Storyboards: Khureid

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My memories
The wagon master was doing the last preparations before the journey to the Algarian stronghold would continue when the foreman arrived. "We have found a wounded man in a ditch." said the foreman. "We took the wounded man to the healers wagon."
The wagon master looked at the foreman. "Can we send him back to Rheon, or shall we take him with us when we continue our journey to the stronghold?"
"I don’t think we can send him back to Rheon since he is badly wounded," said the foreman, "but you can ask the healer if she thinks he would survive a trip back to Rheon."
The wagon master walked to the healer’s wagon together with the foreman. "I heard that the wounded man who was found is in your wagon," said the wagon master. "Will he survive if we send him back to Rheon?" The healer shook her head.
"I am surprised that he has survived so far, if we send him back to Rheon he will probably die. If we take him with us he will have an opportunity for surviving."
"Well, we will have to take him with us during our journey to the Stronghold," said the wagon master "I wonder who did that to him? Do you know his name or anything about him?"
"I found a letter in his hand," replied the healer "but I couldn’t read the letter since most of it was destroyed. The only two letters I could read were At."
"We may find out more when he is better," said the wagon master. "Lets now continue our journey."
I awoke and felt terribly weak and tried to move, then drifted down into my dreams again. The dreams were about three men who attacked me without any reason and when the dream ended I was lying in the ditch just beside the road. The next time I awoke from my deep sleep must have been several days later, I heard someone who said, "Look, he is awake."
I looked at the woman and the man who were beside my bed. The woman said, "Can you tell us what your name is and if you know why you had been wounded."
I said with a very weak voice "My name is Khureid, but I can’t tell you why I got attacked since I don’t know that myself."
"We have taken care of your wounds," said the healer. "It now seven days ago since we found you in the ditch just outside Rheon."
I tried to get up from the bed and fell down on the floor, the man came and helped me back to the bed. "You have to be careful," said the man "the healer has told me that you have to stay in the bed until we reach the stronghold. It will take another two weeks. I have to go now, I must be outside to protect the caravan."
When he had left the healer said "I am surprised that you have survived so far with those bad wounds you got. You must have a strong will for being alive with those wounds you got."
I said. "I saw her face in my dreams and knew that I had to survive, so I can see her again. I was so happy and looking forward to the day I should meet her."
"Was that the girl who had written the letter you had in your hand when we found you?" asked the healer.
I said "Yes it was and I saw her face in my dreams and knew I must survive so I can find her. Gods know how much I miss her, I must return to Rheon as fast I can, so I can tell her that I am alive."
"It will take a little before you are strong enough for that.,” said the healer. "You have to rest now." The healer left the wagon and I fell in a deep sleep again and saw her face before me in my dreams, and I knew that I should survive just to see her again one more time.

The caravan continued the journey through the landscape when a sound awoke me.
"Look he is awake.,” said the healer. The wagon master nodded and said,
"He seems to be better now."
"Yes," said the healer, "but it is still a long way before he is completely recovered. How do you feel now?" said the healer, looking at me.
I said "I feel better but I am very tired."
"You are still very weak said the healer and you have to be patient since it will still takes several weeks before you can return to Rheon.

The caravan spent another week on the road before it reached the stronghold. "We have a wounded man in one of our wagons," said the wagon master. "Can he stay at the Stronghold during the time he recovers?"
"Yes, he can stay here." said the Algarian gate guard. "We can take care of him and let our healer keep an eye on him."
"We found him in a ditch just before we left Rheon," said the wagon master. "We can take him with us when we leave the stronghold but I think he will recover faster here."
"You have been here several weeks now," said the healer, "and you are recovering much faster than I had thought."
"I haven’t recovered so much,” said Khureid, "it seems to take forever. I hope I can leave the Stronghold soon."
The healer found a gate guard and said "Khureid is a little impatient."
"There is a caravan that will deliver equipments to one of our clans," said the guard, "and we can let Khureid be one of those who guard the caravan. It is an easy job and he will maybe have recovered completely when we come back. He will calm down and not try to get back to Rheon before he is ready."
"Will you be one of the guards on the caravan to one of the clans?" asked the gate guard of Khureid. "The caravan leave the stronghold soon."
"I can take place as a guard if you want," said Khureid.

The job as a guard was very easy. The caravan was back at the stronghold two weeks later. "The job as a guard was too easy," said Khureid, "it wasn’t necessary to have so many guards for that caravan."
"You are right said the healer "and the reason for that was simply that you needed more recovery before you travelled back to Rheon."
