"That's… well, it's better, at least."

The above statement was my father's reply regarding the third entry. He stated that as he vigorously scratched his hair. Further assessments were as follows:

"I think you've more or less got the hang of it. Just forget about the word limit for now and try your best to write whatever happened during the day. You've got a keen eye for detail so it's not really my place to stop you from that. I'll stop reading it if you promise to keep at it."

"I wouldn't care if you read it."

"Right… just do what I asked, then." He sighed deeply as he brought his hand from his hair down to the paperwork on his office desk.

"Understood."

My father rents a room in Remire's village hall during winter if we are not on retainer with a Lord. Remire, while a small hamlet of little military or economic significance, is centrally located on the continent. We can respond to contracts quickly here and be ready for campaigning after the spring thaw.

"What do you think of these bandit reports?"

It occurs to me that my father must have noticed my eyes wandering to the map on his desk. It is tacked with notes from the field that he received from merchants and reconnaissance units. They are detailing the troop movement of about a hundred bandits along a nearby road that begins at the Red Canyon of Zanado and diffuses out into the Imperial heartland.

"I think the scouts we have are reliable."

"That's… not what I'm asking. If they're going to use the Imperial highway just North of here, they could be raiding Gronder in a week's time. If we play our cards right, we might be getting some action instead of just drilling."

"Maybe so."

"Do you think we should warn Count Bergliez ahead of time?"

"That's a political question." I replied.

"That's why I'm asking."

"I really don't care for politics."

"Listen kid, neither do I. Doesn't matter, this is what being a sellsword is. What would you do?"

The line of questioning gave me a moment's pause, and I answered:

"If I considered Count Bergliez an honest man and was seeking him as a benefactor, I would warn him of the movements in advance. If he was known to be profligate, I would wait for the bandits to raid his territory and then offer my services in the midst of the chaos."

"Huh." my father replied.

I did not prompt him further.

"Quite the unexpected lecture there. You gave that some thought, huh?"

"I did."

"That answer sounded like me before I met your mother."

"It did?"

"Yeah. It hurts me to say it. I… hope you'll find someone worthy of protecting some day, Kid. And I hope I'll live to see them."

I had nothing to say in response to those words.

"Are we warning Count Bergliez?" I ask in an attempt to return to the subject at hand.

"Count Bergliez is… well, he's kind of a snake in the grass. I know his stepbrother Randolph, though, and that fellow is battle-born. He fights for something real. We're warning them."

"Understood."

I did not understand.