Rian had had two of the jars of travel ration stew opened and heated, so when they got back, there was warm stew to dip the bread in, and along with more meat-and-vegetable filled pastries that had been sent to them courtesy of Binder Shanalorre – a different taste from what Binder Shanalorre's aunt had made– they had a small feast. The stew was actually delicious again when eaten with the bread, and Lori sat back and enjoyed the sounds of the three men and one idiot eating. It reminded her of dinners in the dining hall back home, something normal to build her days around. Someone came by to pick up the bowls the food had come in, and they made ready to sleep

They had the same sleeping arrangement, Lori sleeping in the small room with Rian ostensibly guarding the door to her. This time the men didn't linger in conversation, as if afraid they'd be woken up again and wanted to get as much sleep as they could. Soon only Lori was left awake, listening to the sounds they made as they slept as she pondered Rian's question.

Why aren't you angrier at Grem for trying to use you?

She probably should be. Objectively, Grem's actions were horrendously offensive, and in defiance of her authority. He had initiated hostilities on his own initiative, without previous orders. He had used omission of information and incomplete information to prompt her to courses of action that he wanted. He'd manipulated her to his own ends.

He wouldn’t have been able to if she'd done the smart things, the reasonable things, the intelligent things. If she hadn't let her greed do her thinking. If she hadn't been so stupid as to not realize… no, to be willfully in denial of the fact he was taking advantage of her greed.

But he had taken advantage of her. Grem had taken advantage of her ignorance.

For the first time, anger began to seep into her at the thought.

She tried it again. Grem had taken advantage of her.

More anger.

He'd taken advantage of her, lured her out of her demesne, put her in a vulnerable position, baited her along, all to set them up to kill a child he thought should die… it didn't matter whether she should or not, the fact was he'd made the decision and tried to inflict it on Lori. He'd tried to tell her what to do, to dictate her actions, as if he had any right to command a Binder…!

In the dark, a vindictive smile came over Lori's features…

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As they were finishing breakfast– just stew now– there was a knock on the door. Everyone looked up, wary. Rian pointed at Deil, then to one side of the door, pointed at Tackir, and behind the door, then grabbed one of the water skins that was still partially-full and tossed it to Lori. She understood, beginning to breathe in magic and pass it through the waterwisps in her body as the two men moved to where he had pointed, where they would be out of sight of anyone entering. She stuck her finger into the skin, and turned it to touch the water.

Only then did Rian open the door with a smile. "Binder Shana? This is an unexpected surprise. Um, people know you're here and aren't going to think we kidnapped you, right?"

"Yes Lord Rian, my people are aware," Binder Shanalorre said. "I am here to invite Binder Lolilyuri and yourself to arrange a transfer of personnel."

Rian glanced back at Lori, who nodded. "Um… sure. Just give us a moment, we need to put away the bowls." Rian said, finally stepping away from the door and moving with alacrity towards the food bowls, where he began hurriedly eating the food that was left.

Binder Shanalorre stood outlined there, and she nodded to Lori in greeting. "Binder Loliyuri," she said.

"Binder Shanalorre," Lori replied, hanging the water skin into her belt. "You mentioned a transfer of personnel?"

Shanalorre nodded. "Yes. In regards to those who will be traveling with you today and over the next month. I would like to speak to you about final arrangements. If you and Lord Rian will come with me?"

Lori stood, taking her staff as Rian finished eating, mouth still full but chewing quickly. He handed his bowl to Landoor with a muffled "You wash everything," and followed after her, sword at his waist.

The light of the sun cast the inside of the dome of woven branches in a cool, indirect light, and outside the tops of the hills were beginning to be bathed in luminance. Other huts had smoke rising from them as people made breakfast and got started with their day. The four militiamen who'd been standing on either side of the door the way Deil and Tackir had been on the inside stepped back, still surrounding their Binder as the two of them came out of the hut and door closing behind. Shanalorre led the way, and they all followed after them.

"So…" Rian said. "Just to be clear, this is about Grem, right? Or are you taking people moving away very seriously and making paperwork for Lori and us to look over?"

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Yes, this is about Grem," Shanalorre said. "I will be informing him about his sentence and officially passing his parole to you."

Rian glanced at Lori, looking at her in concern. She made a gesture, telling him to mind his own business.

That made him smile for some reason. Her first, and currently only, lord was a very strange person a lot of the time. Useful, but strange.

"Regarding that matter, Binder Shanalorre, is it still your intention for Grem to live in exile?"

Shanalorre looked over her shoulder at her, nodded. "Yes, it is. I have not changed my mind. His punishment is still exile."

Lori nodded. "Understood. However, I must inform you that I have changed my mind. I have decided to void his citizenship in my demesne and have declared him exiled for treasonous actions, and deliberately manipulating me by use of misinformation and committing violence against another demesne while my representative. After you exile him, we will no longer be taking him with us."

Shanalorre stopped, then turned abruptly. "That was not our agreement," she said.

