They traveled alongside the river through the rest of the night, with no pursuit noted by either man or beast. The Two Sisters moved slowly across the sky and finally set, one after the other. Sometime later dawn broke, but the morning was chill and a damp mist hugged the ground.

As the light became stronger Humphrey thought he could see something through the mist up ahead of them alongside the trail. He raised one hand to halt the group and enjoin silence even as he pulled Bastion to a stop. The knight could not make out clearly what was there, so signaled with one hand for Bruce and the others to wait while he investigated. Humphrey nudged Bastion into a slow walk as Bruce and Barker moved to flank Isabelle on either side.

When Humphrey got closer he could make out a man sitting on a boulder near the left side of the trail. He had not expected to meet anyone this far from a town or village, and even though this man was not dressed as a soldier Humphrey naturally suspected a trap of some sort. Bastion, however, was alert for danger and did not indicate any additional threat. Still, he approached the seated man with caution.

As he drew near Humphrey was surprised to see a large round shield strapped across the man’s back, and a thick spear shaft—longer than a man was tall—rested against the inner elbow of his right arm. Atop that shaft was a long, slender spear point shaped like a leaf—rounded at the base and sharpened from shaft to tip, so it would cut through flesh coming out as well as going in. Humphrey knew of no knight in the kingdom who might use such a long spear and rounded shield in battle.

He halted Bastion a safe distance from the man. “Good morrow, traveler,” he said, and examined him more closely. His long, dark hair was held back from his face by a wide leather band across his forehead, and he was eating strips of dried meat. His clothing—leather breeches and a heavy woolen tunic—was well-worn, but appeared in good repair, as did the high boots he wore.

The man looked up, and Humphrey saw that he was a young man, perhaps no older than Bruce. “And good morrow to ye,” he said with an accent Humphrey was not familiar with. “Ye think I be a traveler, then, Sir Knight?”

Humphrey smiled. “I know of nae who use such a weapon and shield in this realm,” he said, “so I would suspect that you travel from somewhere else to be here. Why think you I be a knight?”

The young man also smiled, and nodded toward him. “With such a fine war horse beneath ye and yonder great sword at yer hip, I can think naught else.”

Bastion shook his head up and down, as if accepting the compliment.

Humphrey noted a short sword at the traveler’s belt, as well as a dagger, and the belt appeared to be worked with metal—possibly pewter, although the knight now suspected it was in fact silver. This young traveler was—or once was—of high standing in his homeland.

“Have you journeyed far, stranger?” Humphrey asked.

“I be called Mydwyn, Sir Knight,” he replied, and lifted up a water skin to wash down the dry meat. “And, aye, I have traveled for several turnings of the Sisters,” he said after his drink. “And, ye, Sir Knight; have ye and yer little group traveled far?”

“Not nearly so far as you, Mydwyn,” Humphrey said, without really telling him anything about their journey. “Where do you head from here?”