It was nearly a week later that the Band left Aeunland. Enough time for the men to get it out of their system. Enough time for Miro and James to fill in any last bits of shopping. Finding wide-rimmed wheels for the wagons, a large number of basic weapons, hunting bows and spears mostly, along with several flocks of goats and sheep. Though Ethan wasn’t looking forward to keeping them alive on the trip up the mountain.

  Enough time to pick up another 300 females of various ages. Even here, women outnumbered men by a significant margin with rifts and rift escapees being the primary culprit. Enough so that it wasn’t hard, in the teaming masses of the city to find those as were willing to take a chance on something new. Rather than rot with none where they were.

  Enough time to run the near century of newly promoted bandsman through exhaustive drills. Not to make them proper soldiers. Not yet. But to at least get them started on the path. And with the increased number of people and herds, they’d no doubt need them.

  Enough time to give another century of newly promoted hunters a chance to practice their craft. Be it with spear or bow.

  Just enough in general. And that was what worried Ethan. The count wasn’t wrong. You could only plan so far when the trials to come were far from certain.

  But plan he had, and soon enough, they’d see if it was indeed enough.

  As the Band traveled onward, passing through the grape arbors and small open sky hamlets of Auenland in but a day, And then it was back into the great forest.

  Mostly.

  The forest overlooked the waters of the Silberstrom on the north east side, but the south west saw the mountains rising in cliff-like sheets of the same stone that underlaid the Auenland plain, interspaced by narrow green draws. The trees were small and scrub brush-like. Growing fitfully out of the sides of hills or standing alone on minor peaks.

  It was a very different world across the river. And a brutal-looking one. A taste, even if at a considerable distance of what was to come.

  This continued for two consecutive baronies. Decent enough places very much in the style they’d grown accustomed to. Pleasant of an evening, though they had little food to spare or for sale. Making most of their coin by logging and foraging the forest for valuable medical herbs and mushrooms.

  For food they ran the usual flocks of sheep, goats and pigs under close guard. It was enough to feed themselves, if barely at times. But not a great sign for the Band or rather, as he should start thinking of themselves to be, for Alfwin Pass when it came time to buy food.

  The growing evening most of a week later found them approaching Wegend, and as its name meant in a local subdialect, it was the end of the road. The last barony in the great forest and their soon-to-be closest neighbor.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  And the first impressions were not great.

  “What was that Sir Leo?” Ethan asked, uncomprehending despite the simple, bald-faced words.

  “Baron Clovis, e’s limited da town access to 50 men, Milord.” Leo repeated patiently.

  It wasn’t unusual… in the Riverlands perhaps. Here? Not once had even the most cautious of lords limited them to such.

  “Well, tis going to be an exciting ‘curtesy’ visit.” Guile grinned. Looking a bit excited at the though.

  Ethan shot him a quelling glance, only to get a pair of raised hands in response. He sighed. Not that Guile was wrong, but they didn’t need to start something and make it worse.

  “Is there a caravansary or..?”

  “None.” Leo leaned to the side and spat. “S’why I rushed back. All te land bout the town is claimed. Have to dig in two miles out not a t’all.”

  Ethan's eyes were beginning to blaze. There was reasonable security and there was petty asshatery. He was beginning to see on which side of the fence this Baron Clovis sat.

  “And his invitation?”

  Leo smiled, though there was no goodwill in it. “To yous and the Lady and a na more den 10 guards.”

  “Did he at least offer hospitality in it?”

  “Oh aye. He did that. For the town. But no’ outside it.”

  This was… Ethan looked away and took a deep breath.

  Then another.

  Then another.

  His men, and lady waited patiently, though she eased her horse back slightly. This sight was a slap he needed. He let it out in a long, exasperated sigh.

  “Pass the word for nir-Baron Adelbert, if you please.” His voice was clean, under control and with none of the rage he felt allowed to so much as tint it. This was more than simple caution. This man had an axe to grind and maybe a local could tell him what axe that was.

  “In the meantime, let’s set up camp. I trust you picked out a likely spot, Sir Leosige?”

  “Marked it, Milord. Bout a mile on ahead.”

  “Excellent work. Sir Andrew, the camp is yours to set up this evening. I trust you will do so with your usual skill and efficiency.”

  “My Lord!” He saluted briefly, looking a bit excited about the command, even temporary and with eyes looking over his shoulder as it might be. Conner grinned at him from the side.

  Now, they couldn’t have that. The least Ethan could do was share the mood. “Sir Conner, it appears that we will be having an early evening, a good opportunity to put those new recruits through their paces, no?”

  “Of course, Milord.” Conner quickly responded, an amused gleam in his eye and the set of his mouth, more felt than heard or seen. Deniable of course.

  Ethan left it be. Amused himself despite the circumstances.

  He worked out a few more logistical matters and laid plans for worst-case situations before Adelbert rode up at a trot. With the easy seat of a trained horseman, a less common skill even for nobles in these parts, he drew to a walk beside Ethan.

  “You sent for me, My Lord?” His squire, though at times he forgot what with Conner doing most of the teaching, asked.

  “Yes. What do you know of Baron Clovis of Wegend?”

  The boy winced slightly. “Ah, it might be best that I stay in the camp tonight My Lord. My father and he are not on speaking terms.” The boy paused considering and with an awkward shrug continued. “Truth be told, none will have the two of them in the same room together if they can help it.”

  Ethan stared at the boy for a moment Of course. And he had no one to blame but himself. Conners soft laughter in the background didn’t help either.

  “I guess that answers the question I didn’t have a chance to ask yet.” Ethan allowed. Rubbing at brow with his helm's brim. “The god’s will have their jests.”

  And no good deed can go unpunished.

  ___