"I will leave the Stronghold for Rheon soon,” said Khureid.
"You can leave whenever you want said," the healer, "you are strong enough now."
"I need a horse," said Khureid, "so I can ride back to my parents in Rheon and see how things are there."
"You can take any horse you want from the stable," said the leader of the stronghold and the horse you choose is yours. We want you to have a horse as payment for being a guard at the caravan."
The journey back to Rheon took more than a week. When Khureid saw his parents just outside their house he rushed towards them. "Have you seen or heard anything about Athawe?" said Khureid to his parents.
"She has visited us several times since you have been missing," said Khureid’s father.
"She said that you have been killed. Thank gods that you are alive." said Khureid’s mother, "but it has been a very long time since she visited us the last time."
"What will you do now?" said Khureid's father.
"I shall go down to the tavern," said Khureid, "have some beer and listen to the bard there."
Khureid went to the tavern and ordered a beer. He sat and listened to the bard's song. The song brought back many memories, and Khureid began to cry. The harder he tried to stop, the harder he cried.
Now, Khureid goes to the tavern every evening and listens to the bard. Every evening is just like the one before, he buys one beer and spends the evening with his memories.

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The tavern
"Are you going to the tavern now Khureid?" said Khureid's father.
"Yes, I am on my answered Khureid. It was a short distance between Khureid's father’s house and the tavern, but in the rain the distance seemed to be much longer. Khureid opened the door to the tavern and went to the bar. The bartender just looked at Khureid when he arrived and then the bartender continued to serve the customers who were in the tavern. Khureid ordered a beer and dropped some coins on the bar. The bartender took the coins and gave a beer to Khureid. Khureid took the beer and went to a table close to the fireplace where the bard was.
The bard sat on a stool, close to the fireplace. The bard spoke with a low clear voice about how UL created the world and then how the other gods filled the world with life. The tavern was pretty noiseless so the bard didn’t have to talk loudly to be heard. Khureid listened to the bard’s tale and begin thinking of the memories again.
The voice from the bartender and the customers could be heard in the background now and then. The bard began the tale about the rock which was stolen from Aldur and how Aldur's first disciple together with a couple Cherek warriors stole back the rock. Suddenly Khureid recognized a familiar voice and looked up. He saw a Drasnian women sitting at the bar. It was Athawe. Khureid looked directly into her eyes and saw Athawe slowly sinking down to the floor.
Khureid rushed to the place where Athawe fell to the floor. Khureid took Athawe in his arms and looked at her face.
"What happened?" said the waitress, to Khureid.
"I think she have only faint away for a moment" said Khureid to the waitress.
"Shall I try to find a room where she can be?" said the waitress.
"Thanks, but I think I'll carry her back to my parents house and she can recover there," said Khureid. "I think it’s better if she can recover and wake up in a place she has been before, so she can be comfortable" said Khureid. The waitress nodded at Khureid and went back to her duties.
Khureid pick up Athawe and begun walk back to his parents house. The rain blew in Khureid's face as he walked back to his father’s house. Khureid's father sat in a chair just besides the fireplace. A door opened and Khureid's mother came into the room.
"I can see that you are worried. Who is that you carry with you?" said Khureid's mother, and walked to Khureid. "Oh it is Athawe, what has happened to her?" said Khureid's mother.
"I sat in the tavern when I suddenly heard her voice and then I looked up I just saw her sinking slowly to the ground," said Khureid.
"Where were you thinking of letting her rest?" Said Khureid's father.
"I was thinking of her rest in my bed," said Khureid.
Khureid carried Athawe to the bed and laid her down. The bed was wide and full of soft pillows. Beside the bed was a small table made out of oak. Khureid went down for some food and something to drink. Khureid's mother asked,
"Are you going to get something for her?"
"I was thinking of getting her something to eat and drink and get some flowers too," said Khureid.
Khureid went back upstairs to the bed where Athawe was sleeping. He put the food and drink at the small table close to the door and put the flowers at the table close to the bed. After that, he just sat and watched Athawe's face while she slept. Khureid looked at Athawe and said quietly to himself, "She is so beautiful."
About an hour later Khureid saw Athawe move and was going to awaken. When she opened her eyes and looked at Khureid, a tear slipped from his eye down to Athawe's cheek. He didn’t said a word, he just looked her deep into her eyes. Khureid looked at Athawe and said,
"How are you Athawe?"
"I am fine but…” said Athawe.
Khureid said, "But what?"
