A.N.: Its a slightly shorter chapter this time around, but an important one that marks the end of this little arc.

Begin!

Mercifully, the townspeople of Sandor had a change of heart after we successfully repelled the bandit attack and returned Natalie and Dorcas to their care. Gerik was more than willing to provide us with a room for the night, provided that we left early the next morning.

-- Mark, Wraith of the Lorca

Devastation reigned.

Confusion and bewilderment flooded Lyn's mind. The two emotions were quickly replaced with horror and repulsion. The meaty smack of sharp blades piercing human flesh was joined by the wail of the wounded, pleas for mercy, and the throes of the dying.

The grass beneath her feet was tinted red, and covered with the inert forms of her friends and family. Rage pulsed through the Sacean's veins as she realized that bandits had swept in and were trying to destroy everything.

Instinctively, her hand darted to draw her blade- her fingers met only empty air. Lyn risked a glance at her scabbard and was aghast to find it empty.

The wail of a woman reached her ear, drawing the plainswoman's attention. The bandits were not content to loot and kill; no, they were already beginning to commit unspeakable acts with the women of her tribe.

Three bandits saw her.

Without any weapon, Lyn was quickly reduced to fleeing for her life as the thieves walked after her. No matter how hard she ran, it seemed, she could not put any distance between herself and her pursuers. The three brigades kept after her at their leisurely pace while their prey exhausted herself with feeble attempts at escape.

Eventually, they grew tired of this game. One of the sword-wielding men reached out and, as casually as one might pluck a berry, snagged hold of her green ponytail.

Pain flared down Lyn's scalp, drawing a cry from her lips. The bandits pulled her backwards and threw her to the ground in one easy motion.

A war-cry split the air.

Brars, her friend since childhood, came from nowhere. The rescuer's blade curved through the air and stabbed at the lead bandit. He missed.

The lead swordsman merely stepped to one side, evading the thrust. The bandit then followed that up by bringing a sword around and casually introducing the blade to Brar's chest. The Sacean's lifeless body crashed to the ground and lay still.

Lyn howled in fury as she lost another friend. She leaped up, ready to tear into the man who had dared to kill Brars. Her hand latched about the brigade's throat and she prepared to slam her fist into the murderer's nose.

The woman stopped short, disbelief written across her features.

For the murder's face was exactly the same as her own, the two were identical. It was if she were looking into a mirror.

The two Lyns stared at each other. Hatred and anger radiated from one to be matched by confusion and terror in the other. Then the angry Lyn drew back her blade and sent it carving through space towards-

IMPALED!

Lyn awoke screaming.

The Sacean girl snapped upright . Her eyes darted about the room to confirm that she was not trapped in the plains of Sacean with the Taliver bandits, but instead safe and secure inside the Sandor Inn. As Lyn realized that all was well, her breathing slowed and steadied.

It had all been a nightmare.

The dream faded from reality, but the fears and emotions remained behind. Inexplicably, grief and fear wrapped themselves about Lyn's heart and refused to let go. She was alone. Her friends and family had been rent from her fingers in one short night, and nothing could ever replace them or bring them back. She had vowed to repay their lives with the blood of the Taliver, and that had set her down a dangerous road.

A single tear dropped to the sheets and marred the smooth white surface. It was soon joined by many brothers.

Lyn cried.

The tactician frowned as he worked his shoulder about in a tight arc. A faint pop issued from the man's appendage as a kink gave way beneath the force of his motion. He massaged the joint gently, then threw his olive green cloak back over his shoulders.

Gerik might have been willing to allow them to stay the night, but his choice of rooms left much to be desired. The black-haired man had slept on stones that were softer than those so-called beds. Still, the price was free- a fact that barred him from complaining too much.

Mark called Romeo to his shoulder, and then allowed the wyvern his morning rations. The winged serpent greedily gripped hold of the dried meat and shot into the air. A moment's search allowed Romeo to find a small alcove that suited his purpose; the wyvern landed on his perch and attacked his meal.

A small grin passed over the tactician's lips. Some things never changed.

Mark's smile would have faltered immediately had he known the real reason that Romeo had claimed that niche as his own. The small wyvern had strewn the remains of Erk's purse across the alcove and was basking in all the shiny, reflective glory of the coin contained within.

As the Bernian left the inn behind and approached the stables, his smile faded. They still had a long way to go before they arrived in Lycia, and if Migal's claims were true then they could expect an increase in trouble. The wily bandit had claimed that a contract existed which called for Lyndis' death. This was news that was not the least bit welcome to the Legion. Now every two-bit thug and mercenary would be hounding them, hoping for a chance to grow rich.

