<div style="text-align: justify;">Elisabeth was unsure about how Sir Philip and Wylyam felt about her presence with them. She would have imagined that it wouldn’t be a welcome one, as having a woman come along would slow their pace due to the position she would be using to ride. Yet, between her brother’s well-being and someone else’s annoyance, Elisabeth didn’t hesitate. Peter was, after all, family, and someone had to be with him. <br/><br/>Sir Philip’s words in greeting to her put Elisabeth at ease. He might not be happy with her presence, but if he at least intended to be polite and respectful, things would work out. “I appreciate your kindness, Sir Philip”, the girl answered kindly. “I will do my very best not to be more of a hassle than necessary”.<br/><br/>As for Wylyam, Elisabeth noticed, she would have no problems with him. He seemed happy to see her, and that gave her a pleasantly warm feeling inside. The girl tried to rationalize that she simply felt relieved to have a friend she could count on. But she knew the truth was far more complex, and perhaps far more dangerous for both herself and Wil. <br/><br/>Peter, despite looking like he hadn’t slept all night, nodded politely when Sir Philip turned to him. “Very well, thank you, Sir Philip. I hope you fare just as well”, the young man replied. <br/><br/>Sir Philip’s request was somewhat offensive to Peter, as it implied that he was not trustworthy, but he knew better than to deny it. After all, an honest man, when treated with distrust, would take action to be trusted, and not the contrary. With that in mind, the young man nodded. “Yes, Sir Philip. My only request is that, should the need for defense arise, my sword be returned to me so I can keep my sister safe. Otherwise, I will happily leave my weapon in the competent guard of your squire”. Elisabeth sighed in relief that Peter wouldn’t cause any trouble. She knew that the less trouble he caused, the easiest it would be to defend him. Not that it would be easy by any stretch of the imagination. <br/><br/>Once everything had been sorted out, Peter exchanged one last glance with his sister and mounted on his horse, preparing his sword and a dagger to be handed over when the moment came. As for Elisabeth, she felt her heart flutter as Wil came to help her. Her hand rested on his, and she took an impulse to settle herself on the saddle, fixing her skirts after getting in position. “Thank you, Sir”, the girl whispered softly. Despite the fact that she would have liked to hold onto Wil’s hand for a while longer, she slipped hers away from his and left him with a shy smile as a substitute, before placing her hands properly to keep steady and waiting for Sir Philip’s word so they could start moving. It felt like they were in for a long and awkward trip, but hopefully, also an uneventful one, Elisabeth thought as she got her horse to move right after Sir Philip’s order.</div>