As the group of L'avan rode out of the village, L'era quietly asked, "Where are we going to find food?"

Sa'jan shrugged. "In the next village, perhaps."

"Where is that?"

He pointed south. "A few hours' ride that way. Honestly, though, we will be more likely to have luck if we come across a group of one of the Northern Tribes. They are more willing to do business with the L'avan."

Adesina pulled her horse alongside Sa'jan's. She knew it was a bit childish, but she was still angry with L'iam and E'nes for making her walk away from the shopkeeper. She turned her attention to Sa'jan, ignoring the others completely.

"Have you done much business with them?"

Sa'jan inclined his head. "Certain tribes, yes. Others, no."

"Which ones?" she asked in genuine interest.

He lifted his gaze to the sky, thinking over all the tribes he had met during his years of service. "The So, the Quehe, the Mihe, the Oyutai, the Chyaique, the Ojuri, the Lok, the Tse, and many others. Most of the tribes are friendly to the L'avan, a few are not."

"Why is that?" she asked.

He made a vague gesture with his hand. "Well, like us, they are often shunned from society. Many of the tribes view us as companions in misfortune. They go out of their way to aid us, just as we go out of our way to aid them. Other tribes view us in the same way as the villagers around here. They think of us as dangerous and manipulative."

L'era piped up angrily. "You would think that hundreds of years of peaceful coexistence would show them otherwise."

L'iam reached over and took his sister's hand. "Let go of your anger, little one. Do not give them that power over you."

"We will probably find someone to sell us supplies in the next village," E'nes said optimistically.

He was wrong.

The next village they came across was very much like the previous one. It was filthy and run-down, and filled with distrustful people. The woman running the trading post would not even let them walk up the steps. She stood at the doorway with a pitchfork in hand, warning them to leave immediately.

So the L'avan continued onward, their meals getting more and more scarce. Ravi tried hunting for them, but was only able to procure a couple of thin rabbits. The settlers of the area had already stripped the land of its natural food resources, so there was not much on which the travelers could survive.

Adesina didn't mind going hungry nearly as much as she minded the treatment they were receiving from the villagers. After all, a large part of her Shimat training had been survival in varied and extreme circ.u.mstances. Even after her time away from the fortress, she still felt she was holding up better than the othersa"especially considering that she was expending little energy. Riding a horse all day only taxed her patience, not her body. She took less food every meal, leaving more for her companions, and ignored the others when they protested against such actions.

The group would have probably sunk into despair had it not been for L'era. Once she had dropped her indignation, she took it upon herself to cheer everyone else.

She placed a hand on Adesina's forearm. "Look at that sunset! How beautiful!"

Adesina hadn't noticed, but she had to admit that it was breathtaking. The rich reds and oranges blended peacefully with the deep blue of the coming night.

"Yes," she agreed. "It is very beautiful."

"I love sunsets," L'era went on. "They seem to be the perfect ending to the day, like the finale of a symphony of people and things and places and events."

L'iam gave his sister a rueful glance. "I am finding your enthusiasm hard to swallow right now. It is easier to ingest such insistent happiness on a full stomach."

She paid him no mind. "Honestly, L'iam, stop dragging your feet! There is so much beauty all around us! If we cannot find joy in those things, then we will be depressed all the time."

They found a suitable place to stop for the night and set up camp. L'era hummed happily as she worked and was accompanied in her impromptu music by Ravi.

Adesina couldn't help but smile at the stubbornly positive att.i.tude that the young princess had adopted. It made their journey much more bearable, in spite of all the hardships they were facing.

As Sa'jan was stirring the last of their supplies in with a disproportionate amount of water, the jingling of many harnesses could be heard in the distance. The L'avan looked at each other in alarm.

"Should we dowse the fire?" L'era asked in a hushed voice.

Adesina shook her head. "It would do no good. They have most likely seen it already."

She got to her feet, slowly drawing her Blood Sword. It glinted in the firelight, almost as if it were eager for a fight. The others stood to join her, but did not draw any weapons.

L'iam connected with his vyala and reached out to the strangers. "They have seen our fire and are coming towards us. They are not hostile at the moment, only cautious."

This was reason enough for Adesina to stay on her guard. They waited in suspenseful silence for the strangers to draw near. Adesina connected to her own vyala, changing her vision to a dark green. She sensed fifty wagons, all pulled by pairs of oxen, twenty riders on horseback, and a dozen people on foot. They were close enough now that the L'avan could hear their voices joined in song. Adesina couldn't understand the words, but the tune was as bright and wandering as the people who sang it.

Chaiqui mihe joxyu'e fosain, Chaiqui mihe'e fosain.

Peloch tse quehe'e Joxyu'e de fosain.

Mihe, mihe, tse quehe, Tse kilzo jox.