The biggest question on Mark's mind was who would have been responsible for such a contract. The logical answer was it had to be someone who stood threatened by Lyn's existence, most likely someone involved in the Caelin line of succession. Unfortunately, the tactician had to profess ignorance to the inner workings of governments, and so he was unable to narrow the search down any more.

Still, a quick talk with Kent or Sain could solve that problem.

The raven-haired man allowed himself one final stretch to work out his sore shoulder and then entered the stables. His first item of business was to make sure that the horses were taken care of.

That agenda was promptly derailed when the sounds of sniffling reached the man's ears. Mark came to a stop as he realized that he was not alone in the horse barn. His first thought was to leave and not intrude on the other's grief, but further instinct prodded him on. The tactician stepped forward, eyes peering through the gloom as his ears tried to narrow down the source of the sobbing.

Eventually, Mark discovered that the person in question was none other than Florina. The Illian was standing next to her mount, Huey, and unburdening her tears into his mane.

The Bernian hesitated for a second, weighing the risks of his next actions. He then proceeded to speak the woman's name softly.

"Florina..."

The lavender-haired knight jumped at the sound of another's voice. After settling and regaining some form of self-control, Florina looked up to find the tactician standing at the entrance to the stall. Her eyes almost immediately sank to the floor and stayed there.

Mark was careful to keep his voice soft and neutral.

"Are you alright?"

For a long moment, the Illian said nothing. Then words slowly came to her lips, although her gaze remained rooted to the floor.

"I'm... sorry, I... I didn't mean to cause you all so much trouble..."

A puzzled expression passed across the man's features. He started to take a step closer to the distraught girl; then remembered who he was talking to and halted himself. He continued the conversation.

"Sorry... for what?"

A fresh round of tears converged on Florina's cheeks.

"For... for bringing those bandits... down onto us! Its my fault, if I'd been more careful then... then they wouldn't have come after us... Then Lyn wouldn't have been found out... and everything would be alright."

Understanding flared through Mark's mind. In all the chaos, strategizing, and translating that had come his way in the past two days, he had completely forgotten about Migal's claims regarding Carjiga's death. Supposedly, Florina had tried to land during a fog and accidentally crushed the former warlord underneath Huey's hooves.

Mark knew that he couldn't let this go uncorrected. The tactician drifted into the Illian dialect and then continued speaking.

"Florina, look at me."

Florina swallowed and tried to obey the order. A quiver ran through the Illian's small frame as tears marred her vision. Several minutes later, she had succeeded in looking at the tactician.

"Alright, now, I want you to listen to me, because I'm not just saying this to make you feel better. I'm going to say it because its the truth. Do you understand?"

The girl nodded, but dared not look away lest she lose her fledgling eye contact.

"What happened with those bandits was not your fault." Mark hastened to build on his premise. He could already see Florina starting to dismiss his idea as simple comfort. "There is no way you could have crushed and killed Carjiga. You're a pegasus knight; you've ridden Huey numerous times so you have to know that.

"I've watched you and Huey closely over the past few days, and Huey is too well trained to commit a mistake like that. He's a very dependable pegasus. When you're landing, he descends much too slowly for anyone to get pinned underneath him- its part of his instincts and nature, and his training has increased his usual caution. The moment that he would have come into contact with anyone, he would have hesitated and then pulled back.

"Even on the off chance that Carjiga did get trapped beneath you and Huey, Pegasi are notoriously light. I'm certain that he could not weigh enough to kill a man."

A soft, comforting whinny came from Huey. The Illian instinctively broke her eye contact when she turned to rub his mane. She was trying to draw comfort as she considered this point.

Mark continued.

"I think this will all become clear if you think back to that day. Do you remember what happened that night? Can you honestly tell me that you could have killed Carjiga?"

A fierce shudder ripped through Florina- a shudder so visible that Mark was momentarily taken aback.

"I don't... I can't... I don't want to remember."

"I won't push you on this, but I don't think you have as much to fear as you think you do."

"Then... then why would Migal ...?"

"He's a liar and a thief." The tactician answered. "We'll never know for sure what exactly happened between you and those bandits, but my guess is that Migal killed Carjiga himself so that he could take over the Ganelon bandits and then used you as a scapegoat."

"Florina, you had nothing to do with Migal's decision to attack Lyn either. Remember, someone put a contract out on her, making her a target no matter who was with us- and that includes you. We're not going to be bothered because of you; you're not the source of any of our problems. If anything, you've been a great blessing to us. We would have been in trouble without your help the other day."

Florina was silent for a long moment. Slowly her tears dried as she came to terms with the truth of the situation. The Illian was not to blame for what had transpired over the past few days, and accepting that blame was wrong and shameful.

