Jicks clicked to her mount, and the hinny obediently moved into a brisk walk, heading for the main gate. Master Vance’s mount immediately followed. Belle wanted to go, so Abi gave her rein and a little nudge with her heels, and off they went, with Master Padrick and Master Byrne and the wagons and caravan bringing up the rear.

Before they were even out of Haven, Abi had cause to bless the Stablemaster’s choices. The hinnies moved right through the worst of the congestion in Haven without so much as a shiver or a misstep, not even when one careless little ran right under Belle’s nose to cross the street, an action which would have caused a horse to shy, rear, or even bolt. And once they were out of Haven, they all took up a comfortable, ground-devouring fast walk. So far as Abi was concerned this was a very good omen for the rest of the trip.

Once they were well out of Haven, Jicks held back her hinny so that she could ride side-by-side with Master Vance. “You’re the purse-holder, so here’s my question to you. It’d be cheaper to buy and eat provisions than to stop at inns for meals while we’re on roads that have inns. But buying and eating provisions is going to make for more monotonous meals. Which do you want to do?”

Master Vance chuckled. “I’m frugal, and I don’t think any of us is too particular in the way of food. Are you?” he called back over his shoulder.

“I once ate most of a stale loaf without noticing anything wrong with it, except it seemed to last longer,” said Master Padrick. “I was drawing the plans for my Master Work at the time.”

“I thought cheese rinds were the best part of the cheese,” laughed Byrne. “Actually, I still do.”

“Food is fuel,” Abi said briefly.

Jicks laughed out loud. “Well, all right then, I have my answer. The lads and I are used to merc’s rations, so it sounds as if we’re all on the same page. Good. That means we’ll make better time.” She touched her hinny with her heels, and moved back up to the front of the procession.

It seemed that she really was serious about covering as much ground as quickly as the hinnies would let her, because Abi’s stomach was actually growling when she called a halt at a bridge over a stream. “Dismount, take out the bits, let your hinnies graze a bit and drink,” she said as she dismounted. “If you don’t know how to slip the bits, wait for me and I’ll show you.”