Where the horse are housed and the wagons are kept.

Sileas arrived as the stable hands and squires were preparing wagons for the trip to the village to salvage supplies and two that were heading for Portside to shop. It took a few moments, but she managed to talk one of the squires into letting her have one of the wagons. While they loaded crates and trunks for her to pack things in, Sileas found Lightning and tended to his wounds. She caressed him as she spoke lovingly to him. "Once I return with the items from the manor and hopefully the answers we need to stop the mermen and find Uncle Nelek, you and I will set out somewhere. I don't know where yet but we're not wanted here. You are the only one I can trust any longer."

"That village- it's them dirty blokes's territory now." Questa scowled at Sileas from the doorway. "There's more than enough of them ter hold it, right, they took evryfink they wanted, evryfink that could be useful. I fink they only let us cop that cut up girl and the big guard's wife because they wanted us ter have them- if they were dead or missin' we'd just go on or bury them, but since they're alive we got ter be takin' care of them."

Questa absently marked the doorpost with her shiv. "Have yer forgotten wot it were like wen gangs fought for space? They'd cripple a couple from the uvver gang but let them live because it would make the bloomin' uvver gang weaker because they 'ad ter be tendin' ter ffeir wounded wen they'd be stronger if they just 'ad less blokes needin' tendin', even if they were dead and 'ad less blokes in the gang."

While Sileas had been adopted by Shawn and Brighid and growing up learning in a school, Questa had been on the streets of Portside. Street learning was a lot tougher and her high marks were scars.

"If there's anyfink useful left in Buckley Village they won't want yer ter have it, and they won't let yer take it. But they might decide they want yer- I don't 'ave ter tell yer wot they would want ter do ter yer." Questa said darkly.

"I'm only concerned with the manor and that's on the outskirts, not in the village proper. I know it's dangerous, I won't ask you to go along. There's nothing in the manor that would be of value to them. It's mostly books and talismans. I doubt there's any gemstones or even silver or gold. To them, it would be junk." Sileas wasn't at all certain how she knew anything about the contents of the manor. But it was calling her. As strongly as her mother had the night before. "The knights will be looking for any other supplies."

She sighed. "And no, I haven't forgotten how other gangs acted. Nor do I have any doubt what those men would want if I encounter them. But people her think I'm reckless, I may as well be reckless for a cause."

"How do yer know they 'aven't already been ter the manor- maybe even squattin' there, isit? The big guard and 'is wife and kids all lived in a cottage on the outskirts too- and that were where they 'it 'ardest! Blimey!" Questa pointed out.

"I can't explain it, I just...I have to ...this might be the only chance to find Uncle Nelek. Mazi isn't going to talk, and we both know it. Something is pulling me to the manor, that's all I can say. Wulfsen's men aren't going to know what to look for. Ideally I want to bring everything back for safe keeping. But the things to use against the mermen...we specifically need those. And the book dealing with the spells and talismans to use."

"How do yer know it's not one of them dirty blokes usin' a talisman in the manor ter call yer ter ffem?" Questa asked.

"Because none of them would know how to use a talisman to save their lives. And I believe they are boxes that are protected against the wrong people obtaining them."

Questa was less than convinced. "Why weren't yer called ter the manor wile we were in the chuffin' village, then, mate? We were just there, it's dangerous ter keep gahn back and forff, init? There's them dirty blokes and them merblokes wantin' ter carry girls off."

"I was drawn to it then but Mama forbid me to go there. I think she feared me seeing where her first husband and their son was murdered. But a family lived there for a while a few years ago so it must have been cleaned up. This is the last time I'm going to the village, I promise." A promise that would be easy for her to keep since she intended to leave after finding what she needed to find.

"It could be the last time yer go there because yer get yorself grabbed by them dirty blokes and get killed because yer don't want that 'appenin' again." Questa said hotly. "And yer know it's that dangerous. Are yer just bein' stewpid because Yehudit's muvver yelled at yer?"

"It has nothing to do with Yehudit's mother. It has to do with finding Uncle Nelek and ending the mermen. It has to do with knowing we'll need spells and magic to put a stop to magical beings. I don't care what Yehudit's mother thinks. No one else is going to know what to look for."