"I... I see... I'm sorry, Mark. I shouldn't have thought like I did. I'll try to be stronger in the future."

"You will grow stronger, Florina. You have great potential. You're already a benefit to Lyn and the rest of us; don't ever tell yourself otherwise."

"... Thank you."

The tactician nodded to show that he understood. After an awkward pause the Bernian opted to excuse himself from the conversation. To do so he returned to Standard.

"Alright, I need to go set a few things straightened out before we depart. We're supposed to leave in a hour or so, will you be ready to ride?"

"I will."

Mark nodded and bid the Illian knight farewell. He then turned and began preparing the horses for their day's journey.

A much calmer Florina watched the tactician as he worked. With her fear put to rest, she was not able to concentrate on taking care of her pegasus and readying herself for the coming journey. Her thoughts involuntarily turned to the conversation that had just transpired as she worked to make sure Huey was alright.

A smile passed across Sain's face.

"Its a noble thing, is it not? A knight is still a knight, whether in his home country or in some foreign land. I dare say that the people of this fair plain will be much better off now that the Ganelon threat has been removed."

Kent kept the bare minimum of his attention on Sain's rambling conversation. The rest of his facilities were busy making sure that all of their supplies were present, in order, and accounted for. The auburn-haired knight was distributing their newly acquired provisions across the company's packs and saddles, then verifying that they had enough to make it to the next border town.

Directly opposite the red knight stood Sain. Wil was perched atop a nearby barrel with his legs cross and arms folded behind his head. A smile was pasted across the archer's face as was his customary expression.

"I thought that to be a given." Wil replied lazily. "Anyone would be better off without those thieves skulking about."

"True, yes, but to be the ones to perform such a deed! The expression of relief upon their faces- it was all the reward that a noble knight could ask for."

"Heh, that's funny. Last night you weren't all that content with yer 'reward', at least if the outrage of the ladies was any indication." The archer noted with a chuckle.

A flush passed across Sain's face. His usual antics had worked their usual charms, or lack thereof, and landed him in a bit of a problem. Thankfully, it had been resolved before Gerik's grudging hostility had been revoked; but many days would pass before the others would allow him to live the experience down.

"But the beauty of these humble women can not even begin to compare to the stuffy attitudes of the nobility that we serve. How can the heart help but to respond?" The grin on the blond man's face betrayed the sincerity behind those words.

Wil's eyes shifted from pleasant joking to serious consideration.

"Right, right. Its never a dull day with you guys, is it? First, we end up beatin' down some bandits, discover that there's a contract out on Lyn and finally end up saving this little village from a rather dismal fate only to have to pull Sain out of the female fire. Do you guys always run around getting involved in problems like these or was that just an unusual day for you?"

"Ah, but this is the stuff of legends!" Sain proclaimed. "Just think of the songs and stories that will be passed down to these villager's children."

Kent sealed the last of their supplies into the final pack and buckled it closed. The red knight looked up at his two companions and decided that it was finally time to enter the conversation.

"It was our duty. The citizens of Sandor could not have withstood the Ganelon bandits on their own. Without intervention they would have fallen. It was only fitting and proper that we aid them.."

"Which brings up another question or two I've been meaning to ask." A slight sparkle filled the archer's eye- it was the kind of spark that precluded some grave discovery. "One: who are you? You guys call yourselves mercenaries, but you really don't know the first thin' about freelancin'. You rescue this little town and then, instead of taking the money, just ask to stay the night and gather supplies- supplies that you paid for, by the way. Pardon me for being so blunt, but you can't survive for long like that.

"Second: why would someone want to harm Lyn? Now, I've only been with you guys a few days, but I have a hard time seein' the reasoning behind wanting her dead. She's a driven creature, but unless you take a blade to her she's not all that likely to beat your brains out.

"Three: You don't go paying others to kill someone unless you can't do the deed yourself or you have enough money to make others do your dirty work. Hired kills aren't cheap. Whoever wants her dead must have some power and influence at his disposal, which would mean that you little company must have had something to do with someone powerful somewhere."

A slightly alarmed expression passed across Kent's face. It seemed that their entire cover had been unraveled with startling ease. The red knight of Caelin fumbled for a second, searching for some suitable cover.

Sain was quick to cover for the knight.

"Pshaw, Wil, you read too much into this. We're just a band of heroes who roam the land, righting wrongs and saving fair damsels in distress. Its a romantic way to live... if a little scrimp on the money."

"Maybe." The archer slid off of his barrel-turned-seat and dropped to the floor. "But there's something goin' on here that you all aren't tellin' me. I can understand it if you don't want to tell me right now, but sooner or later I'd like to know what I've gotten myself into. I don't think you're all involved in anything shady, but... it pays to stay informed."

