The large gate’s of Styd?n only entrance sits about 100 meters from K?spar; he dismounts from W?n, walking and leading the horse the rest of the way. He digs in his travel bag as he walks, slipping the gold ring on his finger.

  “Afternoon gentleman.” Says K?spar, stopping before the guards.

  “Afternoon to you as well. What is your business in Sytd?n?”

  “I’m with the merchant’s guild, traveling from the Crown Isles to S?gsetun, simply just looking for a place to spend a day or two before continuing.” He removes the ring, passing it to the guard on the left.

  “Mighty fine stead you’ve got yourself, mer—? The guard asks as he runs his finger on goldfinch on the face of the ring.

  “Rolan, and thank you.”

  “You’re free to enter.” The guard hands K?spar the ring back.

  “It’s been a bit since I’ve been to Styd?n.” K?spar slips the ring back on. “Do either of you have any suggestion for a place for a quick snack? preferably a bakery, or pastry cafe?”

  One guard looks behind K?spar, while the other responds. “I recommend Tyes Tenitz’s shop ‘The Morning Muffin’, its in the market agora, well, most things are, not much of a reason to go outside of it if your just visiting. ‘Sugar Sea’ run by Wann Sor?c ,is also quite good, its Mas’s favorite—” He gestures to the other guard. “Though, if you are just visiting, I would recommend the ‘M?l’s Bakery’; you came at a good time—the foods at it’s best on weekends.”

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  “Why’s that?”

  The guard looks to his partner who chimes in.

  “It’s ran by apparencies on during the week. M?l Teygwyr—whose the chef of our young king—only works during weekends, luckily my bothers off as well.”

  “Interesting, I might just have to stay till the 25th, spend some time at each.”

  “Pastry connoisseur? I never would have guessed.”

  “I am.” K?spar chuckles. “We come in all sizes. Now what of Inns, do either of you have any recommendations?”

  “Going by your horse; I would say the Old Styd?n Inn[1], the ostler there used to work at the race tracks in Brachb?sc, you two might get along.”

  Wagon wheels click behind K?spar. “Thank you for your help gentlemen; I don’t want to hold any one up.” He starts to head through the gate.

  “Enjoy your time here.”

  Footnotes

  [1] Opened in 0352EotG by Br?n Writtwyr (0324EotG-0401EotG) upon his discharge from military service. The Old Styd?n Inn is the largest inn in Styd?n but—despite the name—is not the oldest; this honor goes to The River’s Run Tavern and Inn, which was opened nearly 100 years earlier in 0263EotG by Gael W?gnwyr (0219EotG-0275EotG). The great-grandson of Gael, Nolte W?gnwyr (0304EotG-0353EotG) challenged Br?n to a duel over the name ‘the Old Styd?n Inn’ as he believed it to be misleading to customers and travelers; Br?n, however, did not believe this mattered, as the building itself was originally constructed in 0051EotG as a farmhouse; in his eyes, the inn was in fact old. The two met at 13:00 on the bridge spanning the Lun?r River on the 15th day of the 4th maiden; the duel ended quickly with the death of Nolte, who was unable to hold his own against the former soldier. In the time between 0353EotG and 1063EotG there have been five other duels over the name, as both families still own their respective inns—the most recent being in 1013EotG. All of these duels have been a very decisive victory for the Writtwyr—now Hirtyn—family.