Mihe, mihe, tse quehe, Tse kilzo jox.

Tse hizo'e therok yesh, Lo therok yesh.

Peloch tse quehe'e I'yeshe zoju ovel.

Mihe, mihe, tse quehe, Tse kilzo jox.

Mihe, mihe, tse quehe, Tse kilzo jox.

The expression on Sa'jan's face lightened considerably. "It is the Ojuri. They mean us no harm."

His a.s.surances were enough for the others, but Adesina still felt wary. It was with great reluctance that she sheathed her Blood Sword.

The Ojuri slowly came within the radius of the campfire's light. An oddly elegant looking woman on a dapple-gray mare was leading the large group.

She wore a bright purple dress and many mismatched scarves. Her wrists were filled with a.s.sorted wooden bracelets and she wore a mult.i.tude of similar necklaces. Her long wavy hair was as black as a raven, and touched with gray at the temples.

More striking than her appearance, though, was the expression in her eyes. There was a power and self-a.s.surance there, coupled with deep wisdom and years of experience. This was a woman who had seen much sorrow, but knew equal amounts of joy. She was a free spirit, only seeming to be captured in a physical body.

Sa'jan gave her a courtly bow as soon as she brought her horse to a stop. "M'lady Hestia, I am honored to once again be in your presence."

Hestia flashed him a stunning smile. "Lord Sa'jan, it has been far too long."

He cleared his throat and inclined his head. "May I introduce you to my companions?"

She nodded graciously. "Of course."

Sa'jan gestured to each of them as he called them by name. "His Royal Highness, Prince L'iam, son of King L'unn and Queen Ta'mala; Her Royal Highness, Princess L'era, daughter of King L'unn and Queen Ta'mala; Captain Protector E'nes, son of Me'shan and E'rian; Adesina, daughter of Me'shan and E'rian; and Ravi, son of Riordan and Rabia, and heir leader of the Rashad."

Hestia raised her eyebrows. "Such august company! We would be honored if you would join us for an evening meal."

L'iam stepped forward, looking every part the royal prince. "M'lady Hestia, it would be our honor to join you."

She gave him an amused look, but accepted the comment gracefully. She murmured a few orders to the man riding next to her, who then hurried away to spread the word to set up camp.

The wagons pulled into a tight circle around the camp of L'avan. When the circle was complete, the other wagons pulled into a circle around them, and then a third ring made up the last of them. A mult.i.tude of people began bustling about, unhitching the oxen, rubbing down horses, gathering firewood, setting up a guard around the wagons, building fires, preparing food.

Hestia noticed the watered down contents of their pot on the fire and gestured questioningly. "May I?"

Sa'jan smiled ruefully and nodded. "Of course."

She went to work, a.s.sisted by a girl no older than fourteen. The girl was clearly Hestia's daughter, for she was a smaller copy of her mother. Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid and she didn't wear the ornaments that Hestia did, but other than that they looked the same.

Together they began dicing vegetables, shredding dried meat, and adding spices to the mixture. It wasn't long before it became a respectable stew. The smell was tantalizing, making the stomachs of the L'avan growl with hunger. It had been quite a while since they had eaten a full meal.

The girl fetched a loaf of traveler's bread and cut it into thick slices. She then began dishing the stew into bowls and handing it to each of the L'avan.

L'iam smiled warmly at the girl, causing her to blush and smile shyly in return. Adesina frowned at the exchange and purposefully turned her attention to Hestia.

The woman was sitting cross-legged next to Sa'jan. They spoke to each other in low voices, and she would occasionally reach over and touch him briefly. It was clear that he responded to her touch, but he also kept himself at a distance, both emotionally and physically. Adesina was fascinated by the strange dynamic between them.

The man that had carried out Hestia's orders earlier also watched them closely, but with a darker expression on his face. He had the dark hair and dusky complexion of all the Ojuri, but his handsome features were marred by a large burn scar on the left side of his face. He stood apart from the others, speaking to no one unless absolutely necessary. He scowled at every smile that pa.s.sed between Hestia and Sa'jan, and clenched his fist every time they touched. The two objects of his malice seemed completely unaware of his observation.

The meal commenced with the usual amount of noise connected with a group of that size. The fare was simple, but it was given freely, in spite of the fact that the tribe didn't have much. All of the L'avan felt deeply grateful for such generosity.

When the meal was over, there was singing and dancing and a few dramatic recitals, for the Ojuri were all performers. Hestia laughed and clapped along with the music, pulling Sa'jan up to dance with her. Adesina was surprised to see with what grace and certainty he performed each step. She suspected that the two had danced many times before.

L'era was quickly pulled into the crowd by one of the Ojuri's young men. Hestia's daughter shyly asked L'iam to dance, to which he sportingly agreed, and E'nes pulled Adesina to her feet before she had time to protest. All of the coordination she possessed while fighting seemed to abandon her when she tried to dance. She tried to explain this to E'nes, but he ignored her and continued to spin her around.

