Cavalry had found them two days earlier, forty miles north. Horsemen had visited regularly since yesterday. The archers had kept their mouths shut admirably. Willow Swan had led one patrol. He had not recognized anyone.

Croaker had had the captain borrow horses. The archers transport consisted only of mules enough to carry what the soldiers themselves could not. Two mounts had arrived an hour ago, saddled.

The prince dressed up as a prince. Croaker donned what he called his work clothes, a warlords outfit given him back when he had been every Taglians hero. He had not taken it along when he had gone south the first time.

He dug out the Company standard and reassembled it. Im ready. Prince?

Whenever. The march south had been hard on the Prahbrindrah Drah but he had endured the hardships without complaint. The soldiers were pleased.

They mounted up and led the archers toward the camp. The first crows arrived during that passage. Croaker laughed at them. Stone the crows! People in Beryl used to say that when the Company was there. I never did figure out what it meant but it sounds like a damned good way to do business.

The prince chuckled and agreed, then faced the greetings of soldiers from the camp who could not decide which of their visitors was more unlikely.

Croaker spied familiar faces: Blade, Swan, Mather... Hell! That looked like Murgen. It was Murgen! But nowhere did he spy the face he wanted to see.

Murgen approached in little spurts, each halving the distance between himself and his Captain. Croaker dismounted, said, Its me. Im real.

I saw you die.

You saw me hit. I was still breathing when you took off.

Oh. Yeah. But the shape you were in...

Its a long story. Well sit around and talk about it all night. Get drunk if theres anything drinkable. He glanced at Swan. Where Swan lighted, beer usually appeared. Here. You left this behind when you went off to play Widowmaker. He shoved the standard at Murgen.

The younger man took it like he expected it to bite. But once he had hold of it he ran his hands up and down the shaft of the lance. It really is! I thought it was lost for sure. Then its really you?

Alive and in a mood to do some serious ass-kicking. But Ive got something else on my mind right now. Wheres Lady?

Blade made a perfunctory acknowledgment of the princes presence, said, Lady went north with Narayan and Ram. Eight, nine days ago. Said she had business that couldnt wait.

Croaker cursed.

Swan said, Nine days ago. That really him? Not somebody fixed up to fool us?

Mather said, Its him. The Prahbrindrah Drah wouldnt lend himself to any deceit.

Aint that my luck. Aint that the story of my life? Just when my future is so bright I have to wear blinders.