"Oh yeah, right, yer decidin' ter go ter the manor right after she forbids yer from bein' 'round millstone is just a coincidence." Questa was dripping with sarcasm. "The big guard's ole lady 'oo lived there could not possibly know wot ter 'ave a look for, right, or any one else 'oo visited the bloomin' place."

"Mama's in no condition to travel there. Look as I told you, you don't have to go along. I thought you might want to just for the adventure, but you can stay here." Sileas glared at Questa. "Now who's soft?"

Sileas climbed up on the wagon. "And aside from that family, I don't think Mama has allowed anyone else to go inside the manor. She only let them because he claimed to know her late husband. Or was kin, I can't remember now." She was done with arguing with everyone. "See you in a few hours." Sileas took up the reins and started the horses.

Questa cursed as she climbed into the moving wagon. "I'm not soft, I'm just not stewpid enough ter ffink gahn someplace dangerous where there probably ain't anyfink worff riskin' me life over is a good idea."

"And I am certain there is something worth going for. I can see the item we need crystal clear in my mind. I can see the title of the book we need. I know we could do this quickly but I also feel like there's something there that I need to find just for me and I don't think magical items should be left unattended where just anyone can find them. So I need to pack them up to bring here for safe keeping."

"If they're so dangerous 'ow can grabbin' them be safekeepin'?" Questa asked, still not convinced. She was thinking they were going to go get killed down there.

"Keeping them out of the wrong hands, of course. We don't want some psychotic or evil person grabbing them and accidentally making use of them. Or some evil magic wielder."

"Yer just said them dirty blokes couldn't make them talismans work for them if their lives depended on it." Questa said.

"I said they wouldn't know what they had or what to do with them and that the boxes may be warded so they can't get in. But accidents can happen. They could throw a box on the floor and break it, pick up the talisman and set it off."

Thanks to his bad leg which was bothering him even more since being buried under half of the barracks, Shawn reached the stables just in time to see Sileas halfway to the gate in one of the wagons. He cursed loudly.

"Them dirty blokes probably 'ave already done just that. We are gonna get magicked ter deaff." Questa heard someone curse and turned around. "Oi! It's that big guard. I fink 'e wants ter put the mockers on yer."

"He can't catch us. He thinks I don't know about his leg being bad. I can tell it's hurting him." Sileas hated herself for leaving him standing there, but Questa was right about one thing. He intended to stop her and she wasn't have any of it.

"Wot, right, yer're runnin' oray from the chuffin' lad yer've been gahn on and on about bein' yor favver?" Questa shook her head. "Righto."

"I'm not running from him. I'm not letting him stop me from doing something that I need to do," Sileas said as they drove through the gate. "It's not like I'm not returning in a few hours."

"Yer 'ope we will be hammer and tack in a couple 'ours. We could wind up captured or dead." Questa still did not feel right about this trip. She had seen what those dirty blokes did to people and got an idea of how many there were, they were outnumbered. It was suicide.

"I told you you don't have to come along," Sileas pointed out. "Look, truthfully I would rather have had Papa or Wulfsen come along, but Papa's in no condition and I have no idea where Wulfsen is. If I stay to hunt for him, Papa will catch up and forbid me to go."

"Wulfsen is walkin' funny, like 'is bits are up in 'is ribs. He wouldn't be any 'elp any roads." Questa wished Max and Ben were still around, or even Larrigan. But those raiders killed Larrigan. "We're gonna die 'orribly there, right, yer know."

"We aren't!" Sileas stated emphatically. "We are strong and we know how to fight. We are armed."

"We know 'ow ter fight- but 'ave yer forgotten 'ow ter avoid fights yer can't win, then, eh? Them dirty lads 'ave us outnumbered and they're all strong an armed too. Then there's them weird mermen, right, we might not even make it ter the chuffin' village."

"The mermen are one reason I should go alone. They're no threat to me. They want women and girls who can give them children. One of those rare times that I find myself grateful for being barren." Sileas sighed. "If there were any other way to defeat them and find Uncle Nelek, don't you think I would look for it?"

