About the time that Rhunal and Brondulf’s home was nearly finished, word spread about instability in Qismat. Rumors of another famine, an extended one. These idle words were proven when new groups of refugees came pouring north. Most went to Greihold, but some risked a new home on the frontier. One of them was unlike any Bron or Rhun had seen before, an orc with skin like bronze. Smaller than the average green orc, he did not wish to live too close to the human city. He bought enough supplies to set himself up in the wilds. He was short on words, but eventually said his name was Tarbu.

It was not the dark-skinned orc who was held at the door, refused passage. Instead, a young woman with a slight build and light brown hair. Fara had returned as dusk was falling. Kyvril heard the news and quickened his steps. What trouble was that girl planning now?

The guards held her in a small building next to the gate. A place for them to rest for a few minutes. A simple room with a round table and four chairs. The guard keeping watch over Fara, Davoud, nodded to Kyvril.

“How were you caught?” he asked. “What trouble did you intend for Refuge this time?” He turned to Davoud. “How did she try to sneak in?”

“She walked right up. I asked her name, and she gave it without argument or deflection.”

“I know I was exiled.” Fara spoke. “But my family is in trouble.”

Kyvril glanced at her, then gestured for Davoud to leave. “Your adopted family? Your former fiance’s siblings?”

“Yes. The twins.”

“You made it here. Why couldn’t they? Were they taken prisoner?”

“Not exactly. The pair wouldn’t come with me. We are on the verge of being involved in a war.”

“What kind of war could a couple youths could be involved in? Start from the beginning, Fara.”

“A new power is rising. One which will soon control the whole frontier. The bandit groups have grown in size every year. But now they’ve run out of room to expand. Tensions are rising between the various groups.”

Kyvr glared at her. “Why are you talking about bandits?”

Fara calmly met his stare. “The three of us joined such a bandit group.”

He scowled at her. “I knew you were trouble. Why come here after admitting that?”

“Our group wasn’t so bad. More like thieves than bandits.”

“What your group calls itself isn’t important. You’re trouble for my town.”

Fara sighed. “It’s been hard for the three of us. The twins were miserable in Greihold. They got involved in many forms of petty crime to get by. A man met them one day and told them that their skills, honed on the frontier with their brother Lovell, would be useful in his band. The twins begged me to accept his offer. Without them, I’d be alone, in a city that hated the vulnerable. I’d already been groped by the owner of the hotel we stayed at. Timon’s knife pressed against his belly made him back off, but he would have tried again.”

“I took the twins, and sought this crew of thieves. Something about the man, Mattias, seemed trustworthy. For a time, it was not a bad life.”

“Easy for you to say, but what of the victims left in your wake? Do you care about anyone besides yourself?” His hand touched the side of his sword hilt, an unconscious movement.

“We were thieves, but our goal was to do as little harm as possible. Mattias was skilled and charismatic. He ran a clean, professional crew of outlaws.”

“Can such a thing as professional outlaws exist?” Kyvril scoffed.

“Mattias avoided recruiting the bloodthirsty. He had a policy of avoiding killing and injuring unless in self-defense. He reasoned that killing those you stole from had a habit of getting extra bounty put on your head. Unusually, his group had about the same number of female outlaws as men. He had laws that no one under his command would harm another. Many of these bandits eventually paired up into long-term relationships. I expected the bandit group to be a dangerous place for a woman. But the bandit leader stated that mistreatment of a woman in his group was a good way to expect a knife across the throat in the night. Both a warning and a promise.

Our first few months were good, but rumors spread about a powerful band rising in the frontier. A group ours had been friendly with went silent. The stories about this other bandit gang were all bad. Formed from the most murderous of men. The leaders of the group were former assassins. Men who specifically made a living killing others. This bandit crew recruited the best of the other bands, killing the other men and capturing the women they wanted. Thanks to the blessing of the gods, a trained woman might be as strong as a man individually. But a group of men with bad intentions could still overpower her.

“Our first encounter with the bandit group started off badly. A meeting turned into an ambush. I’d thought us doomed immediately, but our leader, Mattias, proved handy with a blade. He led us to win that fight, barely. Two of us were killed and many wounded. The rest of the crew retreated to our main hideout. Thieving is one thing, but war is too much. I’ve left my band for good. Though my gang doesn’t know it yet. Only the twins.”

“What do you want, Fara? Why did you come here? You know I don’t trust you.”

“I need to pull the twins out of the gang. In time, the bandit army will wipe out all the others. I tried to talk the twins into leaving, but they refused. They are invested in their new ‘family’.”

“If they don’t want to come, what could change their mind? They won’t listen to me. Timen made his hatred of me known.”

“A blow to the head and some rope would do wonders. If they stay, they will die, or worse, for Bette.”

“Why should I risk any of my people to help you, Fara? Who would risk their neck for a group of bandits?”

“Do it for your good. The more gangs swallowed up, the stronger this other group becomes. My people, though criminal, are not black of heart. Most are runaways from the streets of Greihold. This bandit army will get more and more out of control, even for your town. You’ll have to deal with them eventually. Why not deny them recruits? Though our gang has avoided bloodshed, our best will join this other group, if it’s that or death.”

Kyvril leaned back, crossing his arms. “You don’t just want the twins brought back to this town, but your entire gang? Hopelessly ambitious. Can your people even live a normal life after their time in the frontier? Would they want to come in from their former life?”

“I don’t know if they’ll accept. But I know they could be good citizens. Mattias kept his people together, made them a community. Thanks to him, they’re worth redeeming. They are tough people, skilled at surviving in the wild. Skilled at many useful forms of craft the town could benefit from. More than thieves, those who aren’t fighters keep a garden growing.

“Our home is well-fortified, and the band has grown comfortable there. But the location is part of the problem. The larger gang has been scouting around our borders. It will take time to form a plan of attack, but they will overwhelm us. Others have expressed doubts as well, but Mattias won’t be swayed to the danger. He increased the night watch, but it’s not enough.”

Kyvr knocked on the door to the guard’s shack. “Davoud, go get a mattress and bring it here. Fara will stay the night in the guardhouse.” He looked back to Fara. “It seems I don’t have to worry about you escaping. But it might be less trouble for us if you did.”

“I’m not going anywhere. What’s your decision? I know you’re expanding the town. Well, I have people who could help you fill it. After all, you’ve let even an orc become part of Refuge. Could you have a little hope for your own kind? If you won’t help, then I must get back and warn my family.”

“I’ll consider it. But you’re asking a lot. I need capable people. But, it must be worth the cost. Sleep Fara, I’ll tell you my decision in the morning.”

It was no lie. He slept little that night, his thoughts restless with her request. In the end, he made his decision. He couldn’t close the door to the twins, or Fara, or even her people. There were only two he trusted to carry it out.