Leanna sighed as she sat at the base of a hill near Granitehill. She had often fantasized about being able to meet her lord peacefully once again, but now that it was likely to happen, she could not help but worry. Many years had passed sihe old governor had framed her, but she did not know if Lord Jerald would believe her side of the story.

  Regardless, however, she had more important reasons to meet with him. Gng over at the messenger she had rescued, she noticed he seemed to be meditating, sitting with his eyes closed and breathing slowly. She supposed if he was rexed enough to do that, it must be a good sign. It was a shame many good men died while defending him, but at least they would be avenged.

  The leader of one of the paurderous bandits they had captured had cimed he was forced to serve them, and gdly gave up everything he knew in exge for a promise to try to rescue his family from their base. While her archers would not do terribly well in the underground areas he had described, her attempts to get the other bandit groups to join in had gone well.

  If everythi acc to pn, they would stay aboveground to shoot any that escaped, while Durok’s men would clear the tunnels, with support from the various other bandits who could arrive in time, as well as one of the wandering mages she had mao hire the services of. She just hoped there would not be too many casualties, especially among the captives, as the seage was the only healer any of them had access to.

  Her enhanced hearing picked up the rhythmic tramping of armored boots in the distance, and she stood up, signaling the two elites she brought with her to be vigint. She expected this would be her lord, but just in case, she readied her bow, holding it loosely in front of her pointing towards the ground. A short while ter, a number of people emerged from over the hill, and, reizing the captain of the guard, she returhe arrow to her quiver aed her bow across her shoulder as she waited for them to arrive.

  Seeing this, the guards all rexed somewhat, as one of them waved back behind the formation. A moment ter, she reized Lord Jerald joining the group, as well as someone she could not quite make out. Over the few moments, they quickly reached her, spreading out and surrounding her.

  As she had expected, the captain nodded politely to her before having most of his men face outwards. Seeing this, she mentioned, “I have two of my elites here, let me tell them to stand down, please.”

  “I see. Everyone, prote formation!” the man responded, his guard detat moving baward to pletely surround Lord Jerald, tally allowio spot the young woman she ran into on the road the other day.

  Shrugging at the oddity, she turned back to the grassnd and shouted, “Stand down and e join us!”

  Shortly afterwards, her two escorts emerged from the foliage, their bows hanging across their shoulders. After they joined her, they stood to either side, fag outwards and sing the surroundings. Seeing this, the guard captain o his men, who returo their encirclement, mostly fag outward as well.

  “Mind if I ask why this dy is here with you, Jerald? I happened across her along the road a while back, and did not expect her to be here,” Leanna queried.

  “Unfortunately, our healer was busy with victims of a nasty act, but I heard from the guards that Dawn here heal. Fortunately, she was willing to apany me when asked to help check for poisoning,” Lord Jerald replied before waving Dawn forwards and asking her, “Dawn, you please check both the men behind her?”

  Turning back to Leanna, Jerald tinued, “And thank you for keeping your word, Leanna, I must admit I have been somewhat fused the more I sider things. Now, what was it you o speak with me about?”

  After a quiod to each of them, Dawn circled around the group, then kneeled betweewo men who were sitting in the babsp; One was barely hurt at all, just some scratches and a slightly damaged tongue, while the other had numerous cuts along his arms and a puncture wound on his babsp; Fortunately, it appeared his wounds had been dressed retively well, and she couldn’t sense any dangerous poison when she checked, though there was areme numbing agent localized within the puncture wound. Turning to inform Lord Jerald, she noticed he seemed rather busy talking, and decided to just attempt to heal the man instead.

  As she turned back around, she saw the man had opened his eyes, and he o her before speaking, “Thank you, I was told a healer would be requested to make sure the arrows were not poisoned, even though I said I was fine. Do you think you could help with the wounds, however?”

  Dawn nodded her head as she replied, “Of course, I was going to do that already, I just wao let Jerald know there wasn’t any poison first, but he seems busy. Did you do your own bandages? They are pretty well done.”

