The journey had been pure torture and the terrain most difficult to the soldiers who had marched all the way from Malfrost on the way to Olta to honor their king's instructions. They were not so used to the cultural shift they had encountered ever since they stepped foot in Olta.
In his bid to keep the movements of reinforcements to his forces close to the Marug secret, king Hogan had ordered that they stay away from the king's roads as the dignitaries who would be attending his feasts were most likely to come through these roads, a cunny yet effective ploy by king Hogan to keep a few cards up his sleeve, advisable when you were dealing with so many noblemen, ambition being a heavy characteristic of all who possessed noble blood.
Barnek spat at the ground from atop his horse, he and his
