Maddock looked around at the people sitting around his bed. All of them had their eyes fixed on Tahlia. A sudden silence had fallen on the ward at her final words, which had been delivered as though the information they contained was the most amazing thing in the world. Though he had been grudgingly impressed by Tahlia's tale of her flight from the tent, he thought she was being overly dramatic, but Karek had his eyes fixed on her, an incredulous look on his face.

"His Trade-proctor?"

"Yes!"

"What did he look like?"

"Big. Scars and tattoos on his arms. Bad temper."

"You are mistaken, my lady. Seior Svell SanMartin is the Trade Proctor of Merchant Dres, and that description is definitely not his."

"Well, whoever this Vlambra person is, he was in that tent yesterday, and he is working with Merchant Dres."

"And it seems that together they are seeking to ensure that your father is not the next Grand-commander," said Karek. "By poison and kidnap."

"Why?" demanded Grifford.

"Clearly the man is in the pay of Sir Galder," said Tahlia savagely. "Why can you not all see it?"

Karek shook his head.

"Commander Galder's hatred of the north is a legend, and he yearns to take the Order to war, but I do not think he has been driven so far as to conspire in such a thing as this."

Maddock pushed himself up in his bed, causing a lance of pain to sear across his scalp.

"Maybe Dres just doesn't want to pay everyone who bet on Sir Kralaford," he said, wincing. "You said that lots of people have."

"That is more likely," said Karek. "But still outrageous. I can't see any merchant having the nerve for something like this for the sake of a few thousand coins."

"Um..," said Dak. The eyes of everyone in the room turned to look at her, and Maddock saw the colour rise suddenly in her cheeks. "Um..."

"Go on Dak," he said.

Dak cleared her throat, and sat up a little straighter.

"Well, it is just that I have heard my father talking, and a few times I have heard him saying that the Association of Allied Merchants is a very wealthy organisation."

"Yes?" said Tahlia. "What of it?"

Dak went a deeper red.

"The thought is occurring to me that wealthy people are frequently wanting to gain more wealth, and they are often willing to employ many methods in the insurance of that. Is it not possible that they would be having the nerve to capture your brother, if the stakes were being high enough? Are you not thinking..?"

"No," said Tahlia, shaking her head, and looking at Dak as though she were stupid. "That is a ridiculous idea. Even if..."

"Wait!" said Maddock, silencing the Order brat, mid-sentence. "Dak could be onto something there. I heard Commander Zembulla talking a while back. He said that the merchants charge more for goods during wartime. Double the price, he said."

"That may be true," said Karek. "And it is not only our own Order that they supply." His brother looked over at Tahlia, who was sitting staring at him, her mouth hanging open. "It could be that the Association is seeking to escalate this war for the sake of their profits."

Maddock looked at the two Order children. Tahlia was still staring at Karek, and Grifford was just staring at nothing, his face suffused with a look of anger, deeper than any he had seen there before.

"So it's all down to the merchants?" said Maddock.

"Could be," said Karek. He turned to Tahlia. "But Dres must still have had inside help to get to your brother, so you may yet be right about Tasker." He sat down on the bed beside Maddock's, his face looking uncharacteristically serious. "Is there nothing else you can remember that may shed some light, my lady?"

Tahlia was still looking at Karek, only now she looked thoughtful, rather than just gormless.

"No," she said. "But I know I am right about Tasker."

"Well there is little you can do unless you find him."

"Zemrossa and the other squires are out hunting him," said Grifford.

"That's good, and the Encampment is being meticulously searched. Merchant Dres' tents included."

"And what if Merchant Dres' tent is not properly searched?" Tahlia demanded.

Karek looked up at her, an amused smile quirking his lips.

"The soldiers responsible will no doubt carry out their duties with great care."

"But do they know what they are looking for?"

Karek frowned and looked across at Maddock, as though assessing his condition.

He smiled.

"It looks like today is about to get even more interesting."

Maddock recognised the look of roguish keenness on his brother's face; an expectation of possible excitement.

"What do you mean?" he asked, apprehensively.

"You rest up here, little brother," Karek said as he stood. "I am sure you are in safe hands."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find my men, then we are going to pay a visit to Merchant Dres."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Only if your little friend here is right."