  The man shook his head and poio Leanna as he replied, “No, she did after her people found me. I must admit I hought a bandit would be so helpful, nor so skilled at treating wounds. I have to admit I was frighte first, even disting that I had just been attacked.”

  He began removing his bandages as he tinued, “It was a great surprise to me when they said they were actually attempting to wipe out the group that attacked me, and even more so when they said they would make sure I got back safely.”

  Dawn nodded as he finished speaking, remarking, “I was surprised by them too. I met her on the road a few days ago, and while there were some issues with the first meeting, she was quite nibsp; Well, until we found what she said was your carriage. I’m still upset over what I saw there… I’m gd they won’t hurt anyone else, but it was so disturbing!”

  “I uand. I have, unfortunately, had to enter death many times, so it isn’t as troubling to me anymore. I did take satisfa in seeing them dead after what they did to my escorts, however,” the man said as Dawn removed the st bandage.

  As Dawn began sterilizing the bandages, he watched on in i and tinued, “Leanna had me wear the same clothes as her bandits, so I wouldn’t be noticed, but I was actually in the group when you were there. I hadn’t seen your meeting, but I heard her shout, so I assume there were more moles in her group. Hopefully you weren’t hurt.”

  “Well,” she began, “it did hurt when Leanna smmed into me and threw me to the ground, but she did it to shield me with her own body, so I ’t pin mubsp; It retty scary though, and happened so fast I couldn’t reabsp; But she did apologize as well, and was herwise.”

  Dawn finished healing most of the man’s wounds before stopping at the one on his back, asking, “Was this one from an arrow too? It is a lot deeper than I heal in one day. I’ll do the best I , however!”

  “Indeed, when that o I thought it was the end, but lucky me, it didn’t hit anything vital, just hurt horribly. I mao get out of sight before I passed out, and when I woke up, Leanna had found me and patched me up. I don’t know what she used, but it is still numb back there even days ter.”

  Nodding as the man finished speaking, Dawn responded, “Well, teically speaking, you were poisoned, and from what you said, it was Leanna. But in some cases, poison be used as medie, and medie be used as poison. I don’t know how long it will st, but the numbing is only right around the wound, and if it hasn’t spread by now, I doubt it will at all. Whatever it was must have been expeh how long it has sted.”

  “I see, I was just about to ask how he was,” Jerald said from behind her, making her jump in shock before he tinued, “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, I figured you must have heard me.”

  “No, I guess I wasn’t paying enough attention around me. But yes, I would say he is fine, just have someone che him every few days, and make sure the numbness doesn’t spread,” Dawn replied, a moment ter once she rexed. tinuing, she asked, “Did you learn what you needed, or will we still be here for a while?”

  “I did, though I don’t much like what I learned. Would you be willing to help Leanna in a few days? She is pnning to deal with the fools who did this, and apparently they have abducted people that may need healing when they are recovered,” Lord Jerald remarked, failing to hide a scowl.

  “And to make it worse, I ’t send any of my men to attack, or it would make things worse. I think I trust Leanna, however, odd as it seems for me. I will be seeing if I find any voluo help, so hopefully you won’t be alone if you accept,” he tinued, shaking his head.

  Dawn sat back, sidering for a moment, but had trouble deg. Feeling it was rude to keep him waiting, she answered, “I’m not sure, would it be possible to think about it for the rest of today?”

  “I won’t be able to have anyone else ready before tomorrow m anyway, so that is fine. If you are willing to go, e visit me at suomorrow,” Jerald replied after thinking for a few seds. He reached down a hand to help her stand as he tinued, “We should probably head back to town, and thank you again for being willing to help, especially on such short notice.”

  As she stood up, Dawn smiled and said, “Of course, if I am safe, I don’t mind helping people. And you did agree to help me too, so we both be!”

  “It is always nice when things go so well, right?” he said with a chuckle as he helped the two men up as well.

  Agreeing with him, they all turned and begarek back to town as Leanna turo head bato the pins with her guards.

  Shard