As the two women walked onward through the woods, Astra said to
Andrea: "You know this region much better than I do.
Perhaps you can manage a rather more precise estimate of how long the
journey to Caemlyn
is likely to take us than just 'too long'. Assuming we can obtain horses,
how many days?"
"I'd say just under a week - five or six days." "So without horses it
would take
us at least two weeks. As you said, too long." "And my feet are hurting
already. I've never
walked more than a couple of miles at a time, before this. I'd never make
it all that way on foot."
"You'll be surprised at how fast you toughen up. But we do need horses. Getting them may not be so easy, though. It seems that the word has gone out about you from the new rulers of this land, so it may be hard to find anyone who will trade. And even if we could find a seller, I have no money. How about you?" "I brought some money with me, but probably not enough to buy even one horse, let alone two. After all, when I set out I had my own horse." "Then the only way we are going to get horses is to steal them. I don't much like the thought of that - I've always mistrusted the idea that the end can justify the means - but I don't see any alternative. Of course, we've got to find some to steal first, which in this sparsely populated area may not be easy." Astra had thought that Andrea might object to the suggestion of theft, but she seemed to take it in her stride. She probably thinks it's all right so long as it's only some poor peasant who is robbed, Astra thought sourly. Instead, Andrea raised a different subject. "You said you didn't have any money, and I notice that you don't even have a pack. It seems odd that someone who is presumably an experienced traveller should be without one." "It's not by choice, I assure you. But after all I have gone through in recent days, I count myself lucky even to have clothes and a claymore, and can manage without a pack." "Why? What have you gone through?"
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4/10/2001 2:11:03 PM
Extending Enabled
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