Like every day for the last two weeks, Kennet went to Bree to take care of various matters. But the young man was not fooling himself: he went to find out if there was a response from Rivendell. And after receiving a negative answer, he would make the most of his time in Bree: he would offer his pipeweed for sale, check the stalls in the market square for bargains, explore the various ruins around Bree for small relics... And when he was done, before returning to the Homesteads he would spend some time at The Prancing Pony.
That's where the boy found him that late afternoon. Alice had paid him a couple of copper coins to find Kennet and give him a message: "Edwin's asking for you." Kennet didn't even finish the glass of wine before him and hurried out of the inn. He hurried under the rising night sky along the road to Three-farrow and inside the crafting hall he found Edwin. The guild master held up an open letter as soon as he saw him arrive, and without a word Kennet took it and read it greedily.
Kennet's face reflected his tremendous anticipation at the contents of the missive...and the letter did not disappoint. It was addressed to Edwin, and it informed him of the application received for Kennet's admission to the Scholar's Guild. It requested that the applicant come to Rivendell without delay to take the guild entrance exams. A simple but well-illustrated map indicated the route: to take the Great East Road through the Lone-Lands and Trollshaws, and to cross the Ford of the Loudwater to the High Moor. There he had to ascend to the top with this letter, and the Rivendell scouts would locate and escort him to the secret enclave of Rivendell. The letter was signed by Ethel Applegarth, leader of the Scholar's Guild.
Kennet looked up with an enthusiastic grin from ear to ear. Edwin let out a laugh and patted him on the shoulder, adding: Congratulations, young man! Get ready to leave as soon as possible. The next time we meet you will no longer be just a young student.
-Yes, sir! -said Kennet effusively, who pocketed the letter and shook his hand nervously. The young man turned toward the exit door, but after a few steps he stopped and headed back inside. He went to the Three-farrow study area looking for Alice, but his tutor was no longer there. He decided to look for her the next day and hurriedly left the crafting hall.
On his way to the South Gate the dark Kraven approached him and flew nearby. When Kennet saw him, he said excitedly, "Good!", to which the trained raven also replied, "Good!". The two exchanged these words several times, establishing a simple dialogue as they had done at other times. To the stares of some of the neighbors, curious at the singular scene, Kennet arrived at the stables and approached a dark young horse. It was Hawthorn, the mount that was the last gift from Kennet's parents before they died, and which had been the young man's traveling companion ever since. He mounted him without delay and the three of them crossed the South Gate heading for the Homesteads.
It was winter and night, but it was not windy and the crossing was peaceful. The sound of Hawthorne's hooves echoed in the silence of the night, betraying his presence, but the stretch between Bree and the Homestead was not a dangerous place. Kennet's thoughts flew far away from the place, beginning to make preparations for the immediate journey. The next day he would warn Meldanyel, and buy travel rations for the road. He would also fetch Alice and Ponto to bid them farewell, for he felt quite an affinity with both of them. And he remembered to write to Master Frimsi, to inform him that he should leave without delay before Yule passed, and that they would meet again at Rivendell. If there were no unforeseen events, after the day of preparations and farewells they could start on their journey.
As he approached the great Yellow Tree, a figure walking cross-country toward the road caught his eye. It was a grown man in a wide-brimmed hat and neat clothes. He certainly didn't look like a local farmer, nor did he look like a brigand. Kennet stopped Hawthorn as he approached him.
-Hi, traveler! Is it all right over here? It's late in the middle of the countryside… -he asked bluntly.
The traveler stopped and answered Kennet politely: Good evening, stranger. Well, some is right. And some is left -his accent gave away that the traveler was not from Bree-town.
Faced with the ambiguity of the answer, Kennet offered: May I help you in any way?
The traveler thought for a few seconds before indicating: If you will? I'm looking for The Forsake Inn.
The young man pointed out: To get there you must follow this same road eastward without turning off. You will pass by the Midgewater Marshes, and once you leave them behind, you will find the tavern.
Taking advantage of Kennet's courtesy, the stranger asked: Any danger ahead I should be aware of?
-If you keep in the path, surely it will be safe. But out of the road you may find goblins in the Marshes and near The Forsaken Inn. Besides wild animals, of course -Kennet assured. He then proposed: I am going to the Homestead, and our roads run together for a stretch. Would you like me to accompany you until we part?
The traveler, a little kinder and more confident, replied with a nod: Good company is always better than... than a bad one!
Smiling at the comment and without getting down from his saddle, Kennet set off along the road with the traveler. During the time they crossed the forest they exchanged a light and pleasant conversation. The stranger came from a small village, and carried a letter to be delivered at The Forsaken Inn. And so they continued until they came out of the woods and the presence of insects and the particular smell of marsh told them that they were already skirting the Midgewater Marshes.
-That's the Marshes -said Kennet. Sometimes I wander over here to look for pieces of history, but it's not a safe place.
The traveler glanced at Kennet curiously, asking: History?
-Yes. This land was once a glorious kingdom... and now we have the ruins of it -Kennet replied.
-So, do you investigate the ruins? -said the man.
-Yes -said Kennet with some pride. Not in depth, because goblins and spiders infect them, but enough to make an idea of what they were... I have found remains of texts written in ancient languages, fragments of vessels or stone structures with inscriptions that still remain.
The traveler stared into the darkness of the swamp, trying to discern something. In the face of the close night he turned off the path to peer closer to the marshes and take a closer look. Kennet approached with Hawthorn beside him.
-My tutor Alice explained to me that there was a city here many centuries ago. But the city was abandoned and the river that runs from Chetwood to the Homesteads valley flooded these plains, forming the Marshes -he explained, glad to be able to talk about his greatest passion.
-So, do you have a clue why the city was abandoned? Or is it something like the point of your explorations? -asked the traveler curiously.
-I'm not a great scholar... at least, not now -Kennet admitted. But I'm traveling to Rivendell very soon to find answers. It's a place with a lot of knowledge within, so perhaps I'll find one in its library -he said with good cheer in his words.
The traveler noticed this, and with a friendly smile he said: When you return from your trip to Rivendell, it will be a pleasure to resume this conversation and shed some more light on the history of this place.
-Of course it will be! -Kennet confirmed, as they both turned and headed back to the road.
It wasn't long before they reached the place where their paths forked: the traveler following the Great East Road to The Forsaken Inn, and Kennet along the south road to the Bree-Land Homesteads.
-I wish you a good journey and good fortune, stranger -said the traveler.
-The same for you. My name is Kennet, and if you come this way again, I invite you to look me up in the Keydale district. I will gladly invite you to my home for a drink and a chat if you find me -he offered sincerely.
-I thank you. My name is Alunda, and I'm sure we'll meet again -he said before touching his hat in farewell and setting off eastward.
Kennet pulled Hawthorn's reins and rode off, followed in the distance by Kraven, toward the Homesteads. He saluted the watchmen at the gate as he passed through their gates, and advanced through the nightly, lonely streets until he reached his modest home. As usual, he left Hawthorn tied with a long rope to the large tree next to the dwelling and gave him a few strokes before entering the home.
He was starting to get tired, but the excitement of the impending trip was robbing him of sleep. So he decided to take advantage of the time and sit down to write the letter to Master Frimsi, giving him the recent good news....
