They had been very fortunate thus far. No one had attacked them.

Tara reined in Cerberus as they reached the top of the hill and sat up straight in her saddle, using all of her height and his to give her the best possible vantage point. Her sharp eyes raked over the landscape around them. Behind her, she heard Bram's hoofbeats slow and stop as Epona waited patiently. The warrior narrowed her eyes as she searched. There was a break in the woods of several miles – about four behind them and one before, and roughly two on either side. She could see no sign of humanity anywhere, save for the road they were following.

"Do you see anything, ma'am?" Epona's soft voice broke into her concentration.

"No. I don't." Tara glanced at the slave girl. Epona was riding well, considering she'd been doing it for three straight days, now. She hadn't complained about the pace they were setting, or the ache of her body from the riding, or even the short rations the two of them were living on. For that, Tara was grateful. She scratched her nose and looked back out at the horizon. "You feeling all right, squirt?"

"I'm all right." The small girl's eyes were calm. "Do you think we're nearly in Sarmatia?"

The warrior's keen eyes narrowed thoughtfully as they studied the road ahead. "Soon," she said. "We'll be over the Sarmatian border by sundown, at least. I'll rest easier once we're out of Argonia. I think Drea will be more reluctant to follow us the farther we get from her native soil."

Epona looked worried. "Isn't Sarmatia kind of a dangerous place?" she asked. "I've heard there's a lot of barbarian tribes there, and they don't like strangers."

"It's no more dangerous for us than Argonia is, at the moment. I prefer barbarians who aren't actively hunting us over mercenaries who are." Tara tightened her legs on her mount's sides, and he resumed his brisk walk. "It's been a long time since I've been up this way," she mused aloud. "Haven't been near this area of Argonia since I led the charge against those three Amazon villages, way back when."

The slave's eyes widened. "Are we near there?" she asked in a hushed voice. "Shouldn't we stay far away from the Amazons?"

Tara favored her with a cool smile. "I'm not a fool, Epona," she said. "Those villages are more than two days' ride to the east of here, and we're going north. Do you really think I'd ride into the heart of Amazon territory by myself?"

"No, ma'am," the slave said humbly. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

Normally, Tara would probably have said something caustic, but she found herself distracted by the way Epona looked. She'd pulled up the hood of her cloak to shield her face from the sun. Its dark gray brought out the creamy pallor of her skin and the deep green of her eyes. She really is beautiful, the warrior thought suddenly. She really, truly is. Why does it come as such a shock to me every time I notice it? "Whatever," Tara mumbled, looking away. "It's not important." She reached back and dug in one of her saddlebags for a moment. "Here," she said, and tossed a cake of dried figs in Epona's direction. "Munch on that. It'll do you for food until we stop for the night."

The little slave caught the small offering and nibbled on it quietly. The food kept her busy for a few minutes. Tara lost herself in thought – she was plotting out their route in her mind, going over different possible scenarios. She'd already vetoed taking the sea route from Argonia, since she'd wanted to get out of the country as quickly as possible, and they were nearer to Sarmatia than to the ocean. But that didn't mean that they couldn't catch a ship someplace else. Maybe we should go to the port in Romus, she thought. There are lots of ships from there traveling up north, and that would save us having to travel through Gaul…it would save us a lot of traveling through Britannia, too, which is good. The less crazed warmongering tribes we have to slip past, the better. And, of course, it won't take as long. And it'd be harder for Drea to follow us, too.

"Are we going stop to eat during the day once we're in Sarmatia, ma'am?" Epona's innocent green eyes peered up at her. Tara scowled at her, annoyed at having her thought process broken. "I just wondered," the slave murmured. "It would be kind of nice to be able to get down and walk a bit sometimes."

Tara sighed. "Not yet, little mouse," she said quietly. "We're still too close. Another three days or so of hard riding, and then we can start breaking to eat at noon again." She reached over and gave one of the slave's curls a light tug. "Hang in there. It won't be too much longer now."

"It's worse for you." Epona shook her head solemnly. "You haven't slept in three nights."

"Sleep does you no good if you're dead," Tara said grimly. She could feel the exhaustion on the periphery of her awareness, but she resolutely thrust it back. "Someone has to keep watch. And since you don't know which end of a sword to hold, that someone's going to have to be me. That's it."

The smaller girl said nothing for a while. "But you must need rest," she whispered at length. "Doesn't it hurt your fighting if you haven't slept in a long time?"

"Let me worry about that," Tara growled. "I know what I'm doing, believe it or not. I've been saving my own hide since before you were born, you lippy wench. Just keep your mouth shut and do as you're told." Epona lowered her head and fell silent. The warrior scowled out at the unoffending landscape and shut her lips tightly. The worst thing is, the kid's right, she reluctantly admitted to herself. I do need sleep. I'm practically nodding off right now. Tonight I'll probably have to let her stay awake for me for a while, even though it's bloody dangerous. Damn it…I don't like it. "I wish there was a way I didn't have to sleep at all," she muttered out loud, casting the girl a sidelong glance. "I don't like leaving you unprotected."

Epona, who had been biting her lip and staring down at Bram's ears with suspiciously wet eyes, looked up. "But I wouldn't be," she said softly. "You'd still be there. I could wake you if there was any trouble, right?"

