George sighed as he looked at the map in his hands. "Nobles and their dramatics."
"We don't know that it was made by a noble," Alanna replied.
"Yes, we do. A commoner woulda just written 'the Dominion Jewel is in the Chitral Pass guarded by a time monster' and called it a day. The whole fancy map is useless, save for the mark over the Pass. It's not even good for navigation."
Alanna looked down at the paper with the translation that Nahom Jendrai of Berat had given her.
In Chitral's hidden chamber, guarded by the being whose essence is Time, the Dominion Jewel is kept for those with the will to strive. Take it at your risk, for the saving of a troubled land.
"It's not even a riddle or anything," George continued. "Just needed a quick bit of translating."
"Would you have preferred that our task be more difficult?" Alanna asked.
"No," George said.
"Well, then stop ruining my sense of grand adventure. A slip of paper with one bare sentence would be much less exciting," Alanna said.
"Fine, fine," George said with a chuckle. "Like I said, you nobles and your dramatics."
Liam was more than happy to spar with them when Alanna asked. He claimed he was always looking for opponents who would bring a fresh challenge.
He was everything Alanna had hoped for and more. He was lightning fast and seemed just as comfortable with a weapon as without. Alanna was quickly and openly in awe. George tried to be less transparent, but even he couldn't keep the deep respect from his eyes when Liam bested him.
After sparring, they shared breakfast just as they had done the morning before.
"So, were you able to find the facts you sought yesterday?" Liam asked.
"We were," George responded. "It was almost too easy, in fact."
Alanna rolled her eyes at that.
"Back to Tortall, then?" Liam inquired.
"No, quite the opposite. We're headed to the Roof of the World. We would be grateful for any travel guidance you could give if you know anything of that region?"
"I believe I can be of some help, but why the Roof?"
Alanna and George exchanged a look. "Something that we believe would be of great value to our prince," Alanna said quietly. "I'd rather not say more here."
"When do you mean to leave?"
"Tomorrow."
Liam chewed thoughtfully on a piece of bacon. "Going through Sarain would be most direct, but the situation there has been devolving quickly over the last two years. I would avoid it if I were you. Instead, you could head for the coast and get passage on a ship-"
"No boats," Alanna said firmly.
"I get seasick," she finally admitted after enduring Liam's curious stare.
"Then your only option is Sarain."
"I think that would be alright," George said. "We can avoid drawing too much attention with just the two of us."
"Three can pass quietly just as easily, I'd wager," Liam said. "Mind if I join you?"
"You have business at the Roof of the World?" George asked.
"No, but I have nowhere else to be at the moment, and you two are far too interesting for it to be a boring trip."
Alanna and George exchanged another look. "We'd be happy to have you join us," Alanna said. "On the condition that you show me that trick you used to flip George this morning. That was incredible!"
Liam grinned broadly and offered her his hand to shake. "It's a deal."
Their new quest felt exciting and glorious to Alanna for about the first day and a half. Then they started encountering the Saran refugees. Men, women, and children passed by them on the road more and more frequently as they approached the war-torn country.
Alanna's heart ached as she saw the progression of the refugees' emotions in reverse. The first ones she saw looked lost and tired as they studied the road ahead with uncertainty.
As they approached the border, the people passing the other way looked excited and hopeful, seeing the border as a sort of finish line from the danger and drudgery they were escaping.
As they finally entered Sarain, every face was marked by fear. Even if the three travelers hadn't been familiar with Sarain's woes, the fear would have made sense.
Alanna found herself wishing for the discomfort of a boat as she passed her third pile of bodies. The corpses appeared to have been burned and abandoned in haste, likely after a messy skirmish. Her shock and revulsion were enough to make her swallow her pride and seek out George's comforting touch for long after the bodies were no longer in view.
Alanna was immensely grateful to have both George and Liam with her as their quest wore on. Occasionally, a group of people they passed would give them - and their horses and goods - appraising looks that made Alanna wary. On such occasions, she would turn around to find George casually spinning a knife skillfully between his finger and Liam stretching in such a way that his massive muscles were on full display. In all but one case, that was enough to dispel any foolish ideas from would-be thieves.
The one who was foolish enough to proceed tried to turn his covetous look into a friendly one.
"My fellow travelers, you are going the wrong way!" he said in a heavy Saran accent as he approached them on foot. "There is nothing good in that direction."
"Mayhap, you're right," George said. "Nevertheless, that is our path."
"Then you'll need to do something about this poor beast," the man said, approaching George's horse, which was currently in the rear of their small group. "Let me take a look at that foot he's favoring."
Alanna turned in concern. Her training at the palace had heavily emphasized proper care for horses, and she had checked all of their mounts only that morning.
Before she had time to blink, George had the man's wrist twisted painfully above his head. At the same time, Liam was off of his horse and pulling a man from the bushes. The man cried out as Liam threw him to the ground. Another cry joined the first as Liam pulled a second man from the bushes and gave him the same treatment.
"You picked the wrong targets to rob," George said in a tone that made Alanna shiver. "Now, how should I go about makin' sure you don't go trying to pull the same trick on the next folk you meet?"
Alanna saw George's knife moving lazily towards the man's ear.
"They're refugees, George," Alanna said quickly. "Don't damn them for acting in desperation."
George lowered the knife. "Lucky for you, my lass is merciful. We'll have to settle for this then."
George landed a punch directly over the man's eye. Before he could recover, George delivered a blow to the other eye as well.
"Seems fair to me," Liam said. A minute later, the men from the bushes were on their feet and sporting two black eyes each.
Liam mounted his horse, and they continued forward.
"What- what just happened?" Alanna asked when they were a little way down the road.
"Oldest con in the book," George said. "He was trying to go for my saddlebags. He would have thrown them to 'is friends, and they all woulda taken off in different directions."
"How did you know where the other two men would be?" Alanna asked Liam.
"I looked," he said simply. "The black eyes were an elegant touch though, George. Hard to run a good con when you look like a brawler."
They spotted a group of women and children clustered together by the side of the road not long after, and Alanna couldn't help but wonder if the men had been more driven by greed or desperation.
Such musings, paired with her own sense of inadequacy, kept her quiet and introspective as they continued along. She had believed the man wanted to help. After her time spent among George's people, was she still that gullible?
"I'm glad you still trust people, Lass," George said softly when they were alone in their tent later that night, correctly guessing her thoughts.
"I'm not!" She replied in frustration. "If you and Liam hadn't been there, his plan would have worked, and I likely would have had to choose between losing my saddlebags or killing a refugee."
"But I am here, and I truly love that you can still trust after all you've been through."
George wrapped his arms around her, and she snuggled into him.
"I think you love me better than I deserve," she said softly.
"Nonsense," George replied. "You're the deadly healer with a good heart who's about to bring the gods' own Dominion Jewel home to her prince. You're the most incredible woman in the world, and I love you accordingly."
Liam shook his head from the log he had found to serve as a seat as he kept watch. He liked his new friends, but like so many others, they couldn't seem to remember that tent flaps were not the same as walls and did little to dampen sound.
Liam could do without the sweet nothings, but the Dominion Jewel, now that was worth overhearing.
