2 Chapter 2

The survivors of the battle gathered the dead bodies of their comrades and covered them with blankets. The goblinoid bodies were taken aside of the road, were stripped from anything of value they might have carried and left them to be carrion fodder. No pity was spared to thieves, no matter their race in this world.

Thalgar helped with carrying the dead the bodies of the fallen guards to the back of an empty caravan cart used for carrying the injured and the dead. Most of them were friends, as frivolous can be said that word, but keeping watch together with another, fighitng side by side, that made bonds of men and women in arms faster than in the relatively safe space of the towns and villages.

Johan, the caravan master, after finishing the gathering of the dead, with a sad but determined voice said "They were good men and women. They all knew the risks and profits of being a caravan guard. Drivers who fought valiantly; their families will be reimbursed with the pay of the full trip and we'll all drink tomorrow a glass of ale in their memory. So let's ride!"

As the caravan started its way, leaving behind the scene of the fight, Thalgar and Thumior rode on the flank of the caravan which counted 10 covered carts full of supplies for the newly founded city of Fountaindrop. Drogar Firebeard rode next to them on a pony silently for some time. After a bit, he got a small pouch from an elaborate pipe filled with tobacco and started smoking.

Hours passed in a silent note; none wanted to talk much. The carters did not shout to their mules to go any faster, even though they knew their destination was close. The scenery changed from the craggy hills with the dense bushes, which was an ideal setting for ambushes as they learned the hard way, to thickets. After the thickets, the caravan came across farmed land, a sign that the journey was finally over.

They passed from farm houses from where the villagers nodded at them and little children followed the caravan down, cheering and shouting, until their mother shouted at them to return home. It was early evening when they finally saw the walled Castle of Fountaindrop, a city rested at the bottom of a hill.

Fountaindrop, before becoming a blooming new city near the borders of the Wild lands of the country of Berthank, was a simple small derelict outpost castle guarding Berthank's border. After a band of adventurers managed to free it from the clutches of an evil cult plotting against the Baron of Berthank, it was awarded to them.

Devoting a lot of personal time developing the castle and the surrounding area during the last fifty years, the band of adventurers managed to found a new city.

The caravan slowly stopped outside a large warehouse near the edge of the city and Johan, with a loud voice, ordered for the shipment to be unloaded from the carts. After an hour of unloading the employees of the warehouse started taking the things inside. Then, it was time for the pay. Fifteen days on the road was 6 gold coins for the guards but with the fight bonus, it was raised to another 5 gold coins each.

Thalgar and Thumior said their goodbyes to Johan, as their journey was at the end. Johan wanted to keep them as guards but unfortunately, the twins, as they had informed him, travelled at whim, searching for adventures and riches. They would never settle on a job for long, doing guard duty, if the journey did not match their destination.

Drogar, who wasn't a regular of the caravan either, had informed the twins he would be waiting for them in the "Drunken rooster" inn near the centre of the town. He said they would recognise the place since the sign was elegantly built and depicted a rooster on a beer glass. They found it after a short search and they entered.

The room was big with a big counter in the side and selves filled to the brim with a lot of bottles containing various alcoholic drinks and two barrels containing beers, as they saw the barkeep filling some glasses with them. The tables and chairs in the room were clean, well-crafted and looking sturdy. The walls were decorated with hunting trophies and the fireplace was lit, even if it was early spring, bringing a sense of warmness and cosiness.

The frequenters of the bar were sitting in groups laughing, smoking, eating and looked pretty happy. It was a sign that the overall living conditions of the city were rather good. The inn also had a bard that played music with his lute at a corner of the room. If you looked for, you could also see discreet stairs leading to the second floor, a sign that the inn also had some rooms for rent.

"Hey! Long ears, over here!" they listened to the heavy voice of Drogar. "You were late, so I ordered a few things for myself since you were buying the table." It was full of plates, with various foods containing pork with onions stew, lamp on the spit, mushrooms grilled and several other vegetables and a big carafe brimming with a stout beer. He gestured to the tabled and told them to sit and help themselves which they did wholeheartedly.

"So", Thalgar said "you were going to propose us about a job that needs our set of skills". Thumior did not pay particular attention as he always had his mind on food, since he knew that his brother was a man of words as he was a man of action. Drogar replied "Yes indeed! But before I start talking about the job, we'd better wait for a couple of people I'm expecting."