Tara sighed. "The problem with that is that some trouble doesn't give you enough time, little mouse." She felt the burn of anger dissipating, and sighed at the look on the little slave's face. "Just don't question my competence anymore, all right? It upsets me. Don't provoke me."

"Okay." Epona bit her lips again. "I…didn't mean to, ma'am. I was just worried about you, that's all."

And that was probably the truth. Tara shifted in her saddle and glowered down at her own hands. The real truth is that she just pointed out a couple of facts that you didn't want to hear, and you bit her head off for it. Way to go, Terror of Gaelis. At this rate, the kid's going to be too petrified to even talk to you. The warrior rubbed her eyes. "Do you remember what I said to you after we left that farm, Epona? About how you shouldn't take everything I say personally, because I've got a temper?" Quiet green eyes met hers as the slave girl nodded. "This is one of those times."

"I'll try not to, then," Epona murmured. "It's sort of hard, though." Tara shot her a keen and questioning look. "Well, because now you're kind of all I've got. If you're mad at me, where else could I go, ma'am?"

That, unfortunately for Epona, was true. Tara thought about the problem for a moment. Then the warrior swallowed her pride and reached over to lightly clasp the slave's slender wrist. "I'm not mad at you. And when I am, I promise not to stay mad." She gave Epona's arm a light squeeze. "Deal?"

Epona searched her face for a moment. Then her lips curved into a timid smile, and she nodded. "Deal."

"Good." Tara hastily released the girl's hand and turned back to the road. "Now, help me keep an eye out," she said gruffly. "Between the two of us, we should be able to keep anyone from getting the drop on us."

"Yes, ma'am." Epona bobbed her curly head and began to scan their surroundings obediently.

Part of what had Tara so on edge, aside from the fact that she was being hunted, was that this time she was simply running. Not retreating until she found a suitable place to stand and fight; not falling back to get reinforcements to meet the threat head-on; she was just plain running away, hoping to shake her pursuer. Tara rested her hand on her sword hilt and frowned, absently brushing the well-worn wood and leather with her fingers. Never in her life had she run away from a fight. She'd lost a few, of course, but never because she'd fled from it. I don't like this, Tara thought darkly. Maybe I should find a spot where I could launch my own ambush, and just take Drea down. She can't take me in a clean fight – it'd be over in minutes. The warrior debated this silently for several minutes before finally shaking her head. No. I can't…well, yes, I could. But I don't want to do it.

Tara's brown eyes flicked over to the slave and considered her for a moment. "Epona, you don't want me to kill Drea. Right?" Surprised, the smaller girl stared at her, and then shook her head. "Well, I won't if I can avoid it. But you need to know that I will if I have to. If she comes at us, I'm going to protect you – and if I have to kill her to do it, I will."

"I understand," Epona said quietly. "But I'd still rather just leave and go traveling."

The warrior couldn't help grinning. "We are traveling, unobservant rodent. Notice the road, the trees, the horses…?"

Epona's black brows came down, and her lower lip thrust outward into a pout that Tara found almost irresistibly charming. "That's not what I meant," the slave said, in a wounded tone. "I mean looking at new things, and meeting different people, and not having to look over our shoulders all the time."

"I know, I know." Tara's teasing mood faded, and she leaned over to give Epona's thigh an affectionate swat. "Soon. In a couple days we'll slow down a bit. You'll see some interesting things in Romus…I should be able to show you a few of the sights before we catch a ship there. And sailing should be pretty safe. Well, from Drea, anyway."

"We're gonna go on a ship?" Epona's eyes widened and began to shine like stars. "Really? I'll get to see the ocean, then!"

"Oh, you'll see it, all right. More of it than you'll want, probably." Tara grinned at her. "And once we land in Britannia, I can show you a few more things. And, of course, in Gaelis, once we're there."

The little slave clapped her hands in delight, forgetting for a moment that they still held Bram's reins. "Oh, this is going to be so exciting!" She wriggled in her saddle. "What's Gaelis like, ma'am? I've heard stories about Romus and ships, but never any about Gaelis, or even Britannia."

Tara scratched her nose thoughtfully. "Britannia's a bit like Romus, since it's one of the colonies now," she said. "There are a lot of roads, mostly for military use. The odd village or two…kind of rustic, I guess. The food's not overly good, but the beer's decent. I only spent a few weeks there before I headed out to Argonia. Haven't seen the place in over fifteen years." She paused. "Gaelis…there's a lot of really high cliffs overlooking the sea. Everything's as green as an emerald in the spring and summer. Lots of folks keep sheep and goats. No cattle, really. Little towns, hot stews, baked potatoes, and good, dark beer. You'll like it."

Epona cocked her head. "You miss it, don't you?"

The warrior gave her a look. "I don't think about it much," she said shortly. "But…maybe I miss it a little, sometimes," she admitted. "I don't miss starving in the streets and shivering in the gutter all day, but it's a beautiful place. Even more beautiful than Argonia, sometimes. Wilder, for sure."

"It would have to be," Epona said gravely, "if you came from there."

Tara dealt the slave another smack on her leg. "Enough with the sweet talk, you silver-tongued rascally rodent," she growled. "You think flattery's going to sway me?"

Green eyes sparkled with mischief and merriment. "Yes, ma'am."

"You little runt." Tara couldn't help grinning. "Just you wait until we stop for the night. I'll show you what I do to cheeky little minxes of adorable slave girls who don't know when to keep their mouths shut!"

"Ooo."