Martin nodded, agreeing to the tale as he carefully rolled up the now dry letter, his mind already whirling adding embellishments and details that would see him and his men in good light. It would still cost them the gold but as he slipped the letter into a pouch at his side, he noted that there were things more important than gold. Reputation for one. He nodded at Katherine, knowing she understood that even if she would not admit it or look him in the eyes. 
 
“Alright then.” He said and with a dramatic gesture of his arm, one that sent his cloak a-fluttering dramatically, he motioned for his men to leave. Katherine, who had been trying to see everything at once caught the gesture rolled her eyes. He was absurd but she was very glad she didn’t have to gut him after all. Her hands were shaking where they rested on the hilt of her blade and she tightened her grip to hide that. She was fairly certain the danger was over, the shaking was not fear. She wanted so badly to pull out her flask and take a long, medicinal swig. 

As the absurd, if effective bandits slipped into the trees she moved to stand closer to her employer, just in front of him in fact, thinking that if any arrows came their way she’d be more likely to survive them. But none were forthcoming and as the soft signs of movement in the trees faded she relaxed and pulled her flask out, able to resist no longer. She kept her back to her employer and took a long pull as if it were a matter of course, which it was not. At least her need for it was not. 

It wasn’t enough, she wanted ten times as much, but she had limited drink and a long way to go before they could restock. She had to ration. Swallowing, savoring the lingering warmth in her mouth and the blooming heat in her belly she turned to the ink-stained man.

“A clever solution.” She said, her eyes dropped low. “I would have done my best.” She said to him, “But I couldn’t have fought them all off.”

That she would have died trying was clear though unspoken.

“Did you know you would have so many people interested in those papers?” she asked frankly thinking that she was owed that at least. She wasn’t one to pry, her services came with discretion in all directions but this was one thing she wanted, needed to know. “Because if I had known I would have urged you to hire more men or simply refused to serve. A body can only do so much, but one guard should have been enough to get a scribe from point A to point B, and it isn’t. Why is that?”