From the parapets that crowned the castle’s towers, Tovin could survey the land stretching away to the south of the castle. Forests bordered the keep to the north and east, a fact that Tovin didn’t much like, but he didn’t have the manpower at the moment to waste in clearing the trees. Once this threat was dispersed, he promised himself, frowning at the dark shadows that clung to the woods, he would have that forest pushed back about a league or so, just enough to give him any warning of an attack. In the meantime, he would simply have to tighten security on the northern wall.
As dusk began to fall, sputtering torches flared to life around the parapets. Tovin waited until the sun had dipped below the horizon and the whole castle was lit before satisfied he had done all he could for the e