Maddock glared across at Tahlia.

"She ain't my friend."

Karek grinned.

"Well it seems that fate has given you the same enemy."

He looked at Grifford and Tahlia.

"It would be best if you accompany me to Commander Galder's tent. You will be safest there."

"No," said Tahlia.

Karek just shrugged.

"So stay here. His soldiers will find you soon enough."

Giving Maddock a final wink, he turned to leave.

"Wait!" called Tahlia.

Karek halted in the doorway and raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"My lady?"

"Merchant Dres; does he trade in spices?"

"Spices?"

"Yes, spices. Kolto shell, socro pods, and the like."

"No," replied Karek.

"Does he trade in any sort of food?"

"Not that I know of. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering."

"Well you've picked a bloody stupid time to be satisfying the vagaries of your curiosity!"

With that, he strode from the ward.

"Well!" exclaimed Tahlia, turning on Maddock. "I can see that you and your brother share the same impertinence!"

"He knows what he's talking about," said Maddock defiantly.

"What are you going to do?" said Dak.

"Well, we cannot stay here," said Tahlia.

Dak fidgeted nervously on her chair.

"Should you not be telling someone about everything that has happened to you? This thing would be best placed into the hands of your elders."

"Who?" said Grifford scornfully.

Tahlia frowned in thought, while she untangled more stray clips and pins from her hair.

"Master Hepskil?"

"That old man has no authority!"

"He has enough, and there is no one else we can go to." Maddock lay back down and closed his eyes, letting the pillow envelop his ears. The girl's voice was starting to make his head throb. "He will be in the fortress, so we just have to work out how we are going to get back up there."

"I came down by the chain-carriage."

"The chain carriage is guarded."

"Why do we not just talk to the guards?" said Grifford. "We can demand that they let us up."

"The guards will have orders to take us to Sir Galder, and those are the orders they will follow."

"What about the access-keep?"

"It is a long way to go in the open," said Tahlia doubtfully. "And dawn is coming."

"It is looking like you have very few options," said Dak, and Maddock opened his eyes to see a wide eyed look of excitement light up Tahlia's face.

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "The Workshops!"

"The Workshops?" Dak frowned. "I am not understanding."

"You can get us in if you invite us, and then we can pass through to the fortress by the upper guild-yard."

"Well..." said Dak, looking doubtful.

"Come on!" said Tahlia. "We'll climb back out by the cherossa grove, then cut through the gardens."

She ran towards the open ward door leading to the cloister.

Grifford went to follow her, but Dak didn't move.

"Come on, Dak!" Tahlia called back over her shoulder.

"You know that I cannot be climbing trees!" said Dak.

"Oh, leave her," said Grifford, going to the door and peering out into the garden. "No one is looking for her anyway."

He stepped out onto the cloister.

"Go out of the front," said Tahlia to Dak. "You can meet us in the gardens. Where the hives are."

With that, she ran from the room after Grifford, and disappeared into the growing light of early morning.

Maddock lay in his bed, watching the open door, the pillow still half covering his ears. He shook his head, then caught Dak looking at him, and scowled.

"Not even a word of thanks. Suppose I shouldn't expect better."

"I think that she was being in a bit of a hurry."

Maddock just snorted.

"What am I to do, Maddock?"

"What do you mean?"

"I think that she is expecting me to help them to get into the Workshops."

"Course she is. You didn't expect her to ask you nicely did you?"

"I suppose not."

Dak had risen from the chair, and she stood there fiddling with the buttons of her heavy waistcoat, looking out of the ward door where her little brat friend had disappeared.

"What am I to do, Maddock?" she asked again. "This is not Engineer business."

Maddock sighed and scratched at his bandaged head.

"What I would do," he said. "Is get that girl and her brother up to the fortress, like she wants. Then leave them to their business and go home. You won't get any thanks for doing more."

"Yes, I suppose that you are being right."

"I know I am. Seriously, Dak, stay out of it. I tried to help her and look where I ended up."

"Yes," said Dak, but she did not move. "Will you be all right, Maddock?"

"I'll be fine. Go on, Dak. Beat it. Get yourself home."

