Daveth and Aldric picked through the remains of the war wagon as Daveth’s troops disposed of the grisly remains of the bandits. He didn’t doubt that anything seemingly useful or valuable was being looted from the corpses; he didn’t particularly care one way or the other. Aldric tacitly allowed looting the enemy dead as a way for his troops to supplement or outright replace their weapons or armor, or even to compensate for his erratic pay, though he drew the line at looting their own dead.

“Lotta brass here.” Daveth observed, as he tried to make sense of the piles of metal.

Aldric nodded. “I’m thinking this was steam powered.” he hazarded.

“What?” Daveth gave him a baffled look. Aldric gave him an irritated look. “Boil water; create steam. Force steam to move through pipes.”

Daveth shook his head. “I don’t get it.” Aldric rolled his eyes at this.

“Hot steam under pressure would push this wooden beastie without a need for horses.” He explained patiently. “Too much steam and the whole thing explodes, so they vent the steam out the back.” He eyed his giant second-in-command. “You catching on now?”

“So Eirawen, using that ice-” Daveth began, and Aldric nodded.

“Exactly. Boom.”

“Awfully sophisticated for bandits, Aldric.”

“No shit.” The irritated captain replied. “This was sophisticated.” He gestured over at the cannons he’d recovered.

“Cannon. Out here in the middle of fucking nowhere, Daveth. They had access to precision equipment enough to build a steam engine. They had access to cannon and gunpowder. This wasn’t the work of bandits.”

Daveth glanced down the road at a black speck that resolved itself into a person, heading up the road to them.

“Expecting company?” Daveth asked curiously.

Aldric straightened from his examination of the vase cannons that had been mounted on the tank.

“Get your camp together. Get a file ready just in case.”

“You’re not expendable, Aldric.” Daveth argued, and Aldric laughed. “I’m hardly helpless.” He tapped one hand against his wrist meaningfully.

The lone figure resolved itself into a woman in full plate enameled a glossy black, with a wolf’s head picked out in gold on the breastplate. She had long waves of brilliant blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and back and eyes like golden coins.

She planted herself in front of Aldric and glared at him with her golden eyes and fists on hips and eyed him up and down.

“Hello, Lord Captain”, She greeted without preamble. “I’ve heard that you’ve recruited two of my sisters into your ranks.”

Aldric stepped back, frowning. “What’re you talking about?” He inquired. She rapped her gauntleted fist on her breastplate, calling his attention to the wolf’s head picked out in gold leaf.

He nodded, recognizing the same emblem picked out insilvery-blue metal on the armor of the two silver-eyed women he’d recruited in Tannit.

“Ah, That’s right. Alysia and Lynnabel.” He agreed nonchalantly.

She smiled toothily at him, revealing fang-like incisors. “Can you direct me to their tent, Lord Captain? I’m visiting on my way from Doran.”

Aldric shook his head. “Certainly not. We’re in the middle of an operation. Wait here, and I’ll call them over.”

She smiled politely, and nodded.

Presently, both Alysia and Lynnabel approached, and they eyed the blonde cautiously. “Aurene?” Alysia queried, and the golden-haired woman nodded. “Greetings, you two.”

“Why are you here? Is there something you require?” Lynnabel asked, and Aurene frowned at her.

“Your little sister should recognize her rank.” Aurene muttered to Alysia, who smiled.

“Are you challenging us?” Alysia asked.

Aurene shook her head. “No. I did not come here to challenge. As for why I am here, I smelled my two sisters on the road, and tracked you down to see your faces, that is all.” She remarked casually, a thread of arrogance strong in her tone.

Alysia nodded matter-of-factly. Most Golds would; they had a propensity for throwing their authority around, and there was nothing more appealing than ordering lower-ranked warriors around on a whim.

However, Alysia and Lynnabel were both strong in their own right, and this camp technically counted as their home ground, so if a fight for dominance were to take place, Aurene would have to fight both, simultaneously, and would lose a great deal of face unless she were absolutely certain of victory.

Daveth walked by, on his way to Aldric’s tent. He glanced at Aurene and his eyebrow twitched. All three saw his free hand touch the pouch at his waist for a second, as he passed by.

“Oh.” Aurene blushed prettily, hand to chest. “Oh my.”

Alysia looked at Aurene doubtfully. Aurene turned to Alysia with stars in her eyes. “Who is he? Is he taken?” She asked quickly.

Lynnabel laughed gaily. “That man? He is second-in-command in this army. His forces are on the opposite side of the road, and I have not seen him with anyone, except perhaps his lieutenant, an elven ranger.”

