Those two need to stop butting heads thought Els as she watched Arthur and Pyp stare each other down. Els had been watching the two interact since Arthur found Pyp on the burning streets of Finepoint. It wasn't hard to see that Pyp had changed, the few times Els had seen the youngest Mawson he had been kept in the background nearly out of sight.

He probably did anything Arthur said and I bet Arthur was fine with that relationship.

Even now she could see him seething at the thought of doing nothing with a small army of bandits around the corner. Not that Els was thrilled with his decision, and she was less than inclined to follow it.

I just need to convince Arthur to go against his lord's orders thought Els, he's stubborn but he will see the need to be decisive.

Els walked away from the renewed arguing and went to stand by Grace. The feisty woman had fast become Els' favourite, she had taken the role of quartermaster and presided over all the supplies carried by the company.

"How did the scouting go m'lady," asked Grace.

"Not well, bandits are blocking our path and we are currently deciding what we do next," replied Els.

"We should go through them that's what I say, smash them aside," said Grace.

"We are of the same mind then Grace, I would lead you straight into fury with a smile on my face but it's not up to me," said Els.

"I sometimes forget it is the young Price who commands us, you run around making sure everything gets done. All the prince seems to do is brood and fight with Arthur," said Grace.

Els nodded along in agreement, he's still a boy, and shouldn't be making these decisions. "He is the brother of our High Prince, even my family bows to him".

"He won't fight the bandits you mark my words lady," said Grace as she turned back to the supplies.

"How are we for provisions," asked Els.

"Plenty of water but we'll need to provision the food if it takes much longer to get to Heartford," said Grace.

Running out of food, that's good motivation to take more aggressive action thought Els. She nodded at Grace, "Keep up the good work."

She turned back around and almost groaned when she saw that Arthur and the Prince were still arguing.

"Why would they stay for a whole day just to find two scouts," said Pyp.

"They won't move on without them, they will assume they are dead and will know there is a hostile force behind them. They will not move," said Arthur.

"We shall see Arthur, we do not move," said Pyp.

Arthur was about to say something before Els interjected. "We may have a bigger problem than this my lord, our food is running out and if it takes much longer we may run out," said Els.

"That settles it we have to take action," said Arthur.

"No it means we have to begin rationing the food," said Pyp

"Sir-" began Arthur.

"No. The matter is closed, we wait and move when they are gone," said Pyp jumping off the cart and turning to walk off.

Els shot her hand out in front of Arthur, "His mind is made up Arthur, don't antagonize him further."

"We can't just wait, they will send out more scouts and when they find us I won't be able to kill all of them," said Arthur.

He doesn't see any of us as warriors, after all that happened in Finepoint he still sees us as weak thought Els. "I agree the only thing to do is attack, with the element of surprise we can break them," said Els.

Arthur looked at her as if she were mad, "Attack, we haven't the numbers or any skilled fighters, no we cannot win a pitched battle."

"Then what Arthur! You say we cannot wait and see, you say we cannot attack, what would you have us do," said Els her frustration with the man finally bubbling over.

She could tell Arthur was about to explode with a report but he said through a clenched jaw, "I'm sorry my lady I'm just trying to keep us alive."

He only calls me lady to aggravate me thought Els. "A compromise then," she said.

"We can't win a pitched battle but there are other ways to skin a bog-raptor," said Arthur looking over into the distance.

"What did you have in mind," said Els.

"A distraction, we draw the majority of the soldiers away and Pyp with the others break through the camp," said Arthur.

"We have no horses how can we move fast enough," asked Els.

"We steal two horses and cut the rest loose," said Arthur.

Els nodded, finally a plan that has some mettle, a daring mission into enemy territory.

Arthur started pacing back and forward, "This will only work under the cover of darkness," said Arthur.

"The Prince wants us to wait if what you say is true then they won't move an inch, we will have our darkness we need only wait," said Els.

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Arthur frowned her, "We will need to tell the Prince about our plan."

"The young Prince will not agree Arthur, he doesn't understand the need to take risks. We tell him about our plan and he will forbid us from completing it," said Els.

"How will Pyp know to act when they have been drawn away," asked Arthur.

"I'll tell the girls, they wait for the opening and inform the Prince of what we have done, he will see the need to act then," said Els.

"He won't have a choice," said Arthur, he looked with a pained look on his face.

He's not going to agree, he's too uptight to go against Pyp, I shouldn't be surprised it was the same in Finepoint thought Els.

"Alright my Lady, we'll do your plan," said Arthur turning to look at the young Prince.

Pyp's hope that the bandits would move on disappeared when night fell and new fires were built. Arthur was on edge the entire day, he constantly patrolled the outskirts of the camp, eyes scanning the distance.

He should be resting, we have a long night ahead of us thought Els as she lay on her bed roll. She had told Grace to spread the word among the girls about the attack, they stayed in their armour with weapons close by.

"My lady may we speak," said Mira.

"Of course Mira, you can come to me with anything that troubles you" said Els.

"It's about this plan Grace has been telling us about, the Prince ordered us to wait and Arthur said there are too many to fight. So why have you been telling my girls to get ready for that fight my lady," said Mira.

"A new plan has been formulated Mira, me and Arthur will draw off the bandits, allowing the company to smash through the few that remain," said Els.

"My girls are not soldiers, they fought to survive in Finepoint but they are cooks, maids, clothiers," said Mira.

"In peacetime they are, but this is war Mira and they showed they can fight in Finepoint and they will need to fight many times again before we are safe home," said Els.

