[h3]Rionach[/h3]
[hr]

Though to some the two weeks of travel might have passed in a flash, the whole time was agony for Rionach.  Exertion she did not at all mind, of course; it was the uneventfulness of it all that drove her out of her mind.  One one hand, which stood as worrisome for perhaps occupying the least important of her concerns, it represented time one-hundred-percent wasted in her tireless pursuit of edification as a hero.  Any number of things could have been accomplished by Rionach of Gadanka during those fourteen interceding days.  On the other side of the coin, the same held true for the world at large.  While Rionach spent time traipsing across the countryside with a ruffian prince, a sellsword noble, and two color-coordinated companions, wars could very well be fought and won, kingdoms topples, and the face of the continent forever altered.  Multiple times a day, Rionach wondered how in Duma's name she could hope to help prevent catastrophic violence from gripping the nations when the dogs of war had a two-week head start.

[i]Then again, I'm just a nobody.  How much could I really do?  All I can hope is that some chance lay at the end of this journey.[/i]

Rather than a chance to make things right, however, the little group ran into a group of murderous cutthroats just after crossing into Sacae.  Even in peacetime such curs threatened the outskirts of all nations, but if Rionach guessed right, the tidings of turmoil had emboldened vagabonds like these to seize and slaughter what they could while militaries and militias were otherwise occupied.  In her own travels, Rionach most often stuck to tricky terrain that helped keep her out of bandits' purview, or escape them if she did blunder into such a band of not-so-merry men.  Today, however, a conflict seemed inevitable, and not just because the fearsome bandit chief sent shivers down her spine.  A pretty girl stood alone save for a standard-looking sword before the brigands, soon to be surrounded on all sides.

Jarde's whisper prompted her to weigh the odds.  If Jarde was any indication, Keerin and Merilia could hold their own, and Rionach remembered Jerod being no pushover.  Provided that the green-haired girl accepted the help, that made six against ten, which was doable if not ideal.  For a moment she didn't pay Jerod proper attention, but once she realized that he meant business and harbored a solid plan to back it up, she riveted her focus to him and absorbed every ounce of what he had to say.  

Such was her focus that she almost jumped when Sordan appeared.  She brandished her spear at him but, since he gave no immediate indication of hostility other than a vaguely condescending tone, did not go so far as to assume fighting stand or point the spearhead in his direction.  Even so, she did not bother to keep a suspicious frown off her face.  [i]He's been following us all this time.  Don't like it.  If his intentions were honest, he'd have joined us from the start.  We moved slowly enough.[/i]  She also didn't like how he seemed to be inserting himself in Jerod's plan.  When he spoke of the girl in blue as someone of notable status, Rionach raised an eyebrow.  “So we just stumbled upon some legendary swordswoman just in time to rescue her?  What're the odds?”  Regardless, Sordan offered nothing concrete, aside from the tenuous promise of an additional unit in the little group's ranks.  Rionach shrugged.  “Well, seven skilled warriors against ten thugs shouldn't be an issue.  A walk in the park next to Terrors.”  She gave a smirk before glancing at Jerod.  “Sounds like you know what you're doing.  Left flank it is.”  Now excited, she addressed Jarde next.  “So, considering my weapon, when we get in there I'll support the fool while you watch ass.”  She blinked twice, her eyebrows furrowing.  “Merilia's.  In combat, I mean.  Like...Jerod said.”  A brief bur accusatory look flew the noble sellsword's way, as if he was to blame for her turn of phrase.  Otherwise, the Valentian was combat-ready.