"Ah," Northman said, nodding. "So that is what you mean. Very well, Captain, it shall be, though I wish to make it clear that we are all your subordinates, in every matter, no matter what ambiguity title might delineate."
"That goes without saying," Oliver said, seizing the reins then and there. "Now, I wonder, Commander, have you seen any of the men that I sent your way?"
"It depends which ones. Oh, there's been seen a number of men wearing red, but only a handful of them did we dare let in. The rest are a wilder sort… To be quite frank, I still don't believe that you sent them here unattended," Northman said.
"Are they unattended?" A voice came from across the clearing. Strangely enough, it was a woman's voice. Oliver's party had their heads turn like puppets, whilst the soldiers barely reacted. Evidently, they knew that she was here.
