[h3]Westport[/h3]

"Please take the seat, I would not deny a veteran a seat" Maybe a bit late, however grand duke Lucius was a rather simple man regarding stuff like formalities. [i]Sometimes I wish, I was still a mercenary...[/i] That is the sentence he thought countless times since he took Westport for himself. Looking at Philips limp, he thought: [i]I remember that some of the men talked about the hero of Affoia. A real shame that we can't have a training duell, to see if the rumours are true....[/i] "The [i]rewards[/i] for our services on the battlefield are never kind to our bodies." 

"Hoh, it's nice to hear that Alcander is pleased. What do [i]you[/i] think about the ballistae and the training?" Lucius asked, while he walked over to the table to drink with Philip. "Some people don't like the formations and battle techniques we use. They say it's cowardly. I say it's stupid not to try to minimize your own damage." He took up the other glas and drank the rum. [i]Obviously they are not just some stupid nobles that send their men wave after wave into their deaths.[/i] "That's some fine stuff you have here." He looked pleased at the glas. "A good drink is better than a gold coin." With that he laughed heartly.

He was thinking hard, while listening to the later part of the conversation. "War you said?" [i]Isn't it always war in these lands?[i] "A new power base and a wife? I will not marry someone I have never met before. If you really want to marry someone to me, you would first let her come here, so that we can get to know each other. May I ask who it is you want to give to me as a wife?" 

With that he changed the topic back to the longer and more deadly issue at hand. 

"As for the [i]new power base[/i], I assume you want to trade land for military aid. That would depend on the plans. As you know we are under the constant threat of the union. Therefore our troops that could be deployed would only be a small detachment. Hardly enough to attack a town." He looked Philip in the eyes, looking for any information he could get. "I am more than happy to deploy my troops, if you have a plan that will succeed. I might even be able to get some mercenaries to join the force. However I will not send those men into a battle that's lost. So please explain your plan in detail." 

[h3]A coastal region west of Westport[/h3] 

A detachment of heavy cavalry, under the banner of Westport, is making it's way westward. Rumours reached the city that a large group of robbers attacked a few villages in the region, killing all inhabitants that could not flee, before burning the villages down to the ground. The detachment itself were composed of three companies, each around 100 men strong. After arriving and searching through the villages they found an unpleasant surprise. The villagers had not many things of value, and those things were still left inside the buildings. Bronze coins and other stuff which normally would be the first things to be stolen were still left in the ruins.

"Send a messenger back to the city. I doubt robbers would leave such an amount of valuables behind. I fear that we might have a few union troops in our territory!" The captain of the first company, Marcus, said to one of his men. "Captain.... Captain" A man from the third company came tearing towards him, riding his horse at the limit. The horse came to a halt with ruts behind it. "Captain, Captain Titus found a small union ship in a bay not far from here. They made haste to open waters, as soon as they saw our arrival. By the size of the vessel we can assume that the union should have landed around 50-100 men. Nothing more than a skirmishing group." 

Marcus thought for a moment. He beckoned soldier a from his company to come over, before ordering the man from the third. "Tell Titus that we split up, each company moves independently. Whoever finds those bastards sends a messenger to notify the other two companies." Marcus took out a map of the area. "Titus should move on the northern coast. I will move south of him." He turned towards his soldier. "You will tell Gallus to have him move south of us." He gave his orders while drawing lines, with his finger, on the map, explaining the routes of the companies. "I hope we can find those bastards before they burn down more villages..."

The companies split up to find the union raid, after the messages were delivered...

[@Mr Irony II]