Kent nodded but made no reply. The archer returned the recognition with a quick grin and then left the room.

"Well," Sain commented. "that was unexpected."

"But it should have been."

"Oh, Kent, don't start that train of thought again."

The red-haired knight shook his head in disgust. He then cast his glance over the inn's front room and looked back towards the staircase which led to the higher levels of the building. A hint of confusion tugged at the cavalier's eye, but Kent was quick to dismiss it.

"You're worried- again." Sain interrupted his companion's thoughts. "What, pray tell, has you concerned now?"

"Lady Lyndis hasn't come downstairs yet. Normally she is up and about by now." Kent ignored the stab on his character and instead went to answer the question.

"We did fight two skirmishes and a battle yesterday; one would think that she is more than a little exhausted." The blond cavalier performed an exaggerated stretch and made a show of wiping his eyes. "As are we all. Don't make mountains out of molehills."

The red knight frowned, but turned his attention back to the task of preparing to depart. His focus lasted scant more than a few moments before the inn's door opened with a loud crash, and two scuffling figures entered the establishment.

'Entered' might have been an overstatement, Sain realized, for while a rather striking female cleric had entered the establishment under her own power, the purple-haired youth who followed her was most decidedly being shepherded against his will. The fact that the cleric was toting the boy around by means by means of her fist clenched about the boy's ear revealed as much.

The youth looked anything but happy.

"Oh, so here you all are! I didn't heal your wounds and mend your bones to be ignored; you ought to show your healer a little more respect and consideration. After all, my talents can always be employed elsewhere!"

Sain was more than willing to respond to these statements in kind. Instantly, he slid into the role of the romantic cavalier and hastened to appease the beauty who had just entered the establishment.

"Scorch us all! Please forgive us for this most grievous error, it was not our intent to leave such a wonderful creature as yourself to be neglected. Your most startling beauty must have driven all reason from our mind!" The green-armored cavalier bowed low.

A smile darted across Serra's lips as the knight's words fed her always hungry ego.

"Well, I can forgive you this once, I've always known that my unintentional charms have the worst impact on those around me. Since you seem rather honorable, my good knight, might you favor me with your name and your little company's ultimate destination?"

"But of course, I am Sain, a humble knight of Caelin, righter of wrongs and the blade of justice, ever at your service." The blond man straightened and introduced himself with a spry flourish performed by his right hand. "We are but a simple mercenary band on our way to Lycia- Caelin, to be exact."

"Really, now? That's quite interesting, Sir Sain."

"And why is that?"

Serra threw one arm behind her back and her other hand under her chin as if thinking. Her eyes twinkled mischievously as some decision was reached in the recesses of her mind.

"Because Erk and myself have been on a journey to Ostia for several weeks now, and our progress has been fraught with danger and peril at every turn. I am sure that we could travel much faster and safer should you be at our side."

"I'm sure that it would." A grin passed across Sain's face. "And I am certain that we would be most grateful to have you as one of our own."

A slight giggle split the air.

"I'm sure that you would, wouldn't you?"

Kent took a breath in order to bring his fellow companion back in line. The cavalier's mind then darted ahead and played out the coming conversation. After realizing the futility of the action, he closed his jaw and instead turned his focus to the purple-haired sage who had been corralled into following Serra.

"And you?" The red knight addressed the magician. "Would you prefer to travel with us as well?"

A downcast expression passed across the youth's face, as his eyes filled with the dead hopes of escape.

"I have no say in the matter."

"You don't?"

"No. I was hired to see... Lady... Serra..." Erk's throat constricted, causing him to have to force the sounds from his lips. "... to Ostia. I have to see the contract through."

Kent pondered this for a second and then nodded his approval.

"That is very noble of you."

"Nobility has nothing to do with it. The... payment... I received for the job was stolen yesterday during the scuffle. I can't refund the money paid to her, and as such am stuck with Serra for the duration of her trip." Erk's sullen reply ruined the intended compliment. "It appears that I am trapped in a predicament of which there is no escape."

Kent was momentarily taken aback by this statement. The cavalier tried to find some way to salvage the conversation, but failed.

An uneasy silence descended upon the two of them amidst the constant chatter that passed between Serra and Sain.

With Florina's help, Mark finished preparing the horses and then proceeded to guide the mounts around to the front of the inn. Upon tethering the beasts to prevent their wanderings, the tactician slipped inside the building to inform the cavaliers that it was time to begin loading their supplies.

After consequently learning of Serra and Erk's decision to join the party and managing to extract himself from Serra's barrage of questions and conversations, Mark quickly retreated from the building with several saddles and packs in hand. He busied himself with securing their hard-earned rations to the horses with Kent and Erk's help. The unanimous decision seemed to be to leave Serra and Sain to their own devices.

