On the road. (1)

The journey from the town of Uluth started as early as two hours past sunrise the next morning. After speaking with the dragons, James had gone out in search of information, and he'd found that the son of a certain Count Raven had just shown up in the town that evening.

The Ravens were a house from the central domain, one of the most highly ranked by the Duke. But Timothy Raven wasn't even the first born. It was all very suspicious.

James had only dallied to show that he'd been waiting for the less ranked noble to pay the necessary obeisance. Not that he'd expected the man to show up. What with the state of his experimentational cave.

In his carriage he sat, alone again, with not even the fox kids to keep him company. It was the free time he'd needed to get back to trying to master the bow, the weapon he'd chosen.

While some nobles might argue it wasn't as elegant or as awe inspiring as sword play, it was unique. And he did know of beautiful archery styles back in his old world. Like the way these people called Japanese drew the string with only a few fingers and pulled it in an elegant sweep about their torsos.

The style had grace and elegance. But a Wikipedia search he'd once done told him things like practicing drawing the string for months before one was allowed to shoot their first arrow. He hoped just getting his fingers and hands used to handling the weapon would have to do.

That evening, once they rested, he planned to take Hans aside and instruct him to take him through a brutal regimen of workouts. He had to take the chance to build some muscle before his body's natural instincts kicked back in.

He didn't even realise when his fingers srarted bleeding. It was a shock to find the string had some patches of dried blood on it already.

Something was wrong. A few days ago, he could never have gotten away with abusing this body in this way, yet now nothing had kicked in to stop him. It was just like he'd been in his previous life. Willing to put his body through the wringer to squeeze out that small improvement on a daily basis. Ambition.

He hated to waste the healing potions he'd bought so expensively, but he promised not to abuse his body during training again. It was about time he stopped for the day anyway.

The fox kids were walking with Hansworth, chatting in animated tones all the while. He hated to interrupt their otherwise friendly chatter, but he needed to inform the young man of the plan that evening.

"Hey Hans," he waved as he approached the trio.

"Young master?" they all turned to regard him.

Just a few minutes walking alongside the carriage and James was starting to feel the exhaustion. He felt bitter even a kid below ten, with his short legs could do it.

"After we make camp today, I have need of you. Can you humour me?"

"Yes. But what for?"

Jamed flexed his muscle with a bitter smile. Hans frowned at the barely changed limb in confusion.

"I don't understand, but whatever you need sir."

"Fine. Where is Talia? I need to talk to her."

"I think she was walking ahead with Aric and Jonas. They are supposed to be scouting."

James looked over to where Mania limped along behind the carriage. It was one of her jobs to scout ahead with Aric. Jonas was always kept back to search out any magic signatures near or far.

It seemed like Talia had decided to lighten Mania's burden until the woman was healthy again. James couldn't avoid an internal wince.

He did need to speak with Talia though. He didn't fancy his chances in trying to outpace the carriage with his own legs.

He found the three of them walking together. Although Talia walked a little ahead and further to the left. The two men were almost shoulder to shoulder. The sets of their shoulders were so stiff. They walked dead centre of the dust road, a few scattered shrubs on either side to mark the end of the demacted route.

"Is this how all your scouting sessions go? You're not even trying to search out anything."

He spoke loudly enough, but the two men had no doubt he wasn't addressing them when they realized it was him.

Talia only snorted and looked back in front when she realised who was speaking.

"You guys can fall back for now. I need to speak to Talia."

"You don't give us orders," growled Aric.

Jonas looked like he'd been about to withdraw, but decided to stay to show solidarity for his friend. James shrugged. He'd expected Talia to reprimand them but she'd done nothing of the sort.

"Hey," he addressed her directly this time. "We need to talk."

"Do we?"

"Yes, we do."

"Don't waste your breath. After all that crap you pulled last night, I think you know my answer by now."

"What crap? You mean with the waitress?"

"What?!"

"You know. When I flirted with—"

"Stop right there. I don't care what you do with yourself, James Halden. You can even jump right off the Waland mountains for all I care."