Aurene nodded knowingly. “It stands to reason he would be in a command position.” Her eyes followed him as he ducked into Aldric’s tent.

“I want him. I must have him.” She decided.

Alysia coughed into her fist. “He’s not ours to give.” Aurene frowned at the two of them. “You Silvers are supposed to be smarter than that.” She replied caustically.

Alysia rolled her eyes. “Well, if you’re desperate to throw yourself at him, you could request to be assigned to his infantry. He lost seven men today.” she offered mockingly.

Aurene rolled her eyes theatrically at that. “I am worth at least three times that much.” She said haughtily, fully aware of the insult and threat Alysia implied.

Lynnabel smiled serenely, equally aware.

Aurene ostentatiously frowned at the village and the haphazard piles of scrap wood, brass, and scattered remains of what was likely at least a double-dozen men. “Tell me, who are you fighting?” She asked. “Surely not this hamlet.”

Alysia wrinkled her nose at the implied insult. “Certainly not. There are bandits about. We are defending, not attacking.”

Aurene nodded. “I am glad. If it were otherwise, I would not be so cordial with you. Tell me, where are these bandits of yours?”

Lynnabel tapped her lips thoughtfully, a gesture she’d picked up from Aldric and Daveth recently. “Are you intending to deal with them?” Lynnabel asked curiously, and immediately wished she could take it back. To ask an obvious question was to lose face. Aurene desired Daveth, the second-in-command of Seventh Seal, but did not want to join the ranks as a lowly infantry.

Likely to prove her value and valor to Daveth Aurene would single-handedly deal with the bandits herself. This would also solve all of her issues with her current standing with the pair of silvers, who technically outranked her by right of station- they belonged to the army, while Aurene was an uninvolved outsider.

Aurene nodded distractedly though, as Daveth had come out of Aldric’s tent. She smiled to herself, and then turned to them.

“I am leaving. Thank you, sisters.” She nodded to the two of them, spun on her heel, and headed out to the road that separated the two camps, and then started trotting down the road.

Daveth approached Alysia and Lynnabel. “You know her?” He asked. “I don’t recognize her.”

Lynnabel looked to Alysia, who closed her eyes, absolving herself of involvement. Lynnabel raised an eyebrow, but turned to Daveth.

“She is an older sister of ours, Lord Commander.”

He raised an eyebrow at that. “I don’t see the resemblance. Different fathers, perhaps?” He asked curiously.

“A very offensive statement, Lord Commander.” Lynnabel replied dangerously, a touch of anger in her voice.

“I apologize, then.” He replied casually. “Can you stop with the ‘Lord’ business? ‘Commander’ is fine. I’m no Lord.”

Alysia opened her eyes and shared a look with Lynnabel. Alysia closed her eyes again, and Lynnabel replied smoothly, “That would be improprietous of us, Lord Commander.”

He frowned, brows furrowing together, jaw clenching, and muttered something in a language she didn't understand. Lynnabel noted this reaction and filed it away. An interesting reaction.

Aurene was much further down the road, and nearly out of sight. “She moves quickly, for one in full plate armor.” he observed, changing the subject.

Lynnabel nodded. “Yes, Lord Commander. Our order trains our abilities to the fullest. The training is very intense. This gives rise to abilities some would view as”, She hesitated, and glanced at Alysia, but Alysia, keeping her eyes closed, had absolved herself of the conversation and would refuse to participate. “superhuman.”

He thumbed his beard. “Interesting. What sorts of abilities did you gain?” He asked. “If there are abilities we can use that can alter the course of future battles, we should take advantage.”

Lynnabel raised an eyebrow. Did he not remember her picking up the table in front of him not three weeks prior? Was this an insult? She bristled at the thought. Still, she would answer.

“Silvers such as myself and Alysia excel in actions that would be considered reckless or suicidal, Lord Commander. Charges against enemy emplacements, strikes behind enemy lines at command staff, attacks on siege engines, things of that nature.” She frowned up at him. “We were ideally positioned to deal with that clattering machine, Lord Commander. Why did you not order us into battle?”

He blew out a breath. “I didn’t know beforehand. I worked with what I had at the moment. Aldric is your direct commanding officer; you might get a better answer from him. As for me, I sent Eirawen into the fray simply because I saw that she was positioned to strike.”

He glanced down the road; Aurene was long since gone.

“What rank was she?” He asked. Alysia spoke up, then. “She is Gold, Lord Commander.”

“Is that higher than your rank?” He asked, and Lynnabel closed her eyes at the implied insult. She was not going to get along with the Lord Commander at all if he kept this up.

Alysia nodded. “She is, Lord Commander.”

