"Ok all you inglorious a-holes, here's the situation."  Savaran used the tip of a stick to sketch the bandit encampment in a cleared away patch of dirt on the forest floor.  "Our targets have got a bunch of wagons circled, and the horses staked up various places around the perimeter.  Two permanent guards are posted here." He pointed to one of the squares he'd drawn representing the wagons.  "So, from the look of it, I'd say old Bennie here and his boys have been busy little bees. Lots more confiscated material than just what our current benefactors had. So possibly we can score some extra profit off this job, after all." Once more he pointed to the location of the two guards. "Assuming this is where they are keeping anything of value. That sound about right, Bennie?"

On his knees, gagged, his hands still firmly bound, their newest colleague had an arrow from Daria's bow pointed into his back.  Lenore, his falcon, seemed not to care. She just perched on a nearby branch, pondering the pathetic situation of her master. Perhaps even considering the prospects of obtaining a new one if Bennie didn't prove useful.

When Bennie didn't respond fast enough for her liking, Daria put a boot roughly into his kidney.

That drew a grunt into his gag and a scowl of disapproval over the way he was being treated. Along with shooting a how-do-you-expect-me-to-answer-with-a-rag-balled-in-my-mouth look back at the woman.

Savaran pulled down his gag. "Sorry 'bout that, buddy. My fault." Then he asked again, "So, that about right?"

"Yeah, Savaran," Bennie said, continuing to give Daria a disapproving scowl.

"Ok, so by my count there looks like there are fourteen other scoundrels who are part of your merry band of thieves?"

"Should be fifteen." Bennie shrugged. "Unless Barek got caught cheating on the cuts again.  Possible someone did him in for that after the last seven times. Wouldn't surprise me. But he's a fat slob, not the sort to be out traipsing through the woods. So, if he ain't there, then yeah, fourteen."

"How many bows and how many swords?"

"Seven and seven. But you gotta watch for Hvrick. He can do both. Hack and slash or plink and dink."

Holding a hand to the top of his own head, Savaran asked, "About my height? Black hair?"

"Yeah."

"Thought I saw him with both bow and sword. Any of the archers any good?"

"Hvrick and the others are fair.  They can hit a target at twelve paces pretty accurate, but only if they're stationary. Now, Sal, he's the one you gotta keep your eye on.  He's the marksman among them.  Tall, skinny guy.  Probably doesn't weigh much more than ten stones.  You won't be able to miss him, 'cuz he sure won't miss you at anything less than sixty paces.  I'd make sure to take him out first."

"Thanks for the advice, Benny. You're a real pal."  Savaran patted the bound man on the cheek. Then, with his stick, Savaran made marks at ten and two o'clock. "So, Daria and I will take up positions here, and here. Daria, you got the left. I'll take the right. We'll have the best vantage to thin out Bennie's buddies to a point where we can move in.  While you," he pointed to Traven, "are going to circle around to the back. You've got two jobs. One, cut off any escape to the rear if they get the idea to run. And two, once I give the signal, come in with sword slashing once we have to clean out the rest. Make sure to use that nice vorpal blade you got from Constable Limp Noodle and proceed with decapitations while trying not to lose your own head."

Daria leveled a look that screamed of disapproval at Savaran.  "You're really going to put the prince back there? Alone?"

"No, not alone." The former general sighed at the question. "Do I look that stupid? Bennie's going to go with him."

Upon hearing the full plan was when Traven held up his hands. "Whoa! I'm not going anywhere with this scumbag."

"We're all scumbags, son." Savaran smiled.  "It'll be fine.  Won't it, Bennie?  Because you sure don't want me and Daria hunting you down and putting an arrow through the back of your skull too, do you? So, you'll watch the boy, right?"

Once more came that eerie and cautious laugh from their prisoner.  "Told ya, buddy, you can trust me."

"Well, I'd better be able to.  Otherwise, I'll make good on my threat.  And you know it.  So," Savaran turned back to his forming plans, "it'll be dark soon.  We'll wait for the cover of night and make our move.  Liberate the settler's supplies while seeing if there's anything else worth taking for ourselves. Then return what belongs to the colonists, get our meager amount of coin from them for our trouble, and then it's on to Shon.  Any questions?"

