Movements

North of Landow, where two rivers meet to create the Fabious river.

A small camp was set up a few hundred meters away from the river banks, made up of a collection of tents that surrounded a larger one located right at the middle.

The camp was surrounded by a small wooden fence half a meter tall, ensuring a minimal amount of protection to those inside, as well as buying them some time to react in case of an attack.

Inside the large central tent sat a young man on a small chair reading a letter he had received not too long ago.

This was quite a handsome man, possessing a well-built physique that gave the impression that it belonged to someone with good martial skills and training. He had black hair and slightly grey eyes and an overall well-proportioned face.

When looking at this young man one could easily see a resemblance between him and Marquess Blackwell of Landow, making it obvious that they were linked by blood.

After he had read the letter for the 5th time today he finally spoke.

"Oliver!!!"

A few moments later a middle-aged guard made his way into the tent and saluted.

"Lord Marek, how may I be of service?"

"Gather the men, we lift camp today." Marek ordered.

"Where do we head my lord?" Asked the guard.

"New orders have just arrived from my father, we are to escort a very valuable cargo back to Landow."

"Understood my lord, we shall be ready to move in an hour." the young guard saluted as he made his way out of the tent. But before he could do that Marek added once more.

"Make sure the men are ready and on high alert, we can't let those bastards steal, rob and murder under our nose, not anymore and especially not this time."

Marek crumpled the letter in his hand as he squeezed his fists in fury and frustration. He had felt humiliated, being outsmarted and outmaneuvered time and time again by simple bandits.

The guard hearing his young lord's command, simply saluted again before he left the tent to rally the guards.

Marek took his sword that was lying on the floor ad strapped it on his waist, unsheathing it to look at its sharp edges.

"I will chop every one of those bastards heads off once I catch them. I really hope you come after us this time for a change, then I will repay you for all the damage you have caused us so far." Marek spoke with an ice-cold tone, showing just how much animosity he had developed for these elusive foes.

----------------------------------------------------------

A day late, at an undisclosed location at the base of the western Dragontooth mountains.

The three individuals were once more in the same room discussing their imminent attack on the cargo that was being escorted by Marek.

The leader, codename Night started their meeting by disclosing some new information they had just received.

"I just received a letter from one of our spies in Landow, the marquess has been spotted leaving the city with his guards and heading towards the north."

"So this was a trap after all!!!! How many guards are we talking about?" the huge man named Talos asked.

" We don't know exactly, but estimates say about a hundred." Answered Night.

"HAH, I told you it was a trap from the beginning, I don't like this whole thing. The lord is obviously trying to get rid of us himself this time. I say we drop it, it's not worth the risk, we should lay low for a bit while we are at it." the blond woman named Olivia spoke this time voicing her concerns about this whole ordeal.

"That is impossible I am afraid, as I said before the Boss is not willing to let this opportunity go." Night responded.

" I think Olivia is right, this is too much heat for us, it is wiser to let it go." Talos backed Olivia's opinion as he too saw too much danger in this operation.

"Have you forgotten perhaps who is the person that made you into what you are today? Have you forgotten perhaps that most of your wealth comes from the Boss, that what you have stolen so far can never hope to cover the cost of the good quality armors and weapons you and your men have been so graciously given?" Night rebuked with a cold smile.

"This is not you call to make, it never was. The Boss made you, funded you and sent me to plan for you so that you could get away with plundering whatever you wished for; All this could easily be unmade, never forget that."

Talos and Olivia's expressions turned gloomy, they did not like what he had said, yet it was the truth nonetheless. They had been nothing but small times bandits, barely able to earn enough to live, fearful that they would be caught at any moment.

Now though? they had become an organization that commanded the loyalty of two hundred men, all thanks to whoever Night calls Boss.

"Now go wear those armors and weapons we hid away for so long, now is the time, they expect a ragtag group of bandits, let us show them how wrong they are." Night commanded as he got up and left the room, leaving the two to contemplate the situation they found themselves in.

-----------------------------------------------------------

In a forest near the river Fabious.

A camp had been set up hidden amongst the trees in a clearing that had been created, just big enough to hold a hundred men.

In a tent at the center of the camp William and His father were discussing the plan that Lord Ulric had come up with to deal with the bandit problem.

On a small table in the tent, a map was spread on top of it containing detailed markings of settlements, trade routes as well as the topography of the marquisate.

"Now that Marek has moved to escort the cargo, the first part of the plan has been initiated, now we must move on to the second phase." the marquis remarked.

"Are you sure they would take the bate? we have made quite the public exit back at Landow. I am pretty sure they would have already received the news of our departure by now." William asked.

"I have no doubt they will, Alfred and I have extensively studied their attacks and targets. These are not the usual bandits that merely wish to get wealthy, not at all; they are probably targeting the marquisate itself. Tell me son what better way to harm a territory than harm its leadership? What batter target than myself?"

William agreed with his father about the bandits probably being nothing more than a tool for someone trying to harm the territory. What he did not like, was that the plan was more dangerous than it needed to be, his father did not want to just get rid of pawns, he wanted to catch the leader and for that, he needed a plan that would entice them all to come out of their hiding holes.

"Now, all we can do is follow the plan and wait for the fish to catch the bait." William thought to himself.

After resting and regaining their energy, the expedition once more lifted their camp and continued to their destination, riding mostly at night so as to hide as many of their traces as possible.