It was amazing how rapidly ones fortunes could change if one kept ones head. This morning, Inez had been in prison, penniless and with few prospects. Now she stood bathed and dressed in better clothing than she had seen in many months. Her hair had been brushed and tied back and she had a sword belted at her hip. A fine piece, if simple and unadorned, with a comforting weight at her hip. She felt more like her old self than she had in months. That wasn't an entirely unmixed blessing of course but she supposed she would have to take what she could get. A small brass badge depicting a sword beneath a sail had been pinned to her doublet, representing her new found rank as an apprentice armsman of the league. There had been some kind of signing bouns apparently, but it had been taken in payment of her debt. While better than prison this too was something of a mixed blessing. She certainly wouldn't have chosen to become a lackey of these League coin counters, but work was work, and it beat the alternatives of brigandage or selling her sword to the reeking swine that passed for lords in this pine tree infested hell.

As contracts went, the one she had signed was fairly generous. Given that she hadn't had much in the way of a choice about signing it, she did not feel that her honor was truly committed to the venture, but being on the move would probably be healthier for her than waiting for an assassin to find her and take her head back to that dog Salazar. Her apparent charge was also something of a surprise. She had expected, as was the way of things, to be assigned to some jowly old fool hauling herring from port to port. This merchant seemed young and vigrous, out of place among the merchants she had so far seen.

"I am Inez de Calavria," she responded, hesitating a moment at the unfamiliar custom before reaching and and shaking his hand firmly.