It was still early when Dorcas and Natalie arrived on the scene. Explanations ensued, revealing that Dorcas still wanted to raise enough money to heal his wife- he believed that working for the Legion was the best place to do so. Natalie voiced her translated support for the idea, believing that the Legion was to be the best place for her husband and the best suited to keep him out of trouble.

"I'm willing to let Dorcas go... to give him another chance. On the condition that he will never travel alone again. I want him to have someone to pull him back from any temptations." Natalie said.

"I realize that I have no right to ask this." Dorcas concluded his explanations. "But you saved Natalie yesterday and rescued me from a grim fate. I am indebted to you. I wish to repay you with my service."

That statement raised a rather interesting issue, forcing Mark and Kent to exchange a quick look.

While Serra (which included by extension, Erk), Florina, Wil and Dorcas were all willing to travel with the Legion for free in return for the protection offered by sheer size of numbers, this drastically increased the size of their party, and increased their expenses exponentially.

Truthfully, Mark was worried about the state of their finances. Kent and Sain had left Caelin with enough Gold to see themselves, Lyn and her parents back to Caelin safely. As non-paid members, Wil and Florina hadn't put much strain on their finances; but Serra and Erk's arrival would cause more stress than before- to say nothing of adding Dorcas to the mix. Suddenly they were trying to support nine people (ten if you counted a certain mischievous wyvern) on a budget created for five.

For the moment, Kent thought it wise to delay their answer.

"We would be honored to have you travel with us," The red cavalier replied diplomatically. "but ultimately the decision on whether or not you can join us depends upon Lady Lyndis' answer. We'll bring this issue to her attention and then return with an answer."

Dorcas nodded to show his understanding of the situation.

That task momentarily resolved, Kent and Mark exchanged a quick look and then returned to the interior of the inn. The tactician turned his attention to the cavalier and began the conversation.

"Well, what do you think?"

Kent pondered the question for a moment before replying.

"I think we can trust Dorcas. He came through for us yesterday."

"Agreed, he made a bad judgment call in getting involved with the Ganelon, but I can understand his temptation. My only concerns are these: one, we cannot afford to continually bring everyone who asks on board with the Legion; second, he is a former bandit. I don't know how Lyn would react to having him around."

"That could be a problem. It might be wiser for him to remain behind, it would keep peace in the company and ease a little of our financial strain."

Mark frowned. He then tucked one hand under his chin and closed his eyes in thought.

"I don't know what to say about that. We're running short on Gold as it is, but if these attacks are going to become more frequent then we need his strength... but any strife caused by his past would create more of a hindrance than a help...

"On a related note, I have some personal finance, a few hundred Gold. I could put that up to help with the costs until we arrive in Caelin."

"We couldn't ask you to-"

"You didn't, I just volunteered." The raven-haired tactician interrupted. "If it helps get us by, then it is worth it. The question is, however, how we're going to get by on our dwindling resources."

"Lycia is not far off. Once we arrive, we can petition the Marquesses for aid. I am certain that they will rally to our cause." Kent pointed out.

"We're... what... a three day's ride from the border? We should be able to last that long... Hopefully one of the Marquesses would allow us some funds and protection. But will your word be enough for them?"

"Sain and I were dispatched on the personal order of Lord Hausen. I have the documentation and seal to prove it. That should be more than enough to validate our word."

The red-haired knight nodded and then turned his attention to another question that had been bothering him as of late. He remembered Wil's earlier conversation and decided to raise that subject.

"Which reminds me, Wil is onto us." Upon seeing the blank look upon his companion's face, Kent hastened to explain his comment. "He suspects that we're more than the mercenary band we've been passing ourselves off as."

"Really, now?" An amused expression came across the other's face. "That puts an interesting spin on the situation. Not only do we have to satisfy his curiosity, we also have to provide some measure of explanation to Dorcas, Serra and Erk. If we do come across more of these assassination attempts, their curiosity is bound to grow."

"The contract put out on Lady Lyndis is going to make it impossible to keep this secret." Kent observed.

"Precisely. I also imagine that you have some idea who would have done such a thing. Lycian politics is something I'm not familiar with- you have the advantage over me in that area."

The ghost of a smile passed across the knight's lips. It was gone as quickly as it had come.

"I believe that Marquess Hausen was sincere in his desire to reunite with Madelyn. The guilt of trying to kill Lady Lyndis would therefore fall to his brother, Lord Lundgren."

Mark released an understanding: "Ah."

"Lady Lyndis' existence threatens his claim to the throne." The knight finished simply.

