Weeks had passed on that mud road; only Kain and a group of strangers. Three knights, a woman and a boy still too young to grow so much as peach fuzz. Kain sat lamenting the loss of Othrick's sword; it had been left in the mud in the confusion.
'He looks like the knight's father would tell stories about' Kain watched as Robert sat cross-legged next to him.
Mewmarsh, and then back home in a couple of weeks after the group had finished whatever affairs they had.
The eyes of a red bear on a tan field stared at Kain from Julie's shield. Sword scars had carved away at the paint, leaving the bear severed from loin to shoulder.
"Do you like it?" Julien dipped a brush into a pot of tan paint.
"I hardly saw any paintings, let alone a House's emblem." Blood ran down the bear's pelt.
"It's my own sigil. My family have a brown bear on a dark blue field, but I took my own since I'm a mercenary; it felt wrong to dishonour my father" His brushstroke was gentle and precise for a man that size.
"Why a red and tan?" Kain watched him paint.
"When I started, people would call me a bear for my size and my family. And one day we were fighting in Ous, uh, it's a city in the east." He turned to smile at Kain with everything but his eyes.
"The enemy had broken us and knocked me off my horse. The fall hurt so bad I couldn't stand, but when I got to my feet, all the men around me were dead, and I was surrounded." Pride crept into those sad eyes.
"I picked up my axe and cut down all of them until the last. By the end, I was red." Red paint trickled from the bear onto the tan field.
"And because he's so obsessed with himself, we're called the red bears." Robert laughed.
Mud and dirt roads turned to gravel as the fields around them filled with crops and farmers. A village sprang up out of nowhere, and further down the road, a long walk and a giant lake.
Gulls beat their wings above the wagon and perched atop the wall, looking down at Kain as he approached the wall; it was twice as thick as Braemoors had been and thrice as tall. Mud sucked at its base, trying to pull the whole city into its embrace.
The stone maw gaped wide, its portcullis teeth looming over them as they passed. Swallowing horses, wagons, and men whole. Its innards were bustling with life. More men, women and children than he had ever seen.
Roars of "fish" and "fresh fruit" came from their market stalls as children ran underfoot. A woman wrapped in fur and bones walked slowly beside the wagon for a moment; her face had been etched with red runes like Robert's.
"Lyra and Davin, report to weasel; we'll meet up with Eric and the others" At Julien's word, they broke from the wagon and made for the castle.
It was a giant mound of stone near the waterfront. Two towers jutted out from the keep and looked out to the city. Men walked its massive grey-green walls.
"Weasel?" Kain chuckled.
"He's the castellan of Mewmarsh, but he is unpleasant and looks much like a weasel, hence the name" Robert stretched out in the wagon bed.
Salt and fish lingered thick in the air like a fog. Men poured off the boats carrying crates upon crates.
A group of soldiers in light armour and kettlehelms were being led by a knight wrapped in a torn and frayed cloak of fine red silk. A large crab sat proud in the engraving on the breastplate.
"What's a krabber doing in Verin?" Robert looked to Julien.
"Ser," The red bear called out.
The knight looked up at the red bear seated atop the wagon and removed his helm.
"Ser", he nodded.
Old and dishevelled, an unkempt beard hid pox scars beneath it. The men-at-arms beside him looked as if they hadn't slept in some time.
"What brings a krabber of Norport to Mewmarsh?" Julien smiled down at them.
"I could ask the same if a Thane", the old knight smiled back.
"My lord father has asked me to find mercenaries for the war, and what of yourself?" He rubbed the sides of his greying beard.
"War?" Julien smirked just for only an instant.
"We declared war on Yinn about a month ago. Prince Lucien was found dead, and lord redgate was thought the same, but he escaped and sent letters from The Redgate." At the mention of the prince's death, the old man shook his head.
"We'll Ser look no further; you've found your mercenaries" Robert stood and motioned to the three of them.
"We've two hundred fifty men and thirty knights in total" Julien stepped down off the wagon and stood before the old knight.
For a moment the crab knight thought, rubbing his wild beard and looking each of the men up and down.
"I'll have my men prepare you a room onboard, but your men will have to sleep with the crew", the crab knight said, eyeing Kain.
"I will stay with my men" Not a second of hesitation came before those words.
"So be it" The old man turned to his own men and sent them to prepare ships.
"Good day Ser" Julien bowed his head and returned to the wagon.
"No more bandits for us" Robert stretched out once more.
Soon enough, the wagon stopped again outside of an inn. Kain climbed down, following behind Julien through the oaken doors. The red bear was so tall he had to duck to avoid hitting his head on the doorframe.
Every table was filled with men all deep in their cups. Robert slid between two women waiting for ale at the bar whilst Julien spoke to another knight. Awkward and silent, Kain stood behind the red bear.
"Prepare the men and send for whoever isn't here were going to Yinn" Julien smiled at the knight.
"Finally, a war ay" the knight drank down a pint of ale.
A droplet trailed from the edge of his lip and caught by slender fingers. He was lithe and not much taller than Kain, with hair so blonde it looked more yellow than anything.
"Who's the lad then?" He looked down at Kain.
"A hostage we saved from some outlaws." Julien put a hand on Kain's shoulder.
"My name's Herrick" he gave a gentle smile and offered his hand.
"Kain", the boy grasped his hand firmly and shook.
"A good handshake, lad", the knight smiled.
Robert had found himself a table of red bear men to drink at and called over to Kain.
"Come have a drink, lad; you look like you need one" Robert held a cup in one hand and a woman in the other.
She hasn't taken her eyes off the man. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes sparkled at the sight of him.
Kain sat beside two strangers, large men covered in scars, but they handed him a hunk of meat and a cup of ale with a friendly smile. A pot of white flowers bloomed in the light of the sun atop the windowsill.