nce the congratulations were concluded, they redistributed their goods. Kat gave her new sword to Erick, saying that she was happy enough with the spare sword Marc had lent her before they went on the picnic, and didn't yet feel strong enough to wield two swords at once with any sort of reliability. Darryl handed the sword he'd been given to Marc, claiming truthfully that he had no idea what to do with it, and didn't want to learn. He had his gutting knife from the boat still, and would use that to protect Jade if he had to, but he had no wish to handle a sword. Kat moved to assist Erick in strapping his new sword across his back, her smaller fingers easing the stiff leather in the position more efficiently than he could have managed.
"Thanks," Erick murmured, adjusting the straps for comfort.
Kat trailed her fingers lightly down his main sword arm, feeling the muscles flex beneath her fingers. Kat was sure he didn't even realise he was doing it. It seemed sometimes a male was a male, no matter where he was from. Kat smiled and looked through her eyelashes at Erick, before releasing his arm and moving to buckle the sword belt Marc had lent her around her waist again.

A few moments later, the weapons were redistributed - Marc and Erick both had two swords strapped across their backs in a cross, Kat had Marc's spare sword at her hip and her new bow and arrows across her back, and Darryl had his gutting knife at his belt, where it always was. Then Erick and Marc taught the others the rudiments of the signal-system they had established in the army, so that the others would be able to find their way if anything went wrong once they were in unfamiliar territory. Once they were finally ready to continue on their journey, Erick ran ahead to scout, and the others started after him, walking slowly along the path - Marc first, followed by Darryl and Jade, with Kat bringing up the rear.

As they walked, Kat swung her sword in complex patterns. It looked fairly silly, Darryl thought as he peeked behind him to make sure she was keeping up, but there was probably a purpose to it. As Kat swung the sword in the workout she'd learned when she was first learning the sword, she began to feel the strain in her arms. She wasn't as badly out of shape as she felt she was, but after a couple of hours of working out on top of an entire morning walking, she was feeling it. Shaking her head in disgust, Kat sheathed the sword and strung her new bow. It was lighter, and she could hold it more easily, keeping an arrow on the string and an eye for any game they could keep for their dinner. The first time Kat let loose an arrow, it whooshed above Jade's head, causing her to shriek. The arrow had been a good 6-foot above her head, and had neatly pierced the bird now resting in the centre of the path, but Darryl gave Kat a disapproving look none-the-less. He didn't approve of females with weapons - it was decidedly un-Christian, un-feminine, and dangerous. The fact that Kat wasn't a Christian hadn't escaped him, but Darryl, like Jade, had grown up in a village where Christians and Pagans co-existed peacefully, and he wasn't going to allow his disapproval of her lack of morals overwhelm him. Though if she was going to keep scaring Jade like that... Well, he'd just as soon return with Jade to Kate's village and stay there. There would be a priest there, and they could marry and settle down... Darryl sighed at the thought - it would be nice, but Jade had given her word to go as the healer for her brothers, and he had given his to protect her, and he would never go back on his word, nor would he ever expect Jade to retract hers, simply because there was some danger involved. It was part of what he loved about her. With a sigh for what might-have-been, Darryl returned his attention to Jade, listening to her telling him about various herbs and plants they spotted as they walked.

That night they set up camp and Darryl and Jade cooked up a stew with their supplies and the birds Kat had shot. After dinner, they each wrapped up in their blankets and talked for a while before turning in. Jade, wrapped carefully in her separate blanket, lay down near Darryl. It was not improper, she assured herself, as she was wrapped securely in her blanket and they would be bonded in a few days. She just wanted to feel his back against hers. Jade lay in the darkness in silence for a few moments until Darryl shifted back, and Jade relaxed, letting her back settle against his back. Then she was almost instantly asleep.

