As the sun rose, lumberjacks arrived with firewood, bakers displayed their goods on tables by the roadside, and some beggars whimpered for a bit of food. The team left the fortress gates and turned at the first left bend. Ben, the guide, explained that the cart would follow a small, distant road on the southern edge of the citadel. After blending in with the morning bustle of a people gradually starting their day, the team distanced themselves from the castle until they disappeared among the trees, absorbing the silence of the forest.
The interior of that massive wooden carriage was cramped. Inside the cart, two wooden crates held what Dominique had brought with him, and the four men sat on top of these large chests. Two of the soldiers were as large as Dom. One had fair skin, thin yellowish hair, sparse eyebrows, and a considerably large belly. The other was more athletic; his thin beard gave him a grayish chin, his long, slender nose extended close to his lip, his dark-blue eyes seemed perpetually tired beneath drooping eyelids, and a thread-like scar crossed his right eyebrow. He had long black hair. The third soldier was the smallest of all, almost as tiny as the guide, who had taken on the role of driving and guiding the two horses. The little soldier seemed to resemble a mouse, with his ears sticking out and his two front teeth jutting forward. His light-blue eyes were always wide open, attentively scanning the passing forest. While the two larger soldiers held their swords with both hands between their legs, the tips resting on the ground in front of Dom, the small guard merely had a long spear resting on his shoulder and sat next to the executioner.
Since Ben had locked the four men inside that wooden cage, not a single word had been spoken. The two brutes only kept their eyes fixed on Dom, wearing consistently stern expressions. Dominique quickly understood that they were not his friends; they were there solely to fulfill their duties. After arriving at the cabin, he would do nothing but spend his days surviving and learning about his abilities.
After a long stretch of travel, Ben decided it was best to feed the horses. In an open area along the trail, the carriage entered the thicket and stopped. The three soldiers alighted first, carefully surveying the entire surrounding area before confirming that they could halt there briefly.