"Nakora, are you done with your troops yet?"

She turned before answering. "Almost done. Wait for me at the gates."

Harbend did so. He looked her over again as she swaggered away in the direction of one of her officers, hips moving alluringly with each step. She really was a fine looking woman, even when covered in fur hiding most of her features.

Harbend looked forward to getting indoors, as Arthur surely must have done by now. Gods! Sometimes it would be good to share the responsibility, but then Harbend's future depended on his being able to see the caravan becoming prosperous. The shocking numbers of wagons coming from Ri Khi told him more than his personal future depended on the success of the caravan. The diminishing trade with Keen must have struck harder than he'd realized. It was bad enough for Erkateren, but Keen was to a larger extent a pass through market for wares produced in Ri Khi as well as goods imported, and so the blockade hurt them twice as hard.

They would succeed. They had to. No matter the cost.

Somewhere deep inside him Harbend accepted he was trying to avoid the memory of the executions he'd allowed himself to order. The years in Keen must have made him soft. That thought brought a picture of Arthur to his mind. In ways he was weak, maybe even weaker than those in Keen. But weakness was not the right word. Arthur could be harsh when he needed to, and only an idiot would call Keen weak. They just handled things differently there.

Nakora returned and with her presence Harbend's gloomy thoughts gave way.

"I have ordered them to set camp outside the gates and leave a wide path free," she said with a toothy smile unexpectedly making Harbend's stomach jolt.

"You do know we shall be staying here for some days?" he asked.

"Yes. The town is large enough for some of us to trade here. A market?"

Harbend agreed. A market would be good for their reputation.

"Some of us will return," Nakora continued.

Harbend halted, turning towards her as he broke stride. "I know, and I believe it is good. People back home need to know they can trade over the mountains, and we shall fail to be back until summer. I hope smaller caravans will be on their way by then." She wasn't only very pleasant to watch, but there was a perceptive mind there as well.

"Gods! If he could have waited two more days!" Nakora grimaced as they passed through the gates.

Harbend didn't need an explanation. Two more days and three traders would still be alive. If the troublemakers had just waited two more days he wouldn't have been forced to order the grizzly executions. They could have turned back with the traders who would return home. He swore silently and his black thoughts slowly returned.

They walked in silence until they reached a building with several saddled horses tethered close by. Grooms were stabling them one by one.

"Ours?" Harbend asked.

"Ours," Nakora confirmed. "From Erkateren," she added. "This place should be as good as any other. Hungry?"

Harbend smiled. "Yes, very."

They entered.

#

Just as Nakora had guessed the camp quickly became a market. Harbend was strolling around, listening to traders and townspeople haggling, buying and selling. He walked around a wagon and nodded to a pair of traders from Ri Khi.

"... see the pelts? The size of those scales?"

"Cannot dye them, but the Khraga in Ri Kordari will pay a fortune anyway."

"They should. Not like the lizards are commonplace in our woods."

Harbend smiled and continued. Affairs were good with all parties firmly believing they received a bargain. He stopped just within earshot of a married couple from the town and slowly followed them when they left a carpenter.

"I don't care. That good for nothing sister of yours can stay in her tent. I want a civilized home."

"Silent, dear. You embarrass us."

"I'll talk as loudly as I want. Buy another pair of chairs! That should pay for bows as well as pelts. Maliander bought a cupboard and a bed, and they're our neighbors! I won't have it!"

The man sighed, but Harbend could see that he was defeated. Grinning widely Harbend made his way to another part of the market. Yes, affairs were progressing well.

#

Harbend managed to organize a meeting with the self-styled king who in reality handled the duties of a mayor. With a multitude of luxuries entering the town in exchange for hides, furs, heavy winter's clothes and a large amount of bows and arrows it was a very satisfied king he met, and they broke the meeting with mutual promises of friendship and future trade.

An eightday passed before it was time to resume their journey. It took a full day to break camp, and when the caravan finally headed east thirty wagons took the trail back again escorted by a small group of Nakora's soldiers.

Two days later Harbend found time and resolve to talk with Arthur about the executions. It was clear he'd avoided the subject, and Harbend wasn't happy about them growing apart because of something that had to be done.

Early in the morning he saddled a horse and rode in search of his friend. The cold had changed and become drier and the perpetual winds were not as harsh as earlier. It was almost pleasant to ride as long as he didn't bring his horse to a gallop. He continued, always keeping the wagons to his right until he finally found Arthur.

"I think we need to talk," Harbend said after they had exchanged greetings.

Arthur looked back. "About what?"

"I need to know if you understand what happened that night before we came to the town."

"I know. Captain Laiden told me, or rather explained it to me. I heard perfectly well for myself what was happening, and the remains told me what I hadn't guessed already."

"It had to be done, you know."

Arthur didn't answer, and the steaming clouds of breath between them soon became a barrier that had to be torn down.

"I did not like it, but it was necessary," Harbend tried again.

