Second, no one paid us any heed other than a passing glance. This was even more noteworthy than the prior observation.
Currently, our party consisted of three: myself, Aahz, and Gleep. We had left Buttercup at the palace, much to Aahz’s disgust. He would have preferred to leave Gleep and bring Buttercup, but the royal orders had been firm on this point. The dragon was not to remain at the palace unless one or both of us also stayed behind to handle him. As a result, we traveled as a trio-a youth, a dragon, and a grumbling demon-not exactly a common sight in these or any other parts. The peasants flowing south, however, barely noticed us other than to give us clear road space when we passed.
Aahz maintained that this was because whatever they were running from inspired such fear that they barely noted anything or anybody in their path. He further surmised that the motivating force for this exodus could only be the very army we were on our way to oppose.
To prove his point, we attempted to question several of the groups when we encountered them. We stopped doing this after the first day due to the similarities of the replies we received. Sample:
Aahz: Hold, stranger! Where are you going? Answer: To the capital!
Aahz: Why?
Answer: To be as near as possible to the king when he makes his defense against the invaders from the North. He’ll have to try to save himself even if he won’t defend the outlands.
Aahz: Citizen you need flee no more. You have underestimated your king’s concern for your safety. You see before you the new court magician, retained by His Majesty specifically for the purpose of defending Possiltum from the invading army. What say you to that?