“Okay,” Alex tells everyone at breakfast the next morning, “we’ll make it a short day today. I think it best if we stay in a hotel in Berak, rather than crossing the border right away.”

“Well, we’ll need more feed for the horses before we go on at the very least,” Garvan mutters. “They eat like, well, horses!”

“You don’t do too badly yourself,” Peta tells him good-naturedly. “I think it’s a good idea. I could do with sending another message back to Tanis and it will be our last easy chance to do so.”

“All valid reasons,” Alex allows. “I do have a reason as well. Frankly, Benteria isn’t going to be safe. We need to move as quickly as we can once we’re over the border. We’ve no proof, other than some coins, that Benteria, or more specifically, Haran, is on the look-out for us, but I’d rather not take any risks.”

“We didn’t even have to come this way,” Jamie mutters. “We could have gone south then west towards Katulor, couldn’t we?”

“Well, we could, but it is a few hundred miles further at the least,” Alex tells him. “Both the passes are higher and steeper than this one as well. Too late to change our mind now and, if Haran knows we’re coming this way, there are sure to be more surprises on the other side of the border.

“Which way are we going from Benteria?” Jamie asks.

Alex stands and walks over to his saddlebag, on the ground beside his waiting saddle. He draws a slim, cylindrical, leather map-case from the pocket and sits back down. Opening the case, he pulls out a roll of high-quality paper and spreads a map of the continent out so Jamie and the others can see.

“The city of Benteria is north-west of us, almost twice as far as we have already travelled, but I hope to do it in five or maybe six days.” When Alex pauses there are a couple of nods of approval and acceptance. “Then, we have a choice, as Jamie points out. We can go more-or-less due west and head for Capulis or Opania. Alternatively, we can go north and then west through Fundis.”

“Which do you favour,” Cato asks.

“The shortest. West of Benteria, the border with Opania is actually on this side of the mountains. We’ll be out of Haran’s territory in just a few days.”

“Either way is hard riding and then hard ground in the mountains and beyond,” Peta notes.

“I agree with Alex,” Jamie adds. “We need to move as fast as is reasonable. If Haran is prepared to try and stop us, then his plans must already be well-advanced. If we don’t get to the west as quickly as we can, we may be too late.”

“Honestly, I’ll feel a little safer in either Fundis or Opania territory. It’s getting even that far that has me worried at the moment,” Alex mutters. “No point fretting over it too much. All we can do is make a plan, execute it and deal with whatever they throw at us.” 

The first eastward-moving wagon-trains are already on the road by the time they have packed up camp and made their departure. Apart from a little fresh ash in the fire pit, there’s little to show that they were ever stopped in that desolate location.

Alex and Jamie are back in the lead for this stretch, a general air emanating from the pair in front that’s a lot less frosty than the day before. Sensibly, any comments about it from behind the front row are kept to a very quiet minimum, but there’s no doubt that Cato in particular, seems more than content with the improvements.

It is late morning when Alex brings them to a stop, recognising another guide on the approaching wagons.

“I thought you planned another trip east,” the approaching guide asks as the wagons pull to a stop and pointing back over Alex’s shoulder. “It’s that way.”

“I did, Weta. I was all set,” Alex replies as he holds out a hand to grasp that of his colleague. “When this short trip to Opania came my way, I couldn’t refuse.”

“From Tanis. I’m afraid you should have gone bloody south!”

“Really, I hate the southern passes.”

“Yeah, so do I, but I’d like them more than the increased bloody security at the border in Berak.”

“Increased security?”

“Yes. Bloody Haran now wants to know ten times as much about you as he ever did. Names, home cities, cargo manifests. We were almost half a day waiting to come over.”

“In that case, I’m glad we’re travelling light,” Alex agrees. “Any idea what all the fuss is about?”

“Not a bloody clue. Probably the wasteful bastard just trying to get more taxes,” Weta suggests, turning to spit onto the roadside. “You know how it is, came close to punching the tax collector. He’s an arse-hole!”

“Still the same one? Little weasel-featured, swarthy man with that thin moustache and a squint?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. Don’t bloody let him get anything out of you.”

“Not a chance, my friend. Fare well.”

“And you, Alex. Safe travels.”

They walk on once more, still climbing steadily, but their destination now obvious. Some distance ahead it is now clear which high valley they are making for, towering peaks covered with snow on either side. There’s silence for a few minutes, but a noticeable simmering undercurrent.

“Well, that’s a bugger,” Garvan mutters. “No doubt about Haran now, is there?”

“No,” Cato tells him grimly. “This just about makes it certain. Alex, was mentioning Opania on purpose?”

“Yes. I trust Weta, we’ve worked together and fought together in the past. I don’t trust anyone to keep silent if tortured though, so best to make something up that he has no reason to not believe.”

“When is he going to get tortured?” Jamie asks in alarm.

“Probably never. He’s heading away from our troubles, thankfully.”

“It’s a good job we’ve got extra time this side of the border,” Cato adds. “We will need to get some extra paperwork to bolster our story now. If we don’t need an entirely new story”

“Don’t worry,” Peta tells him. “I can speak to the border guard captain when we arrive. He’ll arrange anything that we might need. Our main problem is that everyone knows Alex.”

“Yeah,” Alex sighs. “Not much I can do about that. Somehow, I can’t see myself in a disguise.”

“No, but a good story about the rest of us should be enough,” Cato adds. “All we really need is a good reason to justify hiring you and everything else should make enough sense to get us through.”

Again they travel in silence for some time, Alex deep in thought and the others still apprehensive. Alex lets Jamie look to the road while he thinks. Whatever plans for explaining their journey are now compromised and they need to come up with something different.

“Peta, we’ll need some papers or whatever that make Cato and Jamie appear to be heading for Opania. Maybe some clothes as well?”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. Leave it to me.”

“Okay. Here’s the tentative plan. Cato, you’re returning to Opania with your son. Jamie, that’s you. You have lived many years in Tanis, but your wife has died – that’s your mother, Jamie – and you are going back to live once more with your extended family.”

“Garvan is your servant and cook,” This gets a curt nod of approval form the soldier. “Peta, do you think you can play at being Cato’s secretary?”

“Sure. Do I need to lose the sword?”

“No. Play up being ex-military or whatever if you need to. Just make it clear that you were in the quartermaster’s office or something. We’ll let you do the talking at the border, as you’ll have all the paperwork, such as it will be.”

“That leaves me and Brion. I’m playing myself and, so is Brion. He’s the other hired guard. Now, we’ve no need for any cargo, no samples and no trade.”

“It’s a bit thin as stories go,” Garvan mutters, “but a lot better than pretending to be merchants without any wares.”

“Hell, it’s positively bloody starved,” Brion agrees, “but it’s better than nothing and easy to remember.”

“I have a couple of promissory notes on merchants in Opania, so that will help to explain an organised transfer of my wealth,” Cato suggests. “It is a weak story, but a plausible one. We’re lucky that nobody really knows what Jamie looks like. Not planning on using different names or anything?”

“No, it’s too easy to make a mistake. We’ll stick with what we have now and be ready to drop some gold if the need arises,” Alex adds with a grin.

“Do you mean that someone will take a bribe?” Jamie asks.

“Well, not on our side of the border,” Peta tells him. “We pay well enough to make sure that only the best work for the King. Try it with one of our staff and you’ll probably get arrested.”

“On the other side of the border, however, they have no such loyalty or honour,” Alex tells him with an even broader grin.