"Of course, it would be in his interests for her to... disappear." The tactician agreed. "Well, then I think that that explains the answer to our question. We level with the rest of the company... to a point. All they need to know is that Lyn is the granddaughter of Marquess Hausen who is traveling incognito and that Lundgren has taken a fancy to eliminating her."

"That is all that they need to know at this point." Agreed Kent.

Silence descended upon the two as their conversation concluded.

"My lord, are you sure that it is wise to discuss these matters here?" Counselor Notham's flint gray eyes darted across the room to land upon the red-haired servant girl who was busy cleaning the room's quarters. "There are ears about."

Lundgren waved a hand dismissively.

"Pay her no mind. The fool girl couldn't repeat anything that she hears even if she wanted to, she's mute. That's why I keep her around. Now, what is it that demands my attention?"

Notham quelled his unease and concentrated solely on the task at hand. He had a fine line to walk, for he had to communicate his intents and plans to the aging General without revealing too much of his hand.

"The winds of change are blowing." The Counselor began. "Anyone can see that, two paths have appeared before Caelin and it is ours to decide which road we are to take."

Lundgren frowned. He then clasped his hands behind his back and turned to look out the nearby window. A bad taste was beginning to develop in the nobleman's mouth. So far he had kept his intended takeover to a few somewhat trusted individuals. Notham was not one of them. His first impulse was to hurl the man from the room, but he forced that thought from his mind. It would be a bad way to begin a much needed alliance.

"On either side our leadership will change. I look to one side and see Caelin rising from its paltry state and uniting all territories beneath its banner. Everyone in Lycia would look to Caelin as its head and master. To the other side I see Marquess Hausen succeeded by a... coarse... unrefined individual whose lack of knowledge about the inner workings of politics would drive Caelin into the ground and leave us weak and helpless.

"I cannot allow the latter to happen."

The General turned and looked at the politician from the corner of his eye.

Notham continued.

"Oh, yes, I am very much aware of the... situation... Master Lundgren. Lines will be drawn, and before long all of us will have to choose a side. Madelyn was a renowned woman, loved by the population. If word gets out that she had a daughter then Caelin could dissolve into civil war. I refuse to allow that."

"What is it that you want?" Lundgren turned and fixed the politician with a glare that could have set wood on fire. "You can't tell me that you're offering your services for free."

"Patriotism is a lost virtue." The politician sighed.

"So you do want something."

"I will not lie. My first priority always has been, and always will be, the greater good of Caelin; but I will not deny that I would like some recompense for my loyalties. All I ask is that you include me in your cabinet upon your succession."

"That's all?"

"That is all."

The silver-haired General allowed his frown to deepen as he shifted to look straight at the brunet statesmen. For a long moment, the noble was silent as he pondered this sudden offer. Eventually, he came to a decision.

"Your reward will be based on your service. If I like your advice and your suggestions, then you'll have your desires. If not, then I'll take your right arm off your shoulder and throw you in the streets."

If Notham was startled by this pronouncement, it didn't show.

"Very well."

"Alright, what 'great' advice do you have for me?"

"You must strike first, you must control the situation and gain the upper hand. I would advise you to do the following..."

"Ah, Lady Lyndis." Kent noted that his liege was descending from the stairs and gave a cursory half-bow. The cavalier allowed himself a slightly concerned expression as he noted the state of his companion. "Is... everything well?"

"Yes, I'm... fine."

Lyn's distant expression and disheveled appearance indicated that everything was most certainly not fine. The woman absent-mindedly pushed some stray strands of hair from her eyes, an action that Kent could never remember her performing before, and looked at her two companions.

"How are the preparations?"

The red-haired cavalier was forced to abandon his concern for the time being.

"Everything has been readied and packed for our journey. However, there are two small matters that require your attention..." Kent proceeded to explain about Wil's ultimatum and then the decision that he and Mark had reached on the matter. He concluded with: "I know we had all hoped to avoid drawing attention to ourselves in such a manner, but that decision has been taken from our hands."

Silence reigned for one brief moment as Lyn thought through the changes this would bring and the results this would entail. She spoke at length.

"I suppose that we have no choice in the matter. Just try to secure the silence of those you tell.""

"I'll inform the others as soon as we leave Sandor." The cavalier nodded in accordance to his liege's decision. "The other matter is that Serra and Erk have requested to travel with us in exchange for protection and board."

The Sacean nodded tiredly.

"Alright, well and good."

"... and Dorcas has also asked to travel with the Legion."

"Dorcas." A hard edge entered Lyn's voice. Suddenly, her exhaustion vanished.

"Yes, he still wants to raise the needed funds to cure his wife." Kent explained. After a moment's hesitation, he continued. "I would rather have his strength with us."

