Several merchants have set up stands hoping to get the people going through the pass to buy their wares. One in particular interests James so he makes his way over and pauses to inspect the goods.
Upon seeing James approaching, the merchant picks up a couple of the jackets he’s selling and begins extolling their merits.
Getting down from his horse James tries on one of the jackets, it is fur lined, soft and very warm. The outside is leather and looks as if it would repel water.
“Does this jacket shed water?” James asks the merchant.
“Oh yes good sir,” he says. “My jackets are the warmest and driest ones you can find anywhere. If you plan to cross the Pass, then you will need them. The summit is very cold, especially at night.
“How much for two?” James asks.
“I could part with two of these fine jackets for a mere six gold,” the man offers.
From behind him he hears a gasp from Miko. He turns to find Miko shaking his head, telling him that it’s too expensive. So James grits his teeth and sets into haggling with the man. He finally works him down to three gold and seven coppers. He has Miko get down to try one on and soon finds a jacket that fits him well.
After handing over the money, they pack the jackets onto the mule and mount up.
“Why do we need those?” Miko asks. “It’s hot.”
“It may be hot here, but when we reach the top, we may well be glad to have them,” James explains. “The mountains get cold when the sun goes down even in the summer, you’ll see.” Getting their horses moving again they continue on their way to the Pass.
The road they are following continues over a bridge and toward the mountains where it enters a gorge that over the centuries has been carved out of the rock by a large river. Running alongside the river, the road can be seen extending further into the pass until the gorge turns and it disappears into the mountain.
When they cross the bridge, they find the river below is flowing strong and fast. The temperature drops noticeably when they are over the river due to the coldness of the water coming out of the mountains.
A hundred feet or so beyond the bridge, off to the side lies a makeshift barricade that will most likely be used to close off the Pass. There is no actual gate to close, just a squad of guards and barricades to keep everyone out. When they come near to the actual entrance to the Pass, a sergeant is there telling all who are planning to pass through to Madoc that they will be able to return back through the pass from Madoc until the Empire’s forces have been sighted. Once the Empire’s armies have been seen, the Pass will be closed and no more traffic will be allowed to enter from Madoc. It will open again when the situation on the other side of the mountains becomes less unstable and dangerous to travelers.
Some upon hearing this turn back but there are still more that continue on ahead through the entrance despite the dangers. One lone caravan is braving the trip, and is causing a bottleneck at the entrance. The caravan master is moving his wagons through two at a time, causing the foot and horse traffic to bog down as they make their way around the slow moving wagons.
James and Miko take their place in line and after what seems like an overly long time, finally make it to the entrance and begin making their way around the wagons. As they pass the guards, James looks behind them and can see another dozen or so people who are waiting their turn to go around the caravan and enter the Pass. The guards are bringing up the barricades and it looks as if they are intending to close the Pass after the last of the stragglers enter.
They carefully make their way around the caravan and then quickly head deeper into the Pass.
Chapter Twenty One
The road through the Pass is the main artery for trade between Madoc and Cardri and is wide enough to accommodate three wagons side by side. The surface of the road, while not perfectly smooth, is firm and level with minimal ruts and potholes.
As they leave the entrance to the Pass behind and follow the road around the bend, the panoramic view of the gorge unfolds before them. They pause a second to take in its grandeur. On either side the gorge rises up to dizzying heights with the river cutting through the middle. Cascading down the side opposite that which the road meanders along, several waterfalls add additional splendor. The road follows the river for nearly a mile before beginning it’s ascent up to the higher elevations. With many a twist and turn, it occasionally vanishes from view only to reappear once more further up the mountainside. Straining their vision to its utmost, they can barely make out where the road ultimately disappears into the cloud cover further down the gorge.
“We’re going there?” James hears Miko exclaim incredulously.
“It’s not so bad,” he reassures his friend. “Caravans come this way all the time, so I’m sure we will have little difficulty.” Nudging his horse forward, James continues down the road forcing Miko to keep up with him or be left behind.
Before the road begins its ascent from the river, they come upon a fellow traveler driving a wagon loaded with goods. “Excuse me sir,” James says as he comes abreast of the wagon.
The man turns his head toward the pair. “Yes?”
“How far is it to the other side of the Pass?” asks James.
“Two days on horseback,” the man says. “Most caravans make it in about four to five days, depending on the load they’re carrying.”
“Is there any place along the way to stop and eat?” Miko asks the man.
“No son, there isn’t,” he replies. “However, there is a way stop near the top where travelers are able to rest for the night before making the descent on the other side.”
“Thanks, mister,” James says.
“You’re welcome,” he replies.
James nudges his horse and they resume their quick pace once again, leaving the man and his wagon behind.
“Are we going to spend tonight at the way stop?” Miko asks, once they have pulled away from the trader.
“I would think so,” James replies. “If we make it that far before it gets dark that is.”
Once the ascent begins, the road climbs at a steady, though at the moment, not an overly steep pace. It continues running along the right side of the river, following the water’s path as it flows through the gorge. At times the river roars to life when making its way through an area of rapids.
As they progress deeper and deeper into the Pass, the mountainside to the right of the road becomes increasingly vertical as its vertical slope increases. Waterfalls grow plentiful as the warm summer weather melts the snowpacks in the upper elevations. At one of the larger ones James notices that someone had built a culvert or drainage system beneath the road to allow water to flow under it to the river without eroding the surface.
Being a city boy, Miko had never seen waterfalls like these and is quite impressed by their beauty and power. He pauses by one as he dismounts to fill his depleted water bottle. When he places the bottle in the waterfall, he quickly snatches his hand back when the fall’s water hits his skin.
“What’s the matter?” James asks, startled at his reaction.
Miko turns and looks at James, “It’s cold!”
Laughing, James explains, “Of course it’s cold. The water is coming from snow melting high up in the peaks.”
“Oh,” he replies, feeling slightly embarrassed at not having known that. He grits his teeth and places his bottle back into the falling water and fills it. Then he secures it back to his saddle and remounts. Looking at his hand, he finds that his fingers are a little red from the coldness of the water. He’s intrigued by the water cascading down the side of the mountain and watches it until they have traveled far enough that it disappears from view.