March 10, Year of the Lion, 1103 P.L.
After rescuing Miranda, the Guild rode their horses into a narrow canyon in an attempt to avoid the Red Snakes. Alesander leads the larger group to the west, while Placid and Rolf ride east with Miranda in tow. Once they ditch the Red Snake scouts, they agree to meet in Sweetwater.
After a rough night of trying to avoid the scouts, Rolf’s horse stumbled and broke it’s leg and the horse’s squeals drew the attention nearby Red Snake scouts. Placid and Rolf are ambushed further down the trail three Red Snake scouts. In the fighting, Rolf and Placid are badly wounded, and have to slow their travel to avoid aggravating their wounds.
Two slow days later, Placid, Rolf, and Placid arrive in Sweetwater before Alesander. After assuring Sheriff Thomas of their their trouble wouldn’t follow them, he agreed to let them stay in town overnight. The next morning, with hide nor hair of Alesander, the Guild set out from Sweetwater thinking they had evaded their pursuers now that they were inside Episcopate lands.
They made camp that night and set standard watches. At midnight, a man dressed in a bear headdress approached to the edge of the firelight and identified himself as Benedict. While his dress was that of a tribal warrior, his gear denoted Republican origin. Then he pushed a beated Alesander into the camp. Benedict gave the Guild an ultimatum, hand over Miranda or his men in the trees would kill them and take her.
With little other choice, Placid gave her over and they rode off into the night.