A young woman walks around the camp she is in. She sees how the women are all hustling around the camp. They are clearly anxious and agitated. Something which is not really that surprising since everyone is awaiting news from the battle their men are fighting against the Tarks. The fight will determine their future for if they succeed then they will have more land. If the men fail then they will most likely be taken prisoner and turned into slaves. A fate no one in the camp wants to have to happen to them.

During her walk, she walks with determination for she has a destination in mind. The destination is her personal tent. There she will be able to find some quiet time where she can think about everything that has happened. Specifically how she came to be here. Till now she has been too busy to consider everything that has happened in the last year.

Soon she sees her tent appearing in the distance and feels relieved. Relieved at the thought that she will be away from the hustle that goes around her. It takes her but a short while to reach her tent. But just before she is about to enter her tent she sees how one of the women walks up to her. Considering the look on the woman's face she knows that she will not find her quiet for some time now.

"Naran, what should we do with the provisions? Do we prepare them now or later?"

"I do not know how long the battle will last. As such I would think it best were you to prepare our provisions once it has been determined that the battle has been ended. That way the men will receive freshly prepared food. I am sure that they will appreciate it greatly."

"Of course, my lady."

She sees how the woman does not leave once she has her answer. She has no idea as to why the woman would stay. There is no need for her to linger anymore. As such she gives the woman a questioning look. Hopefully, the woman will now know that she should either leave or explain why she lingers. It does not take the woman long to speak up.

"Can I aid you with something?"

"No, there is nothing I need aid with right now. All I want is some peace and quiet. If there is news about the outcome of the battle then I want to be informed. For all else, I would like to not be disturbed"

"Of course, my lady."

Naran sees how the woman then leaves her and walks back to the middle of the camp. Nearly everyone is there, that she knows. They are there either discussing the possible outcome of the battle, talking about their lives or gossiping. Those who are not there want peace just like she does and will spend their time in their tent. Now that she is alone once more, she enters her tent.

When she walks into her tent, she sees that everything is placed where it should be. She is pleased by this since she expected that she would have to do this. To the back of the round tent, she can see chests standing. On either side of the tent, she can see a bench side covered with rugs. In the middle of the tent, she sees a fireplace with a metal stand. On the stand, she sees an iron pod.

Naran wonders why the pod is already on the stand. Is there water boiling in the pod? Well, there is only one way to find out and that is by looking into the pod. As she does that she sees that there is water in the pod. The water steams in her face. This means that the water is hot enough to make some tea. Tea which she had already intended to make.

A few minutes later, Naran finishes her tea and sits down on one of the benched with the cup of tea in her hand. Now she can finally think about everything that has happened. Specifically how she came to be here.

It all began around a year ago when the men of the far east, she came with to this place, assaulted the village she lived in with her clan. She was the daughter of the clan leader before the assault. As such her future husband would become the clan leader. Now she will have to see who will become the clan leader after her father. Either someone the Kahn appointed or the Kahn's son, the man she married.

Besides being the daughter of the clan leader, she was also one of their main healers. A healer who had actually received training. Of which there were not many. This since most who call themselves healers gain their knowledge from their mother. It is also the reason why the trained healers have always been more respected among their clan.

The men of the far east are part of a clan called Bodon as she learned later. They assaulted her village just moments after she returned from gathering herbs outside of her village. They assaulted her village by besieging it. It was a frightful time for everyone in the village. During the siege, her father was offered an opportunity to surrender by the leader of the assault. This she knows since her father had just called her to him when the offer was made.

Her father answered the assault leader after some consideration. His answer was that he would take them up on their offer. As he explained to her later, he did not want to see their village destroyed. Not their people murdered or the other villages without leadership.

They know of these risks from the tales from survivors. Those few survivors from other clans who joined them. They reported that when their clan leader refused the offer, their village was completely destroyed and nearly everyone was killed. They barely managed to get out alive.

With the acceptance of their surrender, her clan was subjected to the rule of the Bodon clan. It was the beginning of a stressful time for everyone. No one knew what the subjecting would mean for them.