“What abilities did she gain?” He asked, and both Alysia and Lynnabel both frowned.

“I am certain that if you ask her, she will give you an answer, Lord Commander.” Lynnabel replied in a voice that implied that any further discussion of the topic was ended, and bowed slightly. “If you will excuse me, Lord Commander.”

Alysia repeated Lynnabel’s request for excuse, and also left, hurrying after her younger sister.

Daveth shook his head. Those two were awfully prickly. And it seemed like it would likely be some time before they dropped that ‘Lord’ habit.

Night had fallen and Daveth was half asleep when there was a knock on the wooden plaque outside his tent.

“Commander?” Eirawen’s voice announced herself. Daveth groaned and rolled off of his cot. “Yeah, I’m up.”

Eirawen opened the tent flap and strode in briskly. “Oh, you were sleeping. I will leave.” She said, immediately averting her eyes. The temperature in the tent was rapidly cooling. the lanterns were flickering fitfully.

“What do you need, Eirawen.” Daveth demanded wearily.

“It can wait.” She said, and turned to leave.

“Stop.” He commanded, and she froze. “Turn around.” She complied, averting her eyes. “Look at me.” He stated, and she shook her head. He sighed.

“Look me in the eye, Eirawen.” He said tiredly, and she finally did, hesitantly.

“Good. Now, you woke me up, you’ve thoroughly chilled me to the bone, what is it that you need? Out with it.”

“I wanted to thank you, Commander. You tended me when I was injured, and carried me from the field.”

He nodded. “It was nothing. I was expecting you to be heavier, with all that armor you have.”

She shook her head. “It is enchanted to be lighter.”

He nodded at that. “I suspected as much.” He went to the small table that served as his desk and sat down on the low stool.

“What was that spell you used that caused them to fight each other?” He asked.

She glanced around herself. “My power comes from the Goddess Eisa.” she finally revealed. There was an obvious reluctance to her words.

Daveth blinked and frowned. “Eisa, Lilia, Arumek, Inanna... All the Gods and Goddesses left Aggenmor more than two hundred years ago, Eirawen.” He stated.

She nodded. “Eisa is gone... but her power remains.” She said, and drew one of the huge swords with the milk-white blades that she carried around, and grounded the tip of the blade in the carpet. She folded her hands on the pommel. Daveth couldn’t help but notice the rime of frost around her boots and the carpet where the point of the sword rested.

“Her power grants me my spells, one of which is a command that can be used against the weak-willed to murder their allies.” She explained.

Daveth’s eyebrows rose. “That’s... very useful.”

She shook her head. “Not as much as you think. There are not many weak-minded people out there.” She smiled slightly. “It was luck, I think, that it worked as well as it did today.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “You’ve given me something to think about- and I understand how to use you on the battlefield more effectively.”

“Commander, are you afraid of me?” She asked.

He pursed his lips thoughtfully. “No. But it’s difficult to understand you. You don’t talk with, or socialize with anyone.” She looked down at her hands, folded on the pommel of her sword.

“I am not... good with social talk.” She replied awkwardly. He smiled kindly at her.

“Well, that’s something to work on, then.” He rose to his feet. “But not tonight. Go away, I’m trying to sleep.” He commanded, and made shooing gestures with his hands. She nodded, sheathed her sword, and exited the tent. It immediately felt significantly warmer. He took a deep breath, held it, and let it out in a long sigh. Time to get back to sleep.

He was sleeping where someone knocked on his tent. He frowned. Not again. Go away, Eirawen. he thought silently. Whoever they were, they slipped into his tent anyway.

“Commander, it’s Audra.” She announced in a low voice.

“I don’t recall telling you to report to me while I’m trying to sleep.” He said, and she chuckled.

“I found them, Commander.” She announced, moving closer to his sleeping area.

“Oh?” He asked. That at least was worth sitting up.

She nodded in the gloom. “And the Captain was right; they’re not the usual flavor of banditry; they’re artisans, crafters, engineers.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” he replied, frowning. “How did you find this out?” He asked.

“I asked them.” She replied. “They found me and caught me. I decided to talk to them. It’s sort of a depressing story.”

“Go on.” He urged.

“The hamlets are owned by a certain land baron." She began, and he made a cranking gesture with his hand. He knew that part already. "That land baron hired them to build his estate... and rebuild some of the city his estate resides in. He didn’t pay them, and had them banished.”

Daveth chewed this over for a while. "Fucking-" He spat, after a moment, then let out a breath. “So now they’re going from village to village, taking their vengeance.” He mused. She nodded.

