peasant city where the poor and those of lower status resided, outside the protection of the smaller walled section of the city.
Between distance and the thousands of people moving about, the wagons were slowed considerably. It took until well into the afternoon before they pulled through the gates of the central city, Ilarra leaning out over the edge of the wagon the whole time, gaping in amazement at the vastness of it all. Compared to Hyeth, even a single street in the outer city was huge.
As the wagon pulled to a stop in the large courtyard at the foot of the central tower, Ilarra hopped down and looked up into the sky, grinning at the flat top so high above her. She was so wrapped up in it that she very nearly missed the others hurrying to gather their things and head away from the tower, even as she wondered at exactly where in that huge structure she would soon live.
Looking over her shoulder, Ilarra found that the wagons were already unloaded, largely by dumping any contents that had not been claimed onto the ground. While others hurried about, trying to locate all their belongings in the large piles before they vanished, Raeln stood off to one side with Ilarra’s stacks of books and few bags of personal items beside him. None of the other travelers went anywhere near him and with good reason.
Raeln’s pale blue eyes watched everyone who came near him, while his ears constantly twitched and turned, following those he could not watch. The one time Ilarra saw a man approach him, Raeln gave them man a stern look and the man hurried away without a word. Even dressed in the lightweight elven-style clothing he had donned after brushing the blood from his fur as they departed Hyeth, Raeln looked like a vicious warrior when he glowered.
Despite keeping an eye on anyone passing near, Raeln watched Ilarra, his tail wagging in mild annoyance or impatience. Ilarra recognized the silent prodding from the wildling, having lived with his “protection” and care for most of her life. He did not need to say anything for her to know she was being slow to act.
Hurrying over, Ilarra picked up a heavy stack of books as Raeln picked up the remainder, as well as all her bags. From what she could tell, he was carrying more than she weighed…probably by a lot. Still, it was what he did, and there was little more she could do to help him without making multiple trips.
Turning, Ilarra made for the entrance of the tower where guards stood, watching the people leaving the wagons. Behind her, she could hear Raeln’s bare feet thumping along, audible only with the addition of all the weight he was carrying. When she finally trudged up to the waiting guards, she heard Raeln grunt and set back down her belongings.
“Could you open the door?” she asked, giving the two men a smile as she nodded at the massive wooden door to the tower. Shifting the books in her arms uncomfortably, she felt her smile fading as the men looked at each other and back at her without moving.
Ilarra began fidgeting as the men watched her, trying to think back to whether she had been told to bring anything to prove membership in the school of magic. The letter sent to her father had contained no tokens or any mention of what to do when she arrived. This was simply unexpected.
“Please?” she tried, glancing back at Raeln, who was glaring at the men. “I would like to get to my room in the tower before it gets too late…”
“Tower’s closed until further notice,” the bearded man on the left told her, moving his halberd across the door, as if the words did not convey the meaning well enough to satisfy him. “War council’s in session. No one goes in or out without a school magister at their side or the king’s request for them to attend.”
“War?” Ilarra asked nervously. “The war with Altis has been going on for longer than I’ve been alive. Why all the secrecy now?”
The other man rolled his eyes and took a step toward Ilarra, forcing her
Between distance and the thousands of people moving about, the wagons were slowed considerably. It took until well into the afternoon before they pulled through the gates of the central city, Ilarra leaning out over the edge of the wagon the whole time, gaping in amazement at the vastness of it all. Compared to Hyeth, even a single street in the outer city was huge.
As the wagon pulled to a stop in the large courtyard at the foot of the central tower, Ilarra hopped down and looked up into the sky, grinning at the flat top so high above her. She was so wrapped up in it that she very nearly missed the others hurrying to gather their things and head away from the tower, even as she wondered at exactly where in that huge structure she would soon live.
Looking over her shoulder, Ilarra found that the wagons were already unloaded, largely by dumping any contents that had not been claimed onto the ground. While others hurried about, trying to locate all their belongings in the large piles before they vanished, Raeln stood off to one side with Ilarra’s stacks of books and few bags of personal items beside him. None of the other travelers went anywhere near him and with good reason.
Raeln’s pale blue eyes watched everyone who came near him, while his ears constantly twitched and turned, following those he could not watch. The one time Ilarra saw a man approach him, Raeln gave them man a stern look and the man hurried away without a word. Even dressed in the lightweight elven-style clothing he had donned after brushing the blood from his fur as they departed Hyeth, Raeln looked like a vicious warrior when he glowered.
Despite keeping an eye on anyone passing near, Raeln watched Ilarra, his tail wagging in mild annoyance or impatience. Ilarra recognized the silent prodding from the wildling, having lived with his “protection” and care for most of her life. He did not need to say anything for her to know she was being slow to act.
Hurrying over, Ilarra picked up a heavy stack of books as Raeln picked up the remainder, as well as all her bags. From what she could tell, he was carrying more than she weighed…probably by a lot. Still, it was what he did, and there was little more she could do to help him without making multiple trips.
Turning, Ilarra made for the entrance of the tower where guards stood, watching the people leaving the wagons. Behind her, she could hear Raeln’s bare feet thumping along, audible only with the addition of all the weight he was carrying. When she finally trudged up to the waiting guards, she heard Raeln grunt and set back down her belongings.
“Could you open the door?” she asked, giving the two men a smile as she nodded at the massive wooden door to the tower. Shifting the books in her arms uncomfortably, she felt her smile fading as the men looked at each other and back at her without moving.
Ilarra began fidgeting as the men watched her, trying to think back to whether she had been told to bring anything to prove membership in the school of magic. The letter sent to her father had contained no tokens or any mention of what to do when she arrived. This was simply unexpected.
“Please?” she tried, glancing back at Raeln, who was glaring at the men. “I would like to get to my room in the tower before it gets too late…”
“Tower’s closed until further notice,” the bearded man on the left told her, moving his halberd across the door, as if the words did not convey the meaning well enough to satisfy him. “War council’s in session. No one goes in or out without a school magister at their side or the king’s request for them to attend.”
“War?” Ilarra asked nervously. “The war with Altis has been going on for longer than I’ve been alive. Why all the secrecy now?”
The other man rolled his eyes and took a step toward Ilarra, forcing her
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