Athawe said "I saw you in Rheon a long time ago and believed you were dead, but then I saw you or someone who was really like you in Boktor a while ago."
"What happened? I was so sure that you were dead?" said Athawe to Khureid.
"It is a long story," said Khureid to Athawe.
"It doesn’t matter I want to know a little about it" said Athawe to Khureid.
"I left my parents house and to take a walk when there were a couple of men who wanted to talk to me and then they attacked,” said Khureid. "The next I remember, I woke up in a wagon someplace between Rheon and the Algarian Stronghold, but it was just for a short moment and then I fell in sleep again,” said Khureid. "The next time I being awoke was just before the wagon arrived to the Stronghold,” said Khureid. "I spent a couple of weeks in the Stronghold before I was strong enough so I could leave the Stronghold," said Khureid. "After that I rode through Boktor during my way back to Rheon" said Khureid. "I saw you in Boktor, but I thought you wished to be alone so I continued my journey back to Rheon and my parents house" said Khureid. "And after that I have mostly spent my time here in Rheon and visiting that tavern where you fainted away" said Khureid.
"Where are we?" Said Athawe.
"You don’t recognize this place and room?" Said Khureid.
“I recognize the room, but I cant say where it is," said Athawe to Khureid.
"It is the room I use when I am home at my parents place," said Khureid.
"Oh of course, I see that now, still the same bed" said Athawe and smiled.
"Yes, it is the same" said Khureid and blushed. "But how are you, are you sick or why did you faint away in the tavern?" said Khureid. A noise was heard from the stair and Khureid looked up and his mother entered the room.
"Is there anything you two want?" said Khureid’s mother. Khureid looked at Athawe, Athawe shook her head. Khureid’s mother left the room and all was quiet.
"I think the best for you is if you can sleep a little bit more, I will sit here and watch you so if you need anything just tell me" said Khureid to Athawe.
"But can I sleep here?" said Athawe.
"Of course you can, why did you ask that?" said Khureid to Athawe.
"What will your parents say about that?" said Athawe.
"They will probably not say anything at all" said Khureid. "That is my old room and this is not the first time you are sleeping here in this bed" said Khureid to Athawe.
"I am sleepy now, but you don’t have to stay here for my sake" said Athawe.
"But I will do that so you can feel comfortable and sleep well" said Khureid.
"I am glad for that" said Athawe as she closed her eyes. Khureid watched when Athawe fell asleep.
After about twenty minutes Khureid heard steps on the stairs and suddenly Khureid’s mother entered the room. "How is she?" Said Khureid’s mother.
"She said that she was very tired" said Khureid.
"Shall you be here the whole time?" said Khureid’s mother to Khureid. Khureid nodded. "What shall you two do?" aaid Khureid’s mother.
"I suppose that we shall eat breakfast tomorrow and then take a walk around Rheon" said Khueid to his mother.
"No, I meant have you two talked about what have happened and how things are today?" said Khureid’s mother to Khureid.
"We have talked about that yet, I think we will do that tomorrow when she is not so sleepy" said Khureid.
"Good, she told me a little the last time she was here and I hope everything will be to the best for you two" said Khureid’s mother.
"I hope the same thing too" said Khureid and wondered about what his mother meant by what she just said.

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A message
Khureid opened his eyes and stretched in the bed as he tried to wake up. He looked around in the room, it was still somewhat dark inside the room. Khureid was thinking about Athawe and he wondered what she was doing right new. He knew she was obliged to return to Boktor. She had left Rheon a week ago for her return back to Boktor. He had a letter from her, which was lying at the table. The letter told him that she returned to Boktor without any problems and she had written that she hopes she would be back in Rheon in the beginning of the next week. He looked at the shadows from the trees and realized that it was much later than he thought.
Khureid sat up in the bed and he looked out through the window. He could hear how the wind blew outside the windows, how the leaves in the bushes flutter, and the tall trees were swaying as the wind blew. He stretched and got his clothes from the chair just beside the bed. He got dressed and took a last look at the letter before he left the room. He walked along the short hallway to the stair, which led down to the first floor. He walked down the stair and entered the entrance hallway, then he walked to the kitchen and got some bread and juice for breakfast. After he had finished breakfast, he cleaned the table and decided that he should take a trip down to the city.
