Chapter 36: Where the children wait
It was a three-day journey to the village that requested aid to defeat the bandits attacking them. During those three days, with a banner that had the Thorneharts’ coat of arms, the journey had few to no problems. Of course, they also had a banner symbolizing Thornefang.
They finally reached the village near the southern border of Stellhart. The territory beyond this point was of Viscount Reval Drenwick.
There were three nobles who were direct neighbors of the Duke Vardon’s Stellhart, two of whom were at the rank of Viscount and one who was a Marquess. Among them, Drenwick was widely regarded as the worst, not for any open treason, but because he simply didn’t care. His people suffered while he entertained himself with wine, women, and the illusion of control. If there was a noble least likely to answer a call for help, it was he.
A day before reaching Dorsen, Lucen noticed the snow had vanished. A warm spring breeze brushed past his cheek, carrying the scent of thawed earth and distant water.
’It’s been a lifetime since I’ve seen such good weather.’ Lucen jokingly thought to himself.
The village in question was a farming and fishing village, as it was located near a lake. Lucen already had an image of what the village looked like due to the bandit attacks, but he was not expecting such a devastating look.
The wooden palisade fence surrounding Dorsen was half-collapsed. There was no one guarding the area. There were no sentries. No scouts. No curious children peeking from behind barrels. Just the steady sound of hooves crunching dry earth, and the faint lap of water from the distant lake.
"Little leader, there’s the scent of blood," Harlik spoke with a frown on his face.
Lucen’s expression didn’t change, but his hand instinctively reached for the arquebus on his shoulder.
"Greg, go scout the area. Everyone else, tighten formation. No one wanders off alone," Lucen ordered, his voice steady but sharp.
Thornefang immediately responded. Armor shifted, boots hit the dirt in coordinated rhythm, and arquebuses were quietly unstrapped.