“I like this one,” Phile said, looking the gruff soldier up and down.
“Is Oskar coming?” Rakel asked.
“With the Fyran villagers, yes,” Captain Halvor said.
“Excellent. Let me know when you want to see the captives.”
He perked with interest. “Captives?”
“It was Phile’s idea.”
He raised his eyebrows and gave Phile a second, appraising glance. “I will seek you out once the soldiers have been assembled and organized. If you’ll excuse me, Princess.” Rakel motioned him away, and he strode towards the soldiers. “Who are the highest ranking officers? Report in!”
Phile whistled. “He’s certainly easy on the eyes.”
“Easy on the eyes?” Rakel repeated as she made for the abandoned encampment.
“Fun to look at,” Phile said, hurrying after her. “What are you doing?”
“I’m testing the structural integrity.” Rakel placed a hand on a building and flooded its exterior with ice, testing the strength of its support beams and searching for cracks.
Phile folded her arms behind your head. “You’re moving your encampment from Ensom Peak to here, aren’t you?”
Rakel refrained from answering and moved to the next building.
Although she was originally against it, Oskar and Captain Halvor managed to brow-beat her into approving the move of Fyran to the garrison’s camp. Oskar said Fyran wouldn’t last without her. No one would send it any supply shipments as she was the only reason therewasa village so high up the mountain.
Rakel had tested half of the buildings when Phile whistled again. “And here comes another strapping lad. My, oh my. The scenery you have!”
Rakel looked back to see Oskar leading a caravan of Fyran villagers.
“Princess, well done!” Oskar said, tugging on a line of reindeer. “You can hardly tell a battle was held here. The villagers will be glad to use the buildings. Are they safe?”
“As best as I can tell, although I have not seen to all of them.”
“I will tell them. If you’ll excuse my manners, who is your lovely new acquaintance?”
“Phile Silver-Step, the Robber Maiden. Phile, this is Oskar.”
Oskar took Phile’s hand and kissed it. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Phile. I am the princess’s attendant.”
“I’ll bet,” Phile said.
Rakel observed the interaction with some confusion. Oskar’s manners were always pleasant and warm, but he usually kept a proprietary distance…at least he did with her.
“Snorri, the captain has you scouting the enemy for their reaction, yes?” Rakel asked, stepping around the pair to address the inconspicuous scout.
Snorri nodded.
“Good. I tried to dump them over a mile from here, where the foothills end. Please be careful; I slickened the path back to dissuade them from returning.”
Snorri saluted Rakel, mumbled something, and loped off, leaving Knut and Aleifr.
“You did a tidy job, Princess. Right, Aleifr?” Knut asked. His voice didn’t shake, and he even grinned at Rakel—surprising her with his growing bravery.
“Ah, ma’am!” the younger soldier stammered when Phile leaned into his personal space.
“I’ll give it to you, Your Highness, you have excellent taste. Did you surround yourself with a multitude of handsome men on purpose, or was it merely good fortune?” she asked. Her close scrutiny made the already ruddy-faced Aleifr turn crimson.