"Do yer fink they even know yor barren, Sileas? And wot about me- I'm not barren... I'm bloody well gonna wind up wiv a belly full of fish." Questa flushed angrily.

"They know, I told them." She pulled the horses to a stop. "For the last time, you don't have to go along. Go ahead and get off. Go back to the keep."

Four of the knights rode up. "Halt. No women are allowed to go to the village and the men need all the wagons. Dismount at once."

"Why would they believe yer?" Questa asked, then sighed with relief when the knights rode up.

"All I can tell you is the one that grabbed me declared me useless." She glanced at the knights. "I will only be a few hours. I need to get some very specific things from Lowell Manor."

"There's more than one of them. Anuvver might want ter try yer first." Questa scowled at the knights. "Let us go, we want ter find us dooms outside of the keep."

"I am not going," Sileas said stubbornly. "I need those things to try to find Uncle Nelek." Her eyes flashed with anger.

"Get down Miss, or we'll have to arrest you for theft and take you to the dungeon," the head knight stated.

"Yer've gotten right soft, yer can't even nick wivout getting caught anymore." Questa said sadly.

"I didn't nick it," Sileas seethed. "The squire gave me permission and even loaded the trunks on the wagon."

"Which he shouldn't have done. All wagons are needed to salvaging or going to Portside to procure supplies. Down. Now."

"They're not gonna let us leave wiv this wagon, it's too big ter sneak out under yor shirt." Questa pointed out.

"I can run them over with the horses and the wagons. They won't be surviving that," Sileas stated.

Questa didn't buy it. "Yor gonna murder them?" She snorted.

"Why doesn't anyone understand why this is important?" Sileas uttered, fighting the urge to wail with frustration. "I need the things from the manor. I must have them."

Xavier wandered up after having secured Mazi in the depths of the dungeon with several guards on him. He glanced at the knights and the girls in the wagon. "Think you're going somewhere do you?"

"It's probably important... Just yor gahn about it all wrong and are gonna get yorself and me done dirty and probably killed this way." Questa said.

"I keep telling you not to come along." Sileas with exasperation. "I need the things out of the manor. The books and all of the objects...boxes, talismans and the like," she said to Xavier. There must be something in Kegan's magical items that can help us defeat the mermen and find Uncle Nelek. But these knights refuse to allow me to leave. They're about to arrest me for stealing the cart  even though the squire gave me permission."

Xavier rubbed his temple. Wulfsen was going to have his hands full with this one. "That is because with the mermen on the loose along with the bandits, Wulfsen and I have told the men to not allow any of the women to leave. And despite your expertise with fighting and weapons, you are both women. If you like, I will take some men to the manor, we will pack up everything that is there and bring it here to you. Will that suffice?"

"I'm bloody well not gonna let yer get yorself killed alone, even if yor bein' right stewpid." Questa said. She hoped Sileas would let Xavier and his knights risk their own necks.

"Every single thing? Handled very carefully? And you'll bring it directly to me?" Sileas replied. Truthfully, she longed to see the inside of the manor but that was a rather shallow reason to trek into possible danger.

"I vow this to you, my lady," Xavier said with a bow. "Besides, Wulfsen would have my head if I let you venture out and something happened," he added with a grin. "Go on back to the keep and I will find you upon my return."

"Them mermen won't be tryin' ter make babies wiv these knights." Questa told Sileas.

"All right, but remember I will be watching for you. Every little crumb from the manor had better be in the trunks and crates," Sileas said as she climbed down out of the wagon.

Questa jumped down from the wagon, beaming with relief.

"I even promise to send someone to find you while I wait here and guard the wagon until you can supervise the offloading."

Questa was fine with that, but she waited to make sure Sileas wasn't going to do something daft, like try to run over knights in the wagon.

Her feet on the ground, Sileas handed Xavier the reigns. "I'll be watching and waiting for you," she said before heading for the keep.

Questa calmly swung her arms as she walked back to the keep.

