Mayor Charlins knocked three times on the Garrison door. A short and stout Dun answered it. Staring daggers into Louis, he yelled out for Zyvik then left. He peered inside, what he saw could be compared to when he was in Flotsam at the start of the first war. People were running to and fro. Pushing and shoving past each other. Gas lamps swung on the ceiling, pushed out of the way by the larger of the Dun Banner members. Although the Mayor couldn't see it, the stable was also abuzz with chaos. The occasional 'clip-clop' of hooves could be heard leaving the Dun Garrison. No doubt carrying important orders to the other fortresses of Kaedwen.
He also picked up the occasional conversation that was being spouted across the hectic disarray.
"SOMEONE GET IN CONTACT WITH GENERAL VANDERGRIFT." A Dun yelled out.
"WE ALREADY ESTABLISHED IT, AN ENVOY IS EN ROUTE FROM ARD CARRAIGH AS WE-"
Taking him by complete surprise, Zyvik approached the Mayor. The de facto attache took Charlins by the arm. He spoke over the yelling and screaming. Zyvik evidently seemed pent up.
"Nilfgaard crosses the Yaruga right at midnight, the mages try to spring a coup on Thanedd. Ban Ard's on lockdown...The continent has gone to Duvvelshys in a Mahakaman Blizzard." Zyvik sighed.
The Garrison was a mess of Beaver Caps on moving bodies, Louis could barely hear his own thoughts. The determined Corporal twisted and turned through the maze of hallways and rooms. The further in they descended, the quieter it became. Although the occasional Dun would run past them dripping with perspiration. The duo finally stopped in a side room deep below the ground. Zyvik took off his beaver cap and produced a key from its insides. He inserted the key, yelling inside upon opening the door.
"Mayor Charlins, sir." Zyvik dismissed himself. Louis entered, and heard a faint click after closing the door.
"Come over here, Mayor. I need you to see this. Oh, and thank you for arriving on such short notice."
"You needn't worry, Nilfgaard doesn't wait for us to wake up anyways. I heard Zyvik talking about a coup." Louis inquired to the anonymous Dun.
"Aye, but that letter Zyvik showed you doesn't contain the half of it. My name is Digod, you can call me Half-Gallon, but now isn't the time for introductions." Half Gallon pointed to the map laid out on his desk. On it showed the Northern Realms all the way down to Maecht. Off the coast was the Skellige Isles, and below the Yaruga was Verden, Cidaris, and Brokilon Forest. To the east was Mahakam, Aedirn, Lyria, and of course Kaedwen. A bit below the Yaruga were the forests of Angren. "We received reports a bit after midnight that Nilfgaard had laid siege to the fortresses of Rostrog, Rozrog, and Bodrog as we speak." As if to read the Mayor's face, Half-Gallon responded, "They're expected to fall by this afternoon, reinforcements have already been sabotaged by the ploughin' Elves. Oh, and something went down at Gors Velen, off Thanedd. Half the mages wanted to side with Nilfgaard...the other didn't. Not our concern."
"Such is our luck, we're Nordlings after all. We gotta suffer the Kaedweni Winters while the Nilfgaardians get to throw parties on the river Alba. How are Scalla, or Spalla holding up?"
Half-Gallon pointed to the pins representing the Nilfgaardian advance.
"Quite frankly, we do not know. These are the latest reports. Queen Meve was reported to still be on the highroads, coming home from the meeting at Hagge Castle. As for Redania...Vizimir got killed."
Louis cursed under his breath
"Damn it all! Is Henelt safe?"
Digod nodded, "His whereabouts are unknown...Listen, the reason I brought you to the Garrison is because the Dun Banner has been mobilized to patrol the Pontar. We are going to be clearing out the Garrison. I don't know when we will be back. However, you have to inform the people of Ban Gleán. It is of the utmost importance you get conscripts to replace us at the garrison. Good luck, Mister Charlins."
The two shook hands, and Louis opened the door. That was when the urge hit to relieve himself. In his hurry, the Mayor had completely forgotten it. Now it was getting worse. Louis was about to ask Digod where he could go, but the man had already locked the door behind him. If there was a bathroom it'd be on the ground floor, Louis ascended the stairs. It was up the stairwell that he stopped a Dun soldier.
"Excuse me, sir, where is your restroom?"
"Upstairs, you'll know when you see it."
The Mayor sighed at the unhelpful advice but nonetheless persevered up the stairs. The quarters smelled rank, as to be expected from bunking men who haven't washed their linens in weeks. The Mayor found the bathroom with ease, as the soldier predicted.
It was while Louis relieved himself that fate would bestow upon him knowledge of what would become one of the most heinous actions of Kaedweni History. As the Mayor was about to open the door, he heard two distinct voices. One was slurred, loosened up by a drink or two.
"Odrin...you've been drinking again. Hopefully not the Mahakaman brew?"
"No, jus' some Viziman Champion, and I dinnae spend all my coin either!"
The sober one had an unusual accent. It passed as northern, but he could catch some words that were off. It was a spy! Charlins was about to burst through the door with a knife in hand, but he wanted to see where this was going.
"Give this letter to your Commander. Menno Coeohoorn sends his regards, we'll meet again, over the ruins of Aedirn."
The two departed from each other's company. The spy opted for a window exit, disappearing into the backstreets of Ban Gleán. As for Odrin, he stumbled down the stairs en route to Digod's Office.
Mayor Charlins made his way downstairs, he knew better than to report this. That's how dissidents of Henselt get sent to early retirement, or worse off…
Louis brushed the thoughts from his head. Downstairs the chaos resumed to full volume. He once again sailed the sea of Dun's, this time Zyvik wasn't there to guide him.
Instead, Zyvik was waiting at the door. He had obviously grown to respect the Mayor, as did Louis. The two exchanged a smile, then an initially brief hug. It was extended when Louis pulled him close and whispered into his ear.
"When you get sent to Aedirn, why don't you write to me?"
With that, Mayor Louis Charlins parted ways with the Dun Banner. Just as the first specks of sunlight dotted the sky.