Lynde and Artsanna followed the caravan as it made its journey along the dirt path to Therinsford. While Artsanna's scales were excellent for blending into the snow of wintertime, it was much harder to blend into the fresh grass of spring. Fortunately, they were far enough away that the caravan couldn't spot them easily, though not impossible, especially considering Artsanna's bright red eyes.

Lynde had some trouble breaking in Artsanna's new saddle. While she and Rose had worked hard on it, it had just been made that day, and the leather was still a bit too ridged. It had been found and tanned with magic, which still fascinated Lynde. It fit Artsanna and would continue to do so for another few months.

The saddle almost distracted her from the plan they were using. She didn't approve of putting these traders in danger without their knowledge, using them like bait. At the same time, they needed to catch these bandits before they take another coin—or another life.

She couldn't believe Arlen suggested this. Arlen had reasoned that telling the traders of the danger might make them opposed to traveling through there, even with a Rider nearby. He was being cold again, thinking too much about the long term benefits instead of the danger they would allow these people to be put through. She was shocked that someone who had done so much good for both her and the world would propose anything like this. At the same time, she didn't argue with him after he asked her, "Do you have a better plan?"

So here they were, waiting for the bandits to attack while keeping out of sight. She half wished that they wouldn't show, and these people would go free, but she knew that more people would go through here safely after they took care of them. If only she came up with the plans more, then it wouldn't be like this.

Artsanna—sensing her Rider's thoughts—took this time to speak up. You know, I suggested that we start a forest fire to free you from Dras-Blöthr, but Arlen thought that was too drastic.

Really? Lynde replied.

Yes. And he thought of the plan we used instead of that. Lynde hadn't known that before. While she had assumed Arlen had something to do with planning it—since Artsanna and her father might not have been able to do it alone—she didn't know about this part of the escape plan. She would have to think about this some more later.

Artsanna—who was feeding Lynde information from her eyes and ears, which were far sharper than any Human's—heard something in the bushes near the road. A group of armed men charged out and attacked the caravan. As they engaged the wagons—the head one first, stopping the others—Lynde contacted Rose with her mind.

Rose replied, Wait until Arlen and I get up there. I'm in no mood for a chase today, and that's what we'll have if you don't wait for us.

Lynde was unsure if she should follow that suggestion. They could take a while to catch up, and she didn't want anyone dying in the meantime. She would ask first. How long?

"Now," Rose said behind her. Lynde snapped around to see Arlen and Rose. Her father wasn't with them because he preferred to stay at camp while they did stuff like this. "Is that fast enough for you?"

"Yes," Lynde said dazedly. "You've gotten better with those spells to make Arlen faster."

Rose smiled proudly. Arlen wasn't as enthusiastic. "It made my legs hurt a bit this time."

"Hush up; we have a more important matter," Rose said. "Arlen, after Artsanna breathes fire, you and Lynde charge in. I'll cover you and shoot anyone leaving. Leave at least one alive to interrogate. The rest don't matter."

Everyone acknowledge their orders, though Artsanna was impatient. What do I do after that?

Rose sighed. "You do whatever it is that will distract the bandits the most." After a moment's consideration, she added, "Don't kill any of the traders."

Artsanna cocked her head. I hadn't considered that, but I will follow your request.

"Good, now let's attack."

Artsanna gave a shrieking roar and breathed fire straight into the air. If the roar didn't get their attention, the fire did. Many of them took the opportunity to run, but were cut down by Rose's arrows. When Arlen charged towards them, Lynde dismounted Artsanna and followed him.

She drew her sword from the sheath they'd made for her. Since the sword was so heavy, it wasn't held at her waist, but at her side with a complicated sword belt that went around her shoulders and torso. Sword now in hand—or hands—she charged the bandits.

Lynde swung her blade at a bandit with an axe. He was obviously brave or foolish enough to stay after they had shown up, but that didn't say anything for his skill with that weapon. He dodged the sword and struck back with his axe. The axe was stopped by her wards, and she took the opportunity to attack again.

As her heavy sword struck his torso, it met with some resistance. Underneath his clothes was a brigandine, which broke upon her striking it, but did stop her blade from cutting him. Of course, the impact was enough to send him writhing.

Lynde turned around to see another bandit running at her with a spear. She parried the spear, grabbed it easily out of the man's relaxed—due to surprise—grip, and bashed him over the head with it. She had learned a lot from Rose and Arlen over the months they'd been traveling, and she was glad to put it to good use.

Suddenly, a man screamed a battle cry behind her. She turned to see the man with the axe from earlier charge her. She thought he was down, but apparently not. She spoke a spell to kill him, but the spell didn't seem to work. She was so confused by how the spell didn't work that she didn't realize that he was about to take her head off.