"Right," said Dak as she turned and headed for the door. "Goodbye, Maddock."

"Bye, Dak," replied Maddock. "Stay safe."

"I hope I will be doing that," replied Dak, and hurried from the room.

* * * * *

When Dak left the Infirmary, the eastern sky was the orange red of dawn, but in the herb garden the ground was still cloaked in darkness, the plains mist still clinging to its corners. She could hear, somewhere in the grey light, the sounds of the search for her friend's brother, but the garden was quiet. The many strange scents of the plants growing there made the place strangely comforting, but not so much that they could quiet her heart. It was thumping in her chest as she tried to convince herself that no danger could possibly be harboured in the misty shadows surrounding her.

She looked up over the wall of the herb garden, to the fortress hill, where its own gardens nestled between the two shield-bastions. The morning mist seemed to thicken and rise almost menacingly from its lines of dense foliage. Lit from within by a pale glow, it shrouded the terraces. The gardens' lowest slopes were completely concealed, and she could not even see the place where the hives were hidden. She wondered if Tahlia was there already, and the sudden thought made her hurry down the path that led through the herb garden, and quickly out through the dark arch of the Infirmary gate.

Her eyes had still not adjusted to the dusk's greyness after the brightness of the infirmary, and she stopped and peered out into the low mist.

"Well, if it is not the girl's grubby Engineer friend," said a voice by her shoulder.

Dak jumped and let out a whimper of breath.

The owner of the voice gave a nasty laugh as Dak turned quickly to see several figures leaning casually by the Infirmary wall. The one in the centre was tall and stocky, and held a curved sword casually by his side. It was Tasker, and with him were three other squires, each looking as surly and menacing as he did.

"W-what are you wanting?" said Dak, trying to keep the fear from her voice, but to her own ears, she could tell she was failing.

Tasker stepped towards her and two of his companions left the wall and moved out to flank her on either side. She was taller than all of them, but that did not help.

"We are looking for your friend, of course; Kralaford's brat."

"T-Tahlia!" stammered Dak.

"Yes, of course Tahlia! Is she in there?"

Tasker pointed with his sword, towards the Infirmary.

Dak cast around for a convincing answer, but her mind could think of nothing clever.

"N-no, I have not seen her. Not since yesterday!"

Tasker's eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here anyway? What is your business?"

"I-I came to see my friend. He is in there. He was injured last night. By a madriel."

"The Field-hand? Is he still alive?" asked Tasker, his eyes narrowing even more as he glared over Dak's shoulder at the Infirmary door.

"Yes," said Dak, trying to sound defiant.

"Pity," said Tasker, then he looked back at Dak. "And Kralaford's brat has not been to see him?"

"No," said Dak quickly, so that her brain did not have a chance to fumble the lie.

"You had better not be lying to me, girl."

"I am not. Honestly, I am not."

"Well, if I find out that you are, I will come looking for you as well."

He stepped up close to her, and his eyes, almost level with hers, held untold menace. Dak found it impossible to stay looking into those twin pools of hate, so she looked down at her feet.

"Come on," said Tasker to the other squires, a sneer in his voice. "We will go and search elsewhere. She is bound to be skulking around somewhere."

Without a further word, he turned and stalked away, followed by his three companions. Dak watched until they had disappeared around the side of the Infirmary, then turned and ran towards the gardens.

* * *

The triangle of light cast from the gate to the herb garden stayed quiet for half a minute, then a figure appeared from around the corner of the wall, followed closely by three others.

"Do you think she is lying?" asked Gefry.

"Of course she is lying," said Tasker, staring into the darkness where Dak had disappeared. "The brat was bound to come here and see that filthy Field-hand, but it looks like we have missed her."

Tasker looked through the gate to the Infirmary, and for an instant he looked worried.

"If she is still in there, the soldiers will find her and save us the job of taking her to Sir Galder," said Marcin.

"Of course," said Tasker. "But I do not think she is there. The girl is too meddlesome to sit around doing nothing when she could be running around interfering. Now, come on."

He smiled grimly, and set off in the direction Dak had taken, a look of evil anticipation on his face. His three colleagues, with looks of equal nastiness, followed.