Eranor was woken from her fitful slumber by a shake from Rosewood. The frightened look on her face was enough to rouse her fully.

"You need to get out of here," she whispered using her magic to manipulate the chain and free Eranor from her leash attached to the tent pole. Eranor could hear some scuffling outside and looked back at Rosewood in a panic. "I said get out of here! Run to the forest, keep heading north, or circle back to the river and go back home. Whatever, but get out of here." Rosewood lifted the back flap of the tent and Eranor didn't stick around for more explanation. She crawled out of the back of the tent and quickly made her way into the outskirts of the forbidden forest taking small glances behind her of Aldyn fighting off a group of Miqo.

It was only a few moments of fighting before Aldyn surrendered, much to his shame. Even if there was nothing to be ashamed of. They were ambushed by five rather burly looking Miqo dressed in matching blue light chain armor. Aldyn looked at the ground and grunted angrily. He was sitting on his knees with his wrists tied with a short chain to his ankles, keeping him in place. As three of the Miqo searched his tent, two returned from Rosewood's tent, with Rosewood similarly bound and set next to Aldyn. Aldyn looked up briefly and met Rosewood's gaze, which told the story for him. Eranor had run off, that much was clear by her not being with the two of them. Aldyn hoped she would make it to safety somehow.

"All right," One of the Miqo spoke up, taking a haughty position in front of the two captives. "Spill it where is the slave?"

"What do you mean?" Rosewood feigned ignorance. "I'm the slave right here. Didn't you notice the collar?" The comment was met with a rather violent smack across the face.

"Don't you dare!" Aldyn shouted, but his shout was cut short by a bolt of lightning. The Miqo talking to them had quickly drawn a small wand from his belt and shot a lightning spell at Aldyn. The pain was intense, far more than the hit Rosewood had received. Aldyn breathed heavily as the shock worked its way through his body.

"Aldyn please," Rosewood cautioned.

"Listen to your bitch Naga," the Miqo added. "We won't hesitate to fry you. We came for the slave girl."

"She's not my ..." Alsyn started with a blush.

"Aldyn," Rosewood silenced the large Naga.

"Where is she!" the Miqo shouted, grabbing Rosewood by the collar but directing his question to Aldyn.

"We don't know who you're talking about," Rosewood was convincing even though she was being roughly held by her collar. Though the Miqo wasn't looking at her, he was using her to get to Aldyn, and he could tell it was working. For now, though Aldyn held out.

"You heard her," he said through gritted teeth. "We don't know who you're talking about." The Miqo roughly threw Rosewood to the ground, leaving her face in the dirt. "Come on boys, let's check that cart out." The group of five went over to the covered cart and Aldyn did his best to lean over to Rosewood.

"Are you ok?"

"I'll live," Rosewood said coughing up dirt. "I've been through worse," she rolled over onto her side, unable to get back onto her knees.

"That doesn't make me feel better."

"Pfft, you softie," Rosewood smirked despite the situation. Aldyn sighed in disbelief. In the distance he could hear that the Miqo had finally broken into the covered cart.

"Where is she?"

"I let her go," Rosewood admitted. "Told her to keep going north, or to follow the river back home."

"She doesn't stand much of a chance out there."

"Better out there than here," Rosewood countered.

Eranor watched from behind a tree as the group of Miqo men broke into the covered cart. She really wasn't dressed for this kind of thing, if you could call what she was in dressed. Nothing but the chastity gear and the night diaper she was wearing over it. Thankfully the loud chain wasn't on her collar. That would have given her away. She held her breathe. Even though she was a good distance away from their camp, she could still see the Miqo attackers, which meant they could potentially see her as well if they just looked in the right direction. She had overheard the leader earlier mention her. They were looking for her specifically, which she found odd. Especially since Rosewood was just as much of a slave as she was. They didn't want Rosewood though, they wanted her specifically. That didn't sit right.

"Nothing but some busted magic armor," one of the Miqo said emerging from the covered cart. Eranor recognized the term. Magic armor referred to the walking mechanical war machines the elves used to supplement their troops as they invaded Pal Miqo. She remembered hearing them marching around outside as she hid in the royal bunker, and saw the destruction they had caused when she finally emerged from that bunker. The Naga must have found a relatively intact one to take back and study. Elvish technology was still a huge unknown, and she could understand how valuable an intact magical armor could be for research.

With the cart sufficiently searched the group of Miqo all made their way back to Aldyn and Rosewood. Leaving the cart unoccupied. Eranor didn't exactly know what her plan was but she found herself moving toward the now open cart.