"Ouch! that high! You really do care that little for my safety? Cruel woman. Anyway, if it isn't about that, then I'm at a loss as to what I could have done."

"You forgot how callously you talked of the lives of the people of Uluth like they didn't matter at all in your eyes."

"Oh. You mean about the fact that their fate didn't matter in the grand scheme of my plans."

"That. How can you speak such bullshit with a straight face?"

"Disenchanted with me already, are you?"

He flashed her a smile, she didn't even snort before turning away.

"In truth, I'm quite disgusted with myself over the whole matter now. But that's just in hindsight. I can't say if that whole affair taught me any lessons that will be long lasting." 'I still intend to hunt for power.'

"Is that supposed to make me empathise with you?"

James shrugged. "I don't know. Does it?"

She turned away without another word. James sighed.

"Look, it doesn't matter if you hate me. Do you remember our conversation from a few days ago?"

"Yeah, and I—"

"No. We'll discuss it in private."

He looked at the two men who'd lengthened their strides to try and keep up with Talia who seemed to be trying to out pace the horse. She hadn't looked at them the whole time he'd been talking with her. Was there some kind of friction developing in the group?

It didn't matter to him. He put his hand on her shoulder, and suddenly she was lighter than an empty water skin. She'd gone rigid once his hand had touched her skin, so she forgot to struggle against being lifted until she was already in place in front of him on the horse.

Jonas and Aric started complaining at almost the same time she started squirming, but then the horse was galloping forward, fast as the wind.

"You're kidnapping me now? I don't think this will work out the way you expect it to."

"Look Talia, I might have made you think you had the right to choose whether to accept or reject my request to employ you."

She was still. So still, he thought her heart might have stopped. Still, her frame in front of him fit so perfectly with his own, it was painful.

"Is that some kind of threat?"

He put his chin on her shoulder, letting her sense his quickening breath.

"Maybe," he started, but then got serious. "Listen, that fat guy is going to be in the capital."

"Fat guy?"

Was her voice almost a squeak. Ah, she was distracting him. She didn't smell particularly well, but their was a charm to her sweaty barbaric smell. He was sure she could feel him pressed up against her back, but she wasn't complaining.

"The merchant. The proprietor of the dining swan."

"Oh?"

Was she moving around like that on purpose? Damn, how was she still soft in places? Perhaps he should leave the reins in her hands and use his hands for more savoury things.

He pulled the reins, instructing the horse to go at a small trot so he wouldn't have to lead it too much. 'I can still hold the reins while I...'

Her breath caught as his left hand settled palm up on her muscled belly. His nose was next to her ear, so she must have heard how her reaction affected him.

"I'm offering you a means to survive. They'll want someone to spy on me, but they are not sure they can trust you anymore. You are going to present the idea to them like it's your own."

"Why....why would they want to spy on you? Why do you think you matter to the revolution?"

She'd fully leaned her head back against his chest. She wasn't bothering to hide the signs anymore. James didn't want this to end. So this time he moved his hand a lot slower than the first time. His goal was that soft flesh.

"No doubt they've heard rumors of the battle at that village town or whatever that place was."

"How?"

"I'm pretty sure that Toura guy survived."

The guy had been described as a cockroach in the novel. He'd fought the protagonist about a hundred times, and he'd outlasted even Talia.

"Its not that I don't believe you, but any decision I make right now would obviously be biased."

"So?"

She sighed. "I might be tempted to say yes, but I run a crew. Such decisions are normally left up to the majority. And except Rob, each one if us has some sort of wrangle with you."

"I kind of hoped to win you over to my side."

She leaned away from him. He'd been so close to his goal, perhaps only an inch at that. She turned to stare at him. Her face was beet red.

"I don't think that is possible as long as you're acting in this manner."

Her leaning forward had her back pressed more firmly against him. Was she doing that on purpose? Looking him in the eye with that red face while grinding against him.

He let go of the reins entirely and soon both his hands were occupied. She didn't resist him.

"As I said, it's a means of survival. Whether you use it or not is entirely your choice, but don't forget that you have the option. If you sense them trying to kill you, lie to them. Your boundless honesty won't save you."