Free Pathfinder's Way by T.A. White

in the wilds. He would know to stick to the edge and work his
way back to the Highlands from there.
    Either way, there was nothing she could do
about it. The others were long gone. All she could do now was
follow them and hope she didn’t run into any trouble along the
way.

Chapter Four

    Seven Months Later
     
    “We’ve already told you our terms,” Dane
argued. “If you’re unwilling to meet them, we have nothing left to
discuss. We’re done here.”
    Shea fought a yawn as an old man voiced sharp
disagreement. Propping her head on her hand, she attempted to feign
some interest in the proceedings. It wasn’t easy. Her jaw cracked
as the yawn she’d been containing escaped.
    Would this meeting never end?
    “Let’s not be hasty,” the white-haired man’s
voice cut through the chatter.
    His face had an agelessness to it, making it
impossible for Shea to guess exactly how old he was. Although the
hair suggested age, his skin was smooth and free of wrinkles. His
eyes hinted at a sharp mind. “I’m sure we can come to an agreement.
There’s no need to go home empty handed.”
    Zrakovi would have a shit fit if they came
back without securing the trade route with Goodwin of Ria. It had
taken their group nearly two months to reach the Lowland town.
    They’d been here ten days already and had
accomplished exactly nothing. It was frustrating and made zero
sense. Goodwin of Ria was the one to initiate the talks in the
first place. They’d sent an emissary to Birdon Leaf with the clear
goal of establishing trade between the two villages. Only now, it
seemed Goodwin of Ria no longer had any interest in the deal.
    The idea of a trade route was a good one. Or
it would be if both parties agreed to the terms.
    Birdon Leaf would benefit from the wheat that
Goodwin grew, while Goodwin would gain access to the tali root and
jixy oil the Highlanders harvested from the cliffs near their
village.
    Tali root, which could be used as a food or
textile, would help the town expand its weaving capability to offer
more luxury items to the southern cities. Because the root only
grew in the higher altitudes of the Highlands, the town elders were
rabid to get their hands on it. The jixy oil would give the
townspeople access to a more reliable fuel for lanterns and other
heating sources.
    For the villagers of Birdon Leaf, the wheat
and a few other goods would help keep them fed when the tali wasn’t
in season.
    That was the idea anyway, but since their
arrival the people of Goodwin had been argumentative and unwilling
to compromise.
    She didn’t understand why she had to be
present for these tedious meetings. It wasn’t like she had anything
to add. She didn’t set the terms, and more importantly, this wasn’t
part of her duties.
    Being outside the village perimeter enjoying
the slight chill of spring as the land began to ripen with life was
preferable to sitting in this tiny chamber filled with stuffy old
men.
    “We’ve already agreed on these terms,” Dane
reiterated. “You should know as you were the ones to propose
them.”
    “Things have changed since our emissary
visited your village,” a man said crossly.
    Shea thought his name started with an R.
Robert? No, she didn’t think that was it. Maybe Richard?
    Clad in fine garments with intricate
embroidery running along every hem, he had slicked his black hair
away from his clean shaven face, showing his strong bone structure
to its best advantage. When he’d shaken Shea’s hand, she’d been
amazed at how smooth his skin was. Softer than a child’s, his hands
had probably never seen a day of manual labor.
    His two companions were attired similarly,
though the man on his left had applied some type of powder to his
face to cover the age spots. Nothing could hide that beak of a
nose, though.
    Life in the Lowlands must be easier.
Highlanders just didn’t have that much time to invest in their
appearance. Everyday clothes didn’t have the fine level of detail
that every one of