Paladin of the Peaceful Lady

Chapter 23 A Long Day

The sun broke lethargically through the clouds and light rain as the camp woke in the drizzly morning. Daria was sore from the inadequate sleep she had managed to get in the cramped conditions while Marion had used her lap as a pillow. She looked out as the camp woke in an unhurried fashion and began the morning routines of cooking, breaking down tents, dressing, drinking the last bits from last night's wineskins. Her study of the camp was broken by the sharp stink of urine. She looked and saw the alarmed eyes of Alyssa meet her own. The poor small child started to cry as she soiled herself. 

"I tried to hold it, really! I sorry!" the child sobbed.

Daria quickly subdued the original spark of outrage and annoyance she had felt. The small girl likely was telling the truth, you couldn't expect her to have the same control of the older members of the cage. 

Devin sitting closest to her, woken up by the smell, sat upright quickly and pushed her away to hit hard against the bars. "Ugh! Gross! What you do that for?"

"Hey!" Daria came to her defense. "She couldn't hold it! No doubt she won't be the only one or the last in these conditions who won't be able to!"

Alyssa was still sobbing looking down through the floorboards. Daria wished she could bring herself to hold the girl, but she really didn't feel like getting herself soiled in the process, and that made her ashamed.

Grumbling could be heard around the camp as a cold breakfast was had due to the damp, making fires difficult. The men in the camp ate from the spoils they had collected the day prior, fresh bread and pies, cold cuts of roasts. Breakfast was brought around the captives as well, and Daria realized they must be getting the travel rations the men usually ate, jerked meat, a bit of cheese, and biscuits hard enough to chip a tooth if you weren't careful.

An irritable Lord Inje came out from the largest tent barking orders and soon had a small retinue going about hurrying the packing up process of the camp. Soon teams of animals were hooked up to the wagons. Men carried loot they didn't trust to the wagons on packs slung over shoulders, weapons on hips or in hands. A loose formation was made both in front and behind the line of wagons. 

Daria found herself in the first wagon in the row. Lord Inje rode up from where he had inspected the line and stopped just in front. "We will continue on! Although I do not expect pursuit, we shouldn't invite it by being laggardly either! Those who haven't joined us by now will either catch up or they won't!" 

He turned his horse to the front, "Antony!" he called out. Daria strained against the bars at hearing the name of the stranger who offered some small kindness the night before.

"I am here Inje." The young man came riding from somewhere up ahead, he had a few other mounted men with him.

"Ah, young Antony." Inje smiled at the younger man. "I will expect you to take the lead again and scout ahead. I don't expect any trouble since we came through two days ago, but when on campaign you can't be too careful."

An older man, mounted on a small stocky bay horse gave a snort.

"Something to add Sir Reginald?" Inje asked in an overly exaggerated tone of annoyance, giving the title a peculiar note of derision. 

"Oh no, Lord Inje." The man said back, giving the same disrespect to the title that he had been shown. "Just that, I'm a man of many campaigns, no o' them involved the taking of women and children, however. Usually, I'm on the other side of the chase when that's the case." He gave a smile that held no mirth.

Lord Inje's face darkened and he was about to speak when Antony cut in. "That's enough Sir Reginald. We will do what the Lord Inje commands." He flashed a disarming smile between the two older men. "I assume we still keep all banners and symbols hidden, yes? Then we will send back any word if we encounter anything." As he was speaking Antony was casually riding his horse closer to the wagon where Daria watched.