The Breaking of Northwall (The Pelbar Cycle, Book 1)

To the Pelbar, the sentence seemed a living death -- exile to distant Northwall for a year, facing barbarian tribes, isolated from the security and order of Pelbarigan society.
But the rebellious Jestak embraced his punishment -- for only with the lore of Northwall and the battle-craft and bravery of the wild tribes could he free the woman he loved from the slaveholding Emeri. This he swore to do -- even if he had to destroy utterly the power of the Emeri . . .