In the winding pathways that would eventually take one to the mountains economy of space was central in the minds of the creators. There were campsites off the road, well-known to travelers and thieves alike, but the road itself was narrow and was forced to follow snaking paths to allow for horses and carts which couldn't quickly adjust to rapidly rising terrain. Skandra didn't think of it as a hindrance as much as an annoyance - they would walk twice the distance between that last hamlet and the mountain pass just because of these twisting roads - but he did think of it as very irritating planning. Walking through the dense trees with their tangled roots and dangerous jutting branches wasn't a sound idea, either. If one of their horses put a foot wrong it was the end for their easy traveling days. So if it took time, it took time, but he wasn't going to obsess. After all, the conversation was so very pleasant. How could you be annoyed at the time it was taking when you had such enjoyable company?

( The dead woman was still bothering her. )

Ilyien did not wake the priestess when the moon reached its zenith. He did not wake her when the sun broke the horizon. The slaves had fallen asleep huddled so closely to her that it would have been impossible to rouse only Aeotha, even with a word, to say nothing about the possibility of Aeotha extracting herself without waking any of them in the process. And Ilyien knew just what their reaction would be if any of them woke with a strange man towering over them. They had enough reason to distrust every man in the Outer Realms. He had no desire to fill their minds with panic.

Across the campsite, the bound trio took turns staying awake all night. It was a reasonable plan. Wait until their captor succumbed to sleep, then find a way free of their bonds and their arrest. Ilyien had not slept the night before. It was dangerous to remain sitting. He paced the campsite instead, far enough away that his footsteps would not disturb the girls, close enough that he still had a clear view of the huddle of brigands. In the hour before sunrise, they finally gave up their plan. It was too late now.

At daybreak, Ilyien rubbed his eyes with the gloved fingers of his left hand, then drew his sword with his right. One by one, he marched each of the thieves into the forest to see to their crude human needs. They were not quiet about it. When the chore was done, the girls were awake. Best to get an early start, but he would not have begrudged them another hour of sleep. Breakfast was made of the last of the bread and dried meat he had in his saddlebag. There was still food left in the dead men's possessions, and that would serve on the trip back to Trone -- but later. The night had afforded him plenty of opportunity to go through what the dead men left behind and salvage those things that could be useful. They were packed, now, in the saddlebags he would tie onto his horse.

"You will lead," he finally said to Aeotha, once breakfast was served. "If you recall the way back." It was likely that she did. She'd proved herself to be a capable traveler.

It was summertime, and the sun felt good on her skin. It warmed her down to the bone. Although the ride had been long and cold while crossing the mountains, Aeotha was pleased to shed her cloak and abandon the often too warm robes of a Priestess of Lorien. Within Ithacles' homeland Aeotha was free to travel as she pleased. The knights here knew her by name because of Prince Ithacles. They knew her stories as well as they knew their own lands. It was nice to be here. The sun filtered past the strong boughs of the evergreen trees that nestled into the walls as if the stone had grown with them. She loved it here. There was no pressure upon her shoulders as she passed quietly on foot through the streets and towards the main palace.

If anything, no one wanted to burden her with anything more than what she'd been burdened with in her long life. She passed children playing an assortment of games she wasn't familiar with. Humans and Elves were different from childhood on, and while the songs they sang sometimes took on a familiar tune, there was so much to learn here. She enjoyed the difference in customs and in the songs they sang. She loved the smell of the market here with their summer hauls of apples and pears, along with roses of every shape and color.

( If she wanted to, she could have lived out the rest of her days somewhere inside the palace. )