“Why? Getting tired already?”
“I can’t help it. It’s this cursed numbleaf. It steals the very blood from my veins.”
“No, it doesn’t,” she chided. “Stop being such a baby about it.”
“I still say it makes me tired.”
“Perhaps, but at least we didn’t have to leave you behind.”
Ludwig turned to Sigwulf. “Do you still believe we can make Mulsingen in a week?”
“Yes. I suspect we’ll increase our pace each day, breaking in the new recruits gradually. Were it up to me, we’d set a brisker march, but showing up with the company strung out along the road wouldn’t set a good precedent. I might remind you we still haven’t officially signed a contract with the baron.”
“Speaking of which,” said Ludwig, “how does all that get settled?”
“Simple,” said Cyn. “Once we arrive, the baron will probably want to take a look at us, even if it’s only from his keep. If he’s impressed with what he sees, he’ll make an offer to Captain Ecke.”
“And then?”
“If the offer is agreeable, we'll be gainfully employed.”
“And if not?” asked Ludwig.
“Then negotiations will begin, but hopefully it won’t come to that.”
“You’ve seen this type of thing before?”
“I was raised in a free company,” said Cyn. “This was a common enough occurrence. Unfortunately, it can be a lengthy process if they can’t agree on a fee.”
“Let’s hope that isn’t the case here,” said Sigwulf. “Then we can just concentrate on whatever it is the baron wants us for.”
“Surely it's to fight?” said Ludwig. “Why else would he hire mercenaries?”
“Fighting’s not the issue. It’s the details. Are we to fight a battle in a field, or conduct a siege?”
“Does it matter?”
“It certainly does,” said Sigwulf. “A field battle would likely be over in a week, but a siege… that’s a far different situation.”
“So you’re saying a siege is preferable?”
“Only from the perspective of pay. Have you ever been in a siege?”
“Can’t say that I have.”
“From what I’ve heard, they’re terrible things. Weeks of digging siege lines, enduring rain, even the threat of fever. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
“And if we’re called on to do just that?”
“Then we follow orders,” said Sigwulf. “It’s what we signed up for after all.”
* * *
That night they made camp in an empty field. The tents were spread out, with little thought to organizing anything. Ludwig shook his head, and Sigwulf noted the action.
“You disagree with something?”
“The camp is disorganized,” said Ludwig. “It’s a wonder anyone can find anything with this layout.”
“Why is that so important?”
“What if we were attacked? How would the men know where to form up?”
“But we’re marching in friendly territory,” argued Sigwulf.
“True, but it won’t always be that way. If an enemy were to attack us under these circumstances, there’d be little we could do to stop it. What we need is more discipline. I’ve read that’s important in battle.”
“You may be right. I heard tell that was the reason the rebellion failed in Abelard. The real question is, where do we start?”
“You start by organizing the troops,” offered Ludwig.
“Organizing, how? We’ve already split into half companies.”
“And that’s good, but we need to go farther. Look at these tents. They’re all over the place.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“I’d lay them out in two lines, facing each other. That would keep them close together. The end of the line would be the assembly point in the event of an emergency.”
“A fine idea,” said Sigwulf, “but far too late to implement today. I’ll bring it up with the captain, and if he’s amenable, we could try it tomorrow night.”
“Do you think he might agree?”
Sigwulf shrugged. “I doubt it. He shows little interest in such things. On the other hand, he did like your idea of creating sergeants.”
“You don’t seem to have an extremely high opinion of our glorious leader,” noted Ludwig.
“He’s not the most inspiring of men. Then again, I’ve heard of worse.”
“Not Cyn’s father?”
“No, Captain Hoffman was a decent fellow, with years of command experience under his belt.”
“Are you saying Ecke has no experience?”
“Yes, at least not as a leader. Oh, sure, he’s seen his fair share of battle, but not as a captain.”
“But I thought this company had some battles under its belt?”
“It does,” said Sigwulf, “but they didn’t require a lot of leadership.”
“Tell me about them.”
“The first was right after Cyn and I joined the Grim Defenders. We were under the employ of a man called Lord Rossdale. Have you heard of him?”
“Can’t say I have. Is he local to Erlingen?”
“No,” said Sigwulf, “he hailed from Ulrichen, the kingdom that lies to our southeast. In any event, he hired us to escort a merchant train from Rosenbruck to Kurslingen, the capital of Zowenbruch.”
“An entire mercenary company to escort a merchant? What was he carrying, a king's ransom?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. You see, the King of Ulrichen was waylaid on his way home by Zowenbruch forces. Being an impoverished nation, their king, Konrad III, decided to hold him for ransom. The problem was Konrad didn’t want Ulrichen troops anywhere near his border, thus necessitating the hiring of mercenaries to escort the payment.”
“Something obviously went wrong,” said Ludwig, “otherwise you wouldn’t be bringing this up.”
“King Konrad decided he’d take the ransom for himself and keep his prisoner locked up. He actually crossed the border into Erlingen to ambush us.”