He closed and locked the door to the house and began to walk along the street. Khureid ran across one of the Waggoner who worked as a driver of the wagons, which transported goods to and from Rheon. "Hi, how are you? Khureid said, looking at the man. "I am fine" the Waggoner replied. "How about you?" "I am fine," Khureid answered. It began to rain a little and the people on the street walked into where they could stay during the rain. "Lets go to the tree so we can avoid getting completely wet" the man said and pointed towards a tree. Khureid nodded and they walked to the tree. "How is Athawe? I saw you two when you walked along the main street a week ago." The man asked, looking at Khureid.
"She went to Boktor a week ago," Khureid answered. "Do you have any news from Boktor?" He asked. The Waggoner shook his head. "I have to go now, we shall return to Boktor," the Waggoner said. "Do you have any messages you want me to give her?" The Waggoner asked. Khureid shook his head. "Have a good journey," he said. "Thanks, I will see you when I return from Boktor" the Waggoner replied and then he walked towards the wagon.
Khureid walked away along the street. He saw a man standing outside a shop "Hey, did the Waggoner have any news from Boktor?" A voice asked. He looked at that direction the voice came from. A man took a step out from the shadows from where he stood. "I am Barl I have just moved to Rheon and I wonder if you have heard any news," the man said. "I have spent the last years in Gar og Nadrak," Barl continue. "How was life in Gar og Nadrak?" Khureid asked. "It was good if you like to dig after gold in the mountains," Barl said. "I am sorry but I have to go. I shall go and see if there are any messages for me in the wagon masters office," Khureid said and then he walked towards the wagon masters office.

Khureid opened the doors and entered the wagon masters office. The man behind the desk looked up. "What do you want?" The man behind the desk asked. "I just wonder if you have received any mail to be delivered to me," Khureid answered. The clerk shook his head "I don’t have any message or mail for you, Khureid" the clerk replied. "But there are a couple of wagons which are supposed to arrive in Rheon today and tomorrow" the clerk continue. "As soon as I get any message for you I will have it delivered," the clerk continued. "Thanks. I am going back home now. If I don’t hear anything from you tomorrow or the day after tomorrow I suppose I don’t have any mail," Khureid replied. "Have a nice day." "You too" the clerk replied. Khureid left the Waggoner’s office and walked along the street back home.

It was still dark when Khureid woke up. He looked out through the window and looked at the trees, which were swaying in the wind. He watched as the first rays of the sun broke through the clouds and reached the trees just outside the window. He stood up, got his clothes from the chair. After getting dress, he walked towards the door. He walked down to the kitchen and got some food out of the storage. After he had finished eating the food he walked back to his room. He sat down on the bed, then got his bag and started cleaning it.
After a while he looked out through the window and saw that the sun was shining and he decided that he should take a walk down to the wagon masters office and see if they had got any message from Boktor. He stood up and put the bag on the chair, then he left the room and walked down the stairs. As he walked along the street, leaves and small branches from the trees were carried away by the wind. He realized that the wind was much stronger than he had thought when he looked out through the window. It took him only a few minutes to reach the Waggoner's office.
He opened the door to the office and entered it. The clerk looked up when Khureid entered the office. "Anything I can help you with?" The clerk asked looking up at Khureid. "Have you heard any news from Boktor?" Khureid asked. The clerk shook his head. "No I have not heard any news at all." The clerk answered. "But there are some Waggoners who just have arrived to Rheon, so you can go and ask them if they have any news" the clerk replied. "Thanks, I shall do that" Khureid said and then walked out from the office.
He walked along the street towards the wagons he saw at the end of the street. The Waggoners stood beside the wagons talking to each other. "Hey how are you?" Khureid asked. The first Waggoner looked at Khureid. "I am fine. How are you?" The first Waggoner replied. "I am fine," Khureid answered. The Waggoner looked at the labourers, who carried away the goods from the wagons. The labourers almost dropped some things as they hurried to empty the wagon. "Be careful with that!" The Waggoner yelled at the labourer. "I am trying but you told us to empty the wagon as fast as possible" the labourer replied. "I know, but I don’t want the goods to be destroyed" the Waggoner said. "I shall try to be more careful" the labourer replied and took another chest from the wagon. "I appreciate that," the Waggoner said. Khureid looked at the labourer, who emptied the wagon, and then he looked at the Waggoner again. "Do you have any letters for me?" Khureid asked the Waggoner.
The Waggoner took up a couple of letters from his pocket and looked through them. He shook his head. "No I don’t have any letters for you," the Waggoner answered. "Wait a second," the Waggoner said. "What is it?" Khureid asked and looked at the Waggoner. "I met Athawe just before she left Boktor," the Waggoner said. "Has she already left Boktor?" Khureid asked and looked at the Waggoner again. "Yes she left Boktor two days before we did" the Waggoner replied. "Sorry, but I have to go now" Khureid replied. He turned and hurried back towards his house.

