Glacies finished securing the rope over the third cart in the caravan line and reached out to smooth the oiled cloth covering the goods. He smiled and nodded before giving the ropes one final tug to make sure they were tight enough. Satisfied, he turned toward the fourth cart to see if the other mercs needed any kind of help. He saw that they were perfectly fine and didn't need him, so he turned to the first card and the leader of this ragtag group of mercenaries.

As he walked up, he could hear the man arguing with one of the cartwrights over something. As he strode closer he heard, “Yes, I'm sure, for the last bloody time. I need at least four extra cart wheels. Six would be better. If you had one of those fancy Aleran cart jacks, that'd be useful to, but I kinda doubt it.”

“Yes, fine fine... That'll cost you an extra twenty, though. That's all the wheels and axles I got left. I'll have to order supplies from the next trader through, and that won't be cheap.”

The caravan leader fished a small sack of gold out of his pocket and pulled out ten gold pieces.

“Not a copper more,” he said simply.

“That's highway robbery! I might be able to drop down to 18, but any less and you'll be getting them for less than cost.

The leader again pulled a few more coppers out of his pocket. “Thirteen,” he said simply.

“Fifteen and that's the best I'll do, you thief,” the cart wright said in an almost comedic melodramatic tone. The leader nodded and fished two more pieces out.

“Fair price. I'll bring you back a trinket from the dig if you want. Might sell in town for a few extra silver,” he said. Glacies was impressed. The man had not only thought ahead to get replacement parts for his carts in case of trouble, but had managed to argue the cart wright down to a fair price. This is what he expected from someone who would run an operation like this one.

He went to the caravan leader and tapped him on the shoulder as he said, “Cart three is secured. Anything else you need me to do, sir?”

The man laughed and clapped Glacies on the back in a friendly manner as the cart wright walked away counting his coins and said, “Nah, and call me Micah. We'll be heading out within the hour. If you need to do anything before leaving, I suggest you do it now. This isn't a long expedition, but better prepared than not.”

Glacies nodded and started back toward the third card to double check the rope. Satisfied it wasn't going anywhere, he walked out toward town with his hands in his pockets.

“If we get attacked, I will know how well Micah handles himself as a leader in battle as well as during an expedition,” he said to himself before he shrugged. He then shrugged as he continued to walk.