Evening had fallen over the men for the last time before they would return to the fray of battle. Each was lost in their own thoughts while they enjoyed the last of the fresh rations that had been given to them in Millcreek. Tomorrow would see them back to the slop that the soldiers were given, healthy and filling but not appetizing.
“Why the glum looks about tonight?” Coal asked, knowing perfectly well the answer but continuing, “we still have loads of time for me to cheat you out of your wages playing cards, who’s up for a game?”
As Coal dealt out the cards he smirks at each of the men, “Do you really think that this little expedition has amounted to nothing?” Hunter looking up from his cards replied, “I came all this way to help fight. Not just for my lands…or yours” looking towards the twins, “but for the chance to once again not feel the oppression on the land. Cameron thinks that we aren’t ready to fight the front lines and treats us like young children still suckling from our mothers tits!”
“At least you didn’t have to share your mothers tits.” chuckled Mason. “Not that is shows on you brother” Karson bantered back, ribbing his slightly larger twin brother with his elbow.
“And what say you Andrew, to all this child‘s play?” Coal pried. “Are you ready to abandon this brood of princes and return to war?” Andrew just shook his head and gave a half hearted grin to his cousin. “I have vowed to my King that I will look after this thick headed son of his and return him home to his mama tit in one piece”
Coal let them stew a little longer over their worries and then broke in “do you still not realize the gravity of task we return from? Have you not worked it out in your heads what we were doing in Millcreek?”
Karson pipes up, “Ya, the fresh horses we are retuning back to Cameron are a priceless commodity to the soldiers” he quotes back, but continues with the added, “that are out there actually fighting. We could have sent a few grooms from the stables to do that.”
Coal put down the hand he was playing and looked Hunter in the eye. “Do you really think that stable girl back there was just that? Didn’t you feel the connection you had with her? The words you were looking for to say to her have already been said…she was your betrothed. That man was no ordinary farmer…you may remember him as King Nickolas of Rimba, long thought dead. He has been in hiding these long years and has little contact with anyone, his lands have long been in the hands of the enemy and he is not trusting to anyone. Cameron sends troops to feel him out and this little trip, well the horses are just an added bonus to the formal steps that we must dance to regain his confidence. His aid in the war is crucial, no one will commit to anything until we have the aid of all involved. Rimba is to big a land not to have their full support in driving this madness away.”
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