She tried getting out of the way, but she tripped on a rock and fell over. When she fell on the hard ground it hurt pretty bad. She would have some bruises after this, no doubt. All the same, it saved her neck for the moment.

As the man was about to bring his axe down on her, she stabbed her sword at him, piercing his brigandine and making him go limp. As he crumbled to the ground, she was shocked at what she had done. She'd taken a life again.

She froze. Time slowed down for her, and she took in what exactly what she had done. Another life gone. This man had been young once, with a future full of hope, no doubt. It wasn't his fault he'd become a criminal, an outlaw. While to some it may have been different from when she caused the deaths of the Elven guards of Dras-Blöthr, it felt the same. Her horror and grief consumed her.

Suddenly, everything started to go faster around her. Arlen fought off several bandits at once with unrivaled skill. Artsanna tore through bandits—literally. And Rose fired an arrow right between the eyes of a bandit who was about to attack Lynde. She was jolted from her daze, and stood up.

The battle was drawing to a close as the bandits disappeared into the surrounding forest. The traders were helping their wounded and mourning their dead. Arlen was talking to one of them as she realized she recognized these traders.

These were traders who frequented Cathalorn and the north quite often. One of the families in the caravan was good friends with Arlen's family, and she'd heard rumors of there being some sort of marriage between a couple of their members. She didn't remember which two were getting married, but she was almost certain it wasn't Arlen, unless… She decided to go over to Arlen to see who he was talking to.

The man looked a very different than most men she'd seen. He had slightly darker skin, which didn't seem to be the result of sun or anything. He wore far more colorful clothes than most, except for traders, looking almost like a performer. He had black hair that was neatly combed and sideburns substantially less neat. He was strange, but not the strangest she'd seen.

Arlen noticed Lynde's approach, and turned to her. He was smiling for some reason. "Lynde, meet Jerrell, a man of great negotiation skill," Arlen said.

"Yes," Jerrell said with a strange accent. "Good enough to get Embry."

Lynde furrowed her brow in confusion. "What?"

Arlen sighed. "He's my sister's betrothed," he stated. "Are you…?" He seemed angry, but calmed himself down. "I'm sorry; I overacted."

Jerrell glanced behind Lynde for a moment. "Are you the Rider, Lynde?"

She nodded. "Yes, and please don't report us to the Order."

"Don't worry. I was actually hoping to run into you so I could help a little."

He took a piece of paper out of his jacket and showed it to Lynde. She didn't understand it in the slightest. She did see a symbol at the bottom that seemed like the royal seal that were on High Queen Nasuada's proclamations, but had a distinctly different symbol. "What does it say?" she asked.

Jerrell kept his cool and said, "This is a proclamation by King Orrin of Surda. He tried to post it everywhere he could, but the Empire's fighting it. I was lucky to get this past the border."

"Go on," Arlen said. "What does it say?"

Jerrell then read it in a voice that was similar to Arne's—the representative of the Empire in Cathalorn—as if mocking him. "As King of Surda, I, King Orrin, had no idea of the atrocity being committed jointly by High Queen Nasuada and Elf Queen Arya. This atrocity was a prison in the Elven lands that held citizens of the Surda, Teirm, and the Empire for the unintentional crime of being a magician.

"I've skipped some," Jerrell noted, "because this fellow's a real windbag, but the rest goes: 'I will no longer tolerate this. Magicians found in my lands will not be captured for the Empire.' And of course, 'All prisoners who escaped from their prison in the north shall find safe refuge in Surdan land, as will their loved ones.' This is too obvious."

Lynde smiled. "Well that's good for them."

Jerrell wagged a finger. "That's not all. While one may think that magicians are the only ones to benefit from the deal, think again. It says that all the former prisoners are welcome, as well as loved ones. This would include you, your friend with the bow, and the Dragon."

Lynde was impressed. She didn't realize that, but it did include all of them. She would talk about this with Rose. "Thank you for telling us, Jerrell, and I hope you find good deals."

"Woah, don't bless me," Jerrell said. "I know about the last time a Rider gave one of those."

Lynde laughed. Arlen shook his head. "It wasn't that funny."

Rose came up to them. "Stop socializing. I got the location of their camp from one I shot in the leg. We need to get there before they move."

Lynde nodded. "Right, let's go."

Just as she was heading for Artsanna, she heard Arlen say something unexpected. "Wait a second. I have a message I want to give to Jerrell first." Lynde looked back. He was serious.

Rose crossed her arms. "Do it quickly. We can't storm a den of bandits when we're short a man."

Arlen nodded and gave Jerrell a folded piece of paper. Lynde couldn't quite hear what Arlen said to Jerrell, but Artsanna faintly heard, "Give this to Ehren and Embry. They've suffered enough."

As Arlen and Jerrell ended their exchanged, Rose said, "Alright, now we go."