“So he sent his own troops against you?”
“He did, though it didn’t go well for him. We beat off the attack and retreated to Ulrichen, along with the ransom.”
“And Captain Ecke was in command?”
“He was, but I would say we survived despite his attempts to command us, rather than because of them. It was a chaotic, bloody affair, and he lost his head. If it hadn’t been for the fact that most of us were veterans, it would have turned out far differently.”
“But if you feel that way, why not seek employment elsewhere?”
“That’s easier said than done, my friend. Free companies aren’t as common as you might think, and it takes coins to travel around looking for them. Besides, what would I do without Cyn?”
“Couldn’t you simply take her with you?”
“There aren’t many bands who will take women, and I’d never expect her to give up the life of a warrior. It’s too important to her.”
“So you’re stuck here, in the Grim Defenders,” said Ludwig, “just like me.”
Sigwulf nodded. “It appears we share a similar fate.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to seek employment in the service of a lord?”
“With a price on my head? I consider that unwise, don’t you?”
“I suppose that’s true. Mind you, you’re a trustworthy fellow. I’d hire you in an instant.”
Sigwulf laughed. “Then when you inherit your father’s barony, you can hire us on.”
“Agreed,” said Ludwig. “I’d hire you and Cyn, although maybe not the entire company.”
The big man grinned. “I’ll hold you to that promise.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
* * *
Sigwulf, true to his word, sought out Captain Ecke, but the man had little interest in Ludwig’s suggestion. He did, however, give the sergeant free rein to try it himself. Consequently, Ludwig, Cyn, and Sigwulf spent t
he best part of the next day planning out the camp as they marched.
The pace was brisk on the second day, and they covered a far greater distance than they had the day before. By the time the halt was called, Ludwig was exhausted. Sigwulf, however, was far too keen to start organizing the tents, something that required Ludwig and Cyn’s help.
The first step was to mark out spaces for tents. This was easily accomplished by having Ludwig pace off the distance. He would take five steps, then Cyn would put down a stake to mark the spot. With the first row marked off, men began setting up their tents. A second row was then erected facing the first.
There was some confusion as the half company began taking up their positions, but with guidance and some shouts from Sigwulf, they all fell into place. By the time the fires were started, the men were in a better mood. The place looked professional, leading the captain to come and see what all the chatter was about. He walked up and down the line, hemming and hawing but saying little. Finally, he grumbled something that sounded like ‘well done’, then wandered off to his pavilion.
“High praise from Captain Ecke,” said Cyn.
“That was praise?” asked Ludwig.
“Oh yes,” added Sigwulf. “He was positively chatty.”
“I’d hate to see him when he’s in a foul mood.”
“You have, remember?” said Cyn. “That’s how you got put in the pillory.”
Ludwig felt the ache in his bruised chest and winced. “I’m not likely to forget.”
Sigwulf looked down the line, taking pride in their work. “It’s nice, isn’t it? Highly professional.”
“You’d think we had an army,” noted Cyn. “I wonder if the Church does something like this?”
“Probably,” said Ludwig, “though I would suspect Temple Knights have much nicer tents.”
“Yes,” added Sigwulf, “and they’re all mounted troops, remember? They’d need an area for their horses.”
Cyn looked at Ludwig. “Ever considered joining the Church? I hear the Temple Knights of Saint Cunar are always looking for experienced horsemen?”
“No,” replied Ludwig. “I imagine I’d find their lifestyle too restricting. I’ll stick with being a mercenary for now, thanks.”
“Have it your way,” said Cyn, “but at least they’d give you some really nice armour.”
“I had one of the finest sets you can buy, but I was a fool and lost it… well, most of it.”
“You’re no fool now.”
“That,” said Ludwig, “remains to be seen.”
* * *
They set out on the march again the next morning. Having the half company all together made it easy to gather the men and even easier to load up the wagons with their tents. They were soon on the road and setting a brisk pace, causing the rest of the company, under Sergeant Baldric, to rush to catch up.
By midday, they had covered quite a distance, and even Captain Ecke was getting tired. He called a halt, allowing men to rest their weary feet and eat what rations they carried.
Ludwig, spotting a nearby stream, elected to go and refill his waterskin. He had taken only a few steps when Cyn appeared at his side.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked.
Ludwig produced his skin. “Fetching some water. You?”
She held up her own. “Same.”
“I saw a stream off in this direction.” He pointed.
“Come on, then,” she urged. “I’ll race you.”
She burst into a run, leaving him struggling in her wake. Up ahead, a babbling brook meandered its way across a farmer's field. The land to one side had been freshly ploughed, while the other was naught but wild grass. They knelt by the bank and began filling their waterskins, but then a sound off to the right drew Ludwig’s attention. Three men were running back to the roadway, each carrying a dead chicken by the neck.
“What’s this?” called out Ludwig.
Cyn looked up. “Baldric and his friends,” she said as if that explained everything.
“He’s stealing.”
“What of it?”