"I lost too many of them just escaping that hellhole, I don't want to lose anymore," said Mira with a slight tremble in her voice.

Els got to her feet and took Mira's hand in her own. "I understand your fear, Mira, because I feel it just as you do, I have known these wonderful women for a short while but I would do anything for them and count you all as fast friends" she said. "This is the best chance we have for surviving, if you don't believe me ask Arthur he will tell you the same."

Mira gripped her hands firmly, "I believe you Lady, all of the girls have deep faith in you. I'm just worried."

This won't do, I can't have Mira interfering, if even a handful of the company question my orders then the plan will fail.

"You seem tired Mira, here take my bedroll sleep awhile it will help with your worries" said Els. Before she could resist Els was pushing her toward it, "Please I insist we can't have the girls seeing you so stressed," she said. Mira put up little resistance as she was steered toward the thick fabric and she was asleep as soon as she lay down.

Now I will speak to them personally thought Els turning to speak to the small groups spread along the road.

Els felt naked as she crawled on her belly toward a camp full of heavily armed men. The reason for that is before they left Arthur told her to remove all her armour. She had argued at first but he was adamant.

"If we get caught then we are dead, and a few pieces of armour won't change that," said Arthur.

Her good gambeson was now caked in mud, another of Arthur's ideas. "To help us blend in," he said.

If he hadn't said it with such a straight face I would have called him petty thought Els.

They were within spitting distance of the camp and Els saw the first sentry leaning against a tree.

He looks bored thought Els, she had felt some nerves as they snaked closer and closer to the camp. But the sight of a sentry barely paying attention helped ease her jitters. She nudged Arthur and pointed at the guard, Arthur nodded and motioned for her to stay down. He began to shuffle off to the side.

Is he going around? thought Els.

Arthur was shuffling through the long grass toward a large tent to the right of the disinterested guard.

What's that in his hand thought Els as he raised his arm and threw something toward the guard. Els' heart leapt to her throat as she watched the small stone fly through the air. Arthur moved quickly after the throw, the guard snapped to attention as he heard it smack into a tree to his left. He turned his head around about to shout something before Arthur slammed into him. Els saw a dagger in Arthur's hand before it plunged into the guard's neck. He pushed him to the ground quickly before grabbing his halberd and helmet. The guard's body was pushed into the tall grass and Arthur took his place leaning on the tree with his helmet on his head and halberd in his hands.

Amazing.

Arthur was motioning for her to move forward. She followed his path in the grass and crouched behind the same tent he did. "What now," she whispered over to him.

"We find the horses," replied Arthur looking behind him, "It shouldn't be far."

He turned and marched directly into the camp. Els followed him crouched down low.

"Stand up, there shouldn't be any guards inside the camp, and if there is and they see you crouched they'll know your an intruder," whispered Arthur.

Els stood up straight and walked alongside him. The camp was well lit with rows of torches and metal firepits lit, there was no one out around the main tents except for a few small boys keeping a close eye on the fires. Els tried to keep walking but noticed one of those boys look over at the pair of them. Els fought the urge to nudge Arthur but he had already spotted him, he stared right at the boy and growled, a low and phlegmy growl which caused the boy to flinch and look away. They marched right past him with no issue. Arriving at the small fenced pasture Els spotted a single wiry man carrying buckets of horse feed. Arthur had spotted him too and drew his dagger, Els followed him as he approached the man slowly from behind and plunged the dagger into the back of his neck.

He turned quickly and bumped into Els, "What are you doing," he whispered.

"Following you," she said.

"Stay further back, there's no need to stand so close," he said as he pushed past her.

He walked over to the rows of leather saddles, "Can you saddle a horse," asked Arthur.

"Yes," said Els standing further away from him.

Arthur tossed a heavy saddle at her, "Then saddle up your horse," said Arthur.

Els pulled a horse over to her and soothed it with soft words and a gently hand. She wrapped the saddle around the horses back and strapped it firm against its belly. The horse she picked was tall and strong, she looked over at Arthur and frowned at his choice of horse. It was a small palfrey with long legs.

Not what I would expect him to pick Els thought.

She noticed he was having trouble fitting a saddle on the horse. Her destrier plodded along obediently beside her as she checked on Arthur.

"Having trouble," she whispered.

"I'm fine," he said as the palfrey violently shook its head.

"Here let me," she thrust the reins of her horse into Arthur's free hand and grabbed the saddle from the other. "You have to be gentle with the beasts," she said as she whispered calming sounds into its ear.

She quickly wrapped the bridle around the horses head and strapped the saddle across its back and handed the reins to Arthur. "You do know how to ride a horse," she asked suddenly concerned.

"I've ridden before," he said taking the reins.

He walked over to the makeshift gate and cut it open. "Get a torch and set fire to horses hay," said Arthur as he hoisted himself onto his horse.

Els pulled herself onto her destrier and ripped a torch from its stand. The dry hay lit on fire immediately and Els turned her horse back toward the centre of the camp. Arthur held two torches in his hand and threw them at the large tents. After a few minutes and more torches the tents set alight.

"INTRUDERS," shouted Arthur, "THEY'VE STOLEN THE HORSES."

He kicked the palfrey into a gallop and charged through the camp screaming at the top of his lungs. Els watched as the sentries rushed to the centre of camp and the sleeping bandits rose half dressed from their beds. She kicked her own horse into a gallop and chased after Arthur.