Summer 1095 SR
Ludwig stood atop what was left of the curtain wall, gazing off to the south.
“Your friends are well on their way,” offered Lord Wulfram.
“Yes,” agreed Ludwig. “I’m surprised Baron Stein kept them on the payroll. I imagine that was quite the expense.”
“It is, but Gebhard is attempting to curry favour. More troops means more influence with the duke.”
“Is influence so easily bought?”
Wulfram barked out a laugh. “No. Lord Deiter is not a man easily swayed, so it"s most likely the other nobles who Stein’s trying to impress. He’s always thought of himself as a great man.”
“He didn’t look too happy about the arrival of the marshal.”
“And why would he be? He"d just had victory snatched from his grasp. It"ll take some time to get over that.”
“Lord Gebhard has around two hun