On the other side of the campfire, Marc drew first watch, followed by Erick, with Kat getting last watch. Marc melted into the trees, and Erick watched out of the corner of his eye as Kat removed her weapons to sleep, then he started to unbuckle his swords. A moment later, Kat was standing in front of him, gently pressing his hands away, and undoing the buckles herself. She laid his weapons on the ground beside hers, and unlaced the front of his shirt. Erick allowed her to pull it over his head, though he shivered as the cool night air caressed his skin, followed soon after by Kat's fingertips. She trailed her hands across his back, shoulders and arms, feeling the rippling muscles respond to her touch, flexing as she touched them. She trailed her fingers over his chest, and stomach, and Erick shivered, though not from the cold this time.
Kat looked up at him in the darkness, and Erick could tell something was troubling her.
"What is it?"
"I want to touch the rest of you," Kat replied, and Erick's breath caught in his throat for a moment as he shivered again. "But Jade has said this is wrong, and I must not."
Erick sighed, and allowed himself to run his hands up Kat's arms. It had been a long time since he'd been with a woman, he mused, and this one was desirable and willing... but Marc would be upset, and so would Jade, so Erick decided to apply his sister's morals.
His deciding had taken too long, and Kat had allowed her fingers to trail lower, touching the lacing of his trousers. Erick gently removed her hands, and held them.
"Jade would not approve," he agreed with her. "But we can sleep like they are."
Kat sighed, but agreed, allowing Erick to wrap a blanket around her. They lay carefully beside their weapons, and Erick was startled as Kat wriggled in against his chest, pressing against him from neck to knees. For a moment, he allowed himself to enjoy the press of her body, and pulled her closer, letting her wrap one leg over his waist, and slid one hand down her doeskin-clad leg. He allowed her mouth to find his, her tongue touching his and her fingers sliding down his stomach. Erick shuddered, and grasped her hands again.
"I only have so much control," he whispered. "And I'm sure Jade isn't sleeping like this."
"You do want to do this," Kat replied, assuredly.
"Gods help me, yes. But we won't. It isn't... proper."
Kat sighed, recognising the word, and allowed Erick to disentangle them and turn her onto her other side. He wrapped an arm around her waist, debating the wisdom of what he was about to do, but shrugged and pulled her back into the curve of his body. She wriggled, and he gasped, but then, thankfully, she lay still, and Erick arranged their blankets over them. Eventually, he slept.

Some hours later, Erick woke. He had heard something, and Kat was tense against his chest. Erick reached slowly for his sword.
"Just me, old man," Marc whispered, and Erick felt Kat relax, and saw her let go of the sword hilt in front of her. "Where's Kat?"
Erick eased out from under the blankets, and saw Marc's expression flicker as he noticed their sleeping arrangements and Erick's bare chest. Erick pulled on his shirt, and hung one of his swords over his arm.
"Lend me your blanket, old man?"
"Why?" Marc asked, slightly aggressively.
Erick looked at his brother for a moment and sighed.
"Well, I was assuming you'd like to take my spot. It's bloody freezing tonight, the extra body warmth is comforting."
Expressions again flickered across Marc's face before he met Erick's eyes.
"You don't mind?"
Erick walked over, and clasped his brother's arm.
"We've shared before, so no, I wouldn't mind. But I decided to apply Jade's morals to her. Well, pretty much. So I haven't bedded her, just a bit of extra warmth on a cold night."
"Jade's a Christian. We're not, and neither is Kat."
"I know, but... that isn't really the point. Can you imagine how Jade would feel if we... Well, you know. Things may change later, once we're in her country, but for the moment... I'm resisting."
Marc considered for a long moment, and then nodded.
"Yes, you're probably right, old man. I'll be good, too."
Erick helped Marc with his sword buckles and accepted his blanket as Marc loosed his hair and removed his shirt.
"If she tempts you... tell her it isn't proper. Jade seems to have impressed that phrase upon her."
Then Erick wrapped the grey blanket around him and melted into the darkness. Marc paused for a long moment, looking at her back, and then he lowered himself beside her, lifting the blankets over himself. To his surprise, she took his arm and pulled it over her waist, letting him wriggle closer, until her back was pressed to his cool chest. Then, exhausted, he slept.

Jade woke in the morning, Darryl's arm snug around her waist, her back pressed firmly against his chest, through the security of her blanket. Jade got up and left the campsite to relieve herself, then noticed Kat and Marc curled up together as she returned. Kat had Marc's hair spilling over her neck and was sleeping quite contentedly, and Marc wasn't wearing his shirt. Jade was concerned for a moment, but became relieved as she realised there wasn't any other clothing on the ground. Erick appeared behind her, and whispered.
"Morning."
"Morning. I thought Kat had last watch?"
"Marc and I decided we'd rather let her sleep. It gets cold at nights, and the extra body warmth is necessary."
Jade looked at him suspiciously, but didn't say anything, as Darryl sat up, followed shortly after by Kat and Marc also sitting up, yawning. She decided to leave it alone.
"I guess I had better do something about breakfast."

