entryway, pouring water from vases of different sizes creating several small waterfalls leading to a great pool at the base.
Dovan families gathered in an odd celebration of song and dance around the fountain.
Children played in the base of the fountain.
This does not match the Tadian perception of Dova at all.
Edon now too bore a look of awe as he followed the clergymen in black.
After making their way around the crowd and down a much quieter avenue.
"This way to your chamber for the night. We are nearly there."
"Thank you," Edon and Samar reply in unison.
The man gestures for the two Tadian visitors to follow him some more, down a narrow, cobbled and dimly lit street.
After just a few minutes of walking, the man stops and opens a door leading to a stairwell. He guided them up to the second landing before leading to the end of the hall.
"This room is for the both of you. The rooms on the first floor are entirely occupied, please do not disturb them."
Edon gives thanks again.
Samar does not mean to be rude in his silence, but he is enamored by how lavish the room appears on entry.
The clergymen they had been guided by offered a gentle bow before turning back towards the stairwell.
A small oil lamp sets on a beautifully crafted wooden stand beside a single bed draped with red fabrics.
At the other end of the room was a wash basin and several rags.
Edon quickly realized there is only one bed in the room and beckons back to the clergymen.
"Are there no other available beds?"
Before opening the door leading to the staircase he turned and nodded, indicating that this was all they had.
"Please do not disturb the residents of these neighboring rooms, these priests require deep meditation before their slumber."
"Very well," replies Edon.
This bed is visibly of higher quality than anything either of them has ever slept on.
As the door closes Samar is already rifling through his personal pack, pulling out a leatherbound thin book.
It is one Edon had seen him read many times before, and he carries it with him everywhere.
This was a book his family gave to him before they passed when he was young.
Samar notices there are no chairs within the room, so he sets on the cold stone floor closest to the oil lamp to write into the bound parchment.
"I want to write to my family," he says. "If only to tell them I love them. That I've continued to try my best."
Edon begins to disrobe on the other end of the small room and sponges himself using the bucket of water and cloth provided to them.
Samar made passive glances from behind the book, though the light did not shine far enough to satisfy any level of curiosity.
Edon sighs as he washes his face. "Very well," he says.
Samar turns in his book to some of his old journal writings.
"It's the least I can do," he responds, more to himself than to Edon.
"I can barely make out what I wrote in some of these pages. It was so long ago now."
"Please, Samar," Edon says while ringing out the washcloth. "Please hurry along and wash up to rest. We have a long journey back home beginning tomorrow."
Edon glanced over and watched his squire read and write in his small journal.
"Mm," he says.
Samar traces his fingers over some of the words from the beginning pages and realize it has almost completely faded away over time.
Edon began to dry himself while moving past his squire, putting his trousers back on before entering the bed.
Edon sighs while turning onto his side to face his young apprentice.
"Go on then," he says. "Read me one of your old poems."
Samar gazes into the waning light of the fire before beginning to speak in a low voice.
"I wrote that I loved you."
His voice trembles slightly as he began reading the poem.
'I loved you and you loved me, but now our path must part.
For this is the fate that we must always join,
The world is dark and cold, and only death can dwell here forever.
But my heart is warm and happy for your soul,
May you find peace and understanding in the afterlife.'
"Beautiful," Sir Edon commented.
"Now please, wash up."
Samar nodded in silent agreement as he closes his book and places it back into his pack.
In his youth, he disrobed without modesty in the light of the lantern, boldly displaying his almond colored features and dark hair.
The knight flippantly watches his squire bathe himself from under the woolen covers.
Espresso scales cover the squire's palms, though his legs are long and smooth, impressively hairless.
His face is kept clean shaven, save for a thin black mustache that covers his upper lip. He has a dark brown patterned injury on his chin. His large ears are also dark brown and angled slightly outward.
Samar watches the knight's face contort into a smile before the oil lamp flickers itself out leaving the room in total darkness.
Morning comes quickly for the Tadian visitors.
They are awoken by the sounds of heavy metal footsteps in the hallway.
The sound stopped in front of their room and a far less than gentle knock followed.
