"I'd say they were lookin' fer easy pickin's myself. Twer just luck me and Faleron here came along when we did. Aint that right Faleron?" Risk elbowed his squire. Faleron nodded in agreement, it seemed the Gods were smiling on them as the King's Reach guard patrol had happened to ride by relieving them of the responsibility of transporting the apprehended lawbreakers. The guards, after a quick reunion with Faleron, began to assemble their not-so-precious cargo for the long walk back to King's Reach.

"Thing's haven't been going too well Milord, beggin' yer pardon," one guard said as he attached the last groggy felon to his horse. They were all connected by the arms and legs by thickly welded iron chains.

"What do you mean?" Risk asked leaning against Sea Lady. Faleron who hadn't been paying too much attention fixed the guard with a dark eye, now waiting impatiently for the answer. The guard straightened and sighed looking to Faleron.

"Yer father's on the border, and while he's been gone Milady's been acting in his place. She doesn't think anything's wrong. I won't say she's been neglectin' us but…"

"Aye," Risk nodded. "I wondered why a bunch of miller's sons were out here bold enough to come after farmers in a place like this, and in broad day light no less."

"It's been going on for a few months at least," the guard said sadly. "Hit and runs mostly, by the time the guard was mustered they'd done packed up and gone."

"Why is it that the guard is so slow in reacting to a bunch of low life goatherd's bastards that… there isn't any excuse for this, no excuse." Faleron spoke up, eyes blazing.

"It's not that we're slow Milord it's just that there's not enough of us to go around. Most of ours has gone to help with the border trouble, and those that's stayed, well… mostly new recruits, fresh out of the fields as it were."

"What about the Rangers? Aren't they-"

"Nay Milord, they're spread just as thin as the guard. More so even." Faleron's expression grew steadily darker. So his father leaves and everything goes to ruin? He leaves and his mother neglects the entire fiefdom?

"Milord the girl is fine," another guard said as he came loping up to them, a healer's white X embroidered over the heart of his uniform. He bowed when he came level with Faleron. "Her brother's watching over her now. She'll sleep for a while yet, exhausting day it was for her I'm sure. The leader seemed to know some of the Shang techniques, he used the knowledge to pinch one of the nerves in her neck to make her more compliant."

Sir Risk nodded, "Pressure points, a shame scum like that probably paid a pretty penny for the knowledge, so they could use it anyway they like." Risk said shaking his head.

"Pretty much, Milord."

"Send word to my Mother, I'll be home soon." Faleron said in dismissal of the two guardsmen. They both bowed and got on their horses. They set off at a brisk trot, the prisoners followed groaning and cursing, several nursing bruised ribs, and sore skulls.

"You okay boy?" Sir Risk asked Faleron as the men disappeared over the hill. Faleron shook his head before mounting Picket and taking off in the opposite direction the guards had gone. "Is that a no then?" Risk asked of his squire.

"Yes," Faleron called behind him.

~x~

"Really Vin, you are such a nuisance. The people will be more than fine. Now go away before you bother me anymore." Lady Lorraine of Kings Reach said waving one of her pale butterfly-like hands in dismissal of the Ranger as if he were no more than a very annoying fly. Vin continued to stare at a spot on the far wall before putting a knuckle to his brow and retreating back into a corner.

"What did she say?" his partner asked as Vin stood there silently fuming, his hand clutching his sword hilt. "Or do I have to ask," Reyna added grim faced, her pale eyes gazed over his shoulder to Lady Lorraine as she simpered in all of her finery.

"She refuses to even consider the thought that her people could be in trouble," Vin said shaking his head in disbelief.

"Let's get out of here," Reyna said her mouth forming into a disgusted snarl. Vin agreed. Loosening the collar of his dark leather doublet as he and Reyna exited casually out the front doors of the great hall. Leaving the most anticipated event of the summer in King's Reach behind them.

"Get our mounts boy," Reyna ordered the youth who was standing attention by the walkway for just that purpose. As his blue tunic disappeared into the darkness beyond the party lights, Reyna turned to Vin who was yanking furiously at the fastenings of his cloak. The champagne colored lights spilling out of the open window of the ballroom cast her face into shadow as she pursed her lips.

"Idiotic, supercilious, ignorant," she started, practically ripping her necklace off in her temper. She ripped off the loose fitting party clothes revealing her ranger garb underneath. Black breeches tucked into sturdy boots, and a sleeveless leather doublet. "Does she really think all is well? Does she?" Reyna said containing her rage and lowering her voice.

"It doesn't matter what she thinks. As long as she keeps the people safe, and she's not." The boy came back with their horses. Vin thanked him and flipped a silver coin in the boys direction. The boy clasped it tight in his fist and bid them good night.

"When milord left, I thought he instructed her on what to-"

"He did. She thinks everything is just as it was when he was still here. Let's face it Reyna, we can't do anything without consent of the reigning Lord or Lady. The whole fief has gone to ruin." Vin shook his head bitterly.

"What are you saying, give up?" They passed the gates of the fief and nodded to the guards. There was a long silence.

"I say that we send a message to Milord telling of his wife's inefficiency."

"And who exactly do you propose ride all the way to the border? We barely have enough to keep a decent watch rotation around the castle perimeter, much less to go gallivanting off for weeks."

"None other than us, I can't stand watching this anymore. It's either report to milord Feron or get an audience with the courts and shame the entire family." Vin kicked his horse into a gallop leaving his partner behind him. Reyna scowled before urging her own mount after him.

~x~

"Good you're awake!" Vrisi stirred. Opening a bleary blue eye she saw her brother's face very close to her own. She blinked furiously and yawned. She seemed to be in a remotely dark, cool place. She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"What's going on, where's the bandits?" She asked fearfully.