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Boktor
Khureid opened the door and walked towards his room. He entered his room and got the saddlebags and then he rushed down to the kitchen. He looked at the bread in the kitchen and decided himself for that he should go to the store and bought some fresh bread and fruit for the journey. Then he walked towards the general store and bought a tent. After that, he had gathered everything he thought he would need for the journey he mounted his horse and rode towards the south gate of Rheon. The gate guard looked up as he heard the sound from Khureid’s horse. "Hi are you going for a long journey?" The guards asked and looked at Khureid’s baggage.
"I am on my way towards Boktor for doing Athawe company the last part of her journey back to Rheon," Khureid answered. "How is Thureid?" asked the guard and looked at Khureid. "My father is fine,” Khureid answered. "Anyway can you give him a message that I am going towards Boktor for meeting Athawe?" Khureid asked and looked at the guard. "I will tell Thureid that," the gate guard replied. Khureid looked at the guard. "You are always so formal. I always call him my father, I almost never call him Thureid." Khureid replied. "I can’t call him father I have to call him Thureid since he is your father" the guard replied. "See you later" Khureid said and then he took his saddlebags.
Khureid walked towards his horse. "Khureid I have a question, why do you almost never talk about your dad?" The guard said and then looked at Khureid. "It is a long story," Khureid said. "I have all time in the world" the guard said and smiled at Khureid. "I don’t have so much time," Khureid said. "You don’t want to tell me?" The guard said and looked at him. "I can tell you the reasons, if you want" Khureid said. "Of course I want" the guard said and then he walked towards a man in a dark leather vest. "Are you looking for someone?" The guard asked and looked at the man in the dark leather vest. "Yes I am looking for a tavern where I can stay for dinner" the man replied. "Follow this street eastwards and then take to the south in the second intersection and then you can see the tavern" the guard said and pointed eastwards along the street.
Khureid saw how the man in the dark leather vest took something out of the guard’s pocket and the walked away along the street and suddenly disappeared. The guard returned to Khureid. "Ok, you can tell me why you almost never talk about your father" the guard said. "I believe the man stole something from you," Khureid continued. "Don’t try to fool me," the guard said. Khureid shrugged. "It is your money and if you don’t care so why shall I care about it," Khureid said.
"Well when I was young I didn’t saw my father during the day since he worked until the late evening," Khureid said. "And I was already sleeping when he came home" Khureid continued. "But you had the whole weekend you could see him" the guard said. Khureid shook his head. He didn’t get up before noon during the weekend and at that time I usually followed my mother when she visits my grandparents," Khureid said. "And when I grew older I begin working during the weekends" Khureid continued. "I understand why you don’t talk so much about him" said the guard and smiled. "I have to go now.
Shall you try to find your money?" Khureid asked and then looked at the guard.
The guard looked at Khureid and then put his hand in his pocket. "My money is gone" he said and looked around. "I told you. I told you that the man in the dark leather vest took something out of your pocket" Kessik said and looked at the guard. "Thought you lied" the guard said. "Why should I lie about that?" Khureid said. "There are so many who lies and just say bad things about other just for having fun of them," The guard said. "There will always be people like that" Khureid said and shrugged. "I know" the guard said. "You should start look after your money now if you wants to find them" Khureid replied. "I shall begin look after my money now" the guard said and then walked along the street. Khureid walked towards his horse.

Khureid rode along the road, which led from Rheon to the Mrin River. There were not many trees on either side of the road. The shadows from the trees almost covered the road. As he rode along the road, he could see how the land rises and falls all around as the road makes its way towards the river. He reached the river at the end of the day. He looked around and started gather some branches for the fire camp. After that, he had lighted the fire camp he sat up the tent and went to sleep.
Khureid looked out from the tent it was complete dark. He could hear how the wind blew outside the tent. He could hear the sound from a thunderstorm at some distance. He fell asleep after a while. Khureid woke up for a short while in the middle of the night from his dreams to the sound of thunder and lightning from a thunderstorm. He looked out from the tent it was raining. He crept back into the tent and went back to sleep again.
Khureid awoke just before sunrise. The rain and thunderstorm had stopped an hour ago. He looked at the river there a fish jumping out of the water. He took some of the wood he had stored in the tent during the night then he lighted the fire camp. He stood up then he walked towards his horse. He looked at the path but there was not any sign of that someone had passed this way during the night. He mounted the horse and rode slowly along the path towards Boktor. On either side of the twisting path were several of those trees, which is typical for the surrounding landscape. There was a sound from a bird somewhere to the west of him. The land rises and falls all around the path as he rode towards Boktor.
