Having passed the town of Montgreruier earlier in the afternoon, William finds himself on a small road an hour or so from the castle Rouqefixade where his cousin Normina lives. The sun is about to set but he thinks he will make it before dark. Having been on the road for weeks, it will be nice, god willing, to sleep in a proper bed again.

William keeps one hand on the pommel of his sword which hangs at his left hip, remembering rumors of Basque and Mohamedian marauders plaguing this land, especially after nightfall.

The other holds the reins to his mount, and he clicks intermittently to keep the wild mare moving. "There'll be plenty of time to graze once we arrive, girl," he mutters to the horse, who keeps trying to stray off the road and to nibble the grass that grows along its edges.

The horse's hooves clatter intermittently on the uneven, stone-strewn road beneath her, while her mane ripples in the evening breeze. The path stretches before him, narrow and overgrown, with thickets and brambles encroaching from the edges. As the day fades into twilight, the shadows lengthen, casting eerie shapes upon the ancient trees that line the path. The scent of earth and wildflowers mingles in the air, a reminder of the serene beauty that conceals the dangers lurking in the countryside.

The sellsword's journey along the overgrown country road leads him gradually closer to a small castle perched atop a cliff. As they ascend, the distant silhouette of the castle grows larger and more imposing. The cliff's edge offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape, with sweeping vistas of tall hills and dense forests. The late evening sun casts a warm, golden glow on the castle's stone walls, lending an aura of ageless grandeur to the fortress.

The road gradually winds its way upward, switchback after switchback, bringing the sellsword closer to his destination. He can now make out the details of the castle more clearly: crenellated battlements, weathered stone walls, and a towering keep that stands as a sentinel against the sky.

Ascending higher and higher, noting the sun is soon to set, William clicks his tongue three times and gives the mare a couple nudges with his heels, telling her to pick up the pace. Sat high in the saddle as the horse beneath him now gallops, snorting and tail hoisted, William moves ever closer to his destination. Best to arrive before the sun falls, otherwise the guards may assume me a cut purse or brigand, he thinks to himself.

Two guards greet you as you approach, crossing the drawbridge spanning a short chasm. "Good evening, seigneur," one of them greets you. "A bit late to be on the road, no?" They do not seem too alarmed by your presence but they are quite well armed with spears and cudgels.

"Aye, too late for my taste. Is this Rouqefixade? I'm travelling there to meet my cousin, and I hope to get my horse shod. Her feet are sore from our journey, shes thrown three shoes. May I enter?" he asks of the men.

"Who is your cousin, frére?" one of the guards ask, a large man with a thich moustache.

"Normina de Courcy, I believe she serves the lord here. I come from Aragon with news for her, from her brother who I met by pure chance and fought alongside there." William replies to the man.

The guard nods and moves to let you through the gate. The other man follows William into the courtyard, mares hooves clopping on the cobbles as the sturdy oak gates close behind them. "Wait here," the guard says and points to the area next to the stables. "I'll fetch Normina."

William nods gratefully to the guard as he dismounts. He takes the reigns over the beasts head, then undoes the bridle - both of leather from cowshide sourced somewhere in Iberia. He then undoes the sadle and girdle, setting it all on a fence post in the stable. He closes the horse in with the gate and waits.

The door to the stables open up and you see your cousin Normina enter. "William? Is it really you? I thought the guard was having a laugh!" She exclaims and closes the distance for a hug and a pat on the back. "You picked a weird night to visit though. Come on, we'll fetch something to eat in the kitchen and I'll tell you all about it," she says and leads you out into the courtyard and into the kitchens through a side door.

"It's really me," William says with genuine mirth. He hugs her, a strange thing, as he hasn't seen her in nearly ten years. "Lead on, I could use something to eat anyway."

He glances back at the horse a moment then follows. William hesitates to tell her yet of her brother and why he's come to speak with her; her spirits are too high and they've only just rejoined company. All in due time, he thinks.

Normina leads William into the kitchen where the kitchen hands are cleaning up from supper. She show him into an alcove where there's a table and motions for him to sit, then fetches them a couple of plates full of food. "So tell me first about your trip. You were down in Iberia last I heard?" She asks right before breaking of a piece of mutton and starts chewing.

"Three years in war goes by fast, first of all," he says, smiling as he enjoys the first warm meal he's had in a few days time. "But things went well. We sent the Saracens back to hell nearly everywhere we went, though with considerable Christians lost to their crooked swords."

"I am grateful for the hospitality thus far and may God bless you for fetching such a meal for me, its more than enough. It's wonderful to see you once more. What's it like here? And how long have you been? Your brother told me little of this country, nor have I been as of yet." As nice as it is to see her, William is still wary of this place, as with any new place he's ever been the new face in.

Normina is about to reply when an ancillae enters the kitchen. "Écuyeresse de Courcy, our lord wishes to see you. They are in the small chamber," she says with a curtsy.

Williams cousin raises an eyebrow. "They? Very well," she says with a sigh and rises. "Come on William, we might as well make you known to the lord as well."

William wipes his maw and rises, pushing his chair in and nodding at the request and following Normina.