Rakaens (1)

The town of Rakaens was built on a butte on top of a ridge. 

It dominated a small river valley studded with stone pillars, set against a backdrop of high snowy mountains.

The main attraction, for Krow, was the massive hanging bridge that was the main entrance to the town. The bridge was made by the living roots of a tree planted on the mountainside.

"Hookfig trees," Jamutaltei informed her niece and Krow, who was pacing their cart on a mule.

  A caravan guard, on a mule.

Not even an old nag of a horse.

Not even a war mule.

Krow felt he could not hold up the name of a caravan guard like this, so he called himself the primary designated weapon-carrier instead.

After Gysavur's concerns, there was no way the others weren't armed.

The green-spine mule, according to the stableman in Cerkanst, was called Bluebeard.

It wasn't blue. It had no beard.