He was looking after footprints in the dirt. He did not saw any sign of that Athawe should have passed by after the rain. "She must have got more to do in Boktor and therefore she is late," he said quiet to himself then he mounted the horse and continued the journey towards Boktor. The sun had changed from rain to sunlight during the day. The shadows had begun to grow again when Khureid decided himself for that was time for staying for the night again. He sat up the tent again and took out bread from his saddlebags then he lighted the fire. After that, he had lighted the fire he went to the river for trying to get some fishes. He could see fishes jumping out of the water. He tried to catch some fishes for a while then he walked back to the tent and ate some bread instead.
Khureid moved in an eastward direction and he was alert and watchful about any sign he could see in the dust. There were no footprints or any other signs of people in the dust. He continued the ride along the road towards Boktor. He meets other travellers on his journey towards Boktor. The exchanges with these others were brief and short. The sole reason for that was he wanted to travels fast. He rode east for the next several hours. It started to rain again and he stayed at a stable and let the horse rest. There was a man in the stable and he walked towards the man.
"Hi have you met anyone today?" He asked the man. The man shook his head. I havent met anyone since I left Boktor yesterday" he replied. "Thanks for the information" Khureid said and mounted his horse and continue towards Boktor. The storm soon passed, however, and the sun came out again. After that, the weather continued to be fair. A little while after the sundown, he stayed and sat up the tent for the night.
Khureid get up in the sunrise and mounted the horse since he wanted to reach Boktor as fast as possibly. He reached Boktor just before sundown and went to the east gate Inn.

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The search
"Hey, do you have a room I can rent for the night?" Khureid asked. The Innkeeper nodded.
"Yes, I have a room you can rent for the night" the Innkeeper said. "Do you want the room for more than this night?" The Innkeeper asked.
"No, I just want the room for this night" Khureid answered. The Innkeeper opened the desk, took a key, and gave that key to Khureid.
"The room is in the end of the corridor" the Innkeeper said and pointed at the corridor.
"Thanks" Khureid said and walked along the corridor towards the room he had rent for the night. Khureid entered the room and sat down on the bed.
Khureid awaked when he heard the sound from people entered the Inn. He stretched in the bed and tried to wake up. He stood up and get dressed then he left the room and walked towards the Innkeeper. The Innkeeper looked at Khureid.
"Shall you check out now?" The Innkeeper asked.
"Yes I am going to check out now" Khureid replied and then gave the key to the room to the Innkeeper.
"Thanks" said the Innkeeper and then opened the desk and put the key back to its place. "Have a nice day," Khureid said and then he left the Inn and walked towards the stable where he had left his horse. Khureid entered the stable and walked towards the page.
"Do you want your horse?" The page said. Khureid nodded. "I shall go and get your horse" the page continued and then walked towards Khureid's horse. "Here is your horse," the page said when he returned with Khureid's horse. "Thanks" Khureid said and then gave the page some coins.
Khureid mounted his horse and rode towards the east gate. He dismounted and tied the horse to a pole just outside the guard post and the he entered the guard post. The gate guard looked up when he saw Khureid enter the guard post. "Can I help you?" The gate guard asked and then looked at Khureid. "Yes, you can tell me if you know if Athawe have left Boktor" Khureid asked. "I don’t know, but I shall ask he who guarding the gate yesterday. You can wait here," the gate guard said and then he left the guard post. Khureid looked at the papers, which lay on to the table. Suddenly the gate guard returned to the guard post. "He who guarded the gate yesterday told me that Athawe left Boktor two days ago" the gate guard said and looked at the wall. "Do you wonder why we have these papers on the wall?" The gate guard continued. Khureid nodded. "It is the name of the suspect people which are on their way towards Boktor" the gate guard replied. "That make it little easier for you to prepared yourself against problems which may occur" Khureid replied. The gate guard nodded. "It makes it much easier for us," he said. "See you later," Khureid said and then he left the guard post.

Khureid mounted and rode slowly eastwards towards Rheon. Khureid kept an eye on the road and looked after any sign from Athawe. He rode along the north caravan route until he reached a crossroad and then he dismounted and looked if he could find any sign about which directions Athawe went. Suddenly he saw some footprints in the dust, which was leading northwards towards Rheon. "It must been her footprints" Khureid said quiet to himself and then looked one more time on the footprints. Then he mounted and continued towards Rheon. In the end of the day, he found an old campfire and then he decided he should stay for the night.