He turned to her in shock. “The people hereabouts eke out a living. They can’t afford to have their stock stolen by thieves.”
“You know the people around here, do you?” she asked.
“No, but I know their type, and I doubt they appreciate having their food stolen.”
“There’s not a lot we can do about it,” warned Cyn.
“I should report this to the captain.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
“Don’t you?”
She shrugged. “It makes little difference to me, but if you want to lodge a complaint, I’ll back you up.”
“Good,” said Ludwig. “Let’s head back to the road.”
They joined up with the rest of the company, but before they could begin looking for the captain, the Grim Defenders were ordered to their feet, and the march continued.
* * *
They ended up having to wait until evening to lodge their complaint, and so it was they found themselves staring across the small table at Captain Ecke.
The man looked displeased, for in addition to Cyn, Sigwulf, and Ludwig, he had called Sergeant Baldric, along with Quentin and Emile, the better to judge the complaint.
Ecke, who had remained quiet as they arrived, looked up at Sigwulf. “I understand these two lodged a complaint, but what are you doing here?”
“I'm their sergeant. I should be present when one of my men…” His eyes flicked to Cyn. “I mean people, lodges a complaint.”
“This is none of his concern,” said Baldric. “Sigwulf should mind his own business. There's nothing wrong with soldiers supplementing their food ration. It is, in fact, expected.”
“You are depriving the locals of their livelihood,” said Ludwig. “Can you not see that?”
The captain held up his hand to interrupt. “I’ve heard enough.” He looked at Ludwig. “It’s clear to me that you are only trying to get even with Baldric for your earlier punishment. You have a bright future ahead of you as a mercenary, Ludwig, but you must learn to live within the confines of this company. I shall not countenance any further discussion of this matter.”
“But I—”
“But nothing,” roared Ecke. “It is my decision that you shall stand watch this evening.”
“Which shift?” asked Sigwulf.
“All of them,” spat out the captain. “That’s right, you heard me. You shall stand watch all night, and by the Saints, if I catch you sleeping, I shall have you flogged! Now get out of here, all of you.”
Ludwig fought to keep his anger in check. Stepping outside, he took in a deep breath of the chilly night air and let it out slowly. Baldric appeared at his side, giving him a dirty look.
“No one likes a rat, Ludwig. You should have kept things to yourself.”
“Piss off!”
“No,” Baldric replied. “It’s you who’ll piss off. I’m a sergeant now, and that makes me untouchable, you hear me?”
Sigwulf intervened. “Move on, Baldric.”
The two stood, staring at each other with absolute malice in their eyes. Ludwig was sure they were about to explode into action, but Baldric finally backed down, slinking off into the night.
11
The Baron
Spring 1095 SR
* * *
Mulsingen was a small town surrounded by outlying farms. The Grim Defenders marched through, knowing their true destination was the keep that lay on the far side. The villagers watched them, keeping their faces neutral.
Sigwulf smiled as they passed by, content in the knowledge they were close to their destination. “Just like last time,” he remarked.
Cyn turned to Ludwig. “We passed by here on the way to Torburg,” she explained.
“Is Mulsingen a free city?” asked Ludwig.
Both Sigwulf and Cyn gave him a blank look.
“A what?” asked Cyn.
�
�A free city? Malburg was given a charter by the king to govern themselves, electing a council of commoners to do that very thing.”
“Why?”
“Yes,” agreed Sigwulf, “why in the Continent would a king agree to something like that?”
“My cousin, King Otto, needed more funds for his coffers. The townsfolk convinced him that in the guild’s hands, they would prosper.”
“And did they?”
“Yes,” said Ludwig, “and far in excess of what was expected. I would go so far as to suggest it’s the way of the future.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Sigwulf. “No king in his right mind wants to give up control of a city.”
“Cousin Otto did.”
“Tell me more about this cousin of yours,” said Cyn.
“What would you like to know?”
“You can start by explaining where Malburg is.”
“It’s in Hadenfeld,” said Ludwig.
“And where’s that?”
“South and a little west.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“Well,” said Ludwig, “Zowenbruch lies to the south of Erlingen. You’d have to travel through that kingdom, then to Neuhafen beyond. Hadenfeld lies on its western border.”
“So it’s three kingdoms away?”
“Yes, I suppose it is, but I wouldn’t ride through Neuhafen if I could avoid it.”
“Why is that?”
“They used to be part of Hadenfeld, but they rose up in rebellion and broke away to form their own country.”
“That happens a lot in the Petty Kingdoms,” mused Sigwulf. “Do they give you trouble?”
“Nothing we haven’t been able to handle. Mind you, their king is always talking about claiming our throne, so I imagine it’ll lead to war eventually.”
“Aren’t you worried?” asked Cyn.
“About what?”
“Your family?”
Ludwig waved off the concern. “No, my father’s a stubborn man. And in any case, it would take a sizable army to wrest control of Verfeld Keep from his hands.”
“It sounds like your father’s relatively wealthy,” said Cyn.
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