‘I beg your pardon?’ said Dale from where he sat on Leon. ‘Two hundred and four citizens, fifty two soldiers, two Princesses, one Baron, four junior Squires, one guardian, one visiting lady, and five…er…Free warriors,’ he explained. ‘That’s everyone then?’ ‘Everyone!’ said Kyoredes emphatically, leaning forwards and rubbing his horse’s neck. ‘Two hundred and seventy people! Are we are sure we can feed them all?’ asked Rudiger. He was calmly turning his agitated horse in tiny circles, gradually allowing the animal’s panic to dissipate. The horse Dale had provided for him was fractious to say the least, but the warrior didn’t appear particularly perturbed by the fact. ‘The people did bring a lot of their own food. And the first carts are all food,’ said Dale. ‘It could be the most boring trip imaginable as far as meals go, but according to Baker Ricard, seventeen men and women each baked about one hundred and fifty travel cakes each day for three days.
