THE WELCOMING

The ship left the pair at the mouth of a river called Ioleum, in the middle of the night. The two were to arrive at Marbium Fortress on their own. Lady Nyssa and the troop of Alectryons were going to another port, where they would disembark towards Albion.

The night was freezing. Their toes had lost any sensitivity when the pair were dumped in the practically abandoned port, and the cold air froze the ends of their ears.

Now Glax could appreciate his long hair's true use. Alexander, who had a shaved head like most echelians of the warrior caste, must have been suffering more than he.

"It doesn't look like a nice place." He commented haphazardly, looking around without much hope.

"Ahh, the fortress is still a few miles inland, Lord Glax." Alexandre's chin quivered when he spoke.