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interment?”
                  Tiadaria sighed again. The most painful moment of her life had turned out to be a boon on more than one occasion. It seemed that people all throughout the Imperium had heard the story. In many cases, they told it as they themselves had been there. An interesting feat for so many people when it had been such a small group that was gathered around his tomb that day. Still, if it made them feel a part of it in the retelling, who did it really hurt?
                  “Yes, that Tiadaria.”
                  The hooded man sniffed. “Never figured the Captain to put a girl on the battlefield.” He stabbed a thick finger at her. “I think you got damn lucky. Luck is no substitute for experience and planning, girl, remember that.”
                  Without another word, he turned on his heel and stalked back to the wagon, climbing into the driver’s position. Following his lead, the other men holstered their weapons. Tiadaria gaped at them. The tale of their heroic battle against the Xarundi usually got her at least the offer of a drink and sometimes an invitation to a meal. The condition of the road wasn’t the only difference out here.
                  With a snap of the reigns, the wagon started forward. As it passed, the stranger tossed her belt knife into the mud at her feet. She knelt to retrieve the Captain’s blade, shaking the worst of the mud from the blade.
                  “Wait!” Tiadaria called. “Can you at least tell me how to get to Ethergate?”
                  “Follow the road, girl.” The man called, without turning around. “Another half a day will get you there. Sooner if you find your horse.”
                  It may have just been the rain, but Tiadaria was almost certain she heard a rough laugh as the cart moved onward. Tia stood in the middle of the muddy road, watching the wagon until it had disappeared from view. She wasn’t sure how much worse this day could get. She wanted to sit down and cry. Instead, she put one foot in front of the other, following the deep ruts made by the wagon.
                  Minutes blended into hours as she trudged through the mud. At some point, she had lost the feeling in her toes. If her boots weren’t ruined, she would be absolutely amazed. Night was coming on quickly. She would have to find somewhere to while away the hours until dawn. It would be a miserable evening without her tinderbox.
                  A flash of lighting lit the sky and Tia saw the shadow of a curtain wall against the fading sky. That had to be Ethergate, she thought. Even if it wasn’t, it was likely somewhere she could get a room for the night. At this point, she’d even take a stable stall if it meant getting out of the rain. She thanked every minor deity she knew that her purse was still safely tucked into her belt. A sudden apprehension flashed through her and she dropped her hand to her belt, searching frantically for the drawstring pouch until she found it, its narrow neck wrapped around and knotted. She sighed in relief and set off toward the city with a lighter heart.
                  Night had fallen by the time she reached Ethergate. Large braziers on the top of the wall burned with purple flames. Tia didn’t care what color the flames were as long as she could get near enough to them to get warm and possibly dry some of the wrinkles from her fingertips.
                  She reached the portcullis and was relieved to find it open still. She stepped into the passage, relishing in the fact that for the first time in nearly a full day, she wasn’t being rained on. She leaned against the wall. Her feet ached so badly and she still had to find somewhere to sleep for the night.
                  “You look like you’ve seen better days,” a voice came from ahead. A lantern flared in the dark and an