[h3]Artemisia de Chauret[/h3]

As the situation developed, it looked like they were quickly becoming boxed in, and with a need to shepherd a mentally infirm girl, to boot.  If Locke’s surveillance was correct, they’d be running into Imperial interference quite soon. 

Cecilia’s suggestion felt a bit foolish, and it meant destroying ancient ruins, to boot.  Artemisia would have retorted with a different plan of her own, if they weren’t suddenly accosted by what probably was an imperial scout. 

That didn’t stop the sluttily dressed girl in their party from trying to flatter him out, though. Paladin, really? It looked like the man was barely a rung above conscript, and that was only Artemisia’s evaluation because an actual conscript wouldn’t put his neck out on the line like this man was doing. 

It didn’t matter anyway, since the knight that she had helped heal earlier knocked him right out when after Annabelle’s familiar started glomping his head. The lizardman then even jumped in to pummel the unfortunate scout, despite him already being punched to unconsciousness. 

For Artemisia, that was all as well; the priority should have been ignoring the man and breaking for the exit, but now the commotion had caused an entire group of soldiers to converge on their position. 

Whatever the mentally disabled girl was doing with the scout’s sword, she ignored. 

“Dammit, we’re about to be surrounded. Stop dallying and go!” She shot a glare at Locke and Serafaye, before pointing her horse in the direction of the open eastern road, ready to race down the road.