Alexander lets go of the sword and throws it on the ground. Where it lands with a clonk, dust rises. My husband lifts his arms and shows his empty hands, calm and composed.

Nothing can unsettle him, really!

He moves down the ladder to the ground, and then he turns to me. He stretches out his arm and waits for me to catch it.

I prefer being next to him than alone in the carriage, so I promptly grab his hand and follow him down. As soon as we're stable, he surrounds my shoulders and pulls me in his embrace, protecting me the way he can.

I clench his shirt, leaning on him and observing the bandits with a keen eye. In fact, they are bandits.

The two knights escorting us are standing nearby with their hands in the air, their faces contorted because of their failure. There are too many bandits for the two of them, actually.

I'm surprised Alexander hasn't predicted such an occurrence.

He won't let me travel anymore, I realise all of a sudden. After this incident, he'll lock me up in some safe place. Maybe, ten years won't be enough to convince him to go explore together again.

I was beginning to like travelling!

«Where do you keep the gold?» the bandit chief asks, raising his sword towards us. The blade is dirty and rusty. Even a little cut can be lethal, like that.

«In the carriage,» Alexander replies, showing them the door with a hand. «Take what you want.»

«I didn't need you to tell me,» the man snickers.

He gets on and carries out all he deems valuable. When he's done, he returns to us and raises the blade again.

«Take off your clothes,» he orders Alexander. «We know you nobles tend to hide the most luxurious items on yourselves... Especially women...»

He passes his gaze over me in search of jewels. Too bad I only have my usual earrings and the nuptial ring. I have some coins in the pouch and a few more in the shoes. But nothing more.

The dress isn't expensive either. It's comfortable for travelling, not gracious to look at.

«My clothes aren't worth anything,» Alexander states, pushing me behind him. «You won't make much from it.»

«Your clothes are whole,» the man replies, showing the holes in his sleeve, on both the elbows.

Well, I see his motives.

«You can buy whole clothes with the gold,» I point out. «There's no reason to strip a person in the middle of a cold forest.»

«Thea...» Alexander murmurs, pushing me behind his back again. «Please!»

«Where do you think we'll arrive without money nor clothes?» I ask him. «Do you think people will help you based on your name alone?»

Some of the bandits snicker under their moustaches, agreeing with me. Yet, they don't care one bit about how we're going to survive.

«These woods were supposed to be safe,» Alexander comments, observing the men with more attention. «When have you started robbing random people?»

«Yesterday,» the man in front of us replies without thinking twice. «Problems with that?»

«It happens that I do have problems.»

And I was the one running my mouth. What's with this?

«I thought problems with bandits were solved in this region two years ago. What happened in the meantime?»

«What happened?» the bandit frowns, exposing his missing teeth again. «The usual stuff. As soon as the royal guards turned the corner, everything went back to how it was before.»

«Why?» Alexander inquires, scratching his chin and tightening his lips. It's as if he was playing chess right now.

«Do you have anything to do with it?» I whisper, pulling his shirt to remind him of my presence.

«I'm wondering how so many people could organise in a few days and start robbing travellers. They were supposed to stay in peace for a few months more.»

«According to your memories?»

«No, according to my predictions. They would have already been dead if my memories turned out correct.»

I shiver, understanding what he's trying to say. A rebellion, and then a bloodbath. Apparently, Alexander stopped it during one of his adventures.

Or he delayed it by a few months.

«Are there bodies hanging in the central square?» he continues to inquire, forgetting for a moment that he's the one the sword is pointed towards. He's not here to interrogate the bandits!

«No, there aren't,» the bandit replies, saddening. «But that doesn't mean we can take it in silence.»

«What happened from when the imperial delegation left?»

«The Viscount left in charge is the younger brother of the previous one. He returned to the same patterns of before, just that now people disappear in the dark. We don't want to work for them. They took away our wives and children, and we haven't seen them again.»

«All of your families?»

«Yes,» the man nods, «all of ours.»

«There's something weird about it,» Alexander murmurs. I can't but agree.

I would understand they punished the rebels. Even if they killed them, it wouldn't be surprising. But taking the families away...

«What happened to the elders?» I ask. «And the invalids? People that can't work? Did they disappear?»

«No, some were killed in the open. But none of them has been killed silently.»

«Silently?» I whisper. «I don't think they were killed. Rather, it all smells of slavery. Are local lords allowed to sell their subjects to pay some debt in Ethirians law?»

«No, Thea. Slavery isn't allowed by any means. The peasants are supposed to follow the directives of the land's administrator unless those orders imply something illegal or immoral.»

«Is immorality defined in the law?»

«No, it isn't. But we all know what it means.»

«One can interpret that law the way they like, Alexander. First things first: we need to find those people and return them home. Then, we'll bring the culprits to the capital and ask his majesty to emit a sentence. And correct that law if there's time.»