Curz and his people were strangely silent for the next few days. Sure, there were one or two small incidents where people stepped on each other's toes, but no attacks, no fighting beyond words. They were there though, in the background, looking, watching, waiting. It was impossible not to notice them, not to see that they were planning... something.

“Mind if I have a word?” Kar asked a few days in, hopping over to my boat with a bit of magic I couldn't quite catch.

“I do not,” I answered tiredly.

“I have a question,” he stated.

“Please ask.”

“I believe that the villagers are planning something. However, I can't help but notice that you're not joining it. From one outsider to another I wanted to let you know that there could be some danger for you and yours, so you're not caught unprepared.”

I sighed. “If they have an issue it would be with you, not me Kar. You and your men are the ones who are forcing them into your camp.”

He feigned shock. “No, certainly these people are loyal to Uro, even you should be able to see that.” I just stared at him for a few moments before he laughed. “Alright, I suppose there's no need for deciet, not between us.”

“Since there's no need for deception, what can I help you with?” I asked as Isha watched on from behind and Chien snoozed.

“If and when things fall apart I wanted to know whose side you'd be on.”

“Mine,” I answered.

“Not a horrible answer, but hardly the clarity I was hoping for,” the other elf said, narrowing his eyes.

“I will not attack you and your men, nor will I help you if should be attacked by others. How is that?”

“So you're staying out of it?”

“Yes.”

“I don't suppose you've told this to the villagers have you?”

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“If I had and told you that would confirm your suspicions wouldn't it? But if they asked me, that is what I would tell them.”

“Good to know. Do you mind if I ask you for a small favor? Well, two actually.”

“And what are those?” I said, slowing the boat a bit. We were forward and pulling away more than I'd like, didn't want to be too far from the others.

“If something happens, will you protect the villagers, particularly the children? They're a precious thing, and I'd hat eto see them harmed. Not those attacking us mind, those who would stay out of the way.” I managed not to laugh, for his opposite had asked me almost the exact same thing.

“Certainly, and what was the other.”

“Try to convince them not to do something.”

“Kar, while I appreciate what you're asking, I think you've overestimated what exactly I can do here. As you said earlier, I'm an outsier too.”

“True, but one who isn't hated like I am, one who's neutral, one who might keep me and my men from having to slaughter people we'd much rather just come along peacefully. I might even lose some of my people or myself if they decide to attack, and I don't much like that. What I want is for these villagers to come along quietly. Partially because I believe it will be better for them in the end anyway.”

“Why do you believe that?” I asked honestly.

“Because I know Uro, and I knew Nora, and I know which will make a better leader. Don't get me wrong, Nora's not a bad person, but she's not suited to rule. For now it seems fine, but in time I fear that she'll become a tyrant, and a horrible one at that.” That one made me blink. “Also, we plan to win, and having more people safely on our side helps.”

“I hate to say it Kar, but from everything I've heard Nora seems... well, people think she's pretty nice.”

“Do you know why almost all of the older people are now with Uro?” he asked.

“Because he promised you power and land?” I guessed.

“Yes, but no. We know her, we've known her for a long time. The swamps aren't so big that all of the elders here haven't met. She is nice, at least most of the time, but she's also capricious, and has a cruel streak when she wants to.”

That gave me a lot of things to think about. In my lives I'd known a lot of things, and one of those was that women who were cruel could be really, really cruel, and could hide it alarmingly well. But you couldn't hide anything forever, and we lived a long, long time. However, I couldn't take this man purely at his word either, as he was of course from an opposing force.

“I'll talk to them, and tell them that you don't want to fight,” I said. “Can't promise that will change anyone's mind, but it will let them know that. Honestly though, you should be the one talking to them.”

“Wouldn't listen to me Justin, but might listen to you.”

“Very well.”

That night when we made camp I went to go join Curz during dinner, if only for a moment. The man looked up surprsied and initially very welcoming, until I sat down and began to speak.

“That's the basic message, they know you want to fight, but they don't want to,” I said after a short explanation.

“And they sent you to tell us?” he almost accused, face flashing between confusion and anger.

“Thought you might listen to me better. I'll say this though, he did at least ask me to look after the villagers if something happened. Means that while I may disagree with what he's doing he isn't a maniac.”

“Pah, that's not worth anything.” The leader looked displeased, none of those at his fire looking any better. “Could also be that he was seeing who you'd go to tell, getting you to lead him to the leaders.”

“Which is why I went to three fires before this one, and will go to several after. I'm not a fool Curz, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't treat me like one.”

“My apologies, but it changes nothing.”

“That is your decision not mine,” I finally answered. If they were determined to fight and die, well, there was little I could do about it.

Another week passed, and if what I was hearing was correct, we were finally nearing the outer territories of both cities. We were of course closer to Uro's actual region, but it had to be a near thing because of how the borders worked out and the pathways flowed.

We turned off into a small pool, to wait for the slower rafts to catch up when it happened, several people from the villages surged forth, spells flying from their hands.

“Shit,” Chien said groggily from behind me, having been taking more of the night shifts.

“Yeah,” I replied hurridly, spinning shields into existance around us.