* * *
It took Cor over a month to reach the city of Worh, and it was becoming plain to him that Rael’s stallion, his stallion, was an older animal. Though prideful, the animal’s best days were likely behind him, and the extreme heat of late summer caused Cor to slow the pace a bit. They rested more during the day, usually stopping for several hours shortly after midday and continuing until sunset. The slow pace ate into Cor’s provisions, and he had to spend more effort than he would have preferred finding food growing wild in the countryside. On more than one occasion, he cursed the fact that he didn’t know how to hunt. He avoided towns and villages as much as possible, and when he had no choice but to stop and purchase provisions, he preferred to buy from the farmers living away from the town. Most were friendly, offering the same hospitality his father would have. Cor lingered nowhere, however, not even to occasionally sleep on a soft bed as opposed to the hard ground.
As he approached Roka and its capital, Cor became acutely aware of stirrings in his blood. He felt two distinct forces pulling him, both to the east. One was close by, and though it was weaker, the proximity made it more urgent. The other pulled at him from far to the east, past the World’s Spine in the Loszian Empire. Cor knew he had been feeling this call for quite some time, and he didn’t know how much longer he could resist answering it.
Cor couldn’t help the feeling that he was being watched or followed for most of his journey across Aquis and into Roka. After the first couple of weeks, he took to roads more often; the going was faster and it was easier to purchase provisions when necessary, as the roads always led to a town or village. While he saw other travelers on the roads, Cor never spotted anyone specifically pursuing him. This didn’t ease his suspicions however, and at times he was certain the horse felt it too.
The city of Worh, being the only true city in the kingdom of Roka and a prosperous port as well, was absolutely massive. Cor got an excellent view of the entire city from a hilltop about a mile off. The city was set on a gorgeous blue bay, and large trading ships came and left from its harbor. It looked as if it had been built and rebuilt upon itself as it grew outwards, giving it a tiered look; as one moved closer to the city’s center, the buildings were simply taller.
A stone wall surrounded the city, and Cor could see other walls surrounding other parts of the city further in. As he approached he could see the outer wall, over thirty feet tall, was comprised of huge granite blocks. Unlike Sanctum’s wall, this wall was topped with battlements, and Cor could see a number of soldiers standing atop the wall keeping a lookout. The huge wall had multiple gates set into it, each with two huge iron banded double doors. Traffic of all types moves freely through these gates, each manned by armored guards.
The press of people, mostly merchants, coming and going was amazing to Cor; the last true city he’d seen was Martherus in Aquis, and then he’d been only a boy. It seems one’s memory tends to fade over such a time, and all Cor could remember of Martherus were flashes and images. He controlled himself, keeping his eyes off the impressive sights as he entered the city; at the least, he was still carrying a large sum of gold, and he did not want to invite thievery by looking like a country bumpkin.
The bazaars and merchant stalls seemed to be centered around the outside ring of the city, closest to the gates, though it seemed many of the more prosperous merchants had warehouses and other facilities near the docks. As Cor worked further into the city, the general bazaars gave way to more specialized shops and tradesmen. Smiths of all types, glassmakers, weavers and other professionals kept their shops here. They were close enough to the merchants and bazaars, but far enough away to avoid most of the noise.
The crowds were thinner here, and Cor noted several taverns and inns. He selected one with a large stable and paid the stable boy to feed the horse so long as he remained there. Cor entered the inn with his possessions, including his saddle, and found it to be quite comfortable. There was one main room littered with tables and chairs, and shortly after noon, it was mostly empty. A portly man with a grease stained apron waddled up to Cor from a back room that smelled of cooking meat.
“Young sir, you have recently arrived? I do have some private rooms available, though sleeping in the main room is friendlier to your purse,” solicited the innkeeper.
“I would prefer to be alone. What is the cost?” Cor asked.
“Well,” the innkeeper scratched at his belly, “one solid gold piece per night, five for a week. You pay for meals separately. Also, one silver per night to cover your horse, or a gold for a fortnight,” said the innkeeper, motioning at Cor’s saddle. The price seemed exorbitant, and Cor knew he was expected to negotiate, a skill his father was adept at despite his preference against it.
“I despise haggling,” he confided in the innkeeper. “I’ll pay it, but I want a hot breakfast every morning.” Cor was tired of beans and berries; he reached into his pouch and fished out six gold coins.
“Thank you sir,” said the innkeeper as he took Cor’s gold, a look of satisfaction on his face. “If you’ll follow me.”
The innkeeper took Cor up a small set of stairs and down a hallway. The inn was much larger than it looked from the outside, and this hallway alone had four rooms on each side before making a right turn. The man stopped before reaching the turn and pulled out a small copper key, which he used to unlock a door. He then handed the key to Cor explaining that there would be a one gold piece charge should Cor lose it, and that there were no other copies of that key. The only other person who could open his door was the innkeeper himself with his master key.
Whistling, the innkeeper strode back down the hallway and downstairs while Cor entered the room, dropping his belongings in one corner. The room was small, but it was spotless and appointed with two basins, one filled with clean water and the other empty, a large bed and a chest that sat with the lid open. Cor closed the chest’s lid and saw that it was designed to take a padlock. The room was windowless, and the one door was the only entrance or exit.
Cor lay down on the bed, finding it soft and smelling of down and organized his thoughts. He needed to do a few things before starting his search for a guide to take him into the mountains; for one, he’d felt naked for the last month without armor of any kind, especially any time he saw a bow. He wasn’t afraid to fight without armor, but he knew a well trained archer could prevent him from even getting close. Cor also considered paying the room in advance for quite some time, which would allow him to use the inn as a sort of base of operations. This also meant purchasing a fine lock for the chest at the foot of the bed. Thinking over his options and next actions, Cor drifted off to sleep.