Crossing the plains to the next stop on the route gave the three Knights a chance to learn about each other. Louis spoke of his time fighting mountain bandits and Rhodoks during a war of conquest a decade ago, when he'd been made a knight of the realm for rescuing a nobleman from bandits. Charle, when it came to his turn, told Brigid of how he joined the Swadian army as the war with the Rhodoks was winding down, instead being part of the company patrolling the kingdom's interior. Brigid had nothing like their stories and simply talked about growing up in Sargoth, learning arts of war from her mother.
The group reached the village of Ryibelet in what seemed like no time, although the sun had long set when they arrived. The defences were more substantial than those at Jelbegi and it was a pair of militiaman who greeted them rather than the village elder. For the third, and last, time that day the merchant dismounted.
"Friends, we request entry to your village."
The militiamen glanced at each other before the one shrugged.
"We'll need to search you and your cart. And your escorts."
"Of course."
The cart was wheeled forward, into the light of the torches attached to the rudimentary gatehouse, and the Knights all climbed down to walk after it.
The militiamen's searching had predictably turned up nothing and the group had been let in, with directions to the tavern provided. It was a better establishment than any Brigid had yet encountered and the mercenaries split from the merchant, finding their own table to gather around. Louis glanced at Charle as they accepted their ales before leaning back against the tavern wall.
"You were going to tell Brigid where Balanli is."
"It's as far west as far west goes." Charle grinned for a moment. "If the rest of Swadia falls Balanli will be the last place standing."
"Heavens forbid that from happening." Brigid gripped her tankard as she listened to the two other mercenaries and took a sip of the ale, grimacing at the taste. "You don't like Swadian ale?"
Brigid shook her head, lowering the tankard.
"It's too smooth, I almost want to say too refined."
"Sleep on it. You might learn to like it in the end."
---
Suno came into view soon after they'd left Ryibelet, glowing in the morning sun. The town sprawled over a decent area, nestled between two great forests, and the field in front of the town's main gatehouse was as packed as the one before Sargoth. The Leonine Knights were discharged from their escort duty there, leaving the merchant to make his own way to the town's market, and Louis guided Brigid to the keep occupied by the mercenary company, Charle having disappeared amid the crowd whilst passing under the gatehouse. A pair of watchmen stood on either side of the keep's gate and they straightened when Louis approached, one ringing a bell hanging by the doors.
The keep's basement was divided up into four training rooms, the sounds of clashing steel echoing off the stone and up the stairs. Brigid could make out at least five Knights and, after descending out of curiosity, glanced into the nearest of the training rooms. A pair of watchmen were duelling with blunted swords, a proper swordsman supervising the pair.
"That's Master Luc. He holds the keys to the keep and commands here."
"Will I be training under him?"
Louis shook his head and guided Brigid towards the spiral staircase at the back of the ground floor, letting her climb up to the first floor ahead of him.
"No, it won't be him. Mistress Renee is responsible for training all of the women." Brigid emerged from the staircase and moved to one side to let Louis pass. "She might be here today."
"She doesn't live here?"
Louis turned to the right and began walking, moving past a series of doors.
"Mistress Renee maintains a house in the town." Stopping in front of an ornate door Louis knocked upon it before turning slightly. "Commander Duclos is an easy man to get along with. You'll be confirmed as one of us in no time."
Louis was right and Duclos turned out to be a man whose spirit could barely be contained by his body. The commander of the Leonine Knights rose when Louis entered his office and moved round his desk to stand in the centre of the room.
"Sir Louis! What brings you to my chamber?"
"I bring a recruit. I added her name to my scroll and she has killed defending a client."
Duclos sidestepped Louis, moving to tower over Brigid, and looked at her from head to toe before letting out a deep booming laugh.
"She has strong Swadian blood in her! Take her to the chief librarian and then to the house of Mistress Renee."
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