Khureid looked around and saw a better place for having the campfire. He gathered stones and built a new campfire just close to some big rocks. After that he had built the campfire, he started collect branches and wood to the campfire. When he had gathered enough for the campfire, he lighted the campfire and then he began preparing the food. Khureid awoke in the middle of the night by the sound from an owl. He stood up and watched carefully, but he did not saw anything strange and then he went back to sleep again. He awoke just before sunrise. It was still cloudy and he could not see the sun. He feed the horse and then he ate some of the food he had. Khureid took and put everything he had in his saddlebags and then he stood up and walked towards his horse.
Khureid mounted and rode slowly along the road. He continued keeping an eye on the road as he rode towards Rheon. He reached a path about an hour later. The path was small and almost hidden. He dismounted and searched the surrounding area very carefully. There were some footprints in the dust, which were almost impossibly to see. The footprints where leading eastwards. The land rises and falls all around as the small hidden path makes through the surrounding hills. The weather changed during the day from a very cloudy sky to a sky without any cloud at all. He arrived to a small house several hours later. He dismounted and walked silent towards the house. The entrance door to the house openness suddenly a man stepped out from the house.
Khureid tied his horse to a tree and then walked towards the house. The man looked unsure of what to do. "Have you been seeing a woman passing by around here?" Khureid asked and looked close at the man. The man shook his head. "I have not seen anyone lately," the man said. "May I enter the house?" Khureid asked. The man shook his head again. "Why not?" Khureid asked. Suddenly there was a noise coming from the house. Khureid walked towards the door. "You can’t go in there," the man said and held up his hand and stopped Khureid. "Move or I shall move you" Khureid said and looked at the man. The man sank his hand and moved aside. Khureid entered the house and looked around; there was a table and a bed in the small house. A small woman was lying in the bed. "What do you want?" The woman asked and blushed. "I just wonder if you have seen any other woman around here lately," Khureid asked. "I have only been here one day and I have not seen any other woman around here," the woman answered. "Thanks I shall not disturb you two anymore" Khureid answered and left the house. In the last light of the late evening, he rode along the quiet path back to the campfire where he had spent the last night. Khureid arrived to the campfire about one hour after sundown. He gathered some more dry branches to build a large fire. Khureid lighted the fire. In a few moments, he had a small fire going, the orange flames licking up around the dry branches. Carefully he added larger pieces until his fire had grown big enough so he could begin with the food. After that Khureid had eaten, he sat watching as the fire burned down and then he slept for a couple hours. That night Khureid had a nightmare about warriors attacking people, he was not able to se the face of the people in the dream.
Khureid awoke just in the sunrise it was cloudy with a threat of approaching rain. There were many birds up in the sky. Khureid looked at the birds. He looked for quite some time at those birds and then he stood up. Khureid mounted and rode slowly towards Rheon. He stopped now and then and looked after footprints or other sign about if Athawe had passed by. He looked at the cloudy sky. It began to rain, a few drops at first, and then a steady drizzle. He continued the journey slowly towards Rheon. After a while, he reached a small crossroad. He stopped and wiped the rain out of his face and then he looked around. There were some footprints, which was leading westwards. He decided himself for heading westwards. In the end of the day, he saw the light from a campfire. He rode towards the campfire. There were three people, which sat around the campfire.
The men around the campfire looked up when they heard Khureid. "Hi, I am Khureid. Have you seen a woman around here lately?" Khureid asked. "I am Lharrten and the other is Rorvoth and Tiltid," Lharrten said. The men shook their heads. "No, I have not seen any woman around here" Lharrten said. "We arrived to this place this morning," The man continued. "Can you go and feed our horses, Rorvoth?" Lharrten said and pointed at a small bald man. The bald man nodded. "I shall go and do that now," the bald man replied and then walked towards the horses. "Do you come from Rheon?" Khureid asked. "I came from Lake Atun," Tiltid said. "I and Rorvoth came from Kotu" Lharrten said. "We are heading towards the steppe of Drasnia," Tiltid said. "I shall follow the path northwards for a while," Khureid said. "If we run across her we will tell her that you are looking for her," Lharrten said. "I will continue northwards for a while and then I heading towards Rheon," Khureid said. "I shall try to sleep now," Khureid said and then he crept in to his tent. "I can wake you up when I wake if you want" Lharrten said. "Thanks you can do that if I am still sleeping then" Khureid replied.