"I don't care if it was necessary. It was inhuman and barbaric. Nothing you say can make me accept it. Understand, yes, accept, never."

"But you do understand?"

"Yes, and that shames me. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to find a place where I can think this over in private. I'm not angry with you. Ah, no. That's a lie. I am, but I understand that this is what you are, or rather what this world is, and I need some time."

With those words Arthur rode ahead along the column. Harbend watched him join a patrol heading for the vanguard. Gring ran with them.

Harbend saw the need to leave Arthur with his thoughts. Maybe it was better this way. Arthur had always come around in the end. Harbend rode back. He wanted something to drink. Cider perhaps. Well, that meant paying Lianin a visit, and there was worse company to have.

Getting there didn't take much time, and he could see her wagon from a distance. It had become a tavern on wheels of sorts, and there was always a small group of customers trailing alongside.

The company did indeed turn out well enough and Harbend was still leading his horse along her wagon half a day later when she sought his attention.

"Look, riders!" she called and pointed.

Harbend followed Lianin's fingers with his eyes. There were several riders out there. Men or women, he didn't know, but he assumed they were men.

"They are coming here. I wonder what they want," he asked, more to himself than to Lianin in her wagon.

"I don't know. Maybe they're just curious."

"Wait here! I shall ride ahead and ask Nakora. She should be making her men ready to relieve the vanguard by now." He didn't wait for Lianin's answer but mounted instead. He forced the horse into a slow gallop, passing by the wagon train to his right.

Hopefully the riders, still approaching, were just curious, but Harbend wanted to be certain. He had almost caught up with Nakora when he saw Trindai coming back with his men. Nakora rode to meet him, and whatever decision they made they did so without earshot of Harbend.

The way Nakora raced back along the column with her men startled Harbend. They passed him without so much as a greeting, and shortly ahead of him he could see Trindai deploy his own troops. Harbend's feelings sunk.

"Lord Garak, You should take cover." Captain Laiden's voice.

"Why? What if they just want to talk?"

"No talking, M'lord. Look!"

There were hundreds of them, and even to Harbend it was clear they were charging. How could they have come so close so fast? Human predators, dangerous in ways dragonlings this side of Keen's coast would never be.

"Stay behind your wagons! Regroup on my order!"

Harbend saw Trindai concentrating on measuring the distance to the charging riders.

"Ready! Aim! Loose!"

A small swarm of quarrels met arrows speeding in the other direction. Most of the arrows stuck harmlessly in the wagons but as far as Harbend could see almost all quarrels felled a horseman. Then the riders were through the line of wagons.

"Regroup!" The soldiers rolled under the wagons and came up on the other side. "Reload! Aim! Loose!"

Another swarm of quarrels met the riders as they were charging back. Then the endless snow was suddenly replaced by a roaring wall of flame and only burning remains of horses and men emerged through it.

That must be Trai's work.

Muted screams echoed from further back along the caravan. Not all of them had been as lucky.

He rose from his cover between the wheels and followed the trail of wagons with his eyes. Sharp lances of fire and lightning in the distance told him where the battle mages had taken a stand and long before he'd made his mind up on how they could survive the onslaught most of the escort where already on their horses racing in support of the beleaguered wagons. Hopefully they'd get there in time to make a difference.

Still watching the riders he heard someone moaning close to him. A woman. Not all of the arrows had missed their targets. She held her hands to her throat clutching a long arrow. He doubted if she'd live, but decency if nothing else forced him to try comforting her. He sat with her head in his lap, giving her empty lies of hope until she died. Afterwards he rose, weary beyond reason.

In the distance he saw Trindai riding towards him. The captain was flanked by soldiers, some of them obviously wounded. Harbend stood beside the wagon where he was easier seen and waved to the riders. He remained standing there until they were within speaking distance never even bothering to cover himself against the biting cold.

"Captain, what news?" he called.

"M'lord! Those who didn't flee are dead or dying. We lost a few as well, but it could've been worse."

"How many?" Harbend demanded.

"Five dead and ten wounded, M'lord, two of whom we don't know if they can be helped by our magehealers."

Harbend swore and pointed behind him. "Make that six dead."

Trindai bowed his head in respect. "Still, could've been worse," he said silently.

"You are right, I guess," Harbend said tiredly. "Where is Arthur? I thought he was riding with you in the vanguard."

"He was, M'lord, but chose to stay behind when we rode back to change."

Harbend made a mental calculation. That must have been well before the attack. Arthur was alone somewhere ahead of them waiting for Nakora's troops.

As if reading his thoughts Trindai spoke again. "The Khraga's with him, M'lord, and the girl, Chaijrild."

Of course, Gring would accompany Arthur, but the girl. That was unwise. "Chaijrild?"

"Yes, we met her on our way back here."

The little idiot! Riding away alone like that. Gods! Some people just never learned.

"Captain, send out a patrol to tell Arthur what has happened." Harbend looked away. "No, bring them back instead. They are safer here."

"Yes, M'lord. Will do."