Chapter 434 - What The Road Remembered

They rode out before the sun had fully cleared the eastern hills, forty soldiers under Yudhistira's command, Rama and Sekar at the column's head, their daughter left behind in Wirasena's care despite her loud and articulate objections the night before. She had argued her case with the precision of a much older child, pointing out that she had already spoken with the shrine twice and understood more about the Second Anchor than any soldier riding out with them, and Rama had crouched down to her eye level and told her plainly that understanding a danger and standing in front of it were two very different things. Ardhana had been firm on that point in a way neither parent had argued against, and Rama found himself grateful for it now, glad she wasn't seeing what the road toward Sokawera had already started to look like.