Chapter 16. The Free Ride

he slow rocking of the yak cart and the mounds of fur and yak wool blankets eventually lulled Lemony to sleep once her initial alarm wore off.  They had bound her wrists and ankles to discourage all but the most determined escape attempts and let her be.  She had no idea who they were and they offered no information.  Since they had done little harm, she decided to relax and let matters iron themselves out.

She stirred from her nap late in the evening when the cart stopped.  It might have been the cessation of movement, or perhaps it was the frantic shouts outside the high walls of the covered cart.  Sitting up, she listened attentively.  Then, to her relief, she was reunited with Uriel and Pendaran.

“Oh hello!” she cried out in delight as they were dragged struggling into the cart across from her.  Two of the men who had earlier captured Lemony were now ensuring that their two new captives were comfortably restrained and wrapped in blankets.  Pendaran had taken a nasty beating and was drooling blood, his head slumped over as he was propped beside Uriel.

“Lemony!” Uriel breathed, “Thank the gods.  I thought they had killed you.”

“I’m fine,” she replied, then, turning her attention to their captors she said, “May I have my hands fee for a moment so I can take care of Pendaran?”

Uriel watched in disbelief as they loosed the knots binding Lemony’s hands and let her go to the mesmer.  He moaned in pain as she prayed softly over him and eventually his eyes fluttered open.

 “He can’t help the things he says,” she told the dour men as she held out her wrists to be bound once more, “Perhaps you can go gentle on him for that.”

“What do you want with us?” Uriel demanded as the two men withdrew.  Her question was greeted with the closing of the high rear gate of the sledge. 

“They are not very talkative,” Lemony observed, “but the accommodations are first rate.”

“Lemony!” Uriel moaned, “We’re tied up in a cart heading gods only know where and all you can think about is comfort?”

Lemony shrugged.

“If they were going to hurt us they would do so.”

“You’re infuriating sometimes,” Uriel grumbled.

“It’s the Red Lotus Clan,” Pendaran mumbled, “I recognize their cloaks.”

Uriel blanched and stared at the mesmer.

“You know them?”

“Sadly, yes.”

“Oh, then they’ll let us go once this gets straightened out,” Lemony said.

“I don’t think so,” Pendaran whispered.

“What do you mean,” Uriel demanded.

“I’m late to my wedding to Kiku Hidetori, the guild leader.”

“How late?”

Pendaran paused to consider this.

“About six months.”

“Pendaran, you are scum,” Uriel snapped.

“Yes I am.”

“So where is this jilted lover of yours?” Uriel asked as Lemony looked on, listening with interest.

“Kaineng.  I expect we’ll be sailing there shortly.”

“Excellent,” Lemony announced happily, “We get a comfortable ride to Lion’s Arch and free passage on a ship. And I do so love weddings.”

Uriel and Pendaran stared at her.

“Shut up!” they said in unison.