Their camp extended past the village's grounds in an unordered menagerie of tents and lean-tos surrounding the buildings that never burned down. It sounded boisterous from our vantage. Akisma and I lurked in the shadows while Melyiana scouted the perimeter.
“No capture, no surrender," I said to Akisma, looking towards the collection of fires.
“Does Velador know that's your doctrine for the evening?" Akisma asked without turning my way.
“Velador doesn't need to know," I said because I was not going to tell my husband that I would stake myself before allowing capture
“He'd pay your ransom."
“There wouldn't be any part of me left to ransom to him," I countered, arguably a little on edge ahead of this operation.
Finally, Melyiana returned and said, “The bastards brought in ale and wome
