“Sometimes, when the opportunity presents itself, one must lunge for it even if it means abandoning everything else.” - Saying attributed to Xaliburnus the Conqueror, First Emperor of the Elmaiya Empire.

“You want to come with us as well, Commanding Instructor Ze’phane?” asked Reinhardt when the switch-souled half-orc visited the mercenary encampment two days after Marshal Barca and her children visited him. She also asked Reinhardt an unexpected favor, namely to be allowed to accompany them to the city of the Unliving together with Astra.

“Part of it is because Levain felt partially responsible for Miss Astra’s injury and so decided to cover half of the fees with which the Lady Marshal hired your Company, and they wanted someone to also accompany the young Miss as well, so I volunteered,” replied Ze’phane nonchalantly. “The other part is because I too wish to beseech the Maiden in Silver of a favor, if she is willing to hear me out.”

“A favor from her… Ahhh, I see what you mean, yes,” said Reinhardt as he put two and two together.

Ze’phane was what the orcs termed a ‘Switch-souled’ individual, a person who always felt as if they were born in the wrong body, be it a feeling like they should be a man while born a woman or vice versa. While their society made it easy enough for such individuals to adjust to their desired roles and responsibilities, there tended to be little in ways for such individuals to alter their body to better suit their own feelings.

Something like the full-body alterations such individuals desired needed a truly powerful and skilled mage of certain affinities to even become a possibility at all. Naturally, mages of such caliber were rare, and even if they could be found, might not be in the mood to help. It made sense for Ze’phane to grasp at the chance to meet with one of the living legends of the world who happened to be such a mage to beseech her for help in that regard.

“I guess we’ll be traveling together for a while, then. Escorting one or two is of no real difference anyway,” noted Reinhardt with a nod. “Soledad and Anatoli would be happy to have you around to teach their newcomers more tricks with horsemanship, I’m sure. She got a batch of enthusiastic recruits that still needs a good bit of training lately.”

“I am aware, yes,” replied Ze’phane with a chuckle. “She complained about them to me not two weeks ago. Great kids, got all the enthusiasm you could want and not afraid of hardship, loves horses too, the whole lot of them,” she continued. “Just that they used to be stable boys, so while they love and know how to care for horses, they don’t know a damn thing about riding one!”

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“Hah! We definitely attract some of those sorts every time we recruit. Got a bunch of hardy kids myself amongst the last batch of recruits. None of them know the sharp end of a spear from the other, but they got all the spirit and enthusiasm of youth going for them!” replied Reinhardt with a bark of laughter. “At least they take well to training, though. Another year or two of training and if they don’t break on their first battle, they’ll make good mercs for sure.”

“Anyway, will you need any special accommodations, Commanding Instructor? We’ll be happy to oblige if it’s within our powers, after all, we are getting paid for this~” added Reinhardt amusedly. Escorting two people for a princely sum was probably the sort of job most mercenary companies only dream about, doubly so when there was no political threat hanging over the job like a sword ready to fall.

“I will not require much, Captain, other than to remain close to Miss Astra, as her mother had asked me to keep an eye on the girl to make sure that she does not fall into self-pity and depression,” replied Ze’phane. “Otherwise, my people roamed the lands to the north for centuries with little more than what we could carry on the backs of our mounts. I do not need special treatment for the trip.”

“Got you. We’ll still feed you two the good food and set up some nice tents for you to sleep on, though. Pretty much part of the parcel since we’re being paid so well to look after the two of you,” said Reinhardt as he walked towards the camp and led the way for Ze’phane. “We won’t be departing for another two weeks or so, so I guess you might want to pack up for the trip until then. Maybe get extras of whatever snack you like that’s hard to find elsewhere.”

“Rest assured that I am well prepared on that matter, Captain Edelstein.”

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6th Day of the 4th Week of the 2nd Month, Year 20 FP.

On the clear early spring day, the Free Lances packed the last of their camp and loaded up what they had onto the wagons that carried them to Levain. The majority of their support staff similarly boarded the wagons, as they sat down wherever there was room, while around the mercenaries also climbed onto other wagons, ones that had reinforced frames and were more resistant to attacks from the outside.

Two guests were being escorted in the center of their formation, with Astra seated inside a comfortable wagon that was set up for a long journey and Ze’phane atop her steed as she followed beside the wagon. Their location meant that any aggressor that wanted to get to them had to go through a good portion of the Free Lances first, which was not an enviable undertaking.

They were headed to Zephirous, now part of Knallzog, where the Free Lances typically spent their downtime between contracts. Once there, the group would split up, with Lars and the majority of the mercenaries resting in Knallzog as they browsed the available contracts being offered on Reinhardt’s behalf.

Reinhardt himself and a smaller group of elites would continue to the south-west, then north towards the Forest of Despair as they delivered their escort targets to their destination.