Ride out for war!

{if JoanaBadcomment == True

}Purity increased by -10 Brashness increased by +10

{elseif@ JoanaSleep == True

}Purity increased by +5 Brashness increased by -5

{endif

}Night time, in a dark forest in a remote corner of the kingdom of Miannu,

"Gyaaarghh..." A flash of silver black fur. His sword cleaved through the air, but missing its target. Then a screeching howl as one of his attacker sank its teeth into his flesh. Underneath his pained breath he cursed the unknown land he stood upon. Why had he even come to this place in the first place? His blasted mission was almost as brutal as the cold dark winter back home.

"Find the prettiest girl and take her captive" He had been told. "Once you take her to the rich markets of Tlumsa and be able to afford a ship only then will you be considered an adult. If you fail or even worse, die during your journey then may the axe of Bruma, which will release your soul, be swift and merciful to you, as he won't recognize you as one his own people." And so Iormund had set off and sailed far away from homeland, along with a dozen other young warriors from his village. But they had been rather pretty unlucky, blown-off course and and bewildered in a land that wasn't the bountiful green lands of the empire on which numerous epic saga's had been written by other warriors. So far this wet, cursed land had only yielded them a couple of ugly wenches who lacked any trace of the beautiful womanly creatures from the mostly darker skinned empire or of the blonde beauties back home.

Mustering his remaining strength Iormund manages to kick the wolf off his leg, and with a loud sounding 'swoosh' he lets his sword come down. This time his sword pierces right through the silver furred wolf's chest. Upon seeing this, and faced with a couple of other casualties, the pack of wolves turn tail and flee back into the dark forest. Would he really be able to complete his journey to adulthood like his forefathers before him? Or would he just die here, soaked from the drenching rain, wounded and lonely in a dark unfamiliar place as this?

On top of my trusted beatiful white mare I gallop proudly, yet also a little defiantly ahead of the large column of soldiers that is the kingdom's main army. My easy to move in leather protection hardly betraying my noble status. Gusts of wind serenely blowing through my hair as we ride through the open countryside. A bird of prey circling above. I gaze at the beautiful scenery in front of me, rugged highlands in the distance, the wide open farmlands of one of my vassal lords, the blue sky, and a brook slowly crawling through the land. And also the first signs of a forest stretching out to the east. Usually I wouldn't have been allowed to come all this way by myself, but today, with an entire army at my back, it's definitely different.

"My Queen!" The voice of Roderick, my military councillor who is riding next to me, calls out to me. "We have almost ridden an entire day, and it would be better to take a rest before we continue our march. The footmen are getting pretty tired and maybe you will soon need them. Who knows if the reports about groups of outlaws in these highlands and forests are based on truth? Although I doubt they would be so stupid to attack a war party like ours."

Telling Roderick that I want to go check out the shimmering blue water of the brook that we've been following for the past half hour for a little bit, I snap my reigns and sprint away as fast as my horse can take me. Getting closer to the water I also notice a large signpost that really tries a little too hard to get passersby like me to read it.