A little later they came to the edge of a wood. “I think we ought to stop and rest here for the night,” he said, “We’re still not far enough away to stop at a village, and I really don’t like the idea of challenging that wood at night.” “I agree,” she said. They slid off their steeds and made camp for the night. “Just look at those stars,” Jax said in a low voice as he lay down, “They’re so beautiful.” Saleena had to agree, she had never seen anything like it from her window at the castle. Still, as she lay down on the hard ground she almost wished she was back home in her satin sheets and silk pillows in her nice warm bed. Almost.

The next morning dawned bright and early. Too early. Saleena could hear Jax’s voice calling her to get up, but she was so tired. Why was she so soar? Was there pee under her mattress or something? She would have to talk to the castle, oh, then she remembered where she was. The castle was miles away. She was at the edge of a forest, sleeping on the ground. No wonder she was so stiff. She sat up and looked dazedly around. Jax was already up and loading stuff back onto the horses. “Come on, sleepy head, we have to get moving!” he said, good-naturedly. Saleena rubbed the sleep from her eyes and forced herself up. She help Jax finish packing, then she attempted making some breakfast. The coffee was ok, but the bisquets were, well, it really was a shame that her father had discovered, and put a stop to, her cooking lessons before she had time to learn anything useful. An apple pie wouldn’t get them very far out here. She pulled out some bread from her pack and they ate quickly.

They rode for many hours with little conversation. What was there to say? After a while they came to a small cottage in the center of the wood. Jax rode up to the door and knocked loudly. An old man came to the door in a black cloak. “Good sir,” Jax began, “could you please spare some food or provisions? I am a knight in training from a land from afar in search of deeds to be done. I am headed towards the Black Mountains and would be very grateful of any assistance you might could give me.”