William listened to the others making their introductions with muted interest, all the while watching Celeste from the corner of his eye. He’d hoped to put the girl off his trail at the work boards yesterday but clearly she was a lot sharper than the starry-eyed thing he’d taken her for. He just hoped that her eagerness to follow his wasn’t going to get her killed. There weren’t many who could say the same.

“M’William,” he grunted as the conversation came back around to him. He gave a half-shrug and grunted assent at Remedy’s mention of payment. It was pretty standard for the type of work that she was peddling, perhaps even a little bit on the generous side. But William wasn’t taking this job for the money. Besides, he’d certainly sold himself for less than a handful of coins a time or two.

As the rest of the group was finishing up Celeste gestured to the massive pack William had strapped to his back. “So,” Celeste whispered at him, “do you really think it’s going to be that bad?”

“Supplies,” he answered back with a shrug. Celeste raised a questioning eyebrow. “I like to be prepared,” he said, shrugging the bulky weight off his shoulders. Truth be told he didn’t need much in the way of supplies, but if he was going to play the experienced, grizzled mercenary then he’d fit the part. Besides, the added bulk of the hiker’s travelling pack served as a good way to hide some of the more exotic items that he carried with him.

He hefted the nearly six-foot long bundle over the side of the wagon with an easy, practiced motion and secured it to the vehicle’s sideboards with a set of thick straps. The leather straps groaned in protest from the weight but held firm. William thought about the handful of coins Remedy was offering and then to the sheer amount of wealth he’d just strapped to the side of her wagon. He lived an odd life.

Task accomplished he gave Celeste a knowing smile and a nod to the rest of the group. Then, with a mercenary’s practiced ease, he leaned back, closed his eyes, and drifted off into a shallow doze.