Sicarra

...Many weeks earlier...

Ryheric and the black colt Son of Mouse (whom he secretly named Kacis - Escape) spent weeks of travel in haste, and hidden off the main roads where possible.

The horse was paced, and took to the routines and rhythms well. Their travels were far from trouble-free. But Kacis was a good horse, and Ryheric taking troubled paths was like a duck in water. So familiar was he to this way of life.

He drank in the wilderness and his solitude.

Meeting of Minds

Greenlake Cottage, Pemberth in the Bree-land

Ryheric received a letter after a difficult day and with some heaviness and finality in his heart. He opened it once delivered by the runner.

He was slow at reading it, but reading was a skill recently learned he was grateful for. It was often difficult to believe he could do such an amazing thing. He enjoyed reading immensely despite his slowness.