They were paid prisoners on this adventure, and it did not take any great means of observation to know that Saul hated the commander, and hated the restraint. Having been a captive before, and an unpaid one, Malorik did not mind so much. There was more freedom now, and she had her blades, and that was enough to suit her for now. When they reached Lahkis she could decide for herself what she should do, if she should continue to help the Brindians or take the box and her contract fee, as she'd planned all along, but it was her choice.

Everything now was her choice, and it was a slightly frightening thought.

When dawn broke and the sky was nearly light, they stopped and made camp to the side of the Desert Road. Saul had brought his own supplies, but everything, along with her horse, had been provided to her. The commander motioned for them to stay near the center of camp, and Mal glanced at Saul before digging through her packs and finding her own tent. She did not feel in danger, sleeping by herself, but she was nonetheless relieved when he set his tent beside hers, if only because he was the only person here who was not a stranger.

The soldiers set about making camp and the morning meal, and Mal sat outside her tent and watched them move about. They were much more organized than the caravan had been, and far more than the mercenaries, and that was reassuring and troublesome at once. They would be harder to escape from, if that was the decision she chose to make, but there were weeks until they reached Lahkis, and she did not have to worry about that now. For now, Saul was climbing out of his tent and moving to stand beside her, and Mal glanced up at him.

"This will not be so bad, Saul," she said placatingly.

"I should have expected a man to say such a thing," she said, with such terrible disdain. "I left so that I would not be sold in marriage, and you, who claims to hate slavery, have made it very obvious that you do not think so harshly of it as you would once have me believe."

What she should do after all of this was something she had to face, whether she wanted to or not. It was frightening and exhilarating, all at once, knowing that she was an independent woman now. The gold in Reno's accounts had been willed over to her at the time of his death, and when combined with her own accounts, made her surprisingly wealthy.

There would be no worry about money, and without Reno, or ties of any kind, she was free to do whatever she desired, and go wherever she chose. She was not ready to settle down yet, to buy a home and be bound to a place; the urge to wander made her dream of the many places she could travel. Her homeland was not an option, but there were other continents, and cities she had only heard about.

Such freedom cooled her anger toward Saul. He was only a man, born in this land and content to stay here, and she shouldn't hate him for not understanding her. Many people felt that way-- even Reno had expressed a desire to find a wife and a home-- but she did not, and that was alright, too. By the fourth day she even smiled at him, as she stepped out of her tent to sit beside him for the evening meal, and though it was small there was no anger or malice to it.

If they could recover the box and return with it then it was possible that all would be well. Saul didn't think that was very likely Unless one of his men made off with it first, the caravan leader would have it open, by force if necessary. If Malorik was right and it was something valuable, it would be sold or hidden, and they would have to follow it. If Alaran Cale was lucky enough to find it before the rest of his crew and conceal it from them then maybe it would all go to a single buyer. If not it might be split up several ways, unless it was something that could not be divided and maintain its value. There were far too many possibilities for Saul to think that it would be as easy as walking up to the caravan leader and demanding the box.

He knew a few people in Lahkis, though whether they would be there and able or willing to help him make an escape if it came to that he had no way of telling. He finally admitted to himself that he could make no plans until they reached Lahkis and settled instead on observing the Brindians.

They were disciplined to the point of servitude, and Saul was both repelled and impressed by their obedient efficiency. Theolus ordered and it was done, and the men rushed to follow his directives as if their lives were dependent on it. They were like slaves who did not know they were slaves. The company made good time because of it, and Saul made sure he did what he could to improve their speed. The faster they reached Lahkis the less time the box had to travel out of their reach.

He had retrieved his evening meal and sat eating it outside his tent several evenings out of guildsport when the woman sat down next to him with her own plate. He looked at her briefly when she sat down and then back at the camp around them.

"Hello," she said peaceably enough.

He looked at her sideways and nodded back. She had been quiet and left him alone since their last conversation, and now it appeared that quiet time was over. She did not ask him anything, though, and when he had finished his meal and washed and returned the plate she was still sitting outside her tent. He started to crawl into his own and then stopped and sat down as well.

"Do you know what is in the box?"

She did not tell him that Raspeth was alive, because she did not know if the girl had survived the rest of the journey. Chances were the girl was perfectly alright, but Mal did not want to endanger her, even by telling Saul, and so said nothing.