It became even more stressful for her when the assault leader, who she later learned is the eldest son of the Bodon clan leader, requested to marry her. A request which her father granted. And a decision she was furious about. This anger she only showed her father in the privacy of their own home. That was when she learned her father's reasons for his acceptance. An acceptance which stemmed mostly for fear of angering their new lord. He did not know how the lord would react should he deny his son's request. That is why he felt compelled to accept the request.

Naran understood these reasons well and as such, she accepted her new fate. With her acceptance, the marriage was sealed a few days later. Silently she hoped and still does, that she can ensure that all people who are subjected will be treated well. A subject she has not yet dared to approach. She wants to know her husband better than she does now before she will express her worries.

After the marriage was sealed, it did not take her long to discover that she is his first wife. Considering her husband's age, it does not surprise her. He appeared to her as a young man only about five years above the age of majority at most. It told her at the same time that he must be a really good commander to already have command over warriors.

She only had a few days to become used to the thought of being married for her husband and his troops left her village then. They left together with nearly all the men. The men who did not accompany her husband were either too young to fight or too old.

When she learned of his plan to leave, she hoped to be allowed to stay behind. A hope which did not last long for her husband told her to pack everything she might need the day before he left. She was especially pressed to bring her healing equipment and herbs with her.

At the time she was confused as to why he tied her to pack her healing supplies. She looked at him with a frown. But when he did not respond, she decided to be brave and ask her husband for his reasons.

Then she learned that she would be one of the few healers trained in herb lore who would be accompanying the troops. All the other healers are shamans. That is why she was told that she would hold a special position within the camp.

Suddenly, she hears shouts coming from the camp. It makes her instantly wonder what is going on. Did they win the battle? Or have their enemies come to make them slaves? She is out of her tent before she is even aware of it.

Once outside the tent, she can hear the sound of hoofbeats moving at a quick pace towards the camp. This sound gives her some hope that they have won.


A while later, the horses, everyone had heard earlier, are riding into their camp. She can see that the men who rode the horses are all strangers. Strangers for they wear armor that is unfamiliar to her. She has never seen this kind of armor. There are no emblems which she can use to determine where the came from. In fact, the armor looks entirely gray.

The only thing that has color is their cloaks. Those are in a green color. She is unable to determine if there are any stitchings on it. Those might give her some inside on where these men's loyalty lies.

Another thing she does not recognize are the helmets. They are not of a making she is familiar with. She does recognize the shape of a horse on some. It makes her wonder if these riders are part of a cavalry. But as she does not know much about the people who live in these lands, she cannot say where they are from and to whom they are loyal.

Looking more closely at the strange riders, she sees how some have reigns of other horses attached to their saddles. Following the reigns, she sees how they lead to other horses. These horses carry some of their own men. All these men carry a variety of scratches on their bodies. None of their wounds appear dangerous to her.

She is certain about one thing. These men are lightly injured. Their seriously injured will either be later or never returned to them. It makes her wonder where these men are being held right now and if they receive the care they need. She is certain that there must be men who more badly injured than those who came back. It is the experience she has with battles.

Naran shakes her head. Their injured men are not as important as the strangers. She does not know them. To be able to tell what will become of them, she needs to learn as much as she can about them. Hence why the strangers are more important than their injured men.

At the same time, she realizes one thing. They have lost the battle. It makes her wonder what will happen to them now. Will they become slaves or will they be killed? She hopes that the last option will not happen for she does not want to die. The first option she does not like but she can live with it. She will at least have her life then if not her freedom.

Looking around her, she sees the other women standing at a distance around the strangers. All women all express various degrees of worry on their faces. It is clear that they are also worried about their future. And most likely also about the fate of their men. As no one is taking charge of the situation, Naran knows that the responsibility will fall on her shoulders.

Walking up the strange men, Naran intends to find out two things. Those matters are the most important right now. One of those matters is who the riders are. The other is what will happen to them right now. But just as she reaches them, she is grabbed her from behind.