The vast plains covered in Snowdrifts washed away Annan's sadness at leaving his family's territory.
After December began, the already bitter cold worsened day by day. When blizzards struck, even this escort made up entirely of Professional Knights had to retreat into the Forest Sea and build snow shelters against the wind.
Annan noticed that Knights heading to the roadside to relieve themselves always carried a wooden stick. He didn't know what it was for, and he didn't...
In weather this harsh, frostbite and hypothermia were only to be expected. Fortunately, they were escorting a generous Lord. Padded underclothes and hot soup, luxuries in this frozen wilderness, kept them moving so quickly that they left behind the caravans they encountered seeking protection.
Eventually, even those measures could not hold off the cold after sunset. Breathing without covering one's nose could bring on a coughing fit. The party had to travel by day and rest at night.
Annan gained a new appreciation for how harsh the Northern Frontier was. That led him to one piece of good news and one piece of bad news: the waters of Star-Moon Bay were cold, and it was not an ice-free port. When winter came, sea travel would cease.
The good news was that this was a world of magic. Cities could float in the air, so keeping a Port free of ice was possible too.
Blom said that was why the Northern Frontier was so remote that even Ratfolk wanted nothing to do with it: for half the year, the cold could kill you.
Annan agreed. Even with the Rat Plague ravaging the Southlands, no one wanted to come north. Clearly, Ratfolk were less frightening than winter. Blom roared with laughter.
The next day, Annan activated his Magic Ring as usual, and a large