“I sympathise, but attacking villages and hamlets isn’t the solution. They should have went after him directly.” He muttered. “How did you get away?” He asked.

“Someone attacked them. Just walked up to the front door and kicked it in. I was able to slip out in the confusion.” He nodded. “All right. Thanks, Audra.”

“Anytime, commander. Goodnight.” She said, quietly, and left, closing his tent flap behind her.

“Hello, Lord Commander.” The golden-eyed woman in the glossy black armor greeted as he came out of his tent. He glanced down at her as she sat sharpening her sword. Her hair was arranged in a dozens of tiny thin golden braids, and hung most of the way down her back. She was wearing her characteristic black plate with the gold wolf head emblazoned on the front. She glanced up at him, her wolfish eyes gleaming yellowly in the sunlight.

He thought back. What did Alysia say her name was? Ah, yes.

“Good morning, Aurene.” He replied carefully. “I wasn’t aware I had need of a guard at my tent.”

She smiled at him, rose to her feet and sheathed her sword in one deft move.

“Attacks can come at any time.” She replied. “It’s important that someone be vigilant.”

“I’d rather you be well-rested.” He replied dismissively, and started moving to the mess tent, hoping she wouldn’t follow. The silver-haired sisters gave him enough trouble. A gold, by the descriptions given reluctantly by Alysia and Lynnabel, were temperamental, argumentative, stubborn and arrogant.

“I require less sleep than most.” She replied, matching his stride.

“You’ve decided I should be guarded?” He asked. She nodded matter-of-factly. They arrived at the mess tent, and he selected his trailbread, spooned out a generous dollop of gravy, and added a couple of tiny, shrivelled sausages. He took his seat, and she sat across the low table from him. He raised an eyebrow at this.

“If I said I didn’t want you to guard me?” He asked, and she raised an eyebrow. “That would be insulting, Lord Commander. Command staff should be protected.” She replied seriously.

He frowned. “Have you even signed on? Officially?” He asked. She nodded. “Of course. I spoke my vow and signed my papers with the Lord Captain an hour ago.”

“Today’s going to be a busy day, Aurene.” He replied. “We’re going to be negotiating with the local bandits today.”

Her face went flat and unreadable. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible, my Lord Commander.”

“Oh? How so?” he asked. She raised an eyebrow. “I put them to the sword several hours ago.”

“What?” He asked stupidly. She nodded.

“I tracked them to their lair after I met with my sisters the other day." She turned her head to the side and sniffed. “I saw your elf lieutenant leaving there when I arrived.”

He nodded. “I sent her there to open up a dialogue with them.”

She sighed through her nose. “This complicates things. Had I known you were to negotiate with them, I would not have done this. Please forgive me, Lord Commander.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed wearily. “I have no idea if negotiations would have succeeded or failed with them, but I think Aldric would have liked at least to try.” He muttered, sighing again.

“Please forgive me, Lord Commander.” Aurene repeated. He shook his head.

“All of them?” He asked, and she nodded. He shook his head and raked his fingers through his hair.

“I’ll think of something.” He muttered. “Why did you..?” He started to ask.

“I wanted to impress you.” She replied directly. He blinked. “Excuse me?”

“My Lord Commander, how much has Alysia and Lynnabel told you of our order?” She asked carefully. He shook his head. “Not much. That you undergo rigorous training- the result is your ridiculous strength and stamina.”

She smiled a little. “This is true, Lord Commander, if ... incomplete. There is more to tell, if we can speak discreetly.” She said, and he nodded. “I don’t mind, but I don’t understand what this has to do with the bandits.”

They moved back to his tent, and he plunked himself down in his chair and faced the honey-haired woman. “So talk.” He stated.

“Honor is everything to us.” She started. “Honor, and strength. Everything boils down to this. I decided that I would join your army, Lord Commander, but it was ... explained that I would be assigned to infantry. I wanted to impress you my value as beyond mere infantry.” She said. “Is that enough for you understand the situation?” she asked.

Daveth frowned. “You haven’t given me a lot to work with, but let me try and figure it out.” She nodded.

“You ran across your sisters.” She nodded. He shook his head. “How? This is the middle of fucking nowhere. This is a farming village in the middle of farm country. A fully armored warrior doesn’t simply traipse through the fields.”

“I ... picked up their trail in Doran. I asked around, and discovered that they were part of the Seventh Seal, and followed you. I picked up their trail again a few days ago, along the main highway.”

“Trailed them, hmm?” He mused. “So, you tracked them here, and decided impulsively to sign on.”

She nodded.

“But you heard ... what, that i’d lost a bunch of infantry?” He asked, and she nodded again.

