Two Options

"If they went from Still M-manor heading due west, they would only have a fairly short distance on a rough t-track before they intercepted the Old F-Frontier Road. Then they could go north up the road on a good surface, and could keep up a m-much faster pace than us. So they could have g-got to the j-junction first."

"But that isn't very likely, is it? Surely they wouldn't have expected us to come this way?"

"N-no, it's n'not likely. B-but it's p-possible."

Astra could tell how nervous Hesht felt by how much he was stuttering. "I'm sure that we won't have any trouble," she said. "If they're waiting for someone then it won't be for us. There haven't been any other trails crossing this one and heading westward, not that we could take the horse on at any rate, and we obviously can't go all the way back to Still Manor. So like you said, we have to go through. We have two ways of doing that. We could act innocent, and go past them as if we don't have a care in the world. That will be the best plan if they are friendly, as I'm sure they will be. Or I could urge the horse into a gallop, and we could try to go by them before they can get themselves organised. If they aren't looking for us and aren't bandits, though, that will have the disadvantage of making them suspicious and perhaps hostile when they wouldn't have been otherwise. If they have horses and decide it's worth chasing us down, then they will probably eventually overhaul us, as our horse has to carry two. Also, if one of them has a bow and decides to use it, we could get ourselves shot. So what do you think we should do?"

1. "Act inn-n-n-cent."
2. "G-gallop through."
3. Hesht has another alternative to suggest.
4. But Hesht is too frightened to make a coherent reply. The decision will have to be made by Astra alone.

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree