Across the desert fled the remnants of Vaenuth’s caravan. Her business was alright—as long as the white lead in two of their three wagons made it to Rainrest safely. It had been four days since the massacre, and the windstorms in the morning still meant their journey was slow. Rather than starting late, Vaenuth made her small group press onward. She didn’t want any of the town’s people coming after them.
They had more horses than they had people now. This accounted for their loss in time due to the wind, for they could rotate out mounts as needed. Vaenuth took turns riding Belmyre and a brown packhorse.
A few hours after the sun passed its zenith, Vaenuth ordered a pause to swap horses and Banno finally broke his silence.
“What’s going on, Vae?” he asked, as she swung her saddle off of the packhorse’s back. His voice held the same exhaustion it had for almost two weeks now.
“Are you growing soft, Banno?” she asked, walking across the sand with the saddle. Her feet slid in the sand with each step.
“What?”
“We’ve done gritty jobs before, and we’ve lost people before,” Vaenuth said, looking at him.
He pulled the sand veil down, around his chin, and looked at her. “We lost nineteen people in two weeks,” he said, in a low voice. “Eight to the Slithers, to survive. Tragic, yes? But it had to be done. But the other eleven—Elli, Hulean, Lurro, Crann, the list goes on and on. How is one job for that big fat man worth it?”
“Why are you doing this?” She tossed the saddle over Belmyre’s back so she could give Banno her attention. She stepped closer to him, holding her hands out. “You know what Kivrad’s favour could mean to me, so why call me out about it?”
Banno shook his head. He didn’t seem angry, not like he had after the massacre in Logren, just concerned and sad. “I know what it could mean to you. But to Elli? She’s been with us for years! As long as you have.”
Vaenuth shook her head, and dropped her hands. “Enough. Seriously, Banno… I’m already trying to get over this, and you’re not helping.”
“I’m trying to help this caravan, Vae, instead of just helping you,” Banno said. “For the first time, I don’t think that those two line up. You’re acting recklessly, and I don’t think destroying this area of your life to fix a different area will help anyone when the score is settled.”
“I’m not destroying anything. The Slithers, Logren… they took care of that. All that I’m trying to do is ‘settle this score’.” Vaenuth lifted her sand veil across her face again, and put a hand on Belmyre’s rump. “We’ll finish the job with Kivrad and repair our damages. I won’t forget their names, Banno. No more than I could afford to trek all the way out here and return empty handed.”
She heaved herself up into the saddle, and watched Banno climb into his wagon seat. Tagg was keeping his distance, watching nervously. He knew what they were talking about. Vaenuth nodded to him, and then looked back at Banno. “You’re my bodyguard and my friend. But I’m not paying you to be a councillor.”
He pulled up his veil and rode ahead of Vaenuth without another word.
Tagg rode up beside Vae. “Don’t worry about him,” he said. “He’ll calm down. You did all good by me.”
“Thanks,” Vaenuth said.
The warrior grinned before pulling up his hood. “I’d like a fight like that whenever it’s needed.”