The Choosing (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga book 1) by Jeremy Laszlo

Author:Jeremy Laszlo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: the choosing blood and brotherhood jeremy laszlo fantasy
Publisher: Jeremy Laszlo

Chapter 7

Valdadore and Visions

Morning came quickly, and with its coming the companions awoke and prepared to travel the last few hours to the fortified city of Valdadore. They decided before leaving that they would let the horses again drink from the river, so they slung their packs onto their shoulders, untied their respective mounts and led them to the water. The horses drank enthusiastically for many minutes while their temporary masters waited impatiently for them to finish.

Finally, seemingly satiated, the horses lost interest in the water and the four companions mounted them and set off once again at an alarming pace towards the giant stone city.

The hours passed swiftly as they thundered down the wide, paved road. The nearer they got, the larger the city grew and they began to notice more details. There were narrow slits high up in the wall and also guards could be seen patrolling along the top. The unbelievably high towers had several windows upon each level, facing out in all directions. As the companions raced nearer, it became apparent that the city was much, much larger than they had presumed before. Being just a few miles away now, the massive stone wall surrounding it stretched as far as the eye could see, from one horizon to the other, hiding anything beyond the walls from view. It was easily twenty miles across from corner to corner on this particular side with a huge portcullis directly at its center. The sheer size of it all was enchanting to the travelers. Never had any one of them believed that man could create anything this vast or marvelous.

Still growing nearer they could now see the lines of people flowing through the opening in the massive wall. People were coming and going at a steady rate, all the while being randomly stopped and questioned by the guards at the entrance.

Not only were people on their way in and out of the city, but dozens of others could be seen off in the distance in each direction performing various yard work and landscaping tasks. This entire side of the city sat upon a vast field of manicured grass and shrubs. Occasionally a fruit tree jutted from the ground, and though it was getting late in the season, fruit still clung to the branches amidst multi-colored leaves. There were also dozens of people on ladders of varying heights painting the stone surface of the city wall with a thick white substance. This explained why the walls did not resemble those in Stone Haven.

About a mile from the city, the four companions reigned in their mounts and slowed them to a trot. Roughly half a mile ahead of them was the end of a line of people waiting patiently for entrance into the city. It moved steadily toward the massive gates, which admitted nearly all, though denied a few people seemingly at random. Carts full of wares and crops stood in the queue, along with groups of people and small herds of animals.

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