James's party had barely left camp when they spotted the Barbarian delegation. It was impossible to miss: everyone held a torch aloft, visible from far away.
One look convinced James that they probably were envoys. He signaled his men to light their torches too, making their identity clear to the approaching party.
As the two groups drew closer, both slowed without a word. James and Konedia exchanged a glance. The Barbarians across from them were behaving themselves.
Then two riders broke away from the Barbarian party and headed toward James. His cavalrymen tensed and reached for their weapons, but when they saw the riders holding torches in one hand and raising the other to show they were unarmed, they relaxed again.
In fluent Common Tongue, the two called out, "Are you Northern Frontier nobles serving Duke Alex Iron Birch?"
James rode straight out from his ranks, startling his men.
"I'm James, a viscount in Duke Alex's service. Who are you?"
At his words, both men swung down from their horses and dropped to one knee. "Viscount James, we've come to beg for help. Thirteen tribes, large and small—including the Blood Scorpion Tribe, Iron Hoof Tribe, Gray Falcon Tribe, Wild Wolf Tribe, and White Fox Tribe—wish to pledge themselves to the Raine Kingdom. We beg Duke Alex to take us in!"
James was stunned. Konedia's intelligence had said these Barbarians were fleeing disaster, but he had hardly believed it. Now they were offering their allegiance as well. It was far beyond anything he had expected.
He had not expected them to humble themselves so thoroughly, either. He recognized many of the tribes the man had named. They were major powers in the Northlands Wasteland, and the Blood Scorpion Tribe and Iron Hoof Tribe had even fought each other.
He turned to