"As opposed to against us." Lyn muttered darkly.

Mark decided to enter the conversation. The friction he had noticed that was developing between Kent and Lyn did not need to be aggravated by this discussion. The tactician looked between his two companions and then gave voice to his thoughts.

"I don't think that we'd have to worry about that. Dorcas made a mistake, but he was quick to rectify it. I think that he's learned his lesson and that he's trustworthy."

"He's a... a... bethra..." The plainswoman countered. "If Natalie hadn't been there, then he would have continued to fight against us instead of turning his colors to fight with us. How do we know that he won't do the same given the right opportunity?"

"We don't." The tactician admitted.

"Then I don't see what else there is to discuss."

"But we also know that he won't."

Lyn's eyes shot up to drill her tactician with a questioning gaze. Her brow furrowed as she tried to come to terms with the fact that Mark, who had been supporting her since their journey began, had turned an about-face and was now helping a supposedly reformed thief. They had only known each other for a few short days but for Mark to counter her felt... foreign... strange...

"What do you mean?"

"We'll never know what might have happened had Natalie not been there, but the fact is that she was. And because of that Dorcas gave up his ways as a Ganelon. An experience like that leaves a mark on a man and doesn't fade easily; every time he sees a bandit he's going to remember the look on Natalie's face when she saw him.

"Further, Dorcas is going to have to come back to Natalie when this is all over. When that time comes, he's going to have to be able to look her in the eye and explain that he received the money needed to pay off her treatment legitimately. He knows that it would destroy her if he returns after having been a bandit."

The woman's hand clenched about the pendant that hung from her throat. Her fingers traced the ornate crest that was engraved upon the smooth surface, as if trying to draw strength from the necklace. She wasn't willing to concede argument just yet.

"That didn't stop him from going to the Ganelon before."

"True, he faltered. But he didn't have that perspective about Natalie before. That is all the more reason for him to travel with us. The Legion can hold him accountable, keep him on the right path. That's an advantage that he didn't have when the Ganelon approached him." Mark deflected the argument.

"He shouldn't have to rely on someone else; the fact that he does indicates his character is not what you think it is." Lyn pressed on.

"Perhaps... But think of it this way. Would you rather have Dorcas traveling with us, and to know that he's safe, or would you rather take the chance that he'd fall back into a bandit pack and break Natalie's heart?"

An angry flush passed across the Sacean's face. Her expression darkened considerably.

"Don't you dare bring Natalie into this!"

Mark checked his immediate reply. He took a few moments to craft his response.

"Natalie and Dorcas are married. What effects one with effect the other... This will be the last I say on the subject: I believe that it would be best for everyone involved if Dorcas joined the Legion. It would be better for us, better for him and better for Natalie. Its your decision as to whether he joins us or not, and no matter what you decide, I will still be here and I will still help you... just be aware that the decision you make will impact more than just the Legion. It will effect Natalie and Dorcas' lives as well."

The plainswoman wanted to sympathize with Dorcas' situation, but at the same time her anger was burning fierce towards him. In the end, her desire to help the couple out overrode her hatred of all brigades.

"... Alright... We'll allow him to join us. But if he gives us any reason to suspect his loyalty, then we leave him behind."

Mark, feeling that he had pushed his luck enough for one morning, quickly excused himself to finish preparing the company for travel. The raven-haired tactician left the room and exited the inn.

Kent was left feeling more than a little awkward in the wake of that conversation. The red knight of Caelin hesitantly wondered what he should do or attempt. After a few seconds of debate, he decided that some form of consolation was acceptable.

"Lady Lyndis." The cavalier took a small step in his companion's direction. "We will follow your wishes. If you do not desire Dorcas to travel with us, then we shall gladly leave him behind."

Lyn stared unseeing at the far wall of the inn as she slowly replied.

"It will be fine, Kent. There is no need to worry."

"Are you... sure?"

"I..."

For a brief moment, Lyn was tempted to admit that she was not sure about anything. Never in her life had she been as confused and conflicted as she was now. The plainswoman still wanted desperately to hate the Taliver and all bandits for what they had done to her and her clan, but in recent days Lyn was finding herself less and less interested in extracting revenge and more and more eager to reach Caelin and meet her grandfather. Her focus was shifting from the crimes of the past to the hopes of the future.

The problem with that was that she had sworn to avenge her tribe, to deal justice to those murdering bandits. The death cries of her friend and family still sounded in her ears every night. How could she turn her back on the demands of her heritage?

But to do that, Lyn would have to harden her heart, mind and emotions. She would have to become remorseless and apathetic to the lives she would be forced to take and the blood she would shed. What kind of justice would it be for her to become the very thing she had sworn to destroy?