---- to the keep

By the time Sileas reached the stables, she was shaking with anger. Only she didn't know who she was angrier with. Her aunt for being unreasonable, Yehudit for being stubborn or herself for not just running off when she had the chance. Now she wouldn't be able to purchase anything to hide the door to her room. Yehudit would recognize it.

"So the bloody millstone is comin'?" Questa was not thrilled. Yehudit was so weak and clumsy even before her ankle was damaged Questa did not know what Sileas saw in her.

"I knew there wouldn't be any way to keep her away. I wonder how she found out we were going?"

"Probably wen Lek said we were gonna Portside." Questa said.

Sileas groaned. "Of course. I certainly hope he doesn't slip up about our rooms."

"Idjit were goin' on ter his sister, tryin' ter get 'er ter come along even fough she's even more useless than the millstone 'round yor neck. Cor blimey guv, and Yehudit were right there listenin' ter evry word." Questa grumbled.

"Millie's not useless, her strengths just aren't in this sort of endeavor. I'm sure she doesn't even want to go along. She's probably content helping Difyr with patients or her mother in the kitchen." Sileas sighed. "Millie acts the way a  young lady should. Unlike me."

"Bein' lady-like is so useful she almost got carried off by a merman and we 'ad ter save 'er arse." Questa said.

"I would be happy being a mixture of both. A person who knows how to protect herself and those she loves but also knows how to be a lady and run a home."

"Why, isit? That'd be so borin'. And yor not a lady, yor a grown up street kid 'oose muvver were a 'oore." Questa said.

"Aunt Brie isn't a whore!" Yehudit yelled angrily as she hobbled into the stable.

"It won't be boring if I'm a mixture like I said." Sileas toyed with her sleeve hem. "I think she means she who gave birth to me, Yehudit, not Mama."

"Oh." But Yehudit was not happy. "And Sileas is a lady, much more of a lady than you are!" She told off Questa.

"I am no lady. I've been lying to myself for years," Sileas said.

Yehudit scowled. "You don't sleep around, or steal. Or threaten people when you're up to something wrong."

"No, that's true, but I can't cook, my cleaning is horrendous and I can only barely sew. I'm not food at any lady-like pursuits."

"I can't do any of those things either." Yehudit looked insulted. "The last time I cooked I needed Difyr to treat me for severe burns. The last time I sewed Difyr had to cut it out of my hand. I can't remember when I tried mopping very well, or that day, because I hit my head so hard when I tripped over the mop. At least you can fight."

"Maybe I want something different," Sileas sighed. It wasn't like she had anything else to offer if any one showed interest in her. She couldn't retreat to the convent and be a fighter. "Maybe it's time I grew up."

"You're already grown up, you're older than me." Yehudit pointed out.

"I mean mentally. As a person." Sileas shook her head. No one ever understood or cared what she wanted.

"Yor tall enough. Let's cop movin' and get this over wiv." Questa said impatiently.

"Just waiting for Lek and whoever Wulfsen is sending with us."

Difyr walked into the stable, going over her list with one of the knights walking with her, making sure he knew exactly what she needed and where to get it.

"...fresh is better, but dried can do."

The knight nodded. "I will do my very best. I often went for supplies for Green, our medic."

Difyr doubted that Green often needed supplies to treat miscarriages, but this knight seemed to know what she needed. She handed off the list.

The knight took the list and placed it with the one Mrs. Gerthrim had given him for the kitchen needs.

Difyr looked to Sileas.

"Sileas, while you were at the village, did you notice any jars left behind at my cottage?" Difyr asked.

"To be truthful, I wasn't in your cottage. Questa was gathering supplies while I looked for Mama. I was only at the forge and then Millie's shop."

Questa shrugged. "I packed up evryfink I could lift in yor cottage, evry jar, right, bottle, bandage- even all the books and papers I could find. There weren't any jars left.., init? But the chuffin' shelf a bit of the jars were on 'ad empty spots like there should've been jars there."

"That's... That's suspicious." Difyr frowned. She could picture the shelf she kept her herbs on, she had looked at it every day for years and had it all organized. She knew jars were missing and what was missing, some herbs she really needed today, some of those herbs were valuable for treating her patients but would have no use to the raiders.

Sileas admittedly knew little about herbs. But she did know they held medicinal properties. "Is there some way the raiders would benefit from you not having those specific herbs?" Sileas inquired.

"Yes, in their own twisted ways. And I really don't like it." Difyr clenched her fists but did not explain. She turned to the knight. "I'll really need that pennyroyal and tansy... I had better get back to my patients."

The healer's anger and lack of explanation worried Sileas. "Remind me to pick up a book on herbs while we're in Portside," she said to Questa.

Questa muttered. "Like yer 'aven't 'ave a looked inside enough books already."

Feeling really let down, Lek entered the stable. "Millie's staying behind."

In reply to Questa Cort (msg # 95):


"I want to know why those herbs being missing angered Difyr. And why they would suit twisted needs of the raiders." If Difyr was worried, Sileas was worried.

She looked up when Lek entered and delivered his news. "I'm sorry Lek. I know you really wanted her to come along. Still, it might be best."

"Maybe." Lek still really wished Millie would come, though he could tell Pinja needed her.

Sileas reached over and rubbed his back. "We'll be all the company you can stomach," Sileas assured him.

Lek didn't know if he could stomach being separated from his sister. He wiped his eyes.

"Do you have a weapon or do you need one?" Sileas asked. She was very pleased she had had several on her at the time of the attack.

"I don't have any weapons." Lek said anxiously.

Sileas thought over what blades she was wearing. She wished he could handle the larger dagger but she doubted he'd had enough experience. Sileas unstrapped a smaller one and handed it to him. "You know how to use it, right?"

"I hold the handle and stab with the blade?" Lek swallowed nervously.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:02, Sat 16 Jan 2016.

"Very good. Hopefully you won't need it, but the docks can be dangerous. Put it somewhere safe but where you can easily get to it."

Lek awkwardly tucked the dagger into his belt.

"We'll see about finding a sheath for it before we head for the docks. For now, take care you don't poke yourself with it."

Lek was very worried about ruining his belt, he didn't have another one.

"Now we but have to await our guards."

Wulfsen came into the stable with a couple of his men to guard the wagon. He wanted to come along, be with Sileas and protect her himself. But he had too many responsibilities around the keep.

"I came to see you off." He told Sileas, reaching for her hand.

Sileas's heart fell. "You're not coming?" She didn't know these men, she didn't feel safe. She felt a moment of panic, what if something set off one of her moments? She looked distinctly uncomfortable.

Wulfsen sighed deeply, he was tempted to just go, responsibilities be damned. "I wanted to, but I'm needed here. These are some of my best men."

"But I don't know them," Sileas said in a tiny voice. She knew he wasn't aware of how she could panic at a moment's notice. She glanced down at the floor of the wagon.

Wulfsen realized that Sileas was actually afraid.

"These men have served me for years, they have never hurt any woman." Wulfsen tried to assure her. "I trust them."

"It's not that. I know you would not abide any of your men harming women," Sileas said without looking up.

"What's the matter?" Wulfsen asked gently.

"Sometimes, things cause me to have flashbacks to...to what Andy did. They won't know what to do."

"Oh." Wulfsen glanced at his knights, then back to Sileas. "Is there anything I can tell them to do if that happens?"

Wulfsen wanted to go along even more now.

Sileas shook her head. "No. It would be too difficult to make my tea on the road." And she sure has heck didn't want strangers' arms around her.

"Oh wen Sileas would start panickin' and cryin' about wot 'appened ter her Larry would 'old 'er. Sileas ain't gonna want a bunch of smelly guards touchin' 'er wen 'er minds on that." Questa said.

For the second time that day, Sileas turned redder than her hair.

Wulfsen blushed slightly, somehow he didn't want the knights holding Sileas, and didn't think Sileas wanted them to hold her either. But he wasn't sure if Sileas would want him holding her if he was there. Sileas knew he liked her but as far as Wulfsen knew she didn't feel the same way, and didn't think she would be comfortable with him holding her.

"Oh... Well... You have Yehudit and Questa." He said awkwardly.

