V2Ch94 New Border

Babur and I hopped up onto our new steed. She had more training with controlling a horse than I, so I let her take the reigns. The day was long and warm. We made it to the gate without problems. However, I was worried when I saw the gates were closed and there seemed to be no traffic waiting to get through. In fact, there were small encampments on either side of the road in front of the gate. Several griffon guards were in front. Others were positioned on top.

We got close and were instructed to dismount.

"The gates are closed until further notice. Turn back. If you have the means, you can camp out like the others here."

Shit.

"Uh, may I ask why the gates are closed?"

"Ask one of the campers. I'm tired of explaining to every person that comes up."

He seems friendly...

"Well..."

I let out a sigh. Babur wasn't at the horse. I spotted her over by one of the campers. She hurried back before I could get the horse turned around.

"Apparently there is a war going on between the Swamplands and the Plaines Lands. They closed the border to prevent aid from other directions. The only open gate is in the Dwarven Kingdnyan. The dwarves are solid allies of the griffons."

Double shit.

"There's no other way to go further south without sailing. The Plaines Lands have the east and west coast until we enter the Swamplands. Maybe we have to go to the Dwarven Kindom to get in."

"Did nya knyow we would have to go there beforehand?"

"No... Why?"

"Nya told that shark man that we were."

Tripple shit. Damnit. I did. Didn't I...

"You have good hearing, by the way. I wasn't very loud when I said that."

"Nya!"

She put on a big smile.

I pulled out a map from my backpack to check what to do next. If the distance on the map was fairly accurate. It is almost the same distance from Fricity to Coaction City as it is from Coaction City to the griffon main capitol, Heiarch. Since we can't go directly to Heiarch, we have to follow the wall east to the Dwarven Kingdom. If the nearest gate to the Free Lands border is open, then it was also the same distance from Coaction City. About a month worth of travel.

I folded the map and sighed in defeat. More time added to my trip. Wonderful. I leaned in to whisper.

"Do you think we could just hop the wall at night or something?"

"Yes... But, if we get caught in the territory without a permit, it would mean on-the-spot execution."

"Like a passport."

"A what? The permit is a document that says where nya were born. If nya are caught without one in the Swamplands or the Plaines Lands, they assume nya are a spy. I knyow because Leo and I traveled nyorth from my homeland. We saw someone get executed when they couldn't provide a permit. The permit is why nya won't find a griffon south of the border nyor an anuran nyorth of the border."

"Anuran?"

"Those are the people that inhabit the Swamplands. The people that are at war with the griffons."

If they don't travel north, then I have yet to see an anuran. I wonder what they are like.

"Do you know why they are at war?"

"All I knyow is that they have a deeply rooted hatred of each other from the distant past. They've had many wars of the past several hundred years."

"We are already having trouble getting into the Plains Lands. I hope it isn't as much trouble to get through the Swamplands. I'm not about to wait. Let's get moving."

"Nya!"

We traveled back to the nearest cross-section in the road and took the eastern route. Thus started our journey toward the Dwarven Kingdom.

Our travels were fairly similar to the previous trip. We stopped a little more often as the horse ride made us sore. There was a large stream nearby that made the trip more tolerable. Babur enjoyed catching fish and then enjoyed my cooking after.

We had stopped for lunch on the fourteenth day.

"You're cooking is pretty good. Nyot as good as Goldie, though."

"She taught me. If we had stayed, I might have been as good as her one day."

The mood seemed to shift after we mentioned her.

"Do nya miss her?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. Both of them."

"Me too."

We were quiet for the rest of that day. By the following morning, Babur was back to her old cheerful self. That same day we reached the border of the Free Lands and the Dwarven Kingdom. It wasn't much of a border. A small outpost was nearby. There were no guards or inspections. Just a sign that welcomed visitors and returning kin.

"We should be about halfway to the next gate, now."

"Nnn hnn."

Babur was munching on a snack as she responded.

Another sixteen days passed and we made it to the first dwarven village. The gate to the border was still locked. The only one that was open was near the dwarven capital, Reinstorm. Named for a dwarven hero of olde. Yet another thirteen to fourteen days of travel.

As we came closer to Reinstorm, passers-by became more common. We've had to fend off thieves a couple of times in the night. Luckily, Babur's ears work well enough, even in her sleep.

When the city was within visual distance, it was dusk of the 45th day since we left Coaction City. Travelers were so common that we decided to go further off the trail to set up camp for the night. I was hoping for less foot traffic.

"Something smells off. Can you smell it, Babur?"

"Nya? Just the fresh air."

"Huh..."

We went back far enough that even a small fire wouldn't be visible from the main road. We were closer to the northern mountain range.

The night felt colder than most. Babur and I cozied up with two blankets that night.