Spring 1095 SR
The next day, Ludwig had expected to march at first light, but it took far longer than that to take down the camp. Halfway through the morning, the Grim Defenders still weren’t ready, and Captain Ecke looked as though he was going to throw a fit.
Finally, just before noon, the first mercenaries began the trek eastward, clearing the city of Torburg as the bells tolled midday. The captain had reckoned the distance to Mulsingen to be no more than a week away, but if today was to be any measure of their progress, it could easily take twice that long.
Ludwig struggled. His muscles ached, covered as he was in bruises, and although the numbleaf helped, it soon became apparent his own footwear was not up to the task of a prolonged march. As a noble, he had been used to riding any