Sileas's heart ached. She missed Larrigan. It was painfully obvious that Questa had been correct, that he was only interested in snogging her, as Questa had so indelicately put it. She nodded. "Yes, I have Yehudit and Questa," she said quietly, staring at knot in the board.

Wulfsen longed to wrap his arms around her and kiss her. Maybe if Sileas had not found out how he felt about her he could have done it, it's not too unusual for men to give a girl they were only friends with a kiss on the cheek when they were separating for a while, right? But Sileas did know and she was still grieving for her lost beau. And after what Andy had done to her... a man would have to really earn her trust before touching her, right? Wulfsen did not think he had earned a kiss or even a hug. Wulfsen fidgeted with his sword hilt.

"I wish there was more I could do."

"It's fine. It's high past time that I relearned the only person I should count on is myself," she finally said, trying to make it sound like she meant it. She lifted her head and looked to Questa and her cousins. "Are we ready to leave?" She tried to ignore the little girl inside who was shaking and wanting love. It wasn't for her. It never would be. She was done, it was time to be rid of that dream.

If only if only... Unable to hug Sileas, Wulfsen hugged Yehudit. He still wanted to hug Sileas.

"You're very brave, Sileas." Wulfsen said after releasing Yehudit. "I wish you a safe journey and quick return."

Yehudit had been expecting Wulfsen to hug Sileas, so was taken by surprise when he hugged her.

"Uh, yeah. I guess we can go." Yehudit stammered.

Sileas narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Brave. Brave doesn't keep a body warm at night. Brave doesn't make the heart soar. Brave. Totally overrated.

"Let's go before Yehudit's crazy muvver comes and puts the mockers on us." Questa said, impatient with whatever was going on.

"We're ready," Sileas said to the knights on the front bench. And with that the horses began to move out. Sileas did not even look at Wulfsen.

Wulfsen watched the wagon ride away, still wanting to hug Sileas. He sighed and headed back inside the keep.

"What just happened?" Yehudit asked. "He hugged me! Mama's gonna kill him."

Sileas clenched her fists within the folds of her cloak. She stared off to the side, watching the scenery pass, saying nothing.

"I thought for sure he was about to hug you, Sileas, the way he was looking at you." Yehudit said. "Why'd he hug me?"

"I don't know and don't care. He obviously is more interested in you, more than likely because he knows I'm barren. I have nothing to offer." Sileas looked at her cousin. "He's a good man, the two of you should be very happy." She turned her head again to watch the scenery.

"I don't like him like that, and after I hit him with my walking stick earlier he probably can't father children either." Yehudit said. "You do care, this is how you always act when you're upset about something and don't want to admit it."

"I don't want to talk about it," Sileas stated. "And I don't care. I knew the minute I told him I was barren that I would be no more than a roll in the hay. He doesn't want me as wife material and I would accept nothing else.  It's fine. He's looking elsewhere. And I. Don't. Care."

"Oh yeah because that's always the tone and expression you take when you don't care." Yehudit said sarcastically and elbowed Sileas. "You want me to set Mama on him?"

"No. I don't want anything from your mother. Even if I did, she'd probably make me pay through the nose for her help. It's his life, his choice. I'm not it. And honestly, I don't want to talk about it."

Before heading for the stables, Shawn had stopped off in the healing room to let Brie know where he was going. He tried his very best to not make it seem like an emergency or that he was worried about Sileas. He saw worry and fear for her daughter settle in her eyes, despite his assurances that they were simply going to follow them to where they were going.

His heart hurt. He hated leaving his wife when she needed him the most and he equally hated that his daughter was out there, heaven knew where, with sailors and potentially these mermen.

Xavier pulled to a stop just outside the stables, his wagon fully loaded. He glanced around, looking for any sign of Sileas or Questa.

"Xavier! Good thing you're back, I need to leave." Wulfsen said as he came to the stable.

Xavier hopped down of the wagon bench. "Need to leave? I thought you had so much to do?" He glanced at the wagon. "Do you know if Sileas found a room? I need to offload what she asked me to bring back from the village."

"I had a lot to do... Got most of it done, when I should have been with Sileas. She went to Portside seeking information... And boarded a ship with an unknown name sailing God knows where." Wulfsen said. "I need to go after her."

