A soldier carrying a heavy crate entered the tent and delivered it to Agnes by the large table, before leaving promptly. She quickly realized her charcoal paste supply would not be nearly enough, so she peeked out of the tent curiously. The guards at the mouth of the tent she was looking for were still there, ready to assist.

• "Um, hi! Excuse me!"

The two guards turned and looked at her curiously.

• "Yes, how can we help you?" -A man with impressive sideburns asked.
• "I would need some materials, I'm not sure whether his grace mentioned that I might..." -She vaguely pointed behind her.
• "Yes." -He said reassuringly.- "He told us to be ready, should you need anything."
• "Ah! Great!" -She said with relief.

Her not being of higher rank than anyone else, but by the behest of the Count technically being able to give orders made her feel awkward. Giving people orders in general seemed wrong to her. Not when ordering Erick to take a bath finally or Harek to help clean the dishes, but ordering people around in general like they were her servants. She let that thought go and focused on the task at hand.

• "So... I would need a big jar of fat, charcoal, or regular coal is fine too actually...umm....hardened sap maybe? -She hit her forehead with the palm of her hand.- "Never mind I'm being stupid. Do you have ink and paper?"

The guards looked at each other and shrugged.

• "Probably, yes."
• "Okay, so I would need a lot of that, some shears, and something to glue the paper. Gum Hesaria if you have it?"  -She looked questioningly, then shook her head.- "Yeah not likely, any kind of glue will do really."

The two soldiers although a bit confused judging by their expressions, made no comment. They gave a nod and went on their way. 

Soon enough Agnes had everything she asked for and started slicing the pieces of paper into equally long strips. Then, she began the hard part. Painting these lines of runes had become second nature to her. There weren't many she knew to begin with, but out of all of them, this was perhaps her most often used one. What it said, however, she could only guess. Until today she wasn't aware that this was a language to begin with, how it sounded if it was an oral one at all was a complete mystery. As she glued the pieces of paper to the flat part of the hooks, she had an idea. She had written a rune command on a piece of paper, the same as the rest. but this one she glued only at the edge of a hook, with the majority of the paper swaying in the air as it hung from it. 

• "Hmm...I wonder." -She murmured.

She peeked out to see if she could try the new method somewhere and saw a suitable stump not too far. The guards were sent away on another errand by Frederick so she could experiment without bringing too much attention to herself. Standing at the edge of the tent's shadow, she carefully aimed the hook towards the stump. She had placed it on a metal plate on which fruits were served before to not hurt her fingers, and with a smooth motion, she pushed it out into view of the sun, its rune-marked paper slip gently flapping in the wind. After five seconds, the hook shot out from the plate and dug its way into the wooden stump. 

• "Yes!"

She jumped up and exclaimed with excitement. Noticing the curious glances of distant soldiers, she calmed herself and went to pull out the hook. It wouldn't budge. For a moment she thought about putting another hook behind it and launching it in the opposite direction, but she quickly admitted to herself that it would be ridiculously dangerous to do that. After a minute of struggling, she decided there were enough of these damn things anyway and left it be. She went back inside and continued making the runes. After some time she managed to finish all of them and she looked over her work with satisfaction.

• "Mind if I bother?" -Frederick asked, looking over her shoulder. 

Agnes was startled for a moment as she hadn't heard him approach but quickly collected herself before answering.

• "Not at all, I've just finished." -She said, then collected some pieces of paper she sat aside and handed it to him.- "Here are the runes you've asked for. I included some notes about my theories on which section is responsible for what." 

She felt both apprehension and excitement that she was sharing her experiments with someone else. She never heard of anyone being punished for experimenting with the runes, but the lack of rumors was almost more frightening than if there were whispers of torture and intimidation. "Maybe people just assume it to be too dangerous? If Fredericks's explanation of how runes typically work is correct then I suppose it could be more dangerous than it's worth." She thought.

• "Thank you, Agnes. Can't wait to hear my friend's thoughts on these." -He said smiling, shuffling the pieces of paper and inspecting them.
• "You have friends studying rune work?" -Agnes asked curiously.
• "You could say that, yes. Fortunately, I'm not alone in my thirst for knowledge. Many don't approve of the way it is restricted."

He walked over to the side of the table and took a seat while Agnes answered:

• "I'd like to meet them someday. I hadn't come across any writing that could be considered a..." -She thought over the word to use.- "Technical explanation regarding...well anything really, now that I think about it. Of course, God exists. How would everything around us function without Him? But just making Him the answer to everything without questioning the 'How?' is just lazy." -She thought out loud.

Frederick smiled approvingly.

• "Well said, and you just might. This letter is for a friend of mine called Sebastien Potier." -He handed her a letter with a prominent green wax seal on it.- "He is a very generous patron of a monastery in Bodorka.  Worry not," -He held up a hand- "I made no mention of your unique expertise, I just let him know that you could provide valuable insight into some of his problems and that it's better if you're shielded from the monks there just in case."

