Snippet #2560142

There was a chill in the air in the morning as Tryniszka Vosk casually made her way along the forest road that led towards the Capital of Valon. Having spent the past six months in the icy north, she didn't mind the cold breeze, and the moderate climate of the capital was a blessing, even on the cold days. She eschewed her rider's armor for a more unassuming leather coat and linen shirt and trousers, underneath a simple traveler's cloak, which served more to conceal her fine blade, Vetr, than keep her warm.

As Tryn ambled along the path, she gazed upwards at the trees, their branches swaying slightly in the breeze. Through the leaves she could see bits of sky peeking through, natural sunlight trickling down and illuminating the road in patches. Ankh, her dragon, remained at their camp, a few miles back and off the beaten path. This trip to town was purely to test the waters and poke around. There would come a time when she would ride Ankh in to the heart of the city and display her in all of her glory, but until then, Tryn would take no risks.

Approaching the city from the north, the trees began to get further and further apart, and soon enough she stood at the edge of the forest proper. In front of her stretched a valley of mostly farms and crossed with roads and streams. Boulders dotted the landscape, deposited by glaciers in ages long past. At the center of the valley, perhaps two miles off, Tryn beheld the Capital. Towering above the rest of the city, the palace stood as a mountain stood; firm, an imposing sovereign looked to by the city's inhabitants as a guide, a provider, a protector, and though they often forgot, a master.

Tryn took a moment to appreciate the sight. As much as she despised what it stood for, she couldn't deny it's stark beauty, and half a decade away had dulled her memories of the place. Her reverie finished, she set into the valley, her pace quicker now. As she neared the walls, she took note of the mark that Magefire technology had left on the city. The gates were steel and stone, obviously powered by Magefire, and powered lanterns dotted the battlements. Two guardsmen approached her as she came to the gate, probably the children of some noble or other. This close to the city, being a guard was a relatively comfortable job. Bandits weren't much of a problem, and no magical beast dared venture too close. Had Tryn desired to force her way in, she doubted that these two louts could do much to stop her.

"Halt!" Shouted one from a few paces away, his voice the exact mix of youth, zealousness, and entitlement she had expected. "What business have you in the city?"

"I'm here to visit an old friend, haven't seen her in years." She wore the most innocent face she could, and the guard nodded. She wondered if they ever actually turned anyone away. After all, no one who wished to cause trouble would announce it to the guards. With the heavy gates, the guards seemed a rather pointless fixture, probably more for decorum than practicality. The guard knocked on the gate, signalling to whoever controlled the gate mechanism to open it.

"Very well then, keep out of trouble."

Tryn smiled and nodded, and made her way into the city.