The sun had just begun to sink under the horizon as Serena jumped from the wagon and stretched her legs. They had made good progress through the Trade Way that day, having covered what Werond had estimated to be a little over one hundred miles. She assumed they were still on time, although she wasn’t sure.

Werond jumped down a moment after and wobbled on her feet. Her dark skin was flushed, and her hair looked as though it hadn’t been washed in days.

Serena cringed. Today’s trip had been rough on the teamsters; the road had degraded substantially, with bumps and holes easy enough for horses to traverse, but large enough to damage the wagons. Every teamster was forced to pay extra attention least their wagons ruin their frames.

Werond had it worse; ten minutes into the journey, her old employer, a fat man whose name Serena did not know, had ridden up and berated Werond for jumping wagon. Werond had laid into him in return, using language that fitted more for a back-alley thug than a teamster. Serena had hidden in the back, unwilling to jump into something she wasn’t a part of. Until the man insisted that Werond’s unreliableness was borne from being “darker than a Drow”.

Serena had many things to say then.

“How you feeling boss?” Werond asked; her voice was husky, as though she hadn’t slept in days. The front of her tunic was soaked in sweat, and it clung to her slim frame.

“I’m alright,” Serena signed, “but I just sat in the back the entire time. How’re you holding up?”

“Oh I’m fantastic. Could sleep for a year probably.”

“Well, I laid out some of that fabric back there that wasn’t eaten away.” Werond shot her a questioning look. “Oh, the last owner bought a lot of silk, but it was all moth eaten. He just…left it. So I’ve been trying to sort out the good sections from the bad. And I made two spots for us to sleep in, so no more sleeping under a tree!”

Werond laughed. “Thanks boss, that’ll feel like heaven.” She began pulling her dark, filthy hair into a ponytail; she jerked her head towards the front of the caravan. “You want to eat? I’m starving.”

Serena nodded, and fell in next to Werond.

Every night a wagon near the front of the caravan would throw down a giant cooking pot, and slap together something to eat for the entire train. Some wagon owners had their own provisions, but many others relied on the charity of the food wagon for each of their meals.

Serena couldn’t blame them. Whoever made the food each night was certainly not being paid enough.

“Hey, Serena,” Werond said, halfway to the food wagon. “I uh…I didn’t get a chance to thank you earlier. For, um…speaking up for me. I was going to but – well I was just angry –”

“It’s fine! You seemed like you wanted to be left alone, so I didn’t say anything.”

“Well, thank you. I appreciate you saying something. Not many people would.”

“Of course! I can’t stand it when idiots just…spout nonsense like that. Especially about Drow. They’re not all that bad.”

Werond frowned and glanced at Serena.

“Most of them are though. I haven’t met a Drow that wasn’t rude and arrogant.”

“Well, you know me, and I’m not all that bad.”

“What?”

“I’m half Drow, on my dad’s side.”

“You’re half Drow?!” Werond asked, then sputtered, “s-sorry, I didn’t mean to – I don’t actually care what – fuck, I mean –”

Serena laughed and waved a hand. “You’re fine, you can’t tell anyways. Took after my mom way too much.”

“That – that makes sense!” Werond said, blood rushing to her face.

“Well, now that you know that, I get to ask where you’re from. Because aside from the actual Drow on the caravan, you’re the only one here that’s different looking.” Serena’s hand hung in the air, and she squinted at Werond’s arm. “It looks almost like bronze.”

Werond smirked.

“I don’t actually know; I was born in Waterdeep, but my parents died before I had a chance to ask them.”

Serena’s ears turned a bright red, and she looked away.

Werond’s smirk grew. She leaned towards Serena and said, “That makes us even, huh boss?”

Serena simply nodded.

The soup that night was a favorite of Serena’s; vegetable and deer meat that came from the woods on either side of the road. They stood quietly in the line that snaked around the food wagon. Werond’s eyes refused to stay open for more than a minute, forcing Serena to poke her whenever they needed to move forward. By the time they received their soup, Werond threatened to fall over on the next poke.

“You – okay?” Serena signed with her free hand, as they exited the line.

Werond blinked rapidly and shook her head like a dog shaking out water. Serena grinned.

“Lets – find – Pavel – sit – with.”

“Lead the way, boss.” Werond almost slurred, falling in behind her.

Serena turned and wove her way through the remaining teamsters and travelers, as she picked her way towards the back of the caravan. By the time she and Werond arrived, the normal seating arrangements were already laid out to the side of Cruck’aa’s wagon.

“Bo, please,” Pavel said from his seat; crates had been laid out in an upside-down U, with Pavel sitting at the head like a father at dinner. “You bought out his entire stock of beer, surly you can spare some.”

“No! I bought it all for me, why would I sell that which I need the most?!” Bo shouted, his gut wobbling. He sat to Pavel’s right, bowl in one hand, alcohol bottle in another, and alternated sipping between them. Bo spilled soup onto his beard, giving it the same greasy appearance as his long hair.

To the left of Pavel, Cruck’aa twisted his beak into a grimace.

“No one needs that much Bo. It’s not good for you.” He said.

“I will decide what is good for me, those around me can hold their opinions to themselves!” He threw back his head and downed the rest of the bottle before pulling another out from behind the crate.

“Uh…” Werond mumbled as they approached. Pavel glanced at Serena and Werond and perked up.

“Come, come, plenty of room! We were just discussing why Bo is being needlessly stingy with his booze.”

“Nothing – new.” Serena signed, taking a seat next to the drunk man. Werond sat on the box next to her, eyeing Bo as he laughed.

