Teran and his Map

I walk barefooted down a narrow, slanted tunnel dug into the earthen foundation. It is pitch black inside, and I have to feel my way along the wall as I go. Moments later, I emerge from a secret door emerge outside the western wall of the palace. I drink in the warm air of the desert night. It feels good to be out in the open again. To be free, I tell myself.

"Evenin', lass." a gruff voice bellows. I gasp and whirl around. Leaning against the wall, drinking from a canteen, is a massive man, well over six feet tall. He is dressed in well worn traveling clothes and has a huge bastard sword slung over his back. He wears an eyepatch over his left eye, and has a scar running down his right cheek. Clearly he's seen a lot of fighting. He looks to be about mid-thirties, his unruly mop of reddish-brown hair and scruffy beard just showing flecks of gray.

"Teran, I presume?"

"In the flesh" he replies with a hearty laugh, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "And you must be the one I'm guardin'. Usman told me what yer name was...Um... Haria, right?"

"Call me Harry." I reply dryly. No need to go by that name anymore.

"Whatever ye say. So then, shall we be off?"

A few minutes later we stop at a tavern/general store for supplies and provisions. Mostly foodstuffs, though at my insistence he does purchase me an inexpensive pair of sandals. I have no cash of my own, though I imagine the jewelry I wear is probably worth a good deal. Anyway, I can trade them for cash once Teran leaves me at my destination. After we purchase our supplies, we sit down for a bit to eat and drink.

"So, Usman told me you have map of Laralia?"

"Aye." He draws from his pocket a whithered, folded piece of parchment. He unfolds on the table before me. I study it carefully, trying to come up with a possible destination.

The capital of Laralia, Theras, lies due west and a bit north. Seems as good (and safe) a place as any, at least for now. Just south of the capital, and a little further east, is a province. In the center of this province is a small box with the name "Castle DeFreydair" under it. Now where have I heard that name before? Beyond the river, at the southernmost edge of the map, are the words "Sea of Sand" The desert I first arrived in, perhaps?

"I'll take ya wherever you want t'go, lass. That's what Usman's paid me to do."

1. "Hmm, I will go to the capital city."
2. I remember now! De Fredyair was Don's last name. He is the only Laralian I know, after all. It's been nearly three weeks since he escaped. I wonder if he's made it back home yet?
3. It occurs to me that if I ever want to get back to my own time and place, I may need to venture into the desert and seek out that facility I arrived in when I came through the void. I point to the desert area and ask Teran to take me there.

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