Edon quickly gets up from the bed to slip into his shirt and boots before going to the door.
Opening it had revealed a knight in full plated armor, decorated in green and gold its iron base.
A well cared for longsword hangs by his side.
Without speaking, the green knight hands a wax-sealed note to Edon and then resumes marching loudly down the hall before disappearing down the stairwell.
Edon looks back to Samar, now also standing, seeking his shirt from the floor.
He shrugs and opens the note.
"We're being summoned by the Dovan magistrate.
He would like to speak with us both before we return to Tadia."
"I wonder what for."
Both quickly finish getting dressed and walk the same path the green knight took just moments before.
The knight is perched at the bottom of the stairwell seemingly waiting for them both to arrive.
The three of them walk towards the town hall, down the narrow street in a line, with Edon in the middle.
They rounded the now empty city center where the fountain lay, and pathed up a different fork towards a large building with massively elaborate and abstract stained glass windows.
As they entered a great hall, lined with eloquent pews, a middle-aged, ghostly pale man with a goatee stands up from his seat.
He is adorned in bold black linen with gold accents.
He lets out a hearty and welcoming laugh that resonates through the hall.
"I hope that you have slept well," he bellows.
"I believe we have, well enough, thank you." Edon kneels while speaking.
Samar quick to read the room and kneels as well.
This must be the Dovan magistrate.
Rather young in appearance when compared to the leadership of Tadia.
Upon closer inspection the magistrate has glass eyes. His eyes gazed upon them with a strange glimmer, holding bright green irises.
"Thank you, brother, you may retire." He gestures to the knight with the green and gold armor.
Without a word he leaves the hall from the door they had come in.
Everyone stood quietly in the room for a while before the goateed man broke the silence, walking towards them as he spoke.
"My name is Brand Ethiger," he began, "I have recently acquired these premises from God himself. I suppose that would make me the new magistrate."
Before either Tadian could inquire what he meant by this, Brand had continued to speak in a sinister tone.
"God recently spoke with me and told me of a great change. He has appointed me this new seat of power to aide him with this change."
He began walking down the small series of steps that lead from his chair to his guests.
"However, I must make you aware, that God's plan does not include this treaty of old with our Tadian neighbors."
Samar looked up to Edon, who appeared particularly concerned with Brand's words.
"I don't think I understand, Sir." He forced out.
"I have spoken with God last night and we reject any agreement that has been previously forged. Dova will rely solely on Him to carry us through this harsh and quickly approaching winter."
"Raasis guide me!" Edon calls an audible prayer to the nature spirit believed to uphold peace and loyalty.
"This is a longstanding agreement that benefitted both of our people for many generations."
"God has spoken to me and says that we shall be fine for so long as we absolve ourselves and make our purist devotion to Him. He will guide us in these trying times, and I hope that He will guide you too.
Please take this letter with you back to your leadership to inform him of our revocation of terms."
Reluctantly Edon stood to retrieve the letter.
Samar stood as well, still struggling to comprehend how one man could simply abolish a pact so important to both cities.
"This treachery cannot simply be forgiven," Edon's face grew flush with visible anger.
He turned and motioned for Samar to follow him as he had begun to storm past the pews towards the exit.
"One last thing," Brand called as they approached the door leading back to the fountain.
"Please inform your leader Hamund, of Magistrate Aldis' passing. He would want to know, as they were good friends.
God has welcomed him to his eternal home."
The heavy doors to the hall slammed behind them as they had entered the town's center square.
The sun had already reached the tips of the buildings. The light beamed upon them, ostensibly with intent, and was incredibly blinding leaving them to block its rays with their hands.
Still made to squint they began to lead themselves to the outer edge of Dova.
Despite the uneasy and frustrating encounter with Brand, neither of them was entirely sure how to begin a conversation from here.
They approached the stables, where they were kindly greeted by one of the stablemen from yesterday.
"Leaving so soon?" He grimaced.
"Seemingly not soon enough," Samar said rudely without thinking.
Taken aback, the stablemen rushed to see them to their mounts and assured them that their packs had been replenished with fresh foods and oats.
They began their trip back home.