Throughout the day as they moved southwards, the Arakin mountain range became visible further in the south. There was some sparse snow visible near the top of the mountains, but not much. Gorsazo had told him earlier that it would have snowed already in the northern towns of the Reslinor kingdom. However Tiranat was near the southern border of the kingdom, so Kivamus didn't know about the climate there.
"Gorsazo, how cold is it in Tiranat? I know Ulriga gets some snow nearly every year, but what about places further south, like Cinran or Tiranat? You know I don't like the cold very much." Kivamus said the last part before realizing that his own preferences and those of the original Kivamus might not be the same at all. Still, he couldn't do anything about it now, other than to hope that Gorsazo didn't notice the last sentence much.
"As you know my lord, it's late autumn right now. I have visited Cinran a few times to meet a friend who lives there, and I heard from her that the climate of Cinran is quite similar to Ulriga. It was starting to get chilly in Ulriga in the nights when we left, so it should be like that in Cinran too, I think. Although it shouldn't snow until the middle of the winter, since it is located southwards from Ulriga." He paused to think about something for a moment and continued, "However, I haven't ever been to Tiranat before, so I can't say for sure about it. It is located further south than Cinran, so it might actually be warmer there, at least in the summers, considering that the cold winds in Cilaria Island, in which the kingdom of Reslinor is located, come from the northeast. However, the coal mines around which Tiranat village exists, are located close to the Arakin mountain range, so it might still get much colder there in the winter as well. I can't say for sure, my lord."
"I guess we will find out when we get there," Kivamus said while being thankful that Gorsazo didn't notice his slip earlier. Or maybe the preferences of the original Kivamus and him were similar, at least regarding the cold. He didn't know how to feel about that.
Their carriage continued moving and soon enough the driver told them that they were getting close to Cinran now.
As they approached the town of Cinran, which was situated on the other side of the Kal River, they saw more wagons, carriages, and some carts on the road coming from and going towards Cinran. Some were empty, while others were covered with oilcloth to protect their goods from dirt and rain. Occasionally, a rider on a horse would pass close to their carriage, kicking up a plume of dust on the road. The Kal River itself had much more traffic this close to Cinran, as various canoes and boats slowly oared towards the docks, which were now becoming visible on the other shore of the river. A few small ships with sails also stood out, much larger than the rowboats, either loading or unloading their goods or waiting for their turn at the small riverside docks.
Slowly their carriage approached the narrow wooden bridge on the Kal River, and they joined a haphazardly formed line while waiting for their turn to enter the town. The line seemed fairly long to Kivamus, with around a dozen wagons and carts ahead of them. Some of their owners had stepped out to look around, and quite a few people were carrying goods on their backs or heads. Most wore patched and heavily repaired tunics, though some looked like merchants in newer clothes. The line moved slowly.
To learn more about the situation, Kivamus and Gorsazo stepped out of their carriage. It was evening, and the sun had dipped below the stone walls of Cinran on the other shore of the river. The rickety wooden bridge on which they now stood didn't seem very wide or sturdy to Kivamus. He just hoped it wouldn't give way, though the others around them didn't seem concerned. A few small water mills were also visible on buildings across the Kal River. Just before the gates of Cinran, a drawbridge reminded Kivamus that this was indeed a medieval world, where towns were fortified and drawbridges could be raised at a moment's notice in times of siege.
"Is it always this crowded here? That's a lot of people going into Cinran at the same time," Kivamus said.
"They seem like farmers and laborers from nearby areas, my lord. Usually, there would only be a wagon or two at a time, especially this close to night. But the harvest season just ended, so farmers are coming in droves to sell their produce and grains. It will be dark soon, and nobody wants to be caught outside the town walls at night. Bandits are quite rampant in the forests, especially this far south in Reslinor."
"Bandits?" Kivamus exclaimed. "But we stopped next to the road for each of our stops at night! You mean we could have been ambushed anytime, and you didn't even mention it?"
"No, no, my lord. If the danger were that high on our journey, I would have told you. Bandits are common in the forests and away from major cities or towns, but we traveled from Ulriga to Cinran next to the well-traveled Kal River and passed Fort Aragosa on the way, you remember?" Gorsazo replied. "This road is quite safe, my lord, at least till Cinran. The duke maintains regular patrols from Ulriga to the fort, and there are patrols further to Cinran as well. Bandits won't dare attack near the fort. Forgive me, my lord, but you were in such a drunken haze at the beginning of the journey that you might not have noticed the patrols by Duke's horsemen. Even in the past two days, since you stopped drinking, you've slept so soundly that you probably missed the mounted knights patrolling the road."
"That's true enough." Kivamus had indeed been exhausted yesterday and slept through the night. The journey on a bumpy, uncomfortable carriage was far more tiring than he was used to, and he had napped often, even during the day. He did recall seeing a few mounted horsemen in plate armor rushing past them, but he had thought they were just knights on personal tasks. "But what about after Cinran? We still have a few days' journey ahead of us, don't we?"
"That's the difficult part, my lord. The road from Cinran going south to Tiranat goes through dense forests. It's a dangerous journey, especially for those traveling alone. That's why merchants and travelers usually join a caravan going south. So far, we haven't needed guards, but it might be better to hire a few trusted men for the rest of our journey. Although I'm not sure how much we can trust mercenaries."
Gorsazo hesitated before continuing in a somber tone, lowering his voice. "You would have found out sooner or later, my lord, so I'm telling you now. Do you remember why you were sent to the barony of Tiranat and not somewhere else?"
"Uh… I thought it's what the Duke, I mean, my father wanted?"
"Yes, but the reason you're going to Tiranat is that it has been without a baron for a few months. Instead of removing a baron from his lands, which would have caused resentment among the nobles, your father sent you to a vacant barony. Coincidentally, it's probably the most dangerous barony in the duchy of Ulriga. The previous baron and his family were killed a few months ago in a bandit attack on the road from Tiranat to Cinran."
"I didn't know that."
Kivamus had assumed nobles were safe from such threats. Each day, this world seemed more dangerous. He missed his previous life on Earth more with each passing moment, but all he could do now was try to survive.
A thought came to his mind that he didn't want to discuss in the open. Noticing the driver standing a little distance away, Kivamus gestured for Gorsazo to follow him into the carriage. After taking a quick glance around, he closed the flaps behind them.