As the days passed, their rest breaks became fewer, Kat was able to keep her sword out for longer, and Jade became accustomed to having arrows whoosh above her head - though she still shrieked if they were any closer than 3 foot away. Marc and Erick shared the scouting; Darryl had offered to share it also, but as he wasn't a warrior, hadn't trained in the army, and didn't know what to look for, Marc and Erick politely declined, pointing out that they needed him to stay close to Jade, and stop her from putting herself in danger if something went wrong, and to protect her if something did get past them. Kat also offered to help scout, but as she didn't know the area, they declined again, prudently not mentioning that they felt rather protective of the girl, and whilst they were sure she was a competent fighter, they'd rather have her where one of them could come to her assistance, if necessary.

Darryl proved to be a very competent cook, and between his and Jade's culinary skills, and Kat's occasional additions to the cook pot, the five received decent meals each night. Their evenings were split between discussions of Kat's homeland, Marc and Erick's time in the army, and Jade and Darryl's religious beliefs. Through these discussions, each grew into greater understanding of the other, and Kat realised the reasons behind Jade's insistence upon modesty, and her views on sex. And with this understanding came respect - Jade held her religion close to her; it was part of what made her who she was. Without it, she wouldn't be the caring, giving person who had saved Kat's life, who Darryl had fallen in love with, and who Marc and Erick respected as a healer and loved as their sister. And her moral system was intricate and worthy of respect - some of her beliefs couldn't be easy to maintain, Kat thought, but Jade did it, and that earned her Kat's respect.

The sleeping arrangements stayed peculiar. Jade would go to sleep each night with her back pressed to Darryl's back, and wake each morning with her back pressed against his chest, the blanket between them preserving her modesty. Though she was beginning to wonder if her modesty wouldn't remain intact without the blanket, she refused to speculate on that further - they were only 3 nights away from a priest, and then there would be no need of blankets, for he would be her husband. Erick and Marc had decided that they wouldn't wake Kat for watch - they would rather let her sleep beside them, and have her company through the night, even if they weren't doing anything with the opportunity. Jade observed them for a few days, but was then satisfied that Erick's explanation had been truthful and didn't worry. And Kat, after four nights of not being woken for her watch, stopped complaining and continued to split her night sleeping peacefully between Marc and Erick.

After a further three day's walking, their evening discussion centred around what story they would use when they reached the town the next day. Jade said she would be uncomfortable pretending to be something she wasn't, and so objected to Marc's idea that she pose as a noblewoman. She suggested instead that Kat be touted as their noblewoman - the spoiled younger daughter of a minor lord, allowed to do whatever she desired, which would explain her appalling manner of dress. Erick and Marc would be her bodyguards, Jade her personal healer, and Darryl her long-suffering tutor, who had to follow her over the country, administering lessons whenever she allowed him to do his job. With everyone excepting Kat happy with the plan (though she perked up a little once she realised that upon the ship, Jade and Darryl would be in the small "servants" sleeping area off the main room, and Marc and Erick would be stationed in her sleeping area to "protect" her) they settled down for the evening.

In the morning, Jade convinced Kat to wear one of the cotton blouses KatE had provided, and impressed upon her that she was to let the others do the talking, and to simply snap her fingers if she was personally addressed, silently commanding her "servants" to arrange matters. The group of five spent some time preparing for their entry into town. Erick had exchanged a couple of the pearls for gold marks, and he fastened their purse inside his shirt. Jade undid Kat's braids, and fastened her hair into an elegant French braid, while Darryl cleaned the mud from all their boots. Erick and Marc repacked their provisions - luckily the food they had eaten over the past week had reduced their stores enough that Jade would carry her herb bag, and the remaining possessions would be distributed between Darryl, Marc and Erick. Kat protested over the removal of her weapons, and they eventually relented enough that she was allowed to carry her bow, and her sword was strapped to the outside of the pack Darryl would be carrying, to give the illusion that he was also a competent swordsman should the need arise, but also so Kat would be able to get at it easily if it were needed.

