[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Hilderinc had just stuffed his mouth with an egg yolk when the commotion started. It became clear to him in a hearbeat that something had gone terribly wrong. He gulped fast, and when Athanar sprang up and called him, he was immediately up too. Few of the other bewildered soldiers were still looking around as to what was going on, but Hilderinc was already running out of the door after shouting promptly "Yes, sir!" and spitting the remains of the egg from in between his teeth all over the table.

The cold air outside almost smashed him into the face, if such a thing was possible. Unhappily, he was forced to realise that he had not taken his fur cloak with him, but only much lighter clothes he had been wearing at the Hall, not thinking that he won't have time to fetch more of his stuff before leaving the warmth of the building. There was no time for going back, however, that much he knew. Order was an order and the circumstances were not really favourable – there was obviously far much more at stake than him catching a cold. Hopefully, he thought, I left a spare fur cloak somewhere in the saddlebags.

The good chestnut horse from Edoras, who had managed to grow rather fond of Hilderinc in the last month – and vice versa – was waiting for him, but much to his dismay, the soldier found out that there were no spare winter clothes in the saddlebags, nor anything which he could borrow left behind in any nearby place in the stables. Cursing the young "stablemaster" - as he had not ceased to call Léof even in a month – for his undue tidiness, he rode out into the chilly late autumn morning.

The road downhill was easy enough to ride, and soon Hilderinc pushed his stallion to full speed. His hands on the reins were freezing, and much more could be said about his uncovered head, but he had no time to worry about that now. He hoped that the lady had not gone too far, and he was putting his hopes on the fact that Saeryn would not drive her horse in full speed. That, he thought, would actually be the worst thing she should do... and I may very well be late. He had not fully realised it, but he was in fact frightened, and terrified at the very thought.

Riding past a clump of trees, another view opened in front of him and he suddenly saw a lonely horse with a rider trotting down somewhere in front of him, not too far, but still quite well ahead. She was now in the lowest point of the road nearby, whereas further on, the road climbed up with the scar on its right side, and following it with his eyes, Hilderinc noticed a few small black shapes appearing atop the hill; from her position, she probably could not see them yet. He did not slow down, but hurried down the road; it briefly crossed his mind that if the wet ground was frozen in the cold morning and either of the horses managed to slip on it... he didn't want to imagine.

There could be no doubt the black shapes on top of the hill were people on horses, but now also it was obvious that he was catching up on Saeryn; soon she will notice him, if she hadn't already. Hilderinc did not want to startle her, but then again, he wanted her to stop, if possible. He gave out first a rather inarticulate cry as he was diving down the road, and then forced himself to give it a clearer form.

"My lady!" he shouted. "Lady Saeryn!" While at the same moment a different thought was crossing his mind: Stupid women, he thought. Stupid women...