Page 251 of The Well of Ascension

Ah, Breezy,she thought as they passed out of the forest and onto the hillside before the army.Do any of your friends even understand what a noble man you are?

They really didn’t treat him well enough. Of course, that was to be expected. That was what Breezy wanted. People who underestimated you were easier to manipulate. Yes, Allrianne understood this concept quite well—for there were few things more quickly dismissed than a young, silly girl.

“Halt!” a soldier said, riding up with an honor guard. They had swords drawn. “Step away from her, you!”

Oh, honestly,Allrianne thought, rolling her eyes. She Rioted the group of soldiers, enhancing their sense of calmness. She didn’t want any accidents.

“Please, Captain,” she said as Hobart and his crew drew weapons, huddling around her uncertainly. “These men have rescued me from the savage wilderness and brought me safely home, at much personal cost and danger.”

Hobart nodded firmly, an action undermined just a bit as he wiped his nose on his sleeve. The soldier captain looked over the ash-stained, motley-clothed group of bandits, then frowned.

“See that these men have a good meal, Captain,” she said airily, kicking her horse forward. “And give them space for the night. Hobart, I’ll send your reward once I meet with my father.”

Bandits and soldiers moved in behind her, and Allrianne made sure to Riot them both, enhancing their senses of trust. It was a tough sell for the soldiers, especially as the wind shifted, blowing the full stench of the bandit crew across them. Still, they all reached the camp without incident.

The groups parted, Allrianne giving her horses to an aide and calling for a page to warn her father that she’d returned. She dusted off her riding dress, then strode through camp, smiling pleasantly and looking forward to a bath and the other comforts—such as they were—that the army could provide. However, first there were things she needed to attend to.

Her father liked to spend evenings in his open-sided planning pavilion, and he sat there now, arguing with a messenger. He looked over as Allrianne swished into the pavilion, smiling sweetly at Lords Galivan and Detor, her father’s generals.

Cett sat on a high-legged chair so he could get a good view of his table and its maps. “Well, damn it,” he said. “Youareback.”

Allrianne smiled, wandering around his planning table, looking at the map. It detailed the supply lines back to the Western Dominance. What she saw was not good.

“Rebellions back home, Father?” she asked.

“And ruffians attacking my supply carts,” Cett said. “That boy Venture bribed them, I’m sure of it.”

“Yes, he did,” Allrianne said. “But, that’s all pointless now. Did you miss me?” She made sure to Tug strongly on his sense of devotion.

Cett snorted, pulling at his beard. “Fool of a girl,” he said. “I should have left you home.”

“So I could have fallen to your enemies when they raised a rebellion?” she asked. “We both know that Lord Yomen was going to move the moment you pulled your armies out of the dominance.”

“And I should have let that damn obligator have you!”

Allrianne gasped. “Father! Yomen would have held me for ransom. You know how terribly I wilt when I’m locked up.”

Cett glanced at her, and then—apparently despite himself—he started to chuckle. “You’d’ve had him feeding you gourmet foods before the day was through. Maybe Ishouldhave left you behind. Then, at least, I’d have known where you were—rather than worrying where you’d run off to next. You didn’t bring that idiot Breeze back with you, did you?”

“Father!” Allrianne said. “Breezy is a good man.”

“Good men die quickly in this world, Allrianne,” Cett said. “I know—I’ve killed enough of them.”

“Oh, yes,” Allrianne said, “you’re very wise. And taking an aggressive stance against Luthadel hadsucha positive outcome, didn’t it? Chased away with your tail between your legs? You’d be dead now, if dear Vin had as little conscience as you.”

“That ‘conscience’ didn’t stop her from killing some three hundred of my men,” Cett said.

“She’s a very confused young lady,” Allrianne said. “Either way, I do feel obliged to remind you that I was right. You should have made an alliance with the Venture boy, instead of threatening him. That means you owe me five new dresses!”

Cett rubbed his forehead. “This isn’t a damn game, girl.”

“Fashion, Father, is nogame,” Allrianne said firmly. “I can’t very well enchant bandit troops into leading me safely home if I look like a street rat, now can I?”

“More bandits, Allrianne?” Cett asked with a sigh. “You know how long it took us to get rid of the last group?”

“Hobart’s a wonderful man,” Allrianne said testily. “Not to mention well-connected with the local thieving community. Give him some gold and some prostitutes, and you might just be able to talk him into helping you with those brigands that are attacking your supply lines.”

Cett paused, glancing at the map. Then he began to pull at his beard thoughtfully. “Well, you’re back,” he finally said. “Guess we’ll have to take care of you. I suppose you want someone to carry a litter for you as we head home….”

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