The group began to travel together towards the border once again and passed by a couple of small villages or settlements.
With every passing moment Ki could sense that something was approaching.
Her instincts honed from many years of betrayals and surprise attacks let her be able to know the best times for someone to be targeted.
For nobles or even royalty the best time they were usually most vulnerable were during noble gatherings like an arranged hunt or another way was to make use of a route that they usually take to assassinate them.
They had their duties and loyalties so if an emergency happened and they were called away from home suddenly and arrangements could be made they could be killed and it could even be made to look like an accident.
Now was just another example…
Travelling through the northern lands which is occupied by hostile forces.
Transporting people or goods that can be stolen by others.
Making enemies within the city and also making them more wary of oneself.
It is like a toxic recipe concocted up just to set the stage for an attack that could end many lives and the people behind it may not even be found to be behind it.
It was about a half and half chance whether or not those people would choose to attack but all Ki had to do was remain vigilant and watch over her surroundings for any changes.
Even if they did not act as she thought there were always other variables that she could not factor in that she was unaware of so she had to always keep up her guard.
Small signs always appear when someone wishes to lay a trap or chase someone down and she was very familiar with how many who wished to lay out an attack would work.
First was either passing through the same route or going around at a fast speed to surpass the carriages or sleighs current movements and speed because they are slowed down by the weight they are carrying.
Then there is the place of ambush… it could be in a narrow place where there are no people and it is difficult to escape.
Sometimes the terrain would be used to help launch an attack like knocking boulders down a mountain to roll or fall towards the intended target.
Another means could be finding a place that provides a place to hide in order to launch a surprise attack or perhaps they may even be hiding somewhere else out in the open if the weather or environment allows enough camouflage or cover.
Or they could just keep it simple and either chase everyone down from behind, go around and split up while attacking from both sides and also just block their target from reaching their intended destination and then attack.
Of course other methods could be used that could weaken and slow down them.
Getting surrounding villagers to launch attacks or beg for food to reduce the enemies resources and manpower little by little or even doing sinister tricks like poisoning some drinking water that is along the route in which their target would take.
If you know your enemy well enough and can predict their actions then anyone can be broken down and killed.
Sadly they did not know about their target that well and had very little information to work with.
Ki was in thought as she continued to look around while driving her sled closer towards her destination. 'Actually it would prove to be beneficial for some people if I die here. Not only do they get to stop my and my families ascension but they also get to use my death as I please… how would I use it if I was them? Let's see… I would say it was an arranged attack by the northern tribes or the people with high influence in slate city or the warlord sect which guards the border. All of a sudden I will be a character who will be mourned and people will rise to get revenge but in reality it is just an excuse for them to attack the north and weaken them. If various forces in the north are weakened the many central landers who have a small piece of the north or some influence there will be able to weaken their enemies and gain more control. It's just another sad story of the tragic death of a girl from a family with a long heritage that wished to do good and establish relations and help the northerners but the savage northerners turned around and killed her. Many fools would join the great cause to bring down the savage and evil northerners who do not know what is good for them while others would profit from everything happening. Many would feel sorry for my death and try to avenge me but in reality they do not even know me or have even seen my face. Not that I am saying I am that important but that could be one of the possibilities. How funny. Not like I would let that happen.'
Sometimes she wished that she was worrying or thinking too much but often times she was proven to be right more than being proven wrong.