Khureid awoke just before the sunrise, the men he had met the day before were still asleep. Khureid stood up and then walked towards the campfire. Khureid took and put some more sticks into the fire and soon the fire grown. "It is good you wake up and put some more sticks into the fire," Tiltid said. "I was supposed to watch the fire and I fell asleep for a while," Tiltid continued. "Are you going to tell Lharrten that I fell asleep when I was supposed to watch the fire?" Tiltid asked and looked at Khureid. Khureid shook his head. "Only if he asks about it," Khureid said. "Thanks" Tiltid said and then put some more sticks in to the fire. Khureid saw that both Lharrten and Rorvoth were awaked. Khureid stood up and then took his bag and walked to his horse. "Shall you leave now" Lharrten asked and looked at Khureid. "Yes" Khureid answered. "Have a nice day," Lharrten said. "You too" Khureid replied and then he rode slowly northwards.

Khureid awaked in the middle of the night by the noise from an owl. It was still raining the next morning when Khureid awoke. Khureid stood up and then took some wood out of his tent. He lighted the fire, which had burned down during the night. After that he ate, his food and then he led his horse to the small path and then he mounted.
Khureid rode along the small path towards Rheon and the long, brown grass whipping at the legs of his horse. He reached a stable in the middle of the day. He dismounted and led his horse into the stable and then walked towards the small house beside the stable. The door to the small house opened and a man looked out from the house. "Come inside out of the rain, stranger" the man said and looked at Khureid. "Have you travelled in the rain the whole day?" The man said. Khureid nodded. "Yes, it began raining just before I mounted and then it has continued raining the whole time" Khureid answered. The man looked out through the window. "It comes more people" he said and pointed towards a woman dressed in brown clothes. The man opened the door and went outside. "Come inside out of the rain" he heard the man says.
A woman dressed in long light robe entered the small house. "Thanks for that you let me come inside" the woman said and then she took of her wet robe. "May I hang my robe on this dresser?" She said and looked around. "Yes, you can do that" one man said. "Thanks" the woman said and then hanged her robe on the dresser. She looked out through the windows. "It seems like it would rain forever," she said and then sighed. "What is it?" A man asked and then looked at the woman. "It has been raining the whole day" she replied and sighed again. "And it will probably rain until I reach Boktor" she continued. "Where did you arrive from?" Khureid asked and looked at the woman. "I have been travelling from the mountains which lies between gar of Nadrak and Drasnia towards Rheon and then from Rheon towards this place. Why do you ask?” She said.
"I just wondered if you had met a woman who was travelling towards Rheon" Khureid said and looked at her. She shook her head. "I didn’tmeet anyone at all until I met you here," she said. "I didn’tsaw any sign from other people either," she continued. "Well it is hard to find any track thanks to the rain" Khureid said and looked out through the window. "One has to be lucky or very good if one shall find any tracks now," a voice said from the corner in the house. Khureid looked at the man who had spoken. The man was dressed in those clothes that are typical for a ranger. "One can find some track or sign anyway," Khureid said. "Do you want me to tell you some secret about how to do?" The ranger said and looked at Khureid. Khureid nodded. "Of course I can have use for any help" Khureid said and walked towards the ranger.
"Do you know anything about finding tracks?" The ranger said and looked at Khureid. "I know a little," Khureid, answered. "Good" the ranger said and then I shall learn you more. The ranger explained the basic instructions about how to follow a track. "Are there someone who has trained you in the art of reading the track?" The ranger asked. "There was an old ranger who visit my father many years ago and he teaches me a little" Khureid replied. "I understand that. It was pretty clear for me that someone had trained you," the ranger said. "I am not so good" Khureid said and then blushed. The ranger looked out through the window. "Shall we leave the house and see if we can find any tracks?" The ranger said and looked at Khureid. Khureid looked out through the window and saw that did not rain anymore. "Yes we can take and do that now," Khureid said and then he walked towards the door. The ranger opened the door and then walked through the door towards his horse. Khureid followed the ranger and then they both mounted and rode along the road. "I shall head towards Boktor when we reach the crossroad," the ranger said. "I am heading towards Rheon," Khureid said. "I am sorry I don’t have the time to help you looking for tracks. But I have to hurry towards Boktor" the ranger said. "That is no problems, you taught me a lot which I can help me during my searching" Khureid said. "I will still help you looking when we reach the crossroad. But after that I will head towards Boktor" the ranger said. "I am grateful for that," Khureid said and then he followed the ranger towards the crossroad.

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