“A beautiful morning for traveling,” Fawnlum said.

“It would be better spent with you, than seeing you go,” Baneck replied, as he stood with her on the east-bound road leading out of Dumian.

Taking a deep breath of the pleasant spring air, she cast her eyes a couple miles to the southwest, where the festival had finally come to an end.

“You’ve been like this for the last seven days,” she said, putting up a positive front.

“I can’t forget what I did.”

“Baneck, please,” she said sternly.

She looked away from him for a moment, and took a look at the people who would be coming with her.  How strange it was, to be going somewhere – the other continent even – without all the members of her battle-group, who she had trained with since childhood.  Nobody could ever replace them.  But for this trip, she was confident of the choices she had made.

Huge Halrick Bearkin stood quietly to the side.  Ruddy in appearance and possessed of typical Coastal size and strength, he was more than 10 years Fawnlum’s senior.  He had seen countless battles and felled many monsters in Khostead, but had also travelled to the greater continent of Calador before, and was wise to the road and worldly.

Having been among Fawnlum’s mentors when she was younger, he was a good friend, with a better understanding than most of her wandering spirit, which had been restricted because of her mother’s pledge.

As stalwart Halrick represented the experience of their group, in Fawnlum’s eyes, her other two picks represented the energy of youth.

Sandy-haired Dreighton stood bright-eyed and ready.  Although he had acquitted himself well in Khostead, she felt he could do more on a new battlefield.

Also, since the smooth-voiced youth had a bit of the bard in him, and was well-versed in so many songs of their homeland, he represented a part of the Coast to take out into the wider world.  By Fawnlum’s word, though, he was not to get too distracted with foreign girls.

Blonde-haired Caitlyn gripped her bow and pack, keeping her feet still and her excitement hidden.  She was a child of Nature and the forest.  There was more life beyond what she knew at home; and she should go out and see it, and see more of her own potential brought out as well.

She looked forward, over Baneck’s shoulder, to the burden weighing down her own heart.

The battle with Felldrake had destroyed Nepta’s magical robe.  Fawnlum would have wanted above all else to have her wizardly battle-sister with her on this journey.  But without that garment, Nepta could hardly cast any spells.  She would not do Fawnlum any good.

To replace the robe would be costly; and the longer it took, the more Nepta’s skills would wane, no matter how brilliant she was in her craft.  Her role as a wizard, and her place within Fawnlum’s battle-group, would be endangered.

Even now, as Nepta met Fawnlum’s eyes, there was not a hint of loss or anger – – just serene comfort; and gladness that Fawnlum and Baneck were all right.

The garment had been a tool for battle, and they had won.  The loss and the years of work that had gone into building its power were devastating.  But still she looked on with calm assurance, and certainty that she would overcome this setback.

Damn Nepta and her lack of upset.  Would she always hide her emotions?

But Fawnlum would live up to Nepta’s faith in her.  She had sworn, before a year had passed, the robe would be replaced, and they would be fighting together again.

She glanced at Honee, crouching on the ground, easily turning one of her small daggers over in her fingers, an expression of quiet resolve on her face.

Her reliable scout was also staying behind, for ‘family business’, as she had put it.

Everybody knew she had been ordered by Dregor to keep an eye on Baneck, and his newly-discovered Wintermore power.

She would observe how he used it, for good or ill consequences.

The whole country was talking about this emergence of the ancient magic.  The whisper that was most clearly heard was, what would come of it?

Honee would know.  As a good friend of Baneck, she would watch him.  And true to her family’s honor to the crown, she would faithfully carry out the mission.

This was why Fawnlum had given her an extra instruction, as her dear friend and leader:  watch over him, and keep him from harm and foolishness.  The king was the king; but Fawnlum knew where Honee’s loyalties lay.  The look Honee gave her was all she needed to see.

That just left one other little matter, contained in the figure standing behind Honee: old Uncle Torsar.

Although he was actually Baneck’s uncle, he had been like family to Fawnlum and the other girls since childhood.

Possessing a wild streak, he had been a powerful warrior, but had left the fighting ranks years ago, because of his tendency to do things his own way.  She was certain they had not been too sad to see him go, and he had left the kingdom to seek adventure.

He spent nearly as much time out of the country as in it, always returning with new stories, new treasures, and new scars; and always with that annoying cheese-eating grin on his face.

Two days after she had beaten Felldrake, he was on the road to Dumian, having come back from overseas, when countrymen told him of the battle.

‘Acquiring’ a wagon with a fast team of horses, he had hurried to Granholm’s house as quickly as possible.

Mischievous Honee had been happy to see the burly old rogue again.  But Fawnlum had reservations, not the least of which was a reminder that she would soon be truly related to him.  This she took in stride, with a hidden gleam in her own eye, for she knew the character contained under his care-free façade, and loved him for it.

However, she told herself, her children would not turn out like him.  This much she had vowed.

Bringing her eyes back forward, she put on a pleasant face for the person she did not want to leave.

“Do you think my feelings for you will ever change?” she asked.

“Of course not.”

“Then are you going to let your guilt be more powerful than your feelings for me?”

He suddenly straightened, his regret falling off his shoulders before her eyes.

“There’s no power greater than my love for you,” he pledged, as he clutched her hands more tightly.

“Then let the hands that forged the dragon-cutting sword remember their strength now, and put it to use.”

He suddenly grasped her behind her neck, and pulled her face against his in a long, sensuous kiss, much to the delight and whistles of those around them.

She felt her own spirits soar, as she saw his true smile for the first time in days.

“You have the document from Viognia?”

“For the third time, yes,” she answered, as she slipped a folded leather wallet out of her hip-pouch, and opened it to reveal a parchment note of graceful script, and a stamped gold-leaf seal, letting it sparkle in the sun before his eyes.

“We can go wherever we want.”

“But you turned down her letter of commission.”

“I don’t need a hand-out.  The regulars of Humboldt should know me on the battlefield, not as a stranger carrying around the favoritism of their rulers.”

“You just want to go where you want, when you want.  Binding yourself to their chain of command would hold you back.”

“Ah, you know me so well, luv.”

“And I’ll make you a sword that no foe can stand against, whether they be wizard, brigand, troll or dragon.”

She gave a bright smile.  “I’ll return to earn my place in our regiments.  Khostead will stay strong, and we’ll raise strong children.”

“As Sienna says,” she continued, nodding toward her friend, who stood a few dozen yards down the road, tapping her foot.  “The gold isn’t going to earn itself.”

He nodded, and they shared one more light kiss, and then let each other go.

‘Finally’, she heard Sienna grouse, as she hitched up her pack, and led her group onto the road that would take them to their waiting adventure.

Baneck stood watching until she was out of sight.