Lek walked to the stables as if he were walking to his death.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 144):

Xavier sighed. "What was she thinking?" He glanced at his best friend. "You are going to have your hands ful when you start courting her."

Lek peered up at Xavier. "Sileas told me to ask you to put her stuff in the cellar under the kitchen."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:10, Fri 12 Feb 2016.

In reply to Xavier DeVale (msg # 146):

"First I need to find her... Then there are other... obstacles. I don't think we were on the right foot when she left... It didn't feel right." Wulfsen picked up his saddle.

"Ah, thank you, Lek," Xavier gave the lad a smile. "I hope she realizes just how much was at the manor. I hope there's room to get it all in there."

He glanced back at Wulfsen. "What did you do?"

"Besides letting her leave without me?" Wulfsen asked. "Well I sort of hugged Yehudit."

Xavier stared at him with wide eyes. "Why...and Mrs. Buckley didn't murder you where you stood?" Xavier shook his head. "I thought you were smarter than this about women. Sileas may have understood you not going along, since you were just starting to take care of the keep, but hugging Yehudit..."

"Mrs Buckley wasn't there." Wulfsen blushed. "I wanted to hug Sileas... I've hugged her before, but since I told her how I felt about her... I didn't want to scare her."

"Your confession may have changed things a bit but for now, the two of you are still friends.
And friends hug one another. Just how badly do you feel you've bollocked this up?"

"Like trampled manure and worse every minute." Wulfsen grumbled as he saddled up his horse.

"Oy." If they had been alone, he would have smacked Wulfsen upside the head. "I'll think on it while you're gone. Any idea how long you will be away?"

"I'm not coming back until I find her." Wulfsen said. "And then it'll be longer so we can rescue Nelek."

Xavier nodded. "Godspeed and be safe," Xavier said, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Don't forget to pick up supplies before you set out. You won't do Sileas any good if you are emaciated with hunger when you catch up. And it sounds like she set out with supplies as well."

Wulfsen had not grabbed any supplies. He frowned. "Portside isn't far, I can eat there."

"I meant to get some there for your trip. You don't know how long you'll be gone. I doubt eating there will sustain you that long," Xavier pointed out.

Wulfsen shook his head. "I don't have time." He glanced at Lek, then lowered his voice. "If Sileas had gotten on a ship of slavers she's not eating well either."

Xavier shook his head. "So you send men for supplies while you secure a ship. It's not like we brought our own ship along. How are you going to fight slavers with hunger stabbing the inside of your stomach."

"The longer I wait the further she gets from me!" Wulfsen snapped. "I have no time to lose."

"If you want to weakly get captured along with her and have no food to offer her when she is starving, by all means have your men stand around doing nothing while you secure a ship. Meanwhile, I have a wagon to unload." Xavier called a few men over and told them where they would be storing the items. Once they headed inside, Xavier grabbed a crate and headed inside.

"Fine, if we have time they can get some food." Wulfsen said. He mounted his horse.

Lek gulped nervously.

Shawn came out of the stables, leading a horse. He glanced at Lek. "You'd best go find a horse, Wulfsen wants to get going."

"A horse?" Lek looked terrified. "I can't just take a horse!"

"You wouldn't be just taking a horse. Just tell the stableboy you are riding out with Lord Thornblade and he will fix you up with a suitable horse."

"They'll let me?" Lek was still nervous.

Shawn sighed and tried to hide his irritation. "Aye, they'll let you."

Lek nervously went into the stables. Lek stammered at the stable boy a few times before the stable boy rolled his eyes and set Lek up with the gentlest mare in the stable.

A group of fifteen knights had already headed to Portside with a wagon to gather supplies for the journey.

Wulfsen galloped after the knights.

Shawn set his own mount into a gallop after them, having seen Lek riding from the stables.

The mare saw absolutely no reason to hurry. SO Lek trailed far behind Wulfsen and Shawn.

Xavier stepped outside for another crate. He spotted Lek plodding along behind Shawn. Xavier smirked. Plenty of time for the men to gather supplies.