She deliberately turned her thoughts to the journey she had ahead of her. Ella hadn't told Evrin she was making the journey from Mornhaven to Sarostar alone, and the preoccupied old man hadn't thought to ask, but she was pleased she'd made the decision. She felt excited and free to be travelling, and she knew that her solitude would soon come to an end when she saw all of her friends at the wedding.
Spring was in full force, with summer just around the corner. The sun was warm on Ella's back, and the smell of new growth filled the air. As she descended down the winding road, leaving the mountains for Halaran's fertile lowlands, Ella passed through small farming villages, feeling comforted by the signs of normal life. On a field to her right a group of men were walking down a row of vines, trimming the loose leaves and calling out to one another. She followed an arched stone bridge over a bubbling river and stopped for a moment to watch a water-powered mill grinding grain into flour. The water sluiced through the great paddles, splashing and sloshing ceaselessly.
Ella spent her first two nights at village inns, surprised at the way the proprietors fawned over her and gratefully took her gilden. She wore travelling clothes rather than her enchantress's dress, but she realised that to these people she was a wealthy guest, with a well-cut brown dress of thick wool, clean skin and delicate hands. The food was good: hearty country stews seasoned to a dark red colour and served with plump dumplings. Each time Ella made sure to stay in their most expensive room, and earnestly thanked each innkeeper as she left.
As Ella's journey took her closer to Altura and deeper into Halaran's heartland, traffic on the road increased and she kept a wary eye out for brigands. With more people around she saw more visible signs of poverty. Stomachs were shrunken and fields were left fallow, the working men listless. Gone were the ubiquitous drudges of Halaran's merchants, bringing goods from one end of the Empire to the other. It was sad to see the inns using candles rather than nightlamps, and the Halrana struggling with goods on their backs where once they would have sat proudly atop a drudge-pulled cart.
After the large Halrana town of Carnathion Ella's path took her onto the New Road, still under construction, some of it paved, some of it dirt. The New Road led to the recently-completed bridge, built to connect Altura and Halaran with the Bridge of Sutanesta destroyed in the war. It had been named Samson's Bridge, in honour of the man who gave his life to destroy the Emperor.
Just outside Carnathion's walls Ella idly looked at a marble column at the side of the road, waist-high and as thick as a tree stump. She suddenly stopped and stared.
This town was liberated by the allied forces of Altura and Halaran under the leadership of Lord Marshal Miro Torresante. May we never forget those who died that we are free. In the Year of the Evermen 544.
Ella touched her fingers to her brother's name and smiled, wondering on how many of these plaques Miro's name was forever immortalised. She was eager to see him; it had been too long.
She wondered who would be at the wedding of the commander whose name was synonymous with the fight for freedom. Who wouldn't be there? Most, if not all, of the High Lords would be there, as would Rogan Jarvish, Lord Regent of the Empire. Rogan shared the temporary leadership of what had been known as the Tingaran Empire with one other, in a power-sharing arrangement that must be difficult indeed.
Particularly when the other man was Ilathor Shanti of Raj Hazara.
Would he be there?
Ella had only seen the desert prince once since the events at the Sentinel in Seranthia. Killian had made a journey he could never come back from; the orphan who only wanted to discover his heritage had sacrificed himself so the world could be safe from the Evermen. At the end, Ella had realised Ilathor was driven to achieve his ambition to the exclusion of all else. With Killian gone forever, Ella just wanted to be alone. For her that meant work, and the construction of the new machines at Mornhaven provided the perfect opportunity.
The one time Ella had encountered Ilathor since Killian stepped through the portal was at Seranthia, many months later. Rogan had asked for Ella's help in dealing with the Tingaran loremasters, and Rogan was someone Ella could never say no to. She'd known Ilathor was in the Imperial Palace and she'd kept clear of him, but then she saw the tall prince in his elegant desert garb striding down a corridor towards her, an aide at his side. Ella knew he'd seen her, but she'd turned, and walked the other way. He hadn't followed.
Ella sighed and her thoughts returned to the present. Her back was growing sore and she hoisted her satchel higher on her shoulder.
Soon she would be at Samson's Bridge, with Altura just beyond, but it would be dark soon and she would need to find a place to stay.