Chapter 7: Too light

The Defeat was a hard pill to swallow as the recruits that spilled over the hill were few in number, far fewer in comparison to the amount that initially charged over into Riserstead. As the last one returned to the wagon, Orlando took account of the men remaining. In all there were 9 standing around him. It was a meager amount, and the men were weary. Orlando knew he was, with the defeat of Lester he was the most senior military personnel in the camp, and he had to make a judgement call. He knew that he had to return to Valor to report the news of battle, and while in theory holding the hill would be a solid strategic post toward keeping the enemy from further advancing. He knew the recruits would simply be unable to hold to front and would no doubt lose the supply wagons of which there were still the four well stocked, with drivers and horses. The bewildered and frightened troop looked to the scout seated on his mount for any kind of guidance.

"All right!" He began to speak gaining the slightest control of his vice as he tried to give orders for perhaps the first time in his life. "We cannot stay here and allow these supplies to be captured, and for your lives to perish as well." The recruits nodded their heads as if they could believe that this man was going to save them from danger. "Now I have to report back to Valor with the news of this battle. Yet you all need to break for Til." He knew Til was the closest military presence and would they would happily welcome the extra men and supplies into their ranks. The news that the scout would be departing troubled the fragile cluster. Shock was still upon many of their faces. "Who here has been to Til and can lead the platoon there?" Orlando asked, hoping he could find a suitable person to take a position of lead for the unit.

"I…I am from Til, good rider." A voice called out as he raised his hand. Orlando turned to fully inspect the recruit. He could see the boy had blood on the end of his lance unlike most of those around him. He could tell the boy was young, but nonetheless felt confident in proclaiming this person in charge to get the people to Til safely.

"What is your name?" Orlando asked of the recruit.

"Jesse, good rider." The boy spoke.

"Jesse thank you." The scout made strong eye contact as he spoke to the boy trying keep him emboldened to the needed purpose. "Jesse I need you to get this party to Til." He then paused and looked toward the rest of the people. "Jesse here is going to lead this group safely to Til. Please hurry and get yourselves there in one piece." The rider then trotted his horse toward young Jesse and extended a hand to the boy. Jesses hesitated before shaking his hand. Orlando nodded to the young recruit before he galloped with haste back the way the band had travelled, the rider was set to purpose.

As he moved from the distance Jesse quickly tried to get everyone moving, and while not all were thrilled with the situation or the person attempting to take charge. Something about defeat humbles and unifies even the most uncooperative of us all.

….

Back in Riserstead the mood was calm yet worn. After a couple of hours of gathering themselves the survivors of the battle found the village quite somber. The cavaliers and several of the townsfolk took care of the dead, while Dalton and Highlight gathered up weapons and supplied they dropped. Bryan took Calle into the barracks to tend to her wounds, and Shenis found himself now with the town somewhat returned to normal, standing against the edge of the inn in thought.

The young lord was aware at who the men were that had come for his retinue. He knew that those who fled would give word to the others and that a strong military presence would be upon them in a short while. "How long do you figure that it takes them to gather reinforcements upon us?" the lord asked the mercenary who was puffing grass nearby.

"Well…it all depends…It depends on what kind of force they plan on bringing. But I believe if we stay here much longer we will have to hunker down for the kind of fight and war that our little band is completely unable to stand into." Dalton's words were plain, the young lord knew in his heart that he had to agree that the present situation did not lend to him staying there and that a large conflict was not one he could win, in the current state. "So what exactly is your plan with this mission?" Dalton asked the young Savoy.

The question paused the young master as he really hadn't thought about it much prior to this inquiry from his paid fighter. The pause in conversation and the look of confusion upon the young master's face spoke volumes to the truth and Dalton fully comprehended it. The mercenary shook his head and winced his face, yet he still kept his tongue back and continued to puff his pipe of grass. "I thought we could help the people of Wiera. I thought this would be a chance for us to push back wicked deeds." The young master sat down near the mercenary and looked toward the moon which hung overhead. "I thought if I could push the influence of Valor and house Valtrex back, then perhaps the realm would see me as more than just a pompous boy."

"Look…" The mercenary could tell the lord was rearing up another thought to share, but Dalton needed to interject. "Its that kind of thinking that gets boys killed." Shenis frowned at the sentiment from his hired hand. "There is no need to get upset Shenis. I can tell you have a good heart and really thought you would improve the lives of these people. But you're wrong. These people here will never have their lives improved by the meddling of the ruling class. Only through their own might emerging will they grow as a people. Shenis you're a fine young man, one of the most earnest I have met among landed gentry, but you need to open your eyes to the ways of the world."

"How do you mean?" the young lord retorted seeking a new approach to his mind. Earlier he felt so confident in their mission to depose the house of Valtrex and now his resolve felt weakened, for while they won the battle, they incurred casualties and it became apparent that this was a minor recruit force and not the regular soldiers of the house they had bested.

"If we keep pushing inward as we are, you will get all of us killed. Simply we need more men at our disposal." The mercenary leaned forward and put a hand on the lord's shoulder to try and offer a feeling of endearment despite sharing unsavory truths to his employer.

"Then we need to play our hand better. We should break for Jule, and bolster our forces before returning Northward." The mercenary didn't quite agree, but the lord was promising more conflict which meant he would have more chances to brandish his sword for coin.

The band with Shenis currently held the town with 11 men. As 3 of Callie's riders had fallen in the prior conflict. With Callie currently under the mend and the town being a solid place of strategic value, as with Tico still being out on the report. Shenis decided to leave Callie and her riders in Riserstead, while he with Dalton, Highlight, and Bryan would return to Jule to gather more troops. Callie didn't approve of this but she knew that her body needed rest and that the young master was actually making things safer for himself in returning to Jule than standing guard in the village. She was upset that she herself would not be racing back with a message from the lord requesting backup, and yet it was okay as she trusted the three going with her liege.

"Don't go dying on me while im gone Callie-bear." The mercenary jested with a smile on his face as they began heading out of town. "I still need to find out just how tight you are in the saddle." Callie went bright red at the silly jest from the mercenary and leapt from her bed and charged after the small group. All around were in shock at the words of the mercenary, including Shenis who being a noble, was unfamiliar with such base conversation. Callie grabbed a nearby sword and ran full tilt at the mercenary.
"You nasty brigand!" she yelled as she hilted the blade to thrust.

"THUMP." The world went black. The world went gray. The world returned to color after a few more moments and Callie's eyes caught the small band with the lord marching further and further back to Jule, unaware of her on the ground. As she further regained her senses, she tried to return to her feet, and noticed that she had tripped on a loose bandage from her ribcage that had caused her to fall and knock herself out briefly. As she arose, pain once more reminded her of the weakness of her current state. And quickly two of her riders helped walk her back to her bed. All remaining with Callie decided it best to act as if the whole incident had never occurred as they did not wish to be on the receiving end of her blushing angry wrath.

"Just leave me be." She hollered as she pulled her hair in front of her face to hide her blush. "I just hope Tico returns safe and sound soon." The riders returned to their repair duties for the village. One was taking stock of the weapons taken from the Valtrex recruits. While the others focused on building stockade barriers to the north of the town to create a wall effect for the village. As a proper wall and gate would have been to monstrous a task for the six men in the time they believed they had.

Back along the path south the band of four were began brainstorming whom should be requested to come along when they return back North. Realy only Geary and his armed knights came to mind as sadly the military talent was lacking, but Shenis was convinced a proper war effort could still be made in spite of the lacking soldier count. And so long as he himself sojourned on, he would have at least Highlight, and Dalton….so long as the mercenary was being paid.