Then there was Dorcas. The fighter had single-handedly managed to make her dilemma even more complex. Dorcas was no bloodthirsty mongrel, even Lyn had to admit as much, but simply a man who had succumbed to the temptation to do the right thing with the wrong means. If Dorcas could fall so easily, how many others had fallen as well? How many bandits were not eager to kill at all, but were simply men who had made one wrong choice?

The anger and hatred that she had harbored towards the Taliver bandits had manifested itself as a fury at bandits as a whole; Dorcas had started out as a bandit, and as such placed himself on the wrong side of her expectations. The problem was that Dorcas did not fit the mold she had constructed to shove all bandits into; he was not the bloodthirsty monster that she believed all thieves to be. That fact left her hopelessly confused.

A burst of clarity shot across Lyn's memories, drawing a gasp from her throat. For the first time since the massacre, she truly remembered. As she had fled from the Lorcan camp with her fingers desperately trying to maintain some hold on her mount's reigns, a single bandit had passed her by. He could have easily buried his axe into her horse's flanks and spilled her to the ground. But the nameless bandit had not. He had merely allowed her to escape- his face was twisted in soul-tearing grief.

The Taliver were horrible, vile beings who were not even human. But even in their midst had been one man who had simply made a mistake and wished that he could take it back.

Lyn brought her palms to her eyes and buried her face within her hands to hide the sudden emotions that were threatening to break across her features. She was devastated at this realization. To completely destroy the Taliver meant that she might have to slay some who were not entirely deserving of death.

The plainswoman half-heartedly wished that Mark was still present. Though few in number, she had found that holding discussions with her tactician always helped to clear her mind. Even if the man were present, however, Lyn knew that she wouldn't approach him on this issue. Her pride was still stinging from their brief scuffle.

Kent watched all of this and felt his own conflict begin. Part of him wanted to step in and make some attempt at comfort, while his other half sternly reminded him that he was a knight of the Caelin order. It would not be proper for him to intervene in his liege's troubles.

Eventually, the red-haired man settled on a compromise that would open the door for him to act.

"My Lady Lyndis." The knight began. "I do not wish to speak out of turn, but I want you to know that you are never alone. Mark, Sain or myself are here and at your service. If you need anything, from battle to conversation, all you have to do is ask."

The Sacean looked up and allowed herself an exhausted look at the cavalier.

"I... will be fine." Lyn straightened and moved towards the doorway. Abruptly, she paused and then turned back to the red knight as she realized just what the cavalier had been trying to do. "But Kent... thank you."

Kent bowed, but made no verbal reply.

"Welcome to the Legion, Dorcas." Mark finished bring the stocky fighter and his wife up to speed. "We're glad to have you."

"I thank you." Dorcas said simply.

Natalie reached up to push a small tear free of her eye. The woman took a calming breath and then embraced her husband.

"Stay safe, and keep out of trouble."

"I will, I promise."

The two slowly separated, for this was not an easy decision for either of them. Dorcas moved to join the rest of the company, but kept his attention focused on Natalie. The brunette offered a small smile and a wave, which was silently returned.

Natalie then turned her attention to Mark.

"Please... I know you've done so much for us already, but please keep an eye out for him."

"I will. I'll do everything in my power to keep him safe."

The two's eyes locked and a promise passed between them.

The sound of a door slamming drew the tactician's attention; Mark looked over to find Lyn and Kent arriving on the scene. The raven-haired man excused himself from Natalie and moved to rejoin his friends and comrades.

The Bernian stepped closer to Lyn and then offered a small apology in Sacean.

"Lyn, if I came across as too hash in there, I apologize. I cannot begin to imagine how hard such a decision was for you; I did not mean to be overbearing."

"It is alright, Mark. This is for the best... I... can understand your passion for helping him... its the same desire to help that allowed me to join you. We'll have to discuss it later."

Mark breathed a quick sigh of relief.

"Very well then."

Sain's booming voice cut through the conversation. The green knight stepped forward, Serra just behind him, and threw his arms out grandly.

"Lady Lyndis, you have arrived! Your beauty and pleasure is a delight to us all."

"Thank you, Sain." Lyn ignored the compliment and brushed it by. "Is everything ready?"

"All has been prepared and put in order."

"Then let us be off. We've lost enough time as is."

Lyn moved to her horse and easily pulled herself into the saddle. The rest of the Legion quickly moved to follow and climbed atop their respective steeds. The Sacean pulled her horse about, then cast a quick look over her company to make sure that they were all ready. After confirming that fact, and waiting on Mark to recall Romeo, she guided her horse through the village gates and they embarked upon the next leg of their journey.

End!