“Had you bothered to listen…” Livius says with a sigh, still waiting for a servant paitently. “You’d know that is among the first thing the Ithillin army tried. These aren’t bandits with the goal of simply terrorizing the country side for spoils. They’ve an agenda, and the training to see it through from what we can tell. From what loose reports I’ve been able to get from my own contacts, most of the tracking parties have walked straight into ambushes and were slaughtered to a man. To borrow a term, they show up just long enough to destroy their target and then…” he pauses, throwing up air quotes, “ ‘disappear like a fart in the wind’. Though how much of that is the truth I cant say with one hundred percent confidence. For obvious reasons, the noble houses of Ithillin are somewhat hesitant to report in detail their military actions to a foreign noble, friendly terms or not.”

"And as for you Belwiss. I'll be more than happy to furnish your people with equipment and the colors of other organizations. As for your more recognizable members, I suggest all of you to take a page from Lady Tyathe's book. And wear a damn helmet. Somewhat hard to identify someone at several yards when they actually bother to wear equipment specifically designed to cover their face. Odd the way that works out."

 Vizer regards Salz as she asks her question, flashing her a mischievous smile. “ Don’t know if I’d agree with that entirely.” He answers in a low voice. “The Sunfield family for all its failings, is not one that leaves their charges in Thaln at risk. Even if every single one of their spawn is up their own arse.”

 “But you are right to assume there is more to this than just dealing with killers. Confidence in the Iron Roses, specifically the new captain, is not up to his standard. While he doesn’t hold you in high regard, you’re still the elites of our military organizations. If our own nobles sense weakness in you, the more ambitious of them might decide this is the time to move in a direction that is less….in the crowns interest let us say.” 

He pauses, watching as Livius attempts to wave a maid over himself, evidentially tired of waiting on Markus to do it for him. “This is not even getting into what foreign powers may think of that weakness. But if the captain were to accomplish a total victory with what the public assumes to be a group of rag tag mercs, it makes her a much more credible threat. And if we can do that while dressing it up as a favor to our allies, that is all the better.”

He continues once he’s satisfied that the young Sunfield is at least behaving himself with the help. “Then there is the matter of these killers heavy anti-mage sentiment. No shortage of mages in the border towns, far from the ‘careful’ eye of the college  who think they can do whatever they please.“ he adds obvious venom. “ If this little cult gained traction in Thaln and kept up with their current level of proficiency, even the Roses would be hard pressed to keep them in check.”