"They're gone; you don't have to worry about them no more." She sat up and Luke passed her a water flask. She held it in her hands for a moment before taking a small sip. It was surprisingly cool and felt amazing on her dry lips.

"Are you all right?" he asked tentatively. Vrisi glanced up at him from between the boxes of fruit and vegetables.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" she said with a perplexed expression on her face. Luke didn't believe her a bit but let it slide for the moment. "I'm just glad we're both all right," Vrisi added and attempted a smile.

"Me too sister," Luke said and ruffled the top of Vrisi's pale head. She grinned well naturedly and yawned. The healer had immediately seen to her and put a healing on her injuries, she had never had a magical healing before, as her mother preferred to use home remedies, and it had made her tired.

"So where's this Risk and Faleron?" she asked after Luke had withdrawn his hand.

"Gonna thank our nobles are you?" Luke asked grinning as he stood. Vrisi's pale brows rose.

"Nobles? Well I'll be, aint that somethin'?" She said in awe, her hill country accent coming out thick. "Real nobles…"

"Now don't get all loopy on me now, they're real nice as far as nobles get. That Faleron don't talk much, but Risk makes up for it." Vrisi nodded and smiled at her brother. "Here," he said and handed her the rabbit pendant the bandits had taken from her, "I got it off one of the bastards, trying to sneak away with it." Vrisi took it and placed it around her neck, grateful to have it back again. "Cover up with that blanket, it's all we've got, your dress is ruined. Come out when you're descent for Mithros' sake," his sister had given the men quite enough of a free show in his opinnion, Luke let the back flap of the wagon flop shut and Vrisi's smile faded.

She felt groggy and dirty, she looked down disgustedly at the large bloodstain across her chest. It had seeped through the thin cloth and had gotten stuck to her skin when it dried. She picked at the fabric, grimacing.

"Ugh." Vrisi lay back on a folded up saddle blanket that had been put beneath her head. She thought furiously, her blue eyes moving rapidly. She remembered being pushed to the ground by that awful bandit… she could have been killed. She let herself dwell on that knowledge for a moment. But she hadn't been, and for that she sent her thanks to the Goddess for her protection.

~x~

"So there we were, surrounded by at least thirty, no not thirty. Forty! Forty of the blood thirstiest, hungriest lookin' women you ever seen, and- why hello there young Miss! It's nice to see you on your feet." Risk grinned his silver toothed smile and stood up to welcome Vrisi, he bowed. Vrisi cast a look to Luke who shrugged from across the camp fire, and gave Risk an inexpert curtsy that would have had and Court Lady in tears at her ineptitude. Three rabbits roasted over the flames, and Vrisi's mouth watered at the smell. The aroma of cooking meat causing her stomach to grumble loudly, demanding nourishment.

"They'll be done in a sec, just sit down by your brother. I was just tellin' him about the time I rescued these… well you don't want to hear about that." The silver toothed smile again and Luke blushed. Vrisi however cocked an eyebrow.

"Thank you for savin' us," she said settling across the fire by her brother. Risk opened a pouch of seasoning from his belt and sprinkled it over the roasting bunnies.

"It comes with the armor," he said. Luke laughed and Vrisi cracked a smile.

"Then we're lucky you decided to wear it today," she said. If she was joking, she was all right.

"That you were little one that you were." He settled down and leaned against a log as a backrest. "So now that Lukey here knows all about me and my pirate huntin' days, won't you tell me a little bit about your own dear selves? It begins to sound a bit like bragging if I do all the story telling." Sir Risk winked and Vrisi giggled.

"Well, our Da owns the orchard and all the land we have. It's harvestin' time, so the neighbors and such get together and we have a big party after it's all done. We haven't had it yet; this is just the first shipment to our Uncle Andrei's shop in Cutthrough." Luke stopped and played with the wooden horse pendant that was once again hanging in its rightful place around his neck.

"Have you any other brothers or sisters I should know about?" Risk asked.

"Oh yeah, first there's, Alek, he's married and has a babe and another on the way. Polyna, but we just call her Polly, she's married too and lives in Port Legann with her husband and his family. They're merchants," Vrisi babbled. "Then there's Natalia, she's at school, so we don't really get to see her much anymore it bein' so far away, her havin' the Gift and all. Then there's Luke, Bren, me, the youngest Staysi, and of course Mama and Da."

"Seven's the luckiest number of them all, is your sister lucky?"

"Only if you can count havin' us all to look out for her, and spoil her rotten, lucky," Luke said inviting Risk's laughter. It accepted.

"So anyone give you any trouble hereabouts? Besides them louts that we met up with earlier." Risk asked with a raised black and silver brow.

"No, everyone is real nice. I mean, we've been here longer than a lot of people have." Luke said catching the hidden meaning behind Risk's words. Talk of the war and general unease about Scanra had not escaped his family's notice.

"That's good, it is," Sir Risk said nodding as he prodded the rabbits. Vrisi absently stroked her rabbit pendant as she stared out at the stars.

"After all, what have we got to do with a bunch of upstart rebels in Scanra a thousand miles away. Aint nothin' gonna come of it anyway, so I don't get what the big fuss is all about." Luke stated as he watched Risk take the rabbits off the spit and start cutting them into separate pieces.

"Aye, it's gainin' on it, make no mistake about it. Just got back from up North meself. Terrible place to be. Your family was smart, gettin' out when they did." Or else you could have been one of them young ones coming after me half naked with a club that you scarcely know how to use, just as easily as you're sittin' here with me now. Risk thought dourly.