Now that the horses have settled and Milak has successfully hitched up the second team, Allistra replies to Valdaris' questions.
"The caravan's a small one - just the two wagons. Jendral & Milak'll be driving. Ciprinus, I think it's best if you hitch your donkey to the back of the rear wagon and travel on horseback. The rest of you will ride in the wagons. I'll be coming along to handle negotiations. The cargo is trade goods - fine cloth and exotic foodstuffs. We'll be following the Western Road to Ravensdale, making a short stop in Allimon en route."
One of the hands drops a crate and her gaze flicks to the disturbance, then comes back to the fighter when she sees Jendral head over to deal with it.
"The road's well-travelled, so I'm not expecting any trouble. Still, there's no reason not to be prepared. A couple of stretches are fairly heavily wooded, and there've been rumours of some bandit activity further down the Sound, so it's better to be safe than sorry."
Here she nods to the assembled group. "Still, I don't think we'll have any trouble."
"Now, another bow? Wait here."
With that Allistra moves towards the rear of the warehouse and disappears through a doorway set in the side wall. After the party have kicked their heels for about ten minutes - during which time Jendral has brought out and saddled a fine grey gelding, and one of the other hands has produced a dun-coloured hack which she proceeds to saddle and hand over to Ciprinus - Allistra comes out again. She's now clad in good quality leather armour, with a rapier at her side. She's carrying a pair of crossbows - one which is battered but serviceable, the other a gleaming testament to the weaponsmith's art - and a couple of quivers. She tosses the first to Alvaris, along with a quiver, and hangs the second from her saddlebags. She clips the quiver to her belt, then turns to survey the wagons.
At some unspoken question Jendral grins and nods before turning to climb into the driver's seat of the first wagon. Milak, who's already seated with reins in hand, grumbles, "Gie oan wi' it!" then lapses into sore-headed silence again.
Turning back to the guards, she says, "Climb aboard," then swings herself gracefully into the saddle.