Climbing in Calradia: Part Seven

Brigid emerged from Renee's house, still buckling her breastplate on over a padded dress. She carried her sabre at her waist but now also had a crossbow on her back. Louis rose and walked from the guard post, a stern glare on his face, and Brigid dipped her head in apology.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Louis glanced over to where the three watchmen were lounging, the men idly looking at passersby, and leant towards Brigid.
"Don't tarry again. I won't be lenient next time." Raising his voice again Louis began moving in the direction of the watchmen. "Alright boys. Squad's all here and its time we earnt our pay."
The three Knights pushed themselves away from a wall and made their way across the street, grinning when they spotted Brigid.
"She gonna be our bed-warmer?"

The five Knights sullenly passed under Suno's main gatehouse, none of them speaking to each other. Franz was rubbing the bruise forming on his jaw, put there after Brigid had initially punched him, while she was riding ahead of him on her courser, as haughty as any noblewoman. It had taken Louis drawing his sword to even start calming the brawling Knights and he had to actually put the blade between them before they would separate. The ranking Knight was seated upon his war horse at the back of the group, keeping a watchful eye on his charges. The field outside Suno was full of traders, just as the one outside Sargoth had been all those months ago, and Louis guided the squad to a spot he considered advantageous.

It wasn't long before a well-dressed man approached the squad, casting an appraising eye over the five Knights. Moving up to a now-attentive Louis the man sketched out a slight bow.
"I understand that you have not yet received a contract." He paused, obviously waiting for an answer, and Louis slowly nodded. "You have now."
"Thank you sir. If I could have a name for the records." The man crossed to Louis' side, whispering in his ear, and the cavalryman's eyes widened in surprise. "Of course sir. We can leave as soon as you're ready."
The man strode off towards Suno and the squad hurriedly gathered around Louis, Franz pushing in to speak first.
"So, who was he?"
Louis glanced at each Knight, fixing them with his gaze, before speaking.
"You are all to maintain the very highest standard of professionalism." The Knights nodded and Louis continued. "That was Count Klargus' personal envoy. We will be escorting the Lady Nelda to Dhirim so that she can marry Count Devlian."

---

The party set out an hour after the Knights had been hired, the two mounted mercenaries flanking a plain and unassuming carriage. After some negotiation the driver allowed the watchmen to ride atop the carriage, Louis reasoning that the foot-bound watchmen would slow the group down otherwise. They were bound for Uxkhal, on the other side of the Crescent Forest, and then on to Dhirim via the southern route. Guiding her courser nearer to the carriage Brigid glanced at the driver, who she pegged as a Swadian infantryman.
"Why hire mercenaries? Couldn't Count Klargus have raised a force to be the escort?"
The driver irritably looked at Brigid, scorn appearing on his face when he noticed she was a woman.
"We'll be passing near to Rhodok territory, or Nord territory if we'd gone north after Uxkhal. Such an escort as befitting Lady Nelda would be tempting for warmongering nobles." Ignoring the watchman next to him the driver turned to Louis. "Surely your company taught its members better?"
Louis half-smiled before returning the driver's gaze.
"Your lord could've hired mercenaries in Uxkhal once his escort had got there. The girl does speak some sense."

The journey across the plains was uneventful, the group turning south when they reached the village of Ruluns. The mercenaries ate a quick meal whilst still on the move but the driver called a halt just before they would have entered the Crescent Forest, dismounting to retrieve food from a container at the back of the carriage. Knocking upon the carriage door the driver passed the gathered food to the servant girl who'd appeared before retrieving a smaller amount of food for himself.
"Are we done driver? Can we move on again?"
The infantryman sneered at Louis before spurring his horses forward.
"The Lady Nelda requires food and drink if she's to get to Dhirim. Or shall I inform Counts Klargus and Devlian who it was that allowed her to waste away?"