That evening, Qwarten, Meg, and Jeng crossed the border into Logolia. The soil in this land slowly transformed from moist, fertile earth to rocky, hard clay capable of sustaining only the most resilient of weeds. Curiously, the various animals prowling about the land appeared very well-fed, despite the apparent lack of food. 

After an hour of travelling across barren Logolian terrain, Qwarten gave the order to set up camp in the middle of a ring of boulders. After the major made a bonfire in the center of their campsite, Meg set to feeding the horses while Jeng cooked up yet another nutritious meal. 

A few minutes later, Meg seated herself on a boulder and began polishing her knives. She glanced up pleasantly as Qwarten moved to sit on the rock beside her. "Hey, Qwarten," she began, "how are you feeling?" 

Qwarten shrugged as his eyes remained fixed on the horizon beyond. "All things considered, I could be a lot worse." 

"Wow, that's a cryptic answer." Meg remarked with an amused grin. "You know, if there's anything you'd actually like to talk about, I don't bite. Not usually, anyways." 

Qwarten studied Meg's face carefully before answering. "Believe me, Meg, if I had anything to say, I'd say it." 

Meg nodded. "I'm sure that's so. Just making sure." 

After a moment of silence, Qwarten exhaled. "Well, I'm assuming what you want is a conversation. So I'll ask you the same question back: How are you feeling?" 

Meg smirked playfully. "All things considered, I could be a lot worse. But to be honest, I'm a little apprehensive about our odds when we come across those Yugdab bastards." 

"Why? Do you doubt our abilities?" 

Meg shook her head vigorously. "No, not at all! It's just ... even the best warriors fall on the battlefield if the enemy throws enough soldiers their way. When we first set off, I was glad not to have Erok, Chris, and Swedo here bothering us. But now I'm beginning to wonder if we can make it as a trio." 

Qwarten sighed deeply as he pondered over his answer. Then he laid a hand on Meg's shoulder. "I'll have your back, Meg, even if I lose my own in the process." 

Meg glanced up at Qwarten with pleasantness in her eyes. "That's very selfless of you, Qwarten. I feel a bit better now." 

Qwarten nodded. "That's good. I can't let the morale fall too low, can I?" 

Meg laughed. "No, you can't, Qwarten. No, you can't." 

******************** 

Over in the mountainous country of Jagum, Erok, Chris, and Dr. Swedo nibbled on a hearty meal while being closely supervised by their Yugdab captors. Though the food rapidly filled their bellies, Swedo observed that it lacked both taste and nutritious value. 

Erok inhaled deeply before locking eyes with Chris. "Hey, Corvin," he began slowly, "I have an apology to make." 

Chris' brow furrowed as he studied the Kaborian knight's face. "Alright, that's a first. What about?" 

Erok closed his eyes and set his bowl down on the ground. "Everything you said about Meg earlier ... it was all true. It was wrong of me to dismiss you merely because of your age, and I'm sorry." 

Chris slowly nodded. "I forgive you, Erok. From all I can tell, Meg is quite a longsuffering woman, exactly what you need." he added with a snide grin. 

Erok glanced up with the slightest hint of a smile on his lips. "That's uncomfortably true." After a pause and a sigh, he continued. "Chris, the main difficulty for me is that I have a really hard time apologizing. It feels so..." 

"Humbling?" Chris completed with a raised eyebrow. "Well, that's just my point. This whole issue revolves around the fact that neither you or Meg will drop your pride. Now, I don't know all the details, but it seems to me that the ball has been left in your court, Erok." 

Erok nodded. "You're right. The only way for me to reconcile with Meg and find happiness again is by dropping my ego and watching it shatter." 

Chris smiled and patted Erok's shoulder. "That's the spirit. Now, wherever these Yugdabs are taking us, let's survive the ordeal together so we can find Meg afterwards. I've got your back, Erok." 

Erok and Chris exchanged a grin before they grabbed their bowls and resumed eating. 

******************** 

"For some reason," Govlo began as he chewed a toothpick, "I was under the impression that you had some deep, dark secret that even Hadigama couldn't uncover. You're really just a nobody, the daughter of a long line of farmers?" 

Kahiri nodded. "That I am, Govlo. For generations, we Orianns have been simple farmers and hunters, growing or killing just enough to fill our bellies and occasionally earn a credit or two." 

Govlo smiled. "I guess that's a big difference between us. My father was a famous warrior for the Yugdabs, with a love of war and destruction rivalling that of Anjaflic himself. I used to think that was a lot to live up to." 

"And now?" 

"I think it's a lot to live past. Either way you look at it, I have a legacy behind me. But you, Kahiri? You have the privilege of being the first to tread this ground for your family. You can make the history of the Oriann house whatever you want it to be, and I think that's pretty special." 

Kahiri shrugged as she dropped a segment of a tangerine into her mouth. "It's only as special as I can make it, which is not very." 

"I'd have to strongly disagree with such a statement. Believe me, Kahiri, I've seen many skilled warriors throughout my years with the Yugdabs, and I know for a fact that you have the potential to become something, or rather someone, truly spectacular." 

"Not if my dad has his way, I won't." 

"What's he want for you?" 

Kahiri sighed. "I know he means well, and he loves me very much, but his vision for me is very simple. He just wants me to marry some hardworking young farmer so I can cook his meals, clean his house, and bear his children. And I'd love to do all that a couple years down the line maybe, but I sort of want to do something big first." After a moment of silence, she laughed. "I'm not sure if that makes any sense." 

Govlo slowly nodded his head. "That makes complete sense. I really see where you're coming from. I feel like I'm repeating myself at this point, but you're a very strong woman, Kahiri. I'm sure you'll hit whatever you aim at, literally and figuratively." 

Kahiri and Govlo locked eyes and shared a round of hearty laughter as their horses continued to trot down the path. 

******************** 

Sunset slowly approached the next evening as Qwarten's group trudged through the gates of the rural town of Grotenturke. Despite the approaching nightfall, the marketplace still bustled with activity. Several traditional Logolian bands blasted their music as loud as possible, each struggling to drown the others out, while the various shop owners shouted and strained to hear over the clashing fanfares. 

Ignoring the sales pitches being thrown right and left, Qwarten, Meg, and Jeng studied the outfits worn by the lower classes, which proved to be a difficult task. The drab browns and grays donned by the peasants blended into the background and only served to highlight the bright, flashy colors adorning those more fortunate. 

Qwarten turned to Meg with a sigh. "Alright, it appears we'll have to buy the dullest colors possible, and only off of the used racks." 

Meg nodded. "Agreed. We should also leave our horses somewhere. We really stand out, as it is." 

"Sounds like a plan. Also, don't worry too much about making your clothes fit perfectly." 

Jeng frowned. "Why?" 

"Because, peasants don't. They just buy whatever they can afford." 

"Very true." 

With that, Qwarten dismounted near the shack of a shabbily-dressed clothier. The major chuckled slightly to himself at the incongruity between the fancy garments on the racks and the tattered sackcloth donned by the owner himself. Swiftly shedding any trace of cheerfulness from his face, he stepped up to the counter a moment later. 

"Good evening, sir," Qwarten began in a monotone, "how do you do?" 

"That's irrelevant." the shopkeeper snapped, "All I care about is my sales. Speaking of which, I only accept Logolian shillings, Kaborian credits, and Ogawan shekels." 

Qwarten nodded as Meg and Jeng stepped up behind him. "Those are the only ones worth anything, anyway. Now, we're here to get some new outfits, and we want to keep the costs as low as possible." 

The clothier's brow furrowed as he swept his eyes over Meg's sleek, black uniform. "Excuse my asking, but what's wrong with your current attire?" 

Qwarten shrugged. "Nothing, really. Why we want new clothes is none of your business. Now, do you have a used rack?" 

The shopkeeper raised a bushy eyebrow as he rose to his feet. "I do. Let me show you." 

Qwarten, Meg, and Jeng followed the man as he led them to a corner of his shack where dozens of old, beaten garments hung on a metal beam. Several carried massive holes in the fabric, some in less flattering spots than others. Other items sported chipped buttons or busted zippers, and still others were cursed by various discolorations and stains. 

Qwarten glanced over the various articles apprehensively, occasionally stealing a peek into the crowd behind to compare the items to those worn by the poverty-stricken Logolians passing through. Finally, he bent near Meg's ear. 

"Hey," Qwarten began, "let's just buy those flowing, full-body robes. That way, we can wear our actual outfits underneath. Once the time comes, we can rip the robes off and fight unencumbered." 

Meg slowly nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I'll tell Jeng." 

While Meg placed her lips to Jeng's ear, Qwarten snatched three robes off of the rack and placed them on the counter. Then he began pouring coins into his hand while the shopkeeper glanced over the items. 

"That should be twenty-two credits, sir." the clothier stated with a blank expression. 

Qwarten raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's low, even for used merchandise." 

"It's not usual for a customer to haggle the price upwards, sir. If you'd like, I can charge you a loitering fee." 

"No thanks," Qwarten began as he handed a garment each to Meg and Jeng, "we'll be on our way." 

With that, the three travelers threw the loose-fitting garments around their shoulders and led their horses to the nearest stable on foot. 

******************** 

A/N: Well, that was an interesting one, in my opinion. We had some nice moments between Qwarten and Meg, witnessed Erok finally admitting to his wrongs and making an apology, and also got some insight into Kahiri's outlook on things. Writing this one reminded me why I love these characters so much.

So, what was your favorite moment in the chapter, and why?

(By the way, if you did enjoy this chapter, please bless me with a vote and maybe even some comments. Thanks!)

Sorry this note is a little short, but my day's been busy so far, and it isn't slowing down. So, I hope you have a great day, and I'll see you in the next chapter! (It might even be another double update.)