Chapter One, Scene Two

The trek back to the caravan campsite took longer. Carrying the weight of a child was not an onorous task, but he took care to talk to the girl, hoping to soothe her fear and comfort her sorrow. Eventually, she fell asleep.

As he neared the campsite, he gave the agreed upon three hoots of a crag owl. He waited until he got the responding call before entering the camp.

Kolli was the first to approach him, his brother not far behind. “Durjaan is fit to be tied. He is claiming you deserted your post.” Stepping closer, he noticed Shoag’s burden. “And I doubt that will make him any happier.”

“Rubbish. I lead the guards. My post is where I say it is.” Shoag replied. “As for her, she is my responsibility. I will deal with it.”

No sooner had he said this, he heard the caravan owner call out his name. “Shoag, you misbegotten son of a devil, nice to see you have returned. Now, just what in all the Gods’ names were you thinking, leaving your post?”

“My post? I lead these guards. My post is wherever I say it is. I chose to go scout the disturbance and see if it was a threat. It is no longer a threat.”

Dujaan said nothing for a moment, “We have a scout. I pay a lot of coin for her. You are not a scout. You do not leave the caravan. Is that clear? I should dock your pay!”

“You would breach the contract then?”

“Breach the contract? What nonsense is this? You failed to do your job. You left your post, and, and, you came back with this, this child! Of course I am docking your pay.”

“Have it your way. You dock my pay, you breach the contract.” Shoag said as he turned and walked away.

“Listen up,” Shoag said loudly, “Durjaan is breaching the contract. Gather your things. We leave as soon as your gear is ready.”

“What,” Durjaan exclaimed, “What do you mean, leave? You cannot do that. Your contract is to carry us to Marrover!”

“You should read the contracts you sign, gaffir,” Kolli told the caravan owner. “You cannot dock the pay of a guard without the captain’s consent. In the case of the captain, your grievance is taken up with the Guild. They decide. Not you. You breach contract with the captain, you breach contract with the company. You breach the contract and we leave.”

“Aye,” Kolli’s twin, Kommi, chimed in, “good luck reaching Marrover. Especially when travelling through the Krinnistag. I hear the bandits are thick in that forest.”

Shaog waved the elf twins to silence. “I will explain this to you just once. And after, you can make amends or we leave.”

“I am the captain. I decide the disposition of the troops. Kestral is a fine scout, better than me, yes. But she is also an elf with better night vision than any of the races. She is also, on her worst day, a far better archer than me. The nighttime defense of the caravan, as you and I agreed, placed all the archers under cover, providing long distance protection against danger. My people know their responsibilities. Even though I am the captain, I was the best option to go scout.”

“As it stands, the choice I made was the right one, as the trouble I found was easily dispatched. However, Kestral would have needed help. As fine archer that she is, she is not a brawler.”

The silence hung heavily between them. Durjaan was wrong and he knew it but was too proud a man to let it go.

As Shaog turned and headed to his bedroll he said, “One more thing, breach of contract with one Guild troop gets you banned from Guild protection for a year. You can fight it, but the Tribunal is in Balaama. You must either go personally to plead your case or hire a representative. Your choice.”

Durjaan hung his head in defeat. “Fine, you win. No dock in pay. But you will be charged for the child’s food and upkeep. That is on you.”

“Agreed.” Shoag said, “Now, at sunrise, we will head to her family’s camp. By law, I was acting in your employ when I killed the bandits. Their possessions are your bounty. Her family is dead, we will bury them.”

“I am not taking the time to bury her kin. I will not lose the time. Time is money.”

“Also at the campsite are six horses a wagon and all of her family’s goods. As I am her guardian now, I charge you to take possession of the items and dispose of them. You will get a fifteen percent commission.”

“Twenty percent,” Durjaan countered.

“Do not be greedy, man. Fifteen is the typical amount. You will still make a fine profit.” Shoag pointed at the small medallion the caravan owner wore. “You wear the token of Aloura. She is the human Goddess of Compassion, yes? Show some compassion man. The child lost her parents and brother. Burying her kin in accordance to their Gods is the right thing to do.”

“Fine. You win again. Fifteen percent