“See Pavel, she understands! I’ll never change! So why bother?”

“Because everyone else is getting angry with you?”

“Well, as I have always said…fuck ‘em!” Bo threw his head back and laughed as though the joke would’ve put the gods in stitches.

“Very uh…interesting company you keep.” Werond slowly said, as she glanced up from her soup bowl.

“Keeps it entertaining.” Serena signed, balancing her bowl in her lap. “We all met in Baldur’s Gate to hop on as guards, and we all kind of stuck to each other, for better or worse. But we all like each other, right Cruck’aa?”

Cruck’aa narrowed a beady eye at Serena.

“Most of us like each other.” Serena said.

“Ah Serena!” Bo suddenly yelled. “Ya haven’t introduced your friend here! I don’t believe any of us have met her!”

“Oh sorry Bo, you’re the only one.” Serena gestured at Werond as though she was displaying a prized animal at the market. “This is my new teamster, Werond. She is much better than I could ever be with animals, and without her, I would still be stuck.”

Werond grinned and rolled her eyes.

“You’re really bad at flattering, boss.”

“You didn’t like that?!”

“Nah, animal lady got a point!” Bo exclaimed. “Ya didn’t even tell us where she’s from or what she does when she isn’t a teamster!”

Serena shrugged. She hadn’t considered asking. Not many people on the caravan gave out that kind of information.

“I’m from Waterdeep Bo,” Werond said, eyes half closed. “and I rent out horses for caravan trips. Have a place in Baldur’s Gate and in Waterdeep. Sometimes I get paid to tag along.”

Cruck’aa whipped his head towards Werond.

“Those horses on your old wagon, they yours?”

Werond blinked.

“No, they’re not. I was just hired as a teamster. The caravan already had the horses supplied.”

Cruck’aa narrowed his eyes but turned back towards his soup. Serena frowned, and watched as he mumbled angrily.

She hadn’t a clue why Cruck’aa jumped at Werond like that. Was he that distrusting of someone new already?

“Speaking of which!” Bo yelled, before turning towards Pavel. “How much longer till we hit the big city, o Captain of the Guard!?”

“That’s not my title Bo.” Pavel said, a look of confusion across his face. “And by the map estimates, it’ll be a good couple of weeks still. We are making good pace though.”

“Fan –” Bo belched loudly and Serena cringed as her ears popped. “tastic Pavel! Glad to fucking hear it. Imma need more booze by the time we get there!”

“You’re not planning to drink that entire wagon are –”

“Of course I am! I ain’t sharing shit!”

“Bo, for nicolas cage’s sake –”

“Hey boss,” Werond said quietly, as Pavel and Bo began their old argument. “I don’t mean to be rude but I’m calling it. Barely able to follow what…those two are saying.”

Serena nodded; she took Werond’s now empty bowl and set it inside her own.

“Sure, sure, of course. Hopefully all that fabric will be comfortable.”

“I’m sure it will. Just hate having to sleep like this,” Werond gestured at herself. “sweated all day long. Might ruin the…already ruined silk.”

Serena smirked and waved a hand at Werond, fingers twisting at odd angles.

With a small sucking noise, the sweat and grime disappeared from Werond’s body.

She blinked, stared at her arms, before running a hand through her now clean hair.

“How did you –” she sputtered.

“First thing I was taught. It’s pretty minor but it’s the magic I use the most. Hope that helps you sleep a little bit better.”

“Oh it will!” Werond rubbed her face, eyes wide. “Thanks boss! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Of course! Goodnight Werond.”

Serena waved as Werond walked off, still stroking her face. She watched until Werond, still stumbling, reached their wagon and climbed in.

As Serena turned back towards the group, she noticed that Cruck’aa was staring at her, his beak twisting into another frown.

“We’re not here to make friends Serena,” he said, crossing his arms. “We have people counting on us, there isn’t time for…whatever that was.”

Serena narrowed her eyes.

“So I can’t be friendly? We have one job and I’m not allowed to be normal?”

“Don’t get distracted.”

“I’m not. Maybe keep your beak out of my business huh?”

Cruck’aa shook his head. He jumped up, soup bowl in hand, and stalked off towards the food wagon. Pavel watched him leave, before glancing at Serena.

“It would be wise if we didn’t irritate one another.”

Serena’s jaw clenched. She didn’t understand why Cruck’aa would make a comment like that. Nor did she understand why he jumped down Werond’s throat earlier. She remembered what she was hired for, and Serena didn’t need a socially awkward bird to remind her.

She raised her hands to say as much, only for Bo so smack Pavel’s bowl from his hands, sending his soup flying.

“Oi, lay off her captain!” Bo bellowed. “She’s havin a bit of fun! Who’s any of us to berate her!” Pavel’s shoulders slumped as he stared at the upside-down bowl on the grass. Bo whipped his head towards Serena; she cringed from the booze on his breath. “You do whatever the hell you want girl and talk to me if those two give ya any shit for it!”

“Thank you, Bo. But I don’t think knocking Pavel’s soup was the right thing to do there.”

“I wasn’t done with that.” Pavel mumbled, staring mournfully at the spilled food.

“Ah, who gives a damn!” Bo exclaimed, before shoving himself onto his feet. “Now, I’m off to finish off tonight’s jug! Don’t wait up!”

He wobbled away towards the front of the caravan and launched into a loud song about a barmaid who had no sense of modesty.

Serena stood up and grabbed the spilled bowl. She couldn’t help but laugh at the dejection that filled Pavel’s eyes.

“Want – me – get – more?” she signed.

Pavel looked at her like a lost puppy.

“I’ll – be – back.”