"Thanks!" Serna graciously accepted the sage and began to wave it around as directed, "This sage smells so dry. Is it always like this?"

"Most of the time, yes, Serna, unless it is freshly harvested." Lazheros said continuing the cleanse the perimeter, "So, you spent most of your life assisting Baroness Meleranti in Deeping Dale, did you ever find the time to wander outside of the castle?"

"I did sneak out of her palace from time to time," Serna replied honestly, "Just to go to the markets or visit some of the shoppes or meet friends who were serving other nobles. Most of my life was spent in the palace serving the baroness. Why do you ask?"

"Sneak out?" The bronze man paused for a moment looking at her, "Were you not able to leave on your own without permission?"

"Every servant was given one day off to do whatever they liked," The Shield Maiden confessed, "We could come and go from the palace at will on that day. But when we were on-duty, we were on-duty. I sneaked out of the palace from time to time because sometimes the work was slow and not all of us servants were needed and I could sometimes talk one of my friends into covering for me."

Serna sighed, "I think I know what you're thinking. We weren't slaves, Laz. The Baroness was good to us. We were her servants and we were fairly paid for the work that we did. Besides, work in the palace was a far cry better than living in an orphanage. There I had to work everyday with no days off and the only thing I got for my trouble was three hot meals, a cot, the clothes on my back, the shoes on my feet and a room shared with ten other girls."

"Depends on what city you grew up in I suppose," The bronze man continued onward around the perimeter of the village.

The Shield Maiden hunched her shoulders, "So you tell me which is better? The palace or an orphanage?"

"There is no palace in Asylum, there is an orphanage but they have the option of finding an apprenticeship with one of the guilds if they so choose, or to learn a trade but it's not required. In your case, the palace was the better option than the orphanage. In Asylum, there are two groups of children, those who live on the farm near the poor district, and those of the merchant district, either way they all get along." Lazheros replied. ~This one is a bit of a challenge, Alysiane.~

The elementalist sat down on the edge of the dried up water fountain and smirked.

"It must be nice," Serna replied honestly, "To have many options from which you can choose. I only had a few. And when the time came, I took another option I figured might not come again--I chose a life of adventure with my friends and my sisters. And I've never regretted it. Not even once."

"The Fighters guild in Asylum would be the best place to hone your skills as a defender. There are many masters there who are willing to teach their skills in hopes that they may be bested by their students. The shield is mainly a defensive weapon but it has other uses. Knight Captain Martuk is Asylum's chief defender, Serna, perhaps if you choose to return to Asylum at some point, I am sure he would be able to teach you some maneuvers with the shield." The bronze man turned the corner and came to the corpse of the necromancer. To make sure the wizard did not return by other means, he cast Sacred Flame and the body was reduced to ash.

"Thank you for the invitation, Laz," Serna began, "But, I don't think I really want to return to Asylum. After all, who would be willing to teach a 'Disturber of the Peace' anything? No one in the Fighter's Guild I am sure. And I doubt Knight Captain Martuk would do it considering how he feels about both me and Neven. Thank you but no thank you."

*********

Captain Mandur turned and went through a saddle bag pulling out a scroll. "This is the message for Prince Yew. See to it that he gets this, or better yet give it to Prince Willow."

"We'll do the latter as opposed to the former," Irzen graciously accepted the scroll from Captain Mandur, "If we try delivering this message directly to Prince Yew, me a Drow and my friend here a Walking Nightmare, I doubt we would receive a warm reception by him or his soldiers. We'll deliver it to Prince Willow and give him your instructions as well."

Mandur whistled and armored goat trotted up, "Here, you're gonna need a strong hardy mount to traverse the valley here, and the goat can even climb into areas that horses can't go."

"Thanks!" Irzen awkwardly took the reins of the creature before the mounted himself upon it.

Dragolem snickered, "Guess that means you're a 'butthead."

A bunch of the dwarves chuckled at the draconian's comment.

The Swordsman groaned, "That joke was so lame, Dragolem, that it hurt! WOW! I thought Alyson's puns were bad; you, my friend, take the cake."

"Nah," Dragolem said in half common and dwarven, "I will let the guardian know that the knight-captain's kin are here to help out. Best of luck and Moradin Akhoral othok Nak!"

Captain Mandur and his kin bowed before the draconian out of respect for him and for the All Father of the Dwarves.

"This should be no different than riding a horse," Irzen half-said to himself after he bowed to the Dwarves, "Okay, Mister Goat, let's go. Giddy-yap!"

Dragolem face palmed and smacked the butt of the goat and it took off through the scrub brush, "Ride like a horse, Irzen. Don't speak it, just do it. This is embarrassing."

"No more embarrassing than you getting sucker-punched by The Jester and almost sent into orbit," The Swordsman laughed as he got his 'steed' under control, "Well, are you going to join me or are you just going to stand there and look impressive?"

"Just go! I'll be right behind you, Irzen!" Dragolem growled at him.

"As you wish," Irzen rode onward as the goat made its way through the brambles and brush.

Dragolem was able to run on all fours and keep up with Irzen and his new mount as they sped back across the valley towards the others. The draconian would pause occasionally to make sure they weren't headed into an ambush or surprised by scouting orc riders. There were none and it would seem that Captain Mandur and his fellow dwarves had done an excellent job holding the horde at bay.

Irzen, ever the expert horseman, matched his movements to that of the goat as he rode it across the valley and back to the others. The Swordsman thought it odd to be riding such an animal but then these were odd times.