"No, it is not," Lori said. "However, I find it pointless to waste time transporting a man only to have to exile him at journey's end. However, if you do not wish him to be near your demesne, I am agreeable to transporting him to a point between our respective demesnes and exiling him there."

Binder Shanalorre stared at her. "He would die," she said.

Lori nodded. "As he is no longer under my authority, as a demesneless individual, such is neither of our concern."

"I had hoped…" Binder Shanalorre said slowly, "that he would have an opportunity to live somewhere else."

"That is, of course, your prerogative," Lori said. "However, that place cannot be my demesne. I shall not tolerate one who would subvert and defy my authority so blatantly. We will accept anyone else, but not him. With so many new people, we cannot spare the resources to either hold him prisoner, or the discontent or disorder that would be caused if we kept him as a penal laborer. He must contribute to reside in my demesne, and given his actions, any contributions he makes are suspect. So I will exile him. As this was not our initial agreement, I bring it up in case you have any objections."

"I… I…" Binder Shanalorre shook for a moment, bowing her head. She took a deep breath, then another, and another, falling into a rhythmic breathing exercise for gathering magic, a method wizards commonly used for calming themselves.

Lori guessed her uncle must have taught it to her, so she would have the magic needed to claim the core. It was simple enough you didn't actually need to know magic to teach it. After all, it was just breathing.

One last breath, and then stillness. When she looked up again, Binder Shanalorre was calm. "I understand your reasoning. Very well. I accept your offer of… of… of transport."

"Understood," Lori said.

"Um…" Rian suddenly said. Lori blinked, turning to look at him for the sudden interruption. Binder Shanalorre did as well. "Permission to advise?"

"Since when have you ever needed permission?" Lori said blandly.

"I probably deserve that, but I meant to Binder Shanalorre," Rian said. "If she wishes."

"What do you advise, Lord Rian?" Shanalorre said.

"Lorian is planning to send an expedition to Covehold, for supplies and materials," Rian said. "Once we have a suitable boat large enough that can carry both people and supplies, which… well, we still have to build it, but it shouldn't take too long. If you want him to go to exile somewhere he can actually live, if you're willing to wait, we can bring him to Covehold and leave him there. I mean, we'll be passing through here anyway…" He shrugged. "But that's just a thought."

Lori blinked at him, wondering what in the nine colors he was talking about before she remembered that he was in charge of that endeavor. She considered it. "I suppose that is an option. Though personally I would suggest we just exile him to the colors. More efficient, and you don't have to waste food on him."

"That is my decision," Binder Shanalorre said.

"I acknowledge that," Lori said. "If you wish to undertake this course, I'm sure we can discuss passage once our expedition is ready."

"Speaking of passage," Binder Shanalorre said, "thank you for returning the boat my father made that was lent to Grem and those who left my demesne."

Lori blinked, and her eyes started to narrow. "Are you referring to Lori's Boat?"

That made Binder Shanalorre blink. "Wait, did you name the boat after yourself?" she said in tones of disbelief.

"It's a boat and it's mine," Lori said. "Hence, it's Lori's Boat."

"What are you, a child?" the child said.

"I'm an adult, obviously," Lori said. "You can tell by my height."

Rian, why are you putting your hand on your face?

"Um, may I speak to my Binder a moment, Binder Shanalorre?" Rian said. Lori gave him a look. Wasn't he supposed to be asking her that?

Still, she allowed herself to be pulled aside, giving Rian a look that said she expected this to be good.

"Look," he said, "I can already see where this is going. She's going to threaten to take back the boat–"

"Lori's Boat," she corrected.

"Really? Now?" Rian sighed for some reason. "She'll threaten to take back Lori's Boat, the two of you will bluster, at some point you're going to realize she's got a militia in arm's length and you don't, so you'll have to swallow your pride and ask what she wants, she'll say she wants a guarantee that we'll bring Grem to be exiled. Can we skip all that so we can head back for home well before noon?"

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As Rian had predicted, the price of finally ceding any remaining claims of ownership of Lori's Boat was a promise to assist in exiling Grem to Covehold at the earliest opportunity. Given that wouldn't be for some time, Lori was willing to agree, especially since the expedition was in Rian's charge, and therefore transporting Grem would be his problem. In the meantime, Grem would be held prisoner by River's Fork, and would be made to work for his food.

They finally left River's Fork at mid-morning, accompanied by a child who Lori vaguely recognized from that morning picking fruit, and his mother, who was clutching both her son and the boat with a white-knuckled grip. Their few belongings were loaded onto the barge, near the front to try and keep the prow from rising when they sped up.

"It's perfectly safe, I assure you," Rian assured her as he handled the rudder. "Just don’t stand so you don't fall off. And please stay down so I can see where I'm going."

The woman looked like she was seriously reconsidering her decision to reunite with her husband and the rest of their family as she pulled her son tighter against her side as he kept cheering for them to go faster, and held on.