The temperature dropped very low at night, especially in this forest. With autumn nearly over, being outdoors could leave a person chilled all over, breathing out cloud after cloud of white vapor. Experienced hunters always brought a heavy fur coat to help them through the cold, damp nights.
But these two frail women had nothing. No thick furs, only a short blade for a weapon, and legs aching from walking. They even had a helpless child with them...
Several dozen cavalrymen had died in the bog. Not one had escaped to bring back word. Those cruel, reckless soldiers had paid for their carelessness with their lives, buying the two women precious time as well.
When the cavalrymen who had stayed outside came looking, they would follow the tracks and discover that their comrades had fallen into the bog. No one would imagine that some insignificant, foolish village woman had caused it. The cavalrymen would only be shocked by their commander's carelessness, greed, and stupidity. They would also panic at the loss of their leader.
Without their commander, they would struggle to make a decision... And no one would be stupid enough to keep troubling two village women after something so serious had happened.
The Hols army was cruel and brutal, slaughtering whole villages and towns at the slightest excuse. The Hols people feared it even more than the enemy. But its soldiers still knew which matters were important... So Talina was almost certain they had escaped that terrible danger.
The plan had been extremely risky. Not a single step could afford to go wrong. But for the two women, that crude plan was the best idea they could come up with...
The dreadful hoofbeats had faded from their ears. With no one pursuing them, they could travel at a more normal pace instead of driving themselves to exhaustion.
Just as the two began to feel a rare glimmer of hope, hurried hoofbeats suddenly rang out from the mountain path ahead. To these women, it was the most terrifying sound in the world... They would rather face an evil spirit than hear it again.
The racing hoofbeats were upon them in an instant. They tried to hide, but after a whole night of walking over rough paths, their legs were too sore and weak to move. Even Talina had no strength left to flee after finding hope only to be plunged so suddenly into despair. Faces ashen, the two waited for their fate.
An enormous black warhorse burst out from among the trees. The morning sun shone on its black coat, giving it a sheen like golden satin. Immensely powerful muscles moved beneath the sleek coat, displaying a breathtaking strength and beauty.
The rider was covered in heavy armor. His scale skirt, its scales small and close-set, spread over the saddle, plates and mail rings rustling against one another. But he wore no helmet, leaving his cold, handsome face exposed. A clear scar ran from his forehead down the side of his face.
"Doctor... And madam, what are you doing here?"
Tesolys's puzzled voice reached their ears. Talina's legs suddenly gave way. All the strength in her body melted like ice and snow, and darkness rapidly spread across her vision. Before she lost consciousness completely, the girl felt a rare sense of relief.
All her earlier strength and calm vanished in that instant. As she fainted, only her frailty remained.
* * *
Hot soup and a blanket could quickly restore a person's strength. Add some gathered wild greens and grain from the sacks to a broth whose meat had been cooked until tender, and it would both ease exhaustion and fill the stomach.
Utterly exhausted, Talina took small sips of the broth in her hands. She knew she must not drink too quickly now, or the scalding soup might burn her throat.
Many starving disaster victims suffered for that very reason. After burning their throats, they often could not eat anything for days. Thin porridge had to be poured into their stomachs through a wooden tube. Some could not hold on and died.
Only after finishing the hot soup in her bowl did she look at the imperial general waiting quietly opposite her. The man was tapping thoughtfully on his knee. Besides the fearsome cavalrymen, there was also a noisy group of highlanders in the camp. Wild and strong, they were fighting over the broth in the pot.
"So they massacred the whole village. Is that right?"
"Yes."
"So Biso died at their hands too... Those are his wife and child?"
"Yes."
"Those cavalrymen are still outside the village?"
"They're still there."
...
The man suddenly stood. Two soldiers immediately came over to fasten his weapons onto him, and the whole camp stirred into motion. The highlanders were ordered to put out the campfires, finish eating and drinking their fill, then take up their weapons and get ready.
The cavalrymen began mounting too. They soothed their horses, then streamed out of the camp along the nearby road in ranks of four.
"Wait here for us, Doctor. We'll come back when we've dealt with this, then take you with us."
The man said this as he swung onto his horse, then prepared to ride away... The highlanders looked ready to make a fuss, but one sweep of his eyes made them obediently shut their mouths.
"Wait!! ..."
The man turned his head.
"I want to go with you. I'll show you the way... I know a hidden route that's easy to travel."
"Why do you want to do this, Doctor?"
"... They shouldn't be allowed to live..."
Tesolys nodded, then suddenly swung down from his horse again. He took a silver coat of mail from a saddlebag.
"Put this on. Don't get yourself killed through carelessness."
The coat of mail was too large and hung loosely on the girl. They could only tighten it around her waist as much as possible with a cowhide belt.
"You look like you can barely walk. There's no spare horse for you to ride... Take my hand."
Without hesitation, the girl reached out and placed her hand in Tesolys's mail glove. With a slight pull, he hauled her onto the saddle. With no stirrups to steady herself, she could only wrap her arms around his waist.
"Leave 30 men to guard this place... Don't do anything you shouldn't, or I'll skin you."
A small group of highlanders skilled in archery was set aside to protect the camp, along with the mother and her child. Tesolys's words sounded utterly calm, yet they broke out in cold sweats. None doubted that if they really did anything wrong, he would take their skin...
At the order, the swift-footed highlanders ran after the cavalry. In moments, they had vanished from the sight of those left behind.
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