Bant sipped his ale and considered. Lisa was by no means an average warrior. No. She was above and beyond average. She just needed training and experience. Training he could give her. Experience was something he could help her with but he could only guide her so far.
Suddenly there was a flapping of wings and a pigeon landed on the railing of the porch where he was sitting. Bant held out a hand as he put his drink down and the pigeon jumped from the railing onto his outstretched fingers.
Bant stroked its neck and then reached gently for its leg where a cylinder was fastened. he unbuckled the cylinder and shook the thin rolled paper out. He read the message and frowned. It was from Lisa's father, the baron.
Bant beckoned Coll over from where he was mending a loose board and showed him the message.
Coll read it and frowned. "Normally Hith wouldn't have a problem with mere bandits."
"That's what worries me," said Bant. "If he's asking for help it means these just aren't mere bandits."
"Then I guess that means we'll have to pay him a visit," said Coll. "And maybe this will be a chance to give Lisa some experience hunting bandits."
Coll grinned and Bant shuddered. "You don't get tired of hunting bandits ever, do you?"
"Nope," laughed Coll. Then he became serious. "But if this is more than just bandits then we may have to take one alive."
"Possibly more than one," agreed Bant. "If this is part of something bigger than we may have to get to the bottom of this."
"If it's more than just a band of bandits setting up camp in the area then we could be in serious trouble," said Coll. "I heard some rumors when I was in the village yesterday."
"And?"
"They say that bandits have been raiding the surrounding region and that they are frightened off by a mysterious object carried by a wandering preacher," explained Coll. "And that that preacher has been seen in the area. That he goes wherever the bandits will strike next."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAc5FZI19AD
Bant frowned. "Did this preacher have a name?"
"He's known as The Wanderer," said Coll. "And that wherever he goes good things come of it. He never asks for anything in return and refuses all offerings. Saying that the only reward he needs is praise given to his god, Nisol. The god of wanderers who seek a home but have not found it yet."
Bant drew a breath in and then let it out. "Get the horses ready and get Lisa. The Wanderer and his cult are in the kingdom and if they gain the base they need the kingdom itself is in danger."
"What do you mean?" asked Lisa as she stepped out of the door. Where Bant had known she'd been standing behind listening as he'd heard her catch her breath in surprise a few times. "You sound like you know them."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQis73Y0Z7A
"I do," said Bant. "My father was a baron in the kingdom of the isles. And they overthrew the kingdom a year or so after I left."
"Your father was a baron?" asked Lisa.
"Yes," said Bant. "A baron of the royal family and right now I am the only surviving member of the royal family of the Kingdom of the isles."
"You're royalty?" asked Lisa with a look of disbelief on her face. "Then why did you leave?"
"I left for my own reasons," said Bant. "But we don't have time to discuss that right now. We have to see your father. Coll, get the horses ready. Lisa, grab your armor and weapons."
Bant stood and entered the house behind Lisa. He dropped the message in the fire. and turned to his own room. He was already wearing his chainmail and sword. But if it was as bad as he feared then they would most likely be leaving the castle immediately without time to come back for stuff they might need. Bant grabbed his empty pack and started putting stuff in it. His bag of forged seals, dry rations, flint and steel. His whetstone, a plain white surcoat with no emblem on it, and a few other things.
Then from his weapon rack he placed a spare dagger and throwing knives on his belt. He put the pack on his back. and stepped from his room. Lisa was waiting in the main room. A pack on her back and a sword and two long daggers on her sword belt. Across her back was a white shield with no emblem on it. Matching the white surcoat she wore over her chainmail.
Coll yelled from outside. "Ready whenever you two are!"
Bant looked around the room. "Douse the fire. We might not be back for a while."276Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdeZkVSYOo
