"Maybe we should check the barn. There might be somebody in there," Elizabeth suggested. 

James walked down the steps and swung onto his saddle.

"Good idea Liz. It sounded like something was in there."

They walked their horses slowly towards the barn, all their senses alert for something out of the ordinary. The sounds in the barn had stopped and all was still. James, who was in the lead, pulled up in front of the barn. He sat there for a few seconds, when suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, there came a voice.

"Don't move and state your business."

Nicole was about to swing around when the cold voice sounded again.

"I said don't move. If you try that again I'll knock you out so fast you won't know what hit you."

Nicole wisely stayed in her place, but still asked,

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"I thought I was asking the questions. Answer mine, and yours will be answered."

Jackson intervened just as Nicole was about to speak and said:

"We are five foot-loose travelers merely looking for a place to rest our heads and fill our bellies. We did not mean to intrude on your property, and if you wish us to leave we will."

There was a long and awkward silence, but at last the voice said:

"Get down off your horses and make yourselves at home."

All of the five travelers nervously got down off their horses and turned curiously to look at their host. They looked in surprise at an old woman barely five feet in height holding a re-curve bow in her hands and an arrow knocked to the string. She was quite striking, despite her height, and had high cheekbones with a youthful look in her eyes.

"I can see by the looks on your faces that you did not expect an old woman to be keeping you younguns shaking in your boots."

She let out an amused cackle and turned around towards the house. The 'younguns' started following her uncertainly, leading their horses. The old woman stopped on the porch and beckoned to them with her hand.

"Come on, come on. No need to be afraid of an old woman, is there?"

She laughed again and entered the cottage.

Jackson looked at Nikolai and Nicole and then at James and Elizabeth. He shrugged and started walking again towards the house. The others followed warily. The tied their horses at the railing of the porch, and walked up the stairs. They all paused simultaneously and looked at each other and then at the closed door.

"Do you think we should draw our swords?" He said.

"That may be slightly provocative," Nikolai answered. "I think we should just be ready to draw them."

Jackson nodded and gingerly opened the door. He saw the old lady sitting on a stool by the fire, stirring a pot of something that was boiling. The room in which she sat was heavily decorated with plants, bright colors, and ornaments that in general did not match anything.

"Come in, come in," she loudly said. "No need to stand out there in the cold!"

Jackson entered and mentally kicked himself for being so nervous. She was just a harmless old woman. Come to think of it though, she didn't look harmless at all. And that re-curve bow she had especially didn't look harmless. Okay then, just a crazy, hopefully-not-intending-to-harm-anyone old woman.

"Sit down, all of you. It's not often I have visitors."

The five of them filed into the room and sat down on five chairs arranged neatly around the room. Nicole, coughed, cleared her throat and said:

"Um, not to be rude, but you still haven't told us who you are."

"And I told you young lady, and young man, that I would not answer your questions until you answered mine. Don't look so surprised. I knew you were lying. Now tell me the truth, or I shall not tell you what you need to know."

All five of the travelers shared a look and Jackson took the lead.

"I am sorry I lied. Obviously you are much wiser than all of us."

The old lady said nothing but inclined her head in acceptance of the apology. Jackson continued.

"We are a small scouting part sent by King Bronsler the Third of Acirema to make sure the Dulen Rode is a safe way for the King's five hundred men to travel."

"King Bronsler, huh? Now I told you I had information you needed to know."

"What's that?" They all said.

"Well, I know for a fact that King Bronsler the Third has been missing for two years."