Redsand Canyon If you must pay money, better to a doctor than an undertaker.

The canyon was pretty, albeit a bit chilly this time of year. The towering walls had a way of acting as a wind tunnel, and Ruenna often found herself retreating into the various nooks and crannies of the gorge for a bit of cover, when the weather turned particularly harsh. This was originally how she discovered the Spelunker's Squeeze through which they had just travelled. 

Ruenna tilted her head as Aquene commented on the defensibility of the canyon. Did the woman also have an interest in tactics? If she did, she could learn much within Mereo. 

Ruenna would not have the chance to inquire further, as they were interrupted by the arrival of the auxilia. 

Aquene offered him more information that Ruenna might have, given the tenuous nature of the relationship between the citizens and the soldiers of Mereo. Aquene could not be faulted for this though; she had no way of knowing the politics of the canyon. 

"Thank you auxilia, we would appreciate your protection." It was better to concede than to argue and risk driving further in the wedge between herself and the soldiers. Ruenna couldn't help but notice that he did not offer his own name to them in return. Perhaps he didn't have one, or didn't want one. 

"Yarrow and prairie crocus, wasn't it?" Ruenna asked, turning back to Aquene. She refused to appear anything other that business-minded and assiduous in front of the soldiers, who she imagined thought of her as little more than a burden to Mereo. She was determined to change their minds, in time.