"Time to wake up laddie!" came the injunction accompanied by a blaze of light as Jim lifted his hinged drivers seat to look down upon Timmys nest.

The surprised lad blinked in the unexpected glare of the midday sun as Jim continued "No need to be alarmed Timmy, I knows all about you from your friend Alfie who gave me the word about the pickle you'd be in if the port guards got hold of you. Turns out someones been asking questions about who you are, so I was tipped off to get you safely away before theres a hue and cry.

Now I usually takes me lunch about now, unhitch old Dobbin and let him graze and as for food and drink we've got plenty what the missus always packs for me with enough for anyone else as might be riding with me. So we'll take a turn off into the woods here and get set up and I'll tell you what your choices are for being dropped off to start a new life out here in the country safely away from the citadel."

As Timmy gratefully devoured what was the best meal he could remember since leaving home, Jim explained the lie of the land as he called it.

"See once you're out here in the countryside there's choices to be made about where to stop. My advice is Brocks Barn, a small village, its a good days ride away from the citadel, way past any chance encounters with busy bodies and I knows Thomas a man who makes little knick knacks, playthings for rich folks children and he'll be glad of a bright young man like yourself to help him out.

He knows about your situation because I told him how the Hilton business fell afoul of that Plant and he was a good customer of your dads, supplying his overseas trade goods, you'd be surprised at the market for such things abroad. You'll learn a useful trade and from what I hear will probably be able to show him a thing or two what with all your experiences with artificers and printers and such like.

Don't you worry son, you've got people looking out for you to keep that villainous bastard off your trail. No one wants to be a friend to him, its said that even assassins don't want his dirty business and the word is that quite a few of his guild what he fiddled his way to get to the top of, will be glad to see him have an accident or else get caught red handed."

As they enjoyed their lunch Timmy had questions that were finally being answered so what with one thing and another it was a good two hours or more before they continued on their way, now staying on the forest track that meandered through dense woodland. Every so often came a whistle and Jim returned with one of his own, saying "its always best to stay in with the forest folk be they bandits or foresters. Otherwise you could end up with an arrow in your back."

Night fell and it was close to midnight when they finally arrived at the village of Brocks Barn.