Daria raised her hand, waiting for acknowledgement like a schoolgirl sitting in class.

Savaran regarded her with an are-you-serious look before begrudgingly calling on her.  "Yes? You there—the attractive, yet alarmingly intimidating looking woman with the bow."

"You're not serious, right?"

Traven added his own voice once more. "My thought exactly."

Savaran scowled. "Why do people keep thinking that? Of course I'm serious! Does this," Savaran pointed to his face, "look unserious to you?"

Daria returned his look with one of her own. "Because you're seriously proposing sending the equivalent of a greenhorn out with a vicious cur who isn't on our side any longer than he has to be?"

"Bennie isn't going to betray us."  Then the former general bored his eyes into their prisoner's soul.  "He's not that stupid.  Stupid, yes. But not that stupid. From our vantage point, we'll have a clear shot at him if he decides to do anything funny, and I'll keep my once per day, never miss shot saved especially for him if he does.  Anyway, it's not up for discussion.  Someone has to be over there with Traven because he's not ready to do this on his own. If Mav was here, I'd have him back there tearing up some serious shit for us. But Mav ain't here. Traven is."

"I think you've got rocks in that head of yours." With a shake of her head, Daria continued to press her disapproval.

"Look, Daria, if you need some convincing, what say you and I go bang this out?" He gave her an exaggerated wink. "I think I can make you see things my way."

The insinuation drew a disgusted scoff from her. "I don't think so.  And I don't like you putting the boy in danger."

"I don't like being put in danger either." Traven's voice cracked as he agreed.

"Look, you started this whole Inglorious Brotherhood bullshit," the former general reminded the griping woman while ignoring Traven's objections.

"Yes, to make money." She rubbed her thumb and forefinger together.  "And now you've turned it into some sort of altruistic charity organization?  Honestly? This isn't what I signed up for. I'm ready to turn in my membership card."

"Resignations are not allowed." Savaran smiled widely. "Once a member of the Brotherhood, always a member of the Brotherhood."

With a raised eyebrow, Daria questioned that pronouncement. "Uh, since when?"

"Since always. It's in the charter, if you'd bother to read it."

"You're just making this shit up as you go along. It's annoying." She planted an exasperated boot once more into Bennie, who grunted.

"Hey!" their prisoner complained. "What'd I do?"

"You're still breathing," she hissed.

Savaran took the opportunity and reminded Daria of some crucial events from the not so distant past. "More annoying than being doublecrossed by someone who was supposed to be your partner and left as a prisoner to be turned in for a reward?"

"Come on!" An eye roll accompanied Daria's response.  "You still can't be mad at me about that, can you? I gave you your cut. And got you information on Karis!"

"Oh, sweetheart," Savaran strode up into Daria's face, staring her down. "I'm going to be mad about that for a long time."

Bennie cleared his throat as the former general and the assassin fell into a prolonged bout of silence while their eyes battled one another for dominance.  "I don't mean to get involved in this lover's spat, but arguing like this isn't going to get you to Karis."

"You know, if I didn't know you better, Bennie?" Savaran didn't take his eyes off Daria, who was staring back at him with equal intensity. "I'd think that you almost cared."

"Hey, don't judge me.  Karis is a grade-A asshole.  Treats me like I'm some sort of know-nothing rube who's only useful to be his lackey.  If it wasn't for Lenore?  He probably wouldn't have even keep me around all these years.  So, I'd love to get out from under his thumb.  Be my own man, for once.  You know? Ain't got more than a decade, at best two, left on this world.  Want to do something other than just catch the shit rolling downhill from others with the time I've got left."

"Aw." Daria mocked him.  "That's so touching. Still doesn't make me—. What are you doing?"

Savaran had moved unilaterally, without discussion, to untie the vast knots securing Bennie's hands while Daria fumbled to comprehend his actions. "What? I trust him."

"You're a fool.  That's what you are."

"Heh," Bennie laughed.  "You won't regret this, Savaran.  I promise you that."

"Oh, I know I won't.  You might, though.  If you betray my trust, that is. And just for the record? Daria's got less patience and is way less forgiving than I am. So don't do anything even the least bit suspicious. Because she'll plant an arrow between your eyes real quick if she thinks you're not acting in good faith. Now, let's get on with this shitshow. We've got bigger fish to fry."