89 Lord Byron

The town of High Valley was laced with rivers and canals, weaving a web of waterways adorned with as many bridges as roads. The sprawling Norns River bisected the town in two even halves, its course graced with an elongated stretch of land rising out in the middle. The island was home to both the wharves and the merchants, as well as the seat of the government. An arched bridge connected the riverbanks, stretching for nearly a quarter mile to reach the island before bounding across to connect the opposite bank, its majestic arc soaring fifty feet above the bustling barges traversing the waterways below.

As we crossed over, I couldn't help but lean over the raised stone railing and peer at the river as a long barge crossed beneath us. We were only thirty feet off the surface of the water, close enough to draw the attention of a few sailors, but they returned my friendly wave with stubborn glares.