Back Towards Walants

The bandits took considerable care to ensure that their prisoners would not escape on the way back to Walants. The warcharger's hind legs were hobbled by a length of rope that would prevent it from going faster than a canter (not that there had been any sign that it could be goaded into a gallop in any case). Astra was told to mount, and her feet were tied to the stirrups. Then Fred was told to get up behind her and put his arms around her waist, and his hands were tied together.

The party set off. It was now mid-afternoon. They would have to make camp for the night at some point, and would reach Walants sometime during the following afternoon if they made similar time to Fred and Astra's journey with Rift. Fred and Astra did not talk much. Not only was one of the bandits always riding close enough to overhear, but both were lost in their own thoughts.

Fred was brooding over what stunt Astra had been trying to pull when she offered to join the bandits. Whilst he couldn't believe that she had really meant to join them, whatever her plan had been it had seemed it didn't include him. Was she really indifferent as to what would have happened to him if her offer had been accepted? He also wondered what Rift would do now. Without Fred and Astra, he would have little chance of finding the dragon's lair. Having tried and failed to use the Crystallic himself, it seemed most likely that he would return to Walants and try to find a buyer for the device there. Whatever happened, Fred had a feeling that he had not seen the last of Master Rift.

Meanwhile Astra was wondering uneasily what would happen to a slave woman who was subsequently discovered to be pregnant. Whatever it was, she doubted that it would be good. She was slightly surprised that none of the bandits had noticed her condition, since she had reached the point where she was just barely beginning to show. Well, she thought, I'm not a slave yet. Hopefully there will be a chance for us to escape before we can be auctioned.

When it began to get dark, camp was made for the night. After they had eaten, both Fred and Astra had their wrists and ankles tied, and one of the bandits was set on watch.

1. The night passed uneventfully albeit uncomfortably.
2. Rift, who had been tracking the bandits at a safe distance, made a rescue attempt, his avarice having overcome his normal caution.

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