As soon as the prince received the letter and saw on it his Queen motherÕs seal, he already knew that his fatherÕs health had severely deteriorated. Refusing to despair, he decided to make the usual sixday journey in four. The trouble with that plan was that taking the shorter route meant that the prince had to cross a narrow swath of land ruled by one his fatherÕs bitter enemies and rife with bandits and spies. Before embarking on his journey, he dispatched his loyal servant and companion on the usual route with a letter detailing his journey, in case of any delays or troubles that may befall him.