The problem was...they couldn't just leave the children in the woods, and they had no carriages of their own, only two horses, already in use.
Cassius, however, solved it without hesitation.
The next time a merchant caravan passed by, he strode over, exchanged a brief conversation, and handed over a pouch so heavy with coin it made the merchant's eyes widen.
The offer was too good to refuse.
Within minutes, Cassius had purchased the caravan outright, horses, wagons, and all.
The rescued hostages were helped aboard, and anyone among them who knew how to drive a wagon took the reins. The makeshift convoy began to follow the group at a steady pace, their wheels creaking softly behind the sound of falling trees.
At first, it was just two carriages, rickety wagons with creaking wheels, each packed with frightened women and children. They trailed behind Cassius's group at a cautious distance, the sound of the wheels blending with the steady thud of trees being felled ahead.
