Once I reached the Wild Plains, I sought to find work and raise a bit of money. It wasn't long before I got a job guarding a caravan for a cheerful, fat little merchant named Bertrand. He told me I'd come highly recommended, and I jumped at the opportunity to work for him. He was paying well and made sure all his guards were very well equipped. All I had to do was fend off any brigands and protect Bertram and his daughter Anne. With the high quality armaments and the help of the other three guards, Mack, Brinn and William, it was probably the easiest guard duty job I was going to find.
It turned out to be duller than expected. Aside from a run in with a group of goblins, the days were fairly routine: follow the cart, protect the cart, don't go in the cart, share a tent with three surly mercenaries, stay away from the boss' daughter. Now, we are only two days travel from our first destination, the charmingly named hamlet of Eye Socket.
It had been boring work so far, and Ripley knew it. Still, with an extra ten gold pieces jingling in her pockets and a wonderfully-crafted rapier sheathed at her waist, it was boredom the elf could deal with.
The woman glanced at the others in her company. The other three guards... they were quiet, and very uncouth. If it weren't for her own weapon expertise, they looked the sort to jump her slight self at any moment, whether it was to cop a feel or other more unspeakable things. They were setting up camp right now, as it was getting late in the afternoon and the calm summer breeze was starting to turn a little chilly.
Anne - a girl not more than sixteen seasons, sat as silent as she'd been throughout the trip at the front of the carriage.
"Right-o!" Bertrand jumped down from the rider's seat, slapping his plump little hands together and rubbing it enthusiastically. Something in the back of Ripley's head fired. He looks... nervous?
"Ripley, Mack and William, you guys continue setting up and guard the camp site. Brinn, you're coming with me. We're going to a trading client," he announced. He waggled a finger at the three he'd pointed out before, "and nothing untoward to Anne, or I'll have your hides!"
There was a chorus of 'yes sir's before Bertrand was satisfied, and waddled off with Brinn at his side. Mack glared at Ripley, and the elf was pretty certain these two burly men - who'd worked well together before anyway - didn't trust her enough to guard the merchant's daughter.
"You've got tent duty. Make sure nobody nicks nothin' from there," he commanded before stomping off to tether the oxen and stand guard by Anne. Ripley huffed to herself a little bit, but eventually ducked into the tent, sitting herself just outside the flap so as to have a good view of the campsite, Anne and the two guards.
It hadn't gone by more than an hour before her ears picked up a kerfuffle further down the road. It sounded like... arguing?
"...lost! Clearly we should've taken the turn at the fork half a mile back!"
"What do you mean! There's clearly a fork up ahead! That's where we need to turn!"
"I'm telling you, you've got that map all wrong!"
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