Joyous Twelfth Day of Gilbetron to All!
“We’ll never be able to cross on foot,” Nieka commented. She rode second in line, Gilbetron ahead and Leve behind, ostensibly to protect her in case of danger. She hated to feel like she needed to be protected, but an entire day of trying to express the sentiment had fallen on deaf ears.
This observation, however, was heard loud and clear.
“I hate to be a downer, Gil,” Leve said, nodding agreement, “but the girl’s got a point. Those mountains run seemlessly.”
Gilbetron hated that Leve had taken to calling him ‘Gil,’ but he no longer pointed it out. “The crystal will show us a way,” he assured them.
Leve laughed irreverently. “I’m not sure what to be more concerned about, the fact that we’re being led around by a glorified rock or that you’re comfortable with that.”
“It’s been right so far,” Nieka said. “We didn’t think it made sense to leave the road initially, but we’ve saved ourselves at least a full day getting here.”
“And a full day saved could make all the difference in the end,” Gilbetron pointed out.”
There was no more debate on the subject as the sun crossed the eastern sky. The further south they travelled, the hotter it became. He knew Maradon was perpetually warm, but these temperatures were sweltering. If they came across a mountain stream that afternoon, he wouldn’t hesitate to jump into it.
By mid-afternoon, they had nearly passed out of the foothills and into more rugged terrain. By adjusting their line of approach throughout the day as the crystal indicated, they found themselves following a narrow, twisting valley between some spectacularly tall cliffs.
“It looks like this will be our way through,” Gilbetron said as he slowed his horse down where two cliffs closed together to form the entrance. They could only see the first few hundred feet of passage before it took an abrupt turn to the west. He hesitated to enter, knowing it would be the perfect spot for an ambush.
But we’re not being followed, he reminded himself, and as far as we know nobody’s waiting for us at the other end. Leve said we aren’t expected.
“I don’t know about this,” Leve said, voicing his concerns. “How do we know this leads anywhere? For all we know, it could deadend at the base of a mountain. If we get stuck in there, we could be lost for days. We should stay on this side of the mountains and track a path west. Maybe we can find a way around them.”
“No,” Gilbetron said. “The crystal led us here for a reason. If we deviate from our course, we could arrive too late to do any good. Telematrice is counting on us.”
Nieka sighed. Her mind told her to agree with Leve, to listen to reason, but her heart knew better.
-from The Gilbetron Tales.
Some resources:
The Joyous Days: An Orientation
The Gilbetron Tales: A Complete Archive
The Bay of Beauregard, in winter:
Taken: Month of Narand, 35th Day, 999 AG
The pristine Beauregard Coast is a hassle to travel to, and so it is rarely visited. However, it boasts some of the most impressive shores and private beaches in all Gilbetronia. This particular view is taken just a few milometers south of the Eye of the West. They serve as a prime reminder of the inherent loveliness of the western frontiers, since many of the Lystrian beaches are either barren or overpopulated.