She was about to ask him what he meant by 'Renaissance fair', when they approached the camp. The soldiers looked exotic to her but not out of place.

Polgara was amused again that this boy thought he was going to protect her, but it was also charming that he would do so for someone he had just met. "Of course," she said with a placating nod, and stepped back to allow him to go first.

While looking like she was letting him protect her, she actually reached out her mind to touch the soldiers. She'd be alert to any danger so she could take steps to prevent it.