Somewhere in the chaos of the movements, they switched partners, and Adesina found herself facing another Ojuri. He laughed lightly as he showed her the different steps and led her around the circle. Adesina was just getting the movements down correctly when they switched partners again. She found herself face to face with L'iam.

His eyes were full of the musical laughter that sounded from his lips. He didn't hesitate to put his arm around her waist, take her hand, and continue to lead her around the circle.

Adesina was accustomed to the careful distance he kept between them. It seemed like they only touched when training. She felt strange having him press her against his side, moving with her as perfectly as if they had rehea.r.s.ed the dance. Her stomach was filled with b.u.t.terflies and clenched uncomfortably in turn. His face was very close to hers, and his eyes were so filled with emotion that Adesina felt completely at a loss when looking into them. To her dismay, she felt her cheeks beginning to flush.

She removed herself from his grasp and walked away from the dance, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground. She sat next to Ravi, leaning against him and listening to him hum along with the music. He didn't say anything to her, but his presence alone was like a blanket of strength and calm.

When she finally summoned the courage to look at the group of revelers again she saw that L'iam was still dancing and laughing, although not quite as freely as before. He glanced over at her once, and she quickly avoided eye contact. After that, he did not look at her again for the remainder of the evening.

It was well after midnight when the festivities came to a close and the Ojuri returned to their wagons to go to sleep. The L'avan curled up in their blankets and spoke to each other in quiet voices about the kindness of their new friends.

Adesina closed her eyes and pretended to sleep long before the others began to settle down for the night, but her mind kept her wide awake. She began re-planning their mission again, going over possibilities and variables. She thought of Kendan and how much she wished he were there to help with the planning.

By the time her mind began slowing down enough to drift off to sleep, Adesina knew that there were only a couple of hours left until dawn.

Chapter Thirty-five: Devastation.

The camp arose early, preparing the morning meal in a happy bustle. Adesina kept herself aloof from the others, still feeling uncomfortable from the festivities of the previous night. As Hestia began frying eggs, she chatted with Adesina and L'era cheerfully.

"We have to use these supplies quickly anyway, because they will not last. There are a few farmers who are willing to trade with us. We rotate between them throughout the year. We work in the fields, rebuild barns, repair roofs, perform at weddings, help shear sheep, build furniture, mend clothesa"anything people are willing to hire us for."

"And they pay you with supplies?" asked L'era.

Hestia nodded. "It is the only payment we can use. Most merchants will not accept money from the Ojuri because they a.s.sume we stole it from somebody else."

Adesina frowned. "What about the High City? They are known to trade with people from the Northern Tribes."

The elegant woman smiled. "We never go that far south, but it does not matter. We get by just fine without money. Most of the time we keep to ourselves, raising our families and enjoying the beauties of the world around us. We only venture back to civilization when our food is running low."

L'era furrowed her brow thoughtfully. "What about hunting?"

Hestia shrugged. "If we hunt too close to land that *belongs' to anyone, they accuse us of stealing or poaching. We find it safer to do as little hunting as possible."

She served them breakfast, changing the topic of discussion to lighter subjects. Never once did she ask them where they were going or what they were doing. Nor did she pry for more information about them personally. When they were done eating, the Ojuri began getting ready to leave.

Ignoring the protests of the L'avan, several bags of supplies were laid by their horses. Hestia shook her head adamantly. "If we do not take care of each other, no one else will."

With those simple words, she mounted her horse. The scarred young man brought his horse next to hers, acting as if the L'avan didn't exist. Hestia gave Sa'jan one last lingering glance before turning away and riding northwest. The Ojuri followed her, waving at the L'avan as they left.

The travelers watched them for a while before preparing to depart as well. Adesina shook her head in amazement. "I have rarely met with such people."

Sa'jan's eyes were still gazing after the Ojuri. "Yes, they are exceptional. It does not matter how little they have, they will still give you what you need."

Adesina gave him a sly smile. "Hestia is rather exceptional herself."

He nodded absently. "She is the heart of the Ojuri."

L'era joined her friend in teasing. "I think she has more in her keeping than just her own heart."

This brought a smile to Sa'jan's face. "Perhaps, but that does not matter right now."

Adesina frowned. "Why?"

He pointed to the black ribbon he wore around his neck. "I am still in mourning for my beloved wife. Besides, it is difficult for L'avan to marry outside of our race."

"Is it not allowed?" she asked.

"It is allowed," he explained, "but our ways are so different from other people's. It is difficult to find harmony in such a union. There must be equality between a husband and wife, and the gifts given to the L'avan are rarely matched outside of our race." Sa'jan turned his attention to preparing his horse. "Also, there are other considerations."