t w e n t y - n i n e

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Kade's estimated arrival time was a bit skewed, as the group of traveling men soon discovered. Due to a heavy rain, the men spent a cold, wet night in another forest, huddled under a few low-hanging pine trees, bedraggled and miserable beneath blankets. Antony secretly enjoyed the rain for it distracted him a bit from the previous day's events.

After the cold night had passed, and unable to start a fire with wet wood, they had eaten the cold leftovers from yesterday's rabbits and moved on.

By noon, they reached Jurmala, a sizeable border town with a large port from which a great amount of trade issued forth. The city was set upon a hill, and, under the noonday sun, the horses trudged up the slope. The men were now hot and equally as miserable as they had been wet. Kade and Antony rode at the party's head, uncomplaining, stopping every once in a while to make sure that no one fell behind.

As they crested the ridge, they were met by a small party, three in number, of the soldiers that were stationed in Jurmala.

"Sire," they said, bowing collectively to Antony who simply nodded back. "General," they added, with a respectful salute to Kade.

Kade swung his leg over his horse and dismounted, Antony joining him soon after. Antony watched as Kade greeted each man, asking after their families and thanking them for their service. He felt somewhat lost. He should probably be doing that instead of Kade and yet he was just sitting back and letting his general do the work.

"So, any news to report?" he heard Kade inquire, after finishing the pleasantries. Antony watched the soldiers' faces, and saw some discomfort and unease at the mention of the trouble Jurmala and other neighboring towns had been having to endure of late.

"Nothing has changed, Sir," they admitted. "The same sorts of attacks, always pulling back before much damage has been done. We would almost write it off as a group of looters, but...We've had injuries...fights...two deaths. Aside from that...they seem to have some sort of strategy. There's a pattern."

"What pattern?" interrupted Antony, dismounting Emery and coming to stand at Kade's side.

"They've always attacked government buildings, or Lords and Ladies loyal to Astoria and you, Sire."

Antony mulled over this news in his mind. The attacks, at first, did seem to be simply looters, but...if there was any sort of strategy to them, it was probably something more sinister.

"Have you found anything about where they stay, or who's commanding them?" asked Kade.

"No, Sir," answered the man who seemed to be in charge of the group. "We've tried to follow them, but we...lose them everytime. That's how the two deaths occurred. A small contingent of men followed them for longer than we ever had before. Two of them were shot fatally by an archer, Sir."

"You said there was a contingent," said Antony. "Only two of the men died?"

"Yes, Sire, although most of the others suffered non-fatal wounds and are currently recovering."

"Might we have a chance to speak to these men at some point?"

"Certainly, Sire," said the soldier, inclining his head. "Whatever you wish."

Turning back to Kade, the soldier began to inquire after the state of their journey.

"Was it comfortable?" he asked, as the three soldiers led the travelers into the town.

Kade merely pressed his lips together in a thin line, and frowned, but he finally sighed and spoke. "We ran into some trouble. Looters. We lost one man. It rained the whole next day. If you have a place where we can get a bit of rest, we'd appreciate it greatly."

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