duro’s sensitive ears picked up the sounds of people moving in the courtyard intertwined with the creaks of wooden wheels and horses stomping in the dirt. Preparations were underway for their journey. He walked over to his mistress’ bed and nudged her gently with his cold nose.

“I hear them, Aduro,” she said. “I’m just being lazy for a few more moments. It’s going to be a long, hot, tiring couple of days, but it must be done. I’m glad you’re coming with me. I want you to ride part of the way in one of the wagons with Denesia. If you walk all the way, your feet may get sore.”

The big white dog looked intently at Casia as if he understood her words to him. Then he turned toward the door of her bedroom and motioned for her to follow him.

“OK. I’m coming. Go ahead downstairs. I’ll be there in a moment,” said Casia as she got up and swung open the door to the outside stairs for him. Aduro stopped in the middle of the stairs and looked back at her. “Don’t be so impatient. I’ll be there in just a minute. You might want to get a little breakfast and a drink from the kitchen.”

Casia closed the door and returned to her apartment to briefly splash her face with the spring water stored in the basin near her bed. She combed her long dark hair now laced with thick silver streaks and pulled it up and away from her face. Then she twisted it into a bun on the back of her head. It would be cooler this way. Casia put on her leather riding pants and boots. Though the soft, well worn leather would protect her during the long journey, it did nothing to help with the unrelenting heat. She put on a white linen blouse and a matching linen tunic bordered with Phoenician purple, denoting the royal status of her family.

“We’ll have to be careful to protect people and the livestock from this heat,” she thought. “Hopefully the winter rains will begin in a few weeks. The fields need the moisture and we all need to be cooled down a bit.”

After a brief look in the mirror, she threaded her money pouch onto her leather belt and left down the back stairs. By this time, the courtyard was crowded with activity. Men from the stables were hitching the horses to several wagons loaded with amphorae filled with fresh water, food and wine. Another wagon contained medical supplies including bandages, a surgery kit, and wooden boxes filled with herbal potions. The medical assistants Casia had trained were checking to be certain all their supplies were in order.

Casia had asked her ailing father not to wake to see them off, but she knew he wouldn’t be able to resist coming to the courtyard. Cleetus stepped onto the porch which faced the inside of the courtyard and waved to his daughter and her companions.

“Have a safe journey, Casia. Are you sure you don’t want to take more men with you?”

“Don’t worry, father. Spathus and Vallo are with me. With the two of them as bodyguards, we could hold off an entire army,” replied Casia with a slight smile.

Two thick, muscular men helping to load the carts stopped long enough to raise their hands in greeting to Cleetus. They had the look of seasoned warriors.

“We’ll take good care of her, Sire. Don’t worry. When Casia rides, it’s the rest of the world you have to worry about!” said Spathus with a laugh. “Besides, who would want to tackle Aduro? He stays at her side every minute.”

Aduro had just turned the corner coming from the kitchen. He let out a deep, convincing bark at the sound of his name.

“You see?” said Spathus as he gave the big dog a friendly pat on the head.

“Father, remember that we won’t be able to travel very fast since I anticipate that the prisoners will be weak and some will be wounded. We’ll travel at least two days to intercept them, but it may take four to get them back to the farm. Don’t worry,” said Casia. “I may not be able to spare a messenger.”

Cleetus stood pensively at the railing of the second story porch. He slightly lowered his head and paused for a moment considering something seriously. “Casia, you and Spathus come speak with me before you go. I’ll be by the fountain,” said Cleetus with a somber tone in his voice. Then he turned and walked back into the house.

When the wagons were fully loaded, Casia instructed Vallo to start the wagons on their journey.

“We’ll catch up to you on the horses after we talk with my father,” said Casia. “Let’s make as much time as possible while it’s still cool. We’ll rest in the middle of the day.”

Casia, Aduro, and Spathus went inside the house while the small train of wagons pulled out of the courtyard and moved onto the road leading from the Valarius family farmlands to the main highway toward the capital.

Cleetus was sitting on a bench waiting for them.

“Please join me for a moment,” said Cleetus. “I hesitate to burden you with this information before your journey, but I’ve had several new messages from the capital. I want to share the news with you.”

Casia took a seat near her father and Spathus stood respectfully close by with Aduro at his feet.

“Bellator is becoming even more aggressive; taking control of the entire army and pushing the council harder for military law. I’m not sure that anyone can stop him now. His greed for money and power outstrips any concern he had in the past for our people and government. I’ll go to the capital next month and make one last attempt to stop the spread of this war. Bellator is planning to attack the northern province of Nevia in order to gain control of their seaport. He’s stretching our forces so thin that he’s going to eventually out run our supply lines. Nevia is no threat to us. They want to maintain friendly relations and trade with us. It’s Bellator and his war-mongering generals who want to take power. The ruler of Nevia is no fool. He’s preparing now to stop our army from invading his territory. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but I’m not hopeful that the civil government will maintain control. This may be the last group of prisoners we can help. Have we moved as many people as we can through the passes to our northern strongholds?”

“Every few days, I send another group with supplies toward the passes. They travel at night, and I keep them as quiet as possible. Our scouts haven’t identified anyone watching them. There aren’t many soldiers this direction because of the heavy fighting to the south,” said Spathus.

“I’m only keeping the minimum number of people here that we need to farm the fields and take care of the livestock we haven’t moved. They’re all volunteers, mainly people without a family,” said Casia. “I’m so glad we moved the families with children through the passes in the spring. At least I know they’re safe. There’s plenty of water and enough supplies for the winter. If we need to, we’ll be able to grow enough food in the summer meadows to stay there indefinitely. With the warriors we have, no one can get through the narrow, high passes without our permission. Our long term planning has really paid off for the safety of our people.”

“As I recall, I was one of those who thought all of the planning and acquisition of the high meadow country would never be important. It seemed impossible several years ago that our country would have changed so radically,” said Cleetus sadly.

“Maintaining a government free of corruption and greed is a constant struggle. Unfortunately it’s been difficult to keep enough of the other royal families interested in the central government rather than their estates, wine and elaborate dinners. If you must go to the capital, father, and speak to the council, I want to go with you. I fear for your safety. Very few others are willing to put their lives on the line,” said Casia.