Following the river Slayne, the party-- now with the addition of Ser Gyles Morrigen-- first sighted the black-and-white towers of Stonehelm in the late morning. They carried no banners, and they were small enough in number to appear as average and weary travelers.

They moved on in a long line, with Ser Jaime and Princess Casella in the center. By midday the mottled walls grew large and they dominated the sky, with the black and white swans on their banners flying proudly from the battlements. Ser Robin had never been to Stonehelm, and he found the castle bizarre in appearance-- he had never seen one built of such strange stone.

Mercifully their journey was a quiet one. They saw no raiders, no sign of the war in general. In that respect it was rather peaceful. They moved off of roads, through forests, and made as many miles as possible per day. Not once did they find an inn to stay in, though one night they encamped in an old horse stable partially overgrown with vines and moss.

Tired, hungry, dirty, and wet, they filed up towards the gates. A pair of men-at-arms challenged them at the gates, but Ser Robin introduced himself-- and most importantly, the Princess-- and dispatched a man to find Lord Swann. They looked haggard. The men who were not already bearded now had stubble, and their clothes were coated in mud. That had no horses or possessions, only their swords and leather jerkins. It would be this motley group that Lord Swann or his representative would find.