The air was heavy with the sounds of two hundred men walking in lockstep, the clanks and scrapes of armour and chainmail. Enthor looked back at the castle and hoped that was the last time he would ever lay eyes on it.
It would take them a half day to walk to the bottom of the mountain and then the other half to reach the small town just at the foot of the mountain.
The journey down was tough, a sheet of snow had fallen obscuring the floor which was littered with rocks or sheets of ice. Making it more difficult was the weight of armour and supplies the men were carrying.
Once at the bottom of the hill the journey to the town was uneventful. The next day the men started off early, heading along the path that cut through the forest. It was midday when along the path there were three men standing, their faces hidden by ragged cloaks. Enthor judged they were bandits. A group of men who band together to steal, rape, kill or anything they feel like.
"To pass you must pay the tax." The man in a raspy voice.
"I didn't realise the king was charging his own soldiers to use his paths?" Enthor replied with utter confidence.
"The king doesn't own this land." Spat back the hooded figure.
"I think you may be lost friend." Enthor said sarcastically, trying to get the man to bite. "The king owns this land we are standing on. Of that I am certain." Out the corner of Enthor eyes he saw movement of black hidden in the brush of the forest. His men must have seen the movement as well because the almost silent forest road was filled with men nervously shifting their weight, the slight sound of chainmail moving, or the creak of leather gloves gripping the hilt of their sword.
"Pay the fucking price or face the consequences!" The bandit threatened.
"I woke up today prepared to die, did you?" Enthor asked unsheathing his sword and hatchet. The aggressiveness of Enthor threw the bandit leader off guard as well as all the soldiers drew their round shields and swords. This was the first time the bandits had come across trained soldiers.
Trying to gain every vantage as you could was imperative to coming out alive or with the best possible outcome.
With that Enthor gave a below and charge at the three bandits. Caught completely of guard and with a fully armoured soldier charging at them they fumbled with their weapons giving Enthor precious seconds of advantage. He swung his hatchet and buried it in the skull of the bandit on the left with a sickening thunk. He then swung his sword to the fight slicing through skin, bone and muscle and parting the bandits head with his body. By now the third bandit had his sword draw. Enthor stalked towards him with his sword in two hands and attacked the bandit with powerful swings each one knocking the bandit off balance. Enthor quickly made short work of the bandit swing his sword in short sharp angles before chopping the bandits arm off and then ending the bandits misery and pain. Enthor turned to find the next enemy but everywhere he looked it was just his soldiers. He grabbed the corner of a bandits cloak and cleaned the blood off his sword, he then went and yanked the hatchet out of the first handed head with a crack, also cleaning that. Tarnin come strolling over to him like nothing had just happened. "Anyone hurt?" Enthor asked.
"What against them?" He said pointing with his thumb behind him. Enthor waited for the answer. "No, no one is hurt."
"Check the bodies." Enthor called out. "Take any weapons and any loot you find, we will sell them to the smith in the next town and split the money between us." Although it wasn't bad money they were being paid more could never hurt.
"What shall we do with the bodies?" A soldier asked Enthor. He looked at the bandit who he had buried his hatchet Into his dead.
"Leave them where they lay, let this be a lesson to anyone who thinks about being a bandit."
They found the bandits camp, hidden just off the main path where there were more weapons, some old pieces of plate armour and other trinkets that would fetch a nice price. Even though the quality of the weapons and the armour was low they still made a nice profit from them just by the weight of it all. Each soldier come away with 50 gold pieces each.
The rest of the journey was uneventful. It wasn't long before they were back in the city reporting to the main barracks. Enthor and Tarnin had to give a report on the events at the fort, which took all of two minutes. They then had to file a report about the bandit attack, leaving out the fact they sold the weapons and trinkets other wise the kingdom would want all the money from that.
"Right that's you both done here." The commander told Enthor and Tarnin. "Your whole company has 7 days rest, then report back here on the 8th for your next assignment." They both left the room.
"So I'll see your ugly face in 8 days." Tarnin said slyly.
"Try not to get killed." They clasped forearms. "I hate to have to try and find another second in command." Enthor smiled back.
Enthor decided he would take the scenic route along the coast line to get back home rather then the direct route. The sun was shining high and he needed to feel the sun on his skin, feeling it's warmth slowly tan him. Enthor had olive skin, but after three months in the fort without much sunlight he had grown pale, all the men had. There was a cool breeze coming off the sea and Enthor was relishing walking in the sun, he has forgotten what it felt like and how it made him feel.
A few hours and his town slowly come into view. It was set back from the golden shore where many docks had been constructed. When he was younger it was a small fishing town. Now it has grown into a port of trade. Markets had sprung up all over the town as it grew, merchants selling their wares and customers haggling with them trying to get the best deal. Even though more docks had been constructed there was still miles of untouched beach that stretched as far as the eye could see. The houses and shops of the town were all bleached white. To start with they were a light earthy colour due to the materials used to build them but soon the sun and the salt from the sea would turn them white.
Enthor navigated the busy streets, greeting people he knew. He kept a pace that would stop anyone from stopping him as he walked with purpose. He walked up to the front door to his home and he could hear his girlfriend inside. He knocked on the two twice. "Coming." He heard Esme say. She opened the door to to Enthor with a massive smile on his face. "Enthor!" She squealed before she jumped at him wrapping her arms and legs around him.
