Goldwater Family/Wolfram/Family roots

Family Roots

Horses quietly snorted and neighed as the wagon drove on, with snow quietly cracking below the wheels and hooves. The merchant huddled even more in his warm cloak, trying to escape the cold winds and frost. His apprentice was not as lucky, he had to walk by the horses and lead them, with his feet slowly freezing despite the warm fur stuffed in his boots. Soon they would be back home, in just a few hours, and both men were looking forward to resting back at the merchant's house already. In a warm house, besides a crackling fireplace and without the everpresent threat looming in the forests. The merchant and his apprentice were both sturdy men, used to life's hardships, but what would it be worth should they get attacked? No one ever saw the perpetrators, but merchants and their wares have been disappearing for quite some time already. It always happened the same, the robbers would ambush a merchant in the middle of a forest, kill him and all his servants, take all worthy of their attention and disappear before a patrol from Aldburg or further away would pass by and come across them. The bodies of dead merchants all bore the same marks, remainders of arrows stuck in their chests and deep cuts caused by a sword. This, along with the fact that not even a merchant with multiple guards was safe from their actions, indicated that no common brigand stood behind these robberies.

The merchant overheard a subtle noise, unsure of what it was. Even though he was falling asleep only a short while before, he acted immediately and grabbed the falchion resting besides him. Soon he heard it again, and clearer than before - sounds of hooves striking the ground in a gallop and the occasional voice. His apprentice now heard it as well and his face lost some colour as the man froze in disbelief and horror for a short while, before grabbing the handle of a long knife at his belt. They stopped the horses, climbed onto the wagon and waited nervously, eyes locked on to the winding path before them. Soon, a group of seven riders covered in capes, with swords and shields at their saddles, emerged from the forest, quickly approaching.

Wolfram and his soldiers blew past a merchant wagon and continued onwards, only briefly wondering about why it was stopped in the middle of the forest. They still had quite the distance to cover and wanted to reach Foxburg before nightfall. He has never seen the castle, but one of Jacelyn's servants, the same one that delivered the message of his passing, led the small group with ease through the small villages and deep forests. After some more time, the path finally broke out of the forest and offered a breathtaking view for the party. About half a mile away from the winding path they were standing on flowed the river Goldwater, which gave name to Wolfram's house and which he still clearly remembered, despite being away for many years. A mill was built at its bank, with a small dam to ensure it would have enough flowing water to power the milling. A bit further away were scattered some houses, forming a little village, surrounded with snowhite fields. And a bit more to the left, where the river turned and formed a crossing, towered the Foxburg atop a rocky cliff, its incomplete walls and tower pointing at the sky.

"We made it,my lord. Foxburg."