I rode through the remaining hours of darkness, and most of the light, not stopping until the sun was casting its golden afternoon haze. The kingdom offered fascinating views; I'd never ventured more than a few hours' walk from Vrysdale, and the immense changes in scenery were stunning.
Vrysdale was situated in a relatively flat section of land, excellent for farming and easy road travel. There was a good river running parallel to the main road, with small creeks branching out into surrounding land. A little further off was the forest. Even there the ground was mostly flat, with a few gentle hills deeper in. If you stood at the edge of the village, you could just make out the dusky peaks of distance mountains.
As Starlight carried us forward along the road, I'd had an opportunity to see things I'd never known existed so close to my home. Just around the time the sun was bathing the clouds in the rosy hues of sunrise, I'd noticed a change in elevation. We were no longer traveling along a flat path, but rather one that sloped steadily down until we were in a deep valley. Coursing through the middle of it was a wide river. The hills on the north side were verdant and lush. To the south, craggy reddish-brown rocks jutted from the hillsides. There did not seem to be much plant life on the southern hills, but I thought I saw a few goats jumping around on them.
I rode through the valley for a good portion of the day. The wind was less down in the valley than on the open plains, and I was glad for the reprieve from its biting chill. Summer was ending, and I was bitterly reminded that I would have no place to go once colder weather arrived.
The road exited the valley to the north. This forest was full of trees I'd never seen before. They appeared almost spiky, with sharp points at the top, and all boasted the same shade of dark green. The ground below Starlight's hooves was covered in strange flat leaves. They were thin and long, and somewhat sticky. The air held a pleasant freshness and I decided to make camp there for the night. I was so exhausted I thought I might fall off my horse, but I had wanted to put as much distance as possible between myself and the village. I thought it would be easier that way. I slid out of the saddle with a wince. My thighs and bottom felt as if they were on fire, and my legs wobbled.
/How is it that men ride for so long on a regular basis, and still have legs on which to stand?/
Before I could take care of myself, I needed to make sure my companion was settled for the night. There was a brook not forty paces away, and I led Starlight to it to drink while I tethered her to one of the trees. She was standing in a patch of greens that looked like they'd provide her with a suitable meal.
At the thought of food, my stomach rumbled. I'd been so entranced by the beauty of the world around me, I hadn't stopped to eat all day. I glanced to the sky. The sun was setting quickly. I would need to prepare for nightfall before I could worry about my complaining stomach. Despite the upward slope of the land, there were relatively flat sections across the slope. I'd stopped on one of these. I was sheltered from the elements here, thanks to the dense trees. A small fire would be sufficient to keep me warm through the night. I looked around and began collecting fallen wood. There was not much to be found. The trees here had very thin branches and did not seem to lose many of them. The branches I did find were still covered in their prickly leaves. Eventually I found a fallen tree and gathered the pieces that had broken free from the main trunk.
"Incaendium," I murmured while holding my hand above the small pile of branches I'd created. The fire did not burn like the ones I was used to. Something about these trees resulted in a much smokier, pungent fire. I coughed as I inspected my handiwork.
/It will have to do./
I found the softest patch of ground I could, scooping the small sticky leaves into a sort of cushiony bed and laying my blanket on top of it. The sun had set by this time. I went over to Starlight and retrieved some food from one of the saddlebags. My rations were meager. I never kept much more than a few days worth of food in the cottage during the summer, and the stores of root vegetables from the last year's harvest had been eaten down entirely. In my packs I had a loaf of bread, a small wheel of cheese, a few pieces of fruit, three boiled eggs, and some jerky. It would not last long. After I ate a light meal, I laid down and wrapped myself in the blanket.
I knew I would need to come up with a plan for survival. With no coins, no food, and no shelter, there was much to worry about. I did not even have a weapon beyond a small knife. Women in the kingdom of Klymor were not taught to fight or hunt--at least in most regions, and I was no exception to that rule. I had asked Quill and Daeron to teach me how to use a bow, but they'd only laughed and insisted that as long as I had the two of them, I would never need a bow.
/...and look where that's got us now.../ I had time to think sadly, before drifting off into a restless slumber.