"Now, I'm going to ask again," The leading Miqo said, while the other 4 gathered around Aldyn and Rosewood. "Where is the other slave at?" The Miqo emphasized other predicting a snarky response from Rosewood. "We know you have one." Eranor could hear the group clearly as she snuck into the cart and quietly shut the door. On the inside was several pieces of magic armor, lightly disassembled for travel. How it was now, the thing looked like a pile of trash, but she knew the damage this thing could do when it was fully operational.

"Why do you want some other slave?" Rosewood said still on the ground. "I'm not good enough for you."

"Oh that's just it dear," the lead Miqo picked Rosewood up by her collar again. "I think you might be enough for me, but I don't know about everyone here," the Miqo shot a devilish grin at Aldyn who was grinding his teeth in anger.

"Oh please kitten," Rosewood spat. "I promise you, I'm more than all of you can handle."

"Oh we'll see about that," the Miqo started dragging Rosewood by her collar to her tent, with her gagging all the way.

Eranor could hear everything from inside the cart, and knew she didn't have a lot of time to do whatever she was going to do. She was studying over a piece of the armor. A rounded cylinder arm some with some sort of firearm barrel at the end of it. More like several stuck together. Miqo technology hadn't caught up to elven technology, but they had guns, and Eranor got the basic idea that she was looking at a big gun. She also knew generally how these things operated. Inside this mechanism was an incredibly complex magical rune that operated the device. Despite how complicated the rune was the activation spell was exceedingly simple. It was basically just a focus of magical energy.

Eranor didn't know where exactly the activation crystal in this thing was, and she didn't have time to find out. She could hear Rosewood choking and gagging. She just channeled her magical energy as best she could over the whole device before, finally, it started to whir to life. The barrel started to spin rapidly and suddenly it fired rapidly, bullets shooting through the wooden side of the cart leaving a series of holes, and two screaming Miqo on the other side. Apparently Eranor managed to hit two of them with the burst.

As soon as she did though the other three sprang into action. Rosewood was dropped to the ground as the leader got his wand ready, and she was coughing catching her breath. Then suddenly it was eerily quiet, though Eranor could sense that the three remaining Miqo were surrounding the cart she was in. It was tense as the group surrounded the cart.

"Princess Eranor!" The lead Miqo shouted. "Is that you in there?" How did he know who she was? Eranor though to herself, though her mind was racing too much to really process that revaltion fully. She could hear leaves rustling as one of the Miqo moved to the door cautiously, any moment now they would be opening it. "There's no reason for this princess, just come on out." As the door was opening Eranor heard another scuffle outside. Grunts, the sound of punches landing, the sound of blades entering bodies, and finally a distinct bang from a gun. Then it was quiet again. Once again the door jostled and it opened.

"Eranor," Aldyn said out of breathe. "You ok?" he reached his hand inside to help her out. Eranor took the hand and left the cart.

"Yeah I'm fine are you? Oh my God! Aldyn there's a sword in your arm!" True enough a dagger was sticking out of Aldyn's shoulder.

"Ah it's ok, it hit me in the plate," Aldyn brushed the concern off though clearly he was hurt. It was true that the dagger was sticking out of his Naga scales. Eranor moved to walk past the cart but Aldyn stopped her. "Maybe you should wait here until we move them," Eranor looked at him confused. "Don't want you to see this," Aldyn smiled. Eranor nodded and sat down on the cart while Aldyn moved away presumably to hide the carnage he no doubt just caused. Aldyn must have forgotten that Eranor was in the middle of a battle not too long ago and seen her own share of carnage, or maybe he just wanted to prevent her seeing more. Either way Eranor appreciated the thought and didn't protest as she sat.

"Mind if I join you," Rosewood approached, toying with a fairly gnarly looking black knife. Eranor silently scooted over. "Dumbasses didn't even take off my glove," Rosewood held up the glove in her left hand, which had a magical focus imbedded in it and smirked. "Just needed a few moments alone to do my metal magic. Shame about my collar though." She looked at the gnarly looking knife in dismay.

"That's your collar?" Eranor said astonished.

"Mmmhmm," Rosewood explained. "I had to give Aldyn something to work with. My collar is made out of especially conductive metal you know. Too bad there's no way I can get its shape back the way it was with magic alone." It was just now that Eranor noticed the bruising on Rosewood's neck.

"Rose you neck!" Eranor said suddenly.

