All of the retainers look to each other in concern at hearing the news. While they look like they want to say something else, they choose not to say anything and instead proceed to pack up emergency bags. During the packing process, Meli stays by Cadmus's side, and he is able to recall several things in this moment of calm. 

The bandits have been careful to hide any sign of who they were working for. But while Cadmus and Meli snuck away, he was able to catch a glance of an emblem, a coat of arms! He realizes that the bandits are part of the Windpikes! 

The previous royal family on the Dragonspire Throne didn't just have knights, soldiers, politicians, and dragons at their beck and call. They also had an elite group of enforcers who take on secret missions and do so through methods befitting of rogues and assassins. The group is officially named the Windpikes, but remain unknown to the general public. However, it seems like they too have become weakened over time, and became nothing more than just lowly bandits who do the current Crown's dirty work that the Knights won't do themselves. 

Thinking over the plan of action, Cadmus is also able to recall the closest neutral territory that they can retreat to. The Forests of Vestarel is an ancient forest that neither the Ophidian Kingdom nor the Magocracy of Erreval could claim. It is said that the Forest is home to an ancient civilization of elves, but those who enter the forest never find such a place. Those who do go seeking for said civilization never return the same. 

In front of the forest edge three days away from the Orchard is a normal settlement; A hamlet known as Little Happens. While the settlement mostly consists of woodsmen and rangers, many other folks from various different walks of life have made their home in that settlement. The chief of that hamlet, Chief Garou, has long refused any agreement from the Ophidian Kingdom and the Magocracy into joining. 

[hider=OOC]Edited in the more normal settlement for Cadmus's consideration.[/hider]