Agnes eyed the letter intently and saw a signet mark on the seal. House Szabadhys, undoubtedly. Some sort of bird sitting atop three mountains with its wings parted. 

• "And," -Frederick continued- "for the road and to provide motivation for the rest of your group."

He sat down a small pouch on the desk, about the size of a fist. By the motion and context, Agnes assumed it must be silver but it made no metallic sounds as it hit the table. 

• "At a monastery? I thought your friends would prefer to stay away from places like that."
• "A fair assumption, but he knows the abbot there and in exchange for his patronage he can get access to certain areas outsiders rarely see."

Agnes while listening, opened the pouch and her eyes widened as she saw the off-white matte-colored coins. They had rough sides and no number or any sort of symbol on them, but their material was so unique it was nearly impossible to mistake it for something else. They were extremely light compared to silver and their outer rim was perfectly smooth. It was far more than their current job paid. Caution and paranoia took over as she mulled over her options. Finally, she began with caution:

• “What’s the catch? This is too generous for whatever help you hope I can provide, surely.”

She leaned back, an eyebrow raised.

• “No catch. There are some details I cannot indulge in at this time, but nothing you’d disagree with I’m quite sure. You caught me in a generous mood is all.”

He answered nonchalantly.

• “I’ll need to talk to the others about this…but okay.”

She said after a few moments of thinking. Her hut was telling her something was off but he gave no reason to mistrust him so far, not to mention, it was a lot of money even if they decided not to honor their word.

• “Splendid! You’ll like him I think. A bit…eccentric fellow but nothing you can’t handle.” -He smiled, seemingly satisfied then stood back up.- “Are you ready? It’s nearly time.”

 

Before she could answer a guard asked for Frederick's attention at the entrance. He waved a hand and the rest of the band was escorted in. They were all wearing shades of gray, dull green, and dark colors. They exchanged polite greetings with Frederick and warm ones with Agnes, then the Count asked:

• “Are your men ready Harek?” -He asked with little patience.
• “They are yes.” -Harek answered confidently.
• “Good! My men are itching for a fight on the field as well from what I hear.” -He said with an excited smile.- “Your girl here is quite a sharp one, would be a great shame to have something happen to her during the engagement so I’d prefer she stays with me during it. She will be much safer there I guarantee it.”

Agnes looked at him, eyes wide with a shocked face, then Harek answered:

• “I would much prefer that to be honest, but I highly doubt she would agree.”

Feeling relief to be validated in her anger she said:

• “Of course I wouldn’t! What’s wrong with you!?”

She pointed the question to the lord, with little respect and without any honorifics, which did catch the eye of the others, and embarrassment mixed with anger flushed Fredericks’s face, before steeling himself.

• “You are far more valuable than to be lost in some skirmish. I am sorry but I cannot allow it.”
• “I will not let them go up there alone!”

Harek cut in with a conciliatory voice:

• “It’s okay, Agnes. We can do this without you. It’s easier for me if I don’t have to worry about you anyway.”

He said with a smile and a hand on her shoulder. He meant to calm her but suggesting that she was a burden in battle made her even more furious. She shrugged his hand off herself and walked with great intensity towards the back of the tent.

• “Sir, I need to speak with you privately.” -She did not look at him or wait for an answer.

Harek gave an apologetic shrug, while Adrian tried to muffle his snickering with Robert elbowing him on the side, mumbling something. With a great sigh, Frederick said:

• “A moment, gentlemen.”

He turned around quickly and headed after her behind the wall. With an intense whisper, he began:

• “Agnes you cannot talk to me that way in front of others, I may be lenient but-“

His words stopped as she met with her unmoving gaze that felt as if it was piercing his skull.

• “I am not your tool.”

Her voice contained no Anger, which unnerved Frederick slightly. It was a statement of fact, not an argument.

• “Of course not!” -He said with bewildered agreement.- “But what you’ve discovered could change our society as a whole, I cannot risk you to-“
• “I am not yours to risk.”

Again, something about her made him feel uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure what.

• “I have a duty to humanity. I’m sorry you don’t understand it, but while the contract lasts you are mine to command and you will stay out of harm’s way”
• “The only reason they still live is me. I will be with him when he’s up there.”

He could hear no emotion in her voice, except calculated, genuine intent as she continued.

• “You only think you know what I can do. You will not stop me.”

The implications of her words echoed in his head and sent a chill down his spine which very few people were able to achieve. Seeing as he had little choice, he relented.

• “Fine.” -He said with disappointed anger in his eyes. “Have it your way.”

He walked back to the others with a forced smile and chuckle.

• “Fine, fine, if she wants to go so bad…” -He trailed off.- “You may go.”
• “I’ll be fine. You’ll see.” -She said, her face a lot softer now.
• “Good luck to us all.” -Frederick said.

As they were leaving. he looked at her with an ever so faint hint of apprehension and anxiety.

• "Good luck to us all indeed..." -He whispered to no one but himself.