"Oh it's fine I've seen worse."

"You and Aldyn both unbelievable," Eranor breathed in frustration. "You know he's got a sword in his arm?"

"What!" Rosewood said shocked. "Aldyn!" she shouted past the cart. "Your arm!"

"You neck!" he shouted back.

"You two are ridiculous," Eranor sighed. "Can I see your glove?" Eranor looked at Rosewood and the two shared a silent message. They both knew that Rosewood really shouldn't be giving the now captive slave Eranor a magical focus, but she also knew Eranor just saved them. So she handed the glove over with a knowing look. Eranor slipped the glove on and brought it to Rosewood's neck. The glove didn't quite fit, and Eranor wasn't used to doing magic this way, but she still managed her healing spell. She didn't know a lot of magic, but she knew a bit of healing. Something she picked up in her spare time. It was a very appropriate kind of magic for the diplomatic princess. A glow emanated from the glove as Eranor ran it over Rosewood's bruised neck and the bruise started to fade.

"There better," Eranor said, only now noticing how close she had gotten to Rosewood in doing her healing. She backed away a little embarrassed.

"Very impressive princess," Rosewood said brushing the embarrassment off. "Now if we can convince Aldyn to stay still for you."

"I would still recommend you rest a day," Eranor put her hands on her hip. "Not that either of you will listen."

"Absolutely not," Rosewood smiled. "Now we've got a stubborn lizard to heal. Aldyn! Come here!" Rosewood grabbed Eranor's hand gingerly and the two made their way over to Aldyn who had just finished his grim task.

It was some effort getting Aldyn to lay down for Eranor, and Eranor and Rosewood had to work together to remove the dagger from the Naga's shoulder. With that down Eranor got to work with her healing magic, using some plant magic and leaves from the forest nearby to make a makeshift bandage.

"I really didn't need all of this," Aldyn said annoyed as Eranor was busily focusing her healing over the large leaf that covered Aldyn's wound.

"You are ridiculous sometimes," Rosewood shook her head in disappointment, overlooking Aldyn and Eranor while Eranor worked.

"There," Eranor said sighing in tiredness. "That closed it up, but I would be careful with that shoulder for a few days."

"Thank you Eranor," Aldyn said getting up. "Good girl," that comment caused Eranor to blush and turn away. She pretended to ignore it and removed the glove from her hand, giving it back to Rosewood.

"Now that we're all safe," Rsoewood said putting the glove back on. "What the heck was that about."

"They were more than just bandits that's for sure," Aldyn commented. "Matching uniforms aren't typical for bandits."

"And if they were just bandits they would have been happy with me," that comment from Rosewood made Aldyn noticeably uncomfortable.

"My father sent them," Eranor said flatly. Rosewood and Aldyn looked at her looking for an explanation. "They knew who I was and knew I was with you. There's only one way that could be possible. If my father told them. He must have sent them out after me."

"That certainly complicates things," Aldyn said thoughtfully. "There's no way we can accept an alliance after this, and we really need that alliance. We can't let the Elves get their foothold."

"Well then just pretend it didn't happen," Eranor brought up. "My father was foolish, he shouldn't have done that. We need this alliance to work. You still have me as your slave, as long as no one finds out about this attack, then there's nothing to break the alliance."

"What about Trynamore?" Rosewood asked officially. "If he finds out we offed his rescue squad ..."

"There's nothing to prove we did," Eranor shook her head. "We were next to the forbidden forest. All maner of creature lives in there. No doubt one big enough to take out 5 soldiers. Without proof that we killed them, then he has nothing." Rosewood looked at Aldyn who shrugged in agreement.

"Well that just leaves you then," Rosewood looked at Eranor. "If this is going to work, you'll need to come back with us as a slave. Without you, the alliance will fall apart." Eranor looked at the ground in embarrassment.

"I don't have a choice anyway," Eranor sighed. "I already came back, and I can't make it very far on my own."

"You're a very smart, very brave girl Eranor," Rosewood commented, scratching the girl on the head.

"Doesn't feel that way," Eranor sighed in defeat.

"It's true," Aldyn said simply. A pause made it obvious that he did not plan to add anything else.

"Well said," Rosewood smiled.

AUTHORS NOTE: Here's the next chapter everyone. This one has some action in it we're spicing things up. It looks like our group didn't escape from Pal Miqo completely scot free. There's more to come still, or you can see more right now over on my patreon at patreon.com/bigred0603. Hope you all enjoy.