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along your way soon enough. Assuming everything
goes smoothly.”
    Declan nodded to the oxcart, “So what’s this
about?”
    “ Master Kees and Oswold
are confiscating these folk’s wagon and stock for the legion but it
seems they’re rather resistant to let it go.”
    “ Confiscating?”
    “ Aye,” Reeves nodded,
“legion’s growing every day, so we’ve been tasked with collecting
from the locals. Not many too keen on it though.”
    “ The legion is…Novosar?”
Declan fished.
    Reeves laughed, “Hardly, though t’ere are
quite a few of us in the ranks. And more are supposed to be
coming.”
    “ So then…”
    Reeves raised an eyebrow, “Where ‘ave you
been, son? We’re the Silvincian army looking to be sanctioned by
The Cathedral.”
    “ To do what
exactly?”
    “ Well, the line is ta
intervene in Essia to protect the Cassubian and Silvincian
enclaves.”
    “ Intervene? Protect the
enclaves?”
    “ I know, right? Such
rubbish. But the Spires and Cathedral, they like to keep their
hands clean.”
    “ At least on paper.”
Declan sneered.
    “ Right you
are.”
    “ How many of you are
there?”
    “ Oh, I dunno if you need
to be told tha.” Reeves winked.
    Just then, there came a whistle from the
hillside behind them. It was Arcite, the bowman, leading the two
drays while pushing a bound Goshen along. Reeves held up a hand to
Arcite, then turned to Declan with his eyes narrow, “Friend of
yours, then.”
    Declan nodded, “Yeah is.”
    “ Kees is gonna want to
know what you’re about then. No quick send off today,
son.”
    Arcite shoved Goshen to stand next to
Declan, “This one fell off his horse when he saw me.”
    Reeves laughed but Arcite never seemed to
lighten, “He’s hardly a fool. Bounced right up again and into a
hard stance. If I hadn’t a bolt aimed at his head, chances are I’d
have lost mine.”
    “ A proper soldier then,
eh?” Reeves looked hard at Goshen who stared right back with an
obvious contempt.
    “ No,” Goshen said flatly,
“I’m a bit better than common fodder.”
    There was a moment of tension then Reeves
gave a wide, toothy smile, “Certainly showed us dinna ya?” He
turned away to help Arcite tend to the horses.
    “ Don’t press them,” Declan
whispered out the corner of his mouth, “these are Spires’s
men.”
    Goshen turned his head sharply in surprise,
“Why are they here?”
    “ Part of an army making
its way overland to Essia.”
    “ By the Light.” Goshen
mumbled.
    “ Yes, exactly, seems
they’re looking for your Cathedral’s blessing for this
gambit.”
    “ It makes no sense,
though; Cathedral wouldn’t bother to sanction the Spires after all
this time.” Goshen muttered.
    Kees road over and barked at Goshen, “And
who are you?”
    “ A Cathedral
paladin.”
    “ Funny.” Kees rolled his
eyes, and then looked at Declan, “Your friend thinks he’s rather
droll.”
    “ Oh, he certainly is not
that in the least.” Declan shook his head, “But he doesn’t
lie.”
    “ Are you two imbeciles or
simply rogues longing to be hurt?” Kees snapped.
    “ I’d rather think
neither.” Declan shrugged.
    Goshen cut in, “I am Caleb Ambrose of the
Eder Chapel, The Cathedral of Amaranthine Light’s paladin.” He
turned slightly, “I’ve my chapel’s seal brand on my hip, if you
need proof.”
    Kees grimaced flushing with anger, he looked
about to leap down from his horse and check. Goshen never broke his
gaze with Kees.
    His look softened into one of bafflement. “A
paladin?” Kees asked more to himself than to them. “If you were on
your way to join with the legion, then why were you hiding out in
the woods?”
    Before Goshen could reply, Declan broke in,
“We’d already encountered some bandits out in the wild, sire. I was
able to track down two of our horses. Got them back, though
striped.” He nodded towards the drays, “Thought you all might be
them with the rest of our gear.”
    Kees looked skeptical. Goshen didn’t miss