“So you thought I’d take you on as infantry...” He trailed off. “You didn’t like that idea because...” His face softened into a smirk. “Because of your pride.”

She frowned at him. He continued, “I remember something else. Alysia and Lynnabel referred to you as a gold-rank member of your order, and themselves as silver rank.”

She nodded, agreeing. “This is true, Lord Commander.”

“I’ve heard of things like this in other mercenary bands. Gold, silver, bronze, brass, or copper, things of that sort. In some societies steel ranks higher than gold, in others silver is the highest, such and so forth.” He looked to Aurene, who stood there quietly, watching him. “I’m assuming your ‘Order of the Wolf’ holds gold to be higher than silver?” He asked, and she nodded again.

“Right. It’s simple. You didn’t want to be seen in the eyes of your silver-ranked sisters as being less than they are. You wanted to impress me, so that I would ... what, hire you on at a higher pay rate? as an officer?” He asked curiously.

She nodded again.

He sighed. “Wait- does that mean you told Aldric that you’d killed them all?” He asked suddenly.

She nodded again.

He sighed, but perked up. “Well, that means our job is over. Time to move on to the next one.” He remarked cheerfully, face glum. "But now is not the time for this. I need to see Aldric. I need to be there to make sure our pay is received for the job.” He frowned. “You’re going to need a share... well, no. You weren’t sworn in at the time.” He sighed. “We need the money to pay the cost of transporting our fallen troops back to their homes, and resupply our column.”

He looked at her. “What would you do? You value honor, correct? Tell me how you would honorably handle this situation.”

She touched his hand. “Take the reward, Lord Commander. I don’t need pay. I did it to impress you, remember?” She asked quietly. He nodded slowly.

“You certainly did a job of that.” He replied. “You’ve impressed the hell out of me. Let’s go.”

He left his tent, Aurene close behind. He gestured to Audra, and she trotted over. The elven woman ostentatiously eyed Aurene,who eyed the other woman back just as obviously. “Report to Morden. Tell the file leaders to get their squads ready to move. We’re probably going to uproot and move out shortly.” She nodded. “No problem.”

He nodded back at her, and moved on, Aurene dogging his heels. He sincerely hoped this wouldn't turnn into a habit. He ran across Aldric as he was on his way across the road that divided their two camps.

“You!” Aldric yelled. “Good, you met your second-in-command. She’ll be working with you pretty closely, might as well be friends.” He said, and chuckled.

“I just heard from her”, Daveth replied, jerking his thumb at Aurene, “that we won’t be negotiating. That they’re all killed.” Aldric’s lips compressed. “Yeah. I’ve got a rider out to confirm it. If it’s true, then we’re done here and it’s time to move on.”

"Did you hear Audra's report on them?" Daveth asked, and Aldric shook his head.

"Turns out our 'Lord Ulric' was dealing dirty. The 'banditswere his handiwork." He then filled in Aldric on what Audra had reported to him.

"Bastard." Aldric cursed. "Stupid fucking bastard." He cursed. "Now I really wish we'd had a chance to negotiate." He kicked a loose stone down the hill angrily. "This was supposed to be-" He cut himself off, and glared up at Daveth. "Wost. Job. Ever." He declared, and spat.

Daveth waited patiently for his captain to calm down.

Aldric thumbed his beard. “There’s a job to the south and across the sea- near the edge of the desert of Ankar-Set waiting for us. What do you think? You up for a burning desert?”

“Really?” Daveth said, skeptical. “A desert?” Aldric nodded. “Something about Orgus attacks; figure it’ll be... fun.”

“‘Fun’, he says.” Daveth remarked to Aurene, rolling his eyes. “You really think traipsing through the desert will be ‘fun’?” He asked Aldric, who nodded.

“So long as you suffer alongside me, then yes, it will be fun.”

Daveth rolled his eyes. “Wait, what’re Orgus?” He asked curiously. Aldric shrugged. “Don’t know. Should be fun though, right?”

Daveth sighed. “It’ll be something, all right.”

One of Aldric’s scouts rode up, and dismounted.

“Captain, we went over the barn. Nothing suggests that was a permanent base. They were on rations and raided goods, sleeping in trail bedding... That was just a forward base.”

Aldric looked to Daveth. “Looks like the desert will have to wait.”

“Any idea where they came from?” Daveth asked, and the scout shook his head. “Nope. We looked around, but that place was smashed to hell, Commander.”

Daveth sighed and palmed his face. “Aurene, go tell Audra we’re staying. I’ll go tell Mayor Danson we’ll be extending our stay.” He blew out a breath.