"Well, I guess you'll do," smiled Jade, eventually, looking at Kat.
Kat shrugged her shoulders, uncomfortable with the way the blouse fitted across her chest. "I feel like I'm choking," she muttered, tugging at the neck.
"It isn't a high-necked shirt," Jade replied, tucking a strand of Kat's hair back into the braid. "And it hides the scars on your arms and shoulders."
"Can I wear my bodice over it?"
"No. You'll boil to death."
"Can I undo this lacing?"
"No. You'll look like a harlot."
"Can I loosen it, at least?"
"Alright."
Kat loosened the lacing at the throat of her shirt, and tugged at it to reveal a little more cleavage.
"Acceptable?"
"Barely. But okay. I think we're ready."
They pulled on their boots, and walked towards the town.

Their first stop was an inn, where Erick arranged for a room for the night. While Erick was arranging their accommodation, Marc went scouting the ships to arrange their transportation to Kat's homeland. Kat played the part of spoiled noble very well, effecting a bored expression and allowing Erick to make the arrangements.
"Oh, and where is the nearest Church?" Erick asked. "My Lady has not been to confession for two weeks, and feels the need to see to the needs of her immortal soul."
The innkeeper gave directions, and promised that a bath would be sent up to the room directly, so the lady could cleanse herself before attending the church.
Darryl left the party to visit the church, to find a priest who would marry him and Jade that afternoon. He didn't know when Marc would book them on a ship, and he didn't want to spend another night not married to Jade.

The room was spacious - there was a large bed in the middle, with a pallet at the foot of the bed for the lady's handmaiden - whom, being non-existent, would not be occupying the bed that night. There smaller adjoining room was for the children, or servants, and Erick decided that if Darryl managed to find a priest that afternoon, Jade and Darryl could have that room, to give them privacy on their wedding night. He, Kat and Marc could share the main bed - it was certainly big enough.

The bath arrived and was placed in the adjoining room, and a steady stream of servants appeared with buckets of hot water, filling the bath. Jade tossed a couple of handfuls of herbs into the water, and soon a sweet scent permeated the room. Kat moved into the middle of the room, and sat on a chair. Jade and Erick moved over to her, and Jade unfastened her hair while Erick removed her boots.
"You're not going to get undressed in front of those people?" Jade whispered.
"They aren't people - they're servants," Kat whispered back. "But no, I don't want to. Take your time. Don't tug so hard," she raised her voice.
"Sorry, my lady," Jade replied, slowly un-doing the braid.
By the time Kat's hair was unbound, the bath was full, and Kat was standing in the centre of the room, arms outstretched, waiting for her servants to undress her when the door was finally closed behind the last servant.
"Thank the Gods," Kat whispered, lowering her arms. "I thought they'd never finish."
"You play the part very well," Jade commented, a little surprised.
"I spent most of my life with the princess," Kat reminded her, picking up her sword.
"You won't need that. We'll wait here while you bathe. Erick will protect you," Jade said, holding her hand out for the sword.
"Don't be silly," Kat replied, keeping hold of it. "You're the one getting married, you have the first bath. Erick and I will polish our weapons while you bathe."
Erick choked on sudden laugher, and Kat smirked at him. Jade looked from one to the other, not understanding, and Erick smiled at her.
"Go and bathe, Jade," he smiled. "You're getting married today!"
Jade nodded and collected her best clothes, then vanished into the bathing room.

The afternoon found them standing in a small Church. Marc had found a ship going to Kat's homeland that was departing in three days and booked them passage upon it, and Darryl had found a Priest who had agreed to marry him and Jade that afternoon. Jade wore a simple, yet becoming, pale blue skirt with darker embroidery, which signified her status as a healer, and a soft white blouse, signifying her purity. She carried a posy of sweet smelling herbs, and her hair was artfully done with more herbs wound through it. Kat and Erick stood as witnesses, and Marc walked her down the aisle, towards Darryl, who was dressed in clean green trousers and a white shirt. His hair was freshly washed, and slicked back from the water, and Jade's heart caught in her throat as she looked at the man who was soon to be her husband.