"For now we are only gathering them up outside the manor in the east", the guard captain replied. "Once we have stripped the bodies of anything useful - including their weapons, and any usable leather armor or fur coats - we will bury them next to the hills in the east. Of course, if any of the bandits had any coins, they would go to the one who finds them."

"That's..." Kivamus was going to reprimand him for allowing the guards to openly rob the bandits, but exhaled loudly when he remembered that all this must be the standard in this era in this world. Looting the bodies of the dead after a battle was something that had happened for most of history even on earth. But it was also true that in their current situation, they couldn't let anything go to waste, whether it was the bandits' fur coats, or their weapons - if only to get the iron, even if those weapons weren't in good condition.

However, looting the bodies to steal any coin from them was something which would be completely unprofessional if he ever wanted these guards to have the mental fortitude to defend against a serious attack. Discipline was one of the most important things in all of the successful armies on Earth, and even if he wasn't building an army here, he wanted his guards to be professional instead of acting like part-time bandits themselves.

He looked at the guard captain. "I can't deny that we need all those things, so you can tell the guard to strip the bodies of anything useful, including any coins, but tell them very strictly that they are not to loot anything from those bodies for themselves - including coins."

Hudan began to say something protest but Kivamus spoke over him. "Listen to me! We can't have our guards act the same as those bandits... like they are plunderers as well! Tell them very strictly that anything and everything they confiscate from the dead bandits will go to the manor stores - and not to themselves! Whether it is armor, sword or coin. None of it! I will not tolerate it."

Hudan looked reluctant now, but gave a nod and kept listening.

Kivamus continued, "The guards have done well in defending the village - but they are doing their duty - something for which they are already being paid. However, to encourage those guards who have discharged their duties well, I will reward them personally from my own treasury. If any of them deserve it, they will even get a medal from me. But I will not have them act as looters! Make sure to tell them about this very clearly. And tell them that anyone who goes against these orders will be severely punished."

"But..." Hudan asked with confusion, "if you take those coins from those bandits for your treasury, and then give it back to them, then isn't it the same thing anyway? What's the point of making it so complicated?"

"The point is discipline!" Kivamus exclaimed while slamming his hands on the armrests. "If there is a bigger attack on the village in the future, and their focus is only on trying to select the most juicy target so they can loot it for themselves, then a professional army will crush them in a moment! There is a right way to do things and a wrong way to do things. And for my guards... my soldiers... to act the same as any bandits would - that is simply not acceptable."

He continued, "There is a lot of work for them to do tonight, but by tomorrow, you and Feroy will tell me if any of them have done exceedingly well - those who have gone above and beyond their... call of duty. And once you have verified their stories from any villagers who were nearby - then in the evening I will reward them personally. Is that understood?"

Hudan sighed. "I can see your reasons for this, but the guards still won't like it." He took a deep breath. "But an order is an order. I will make sure that every single one of them follows it, no matter what."

Kivamus smiled. "Good!"

Gorsazo commented, "This is the first time that the guards have fought under you, so it would also help their morale to reward the best amongst them. I support this idea."

"I think that giving them medals is fine," Duvas said, "but to give them some money as reward too? I'm not sure if we can really afford it right now."

"It will be fine, Duvas," Kivamus reassured him. "We need them to stop their habit of acting as looters - since it will be very beneficial in the long term, and it still won't even cost us that much anyway. We can afford to give a reward to those who are risking their lives for us."

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Duvas nodded after a moment. "As you wish then."

Hudan stood up from his chair. "By your permission, milord, I should leave now to keep an eye on those guards. I also have to make sure that there are regular patrols around the village throughout the night."

"Alright then, you can leave," Kivamus replied.

Feroy glanced at the guard captain. "I'll be there soon after I get something to eat, and I'll join the guards on one of those patrols. You are the one who saw all the action, and I was only waiting here in the manor." He smirked while putting his hand on the scabbard of his sword. "And who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky and one of those bandits will decide to return here."

Hudan just shook his head and laughed. "So you are a bloodthirsty vesorion, after all. Or perhaps an ale-thirsty vesorion?"

Feroy just laughed loudly in reply. "Oh, don't even remind me... How I miss my ale! But alas, we can't allow any guard to drink until the threat of the bandits has passed completely." He shrugged. "That means I can't drink either."

Duvas snorted. "That time will come, don't you worry. You are the one who made us spend our limited coin on a full barrel of ale."

Feroy laughed. "What can I say, Sir Duvas, us guards live on ale as much as we live on food."

Everyone laughed at that image for a while, and then with a nod, the guard captain exited the hall.

Kivamus stood up while looking at the others. "Well, it's been a long night. Let's get some rest now."

Duvas stood up as well and nodded. "I'll leave too. My old bones need some sleep before I start managing the laborers in the morning."

And with that, the fateful day of the first feast organized in the village and of the successfully repelled bandit raid was over.

*******

It was early morning now, and Kivamus had come down near the gates of the manor to see off the traveling merchant. Although there was no wind, the skies were completely cloudy, and it was nearly freezing. He tied his fur coat tighter around him, and warmed his hands above a brazier burning near the gate.

Earlier, the two guards who were on duty at the gates had thanked him for those braziers once again. In their opinion, the previous baron had never even thought of doing something like that for them, but Kivamus had assured them that there was more than enough coal for it. Tiranat was a coal mining village after all.

As he looked around him, a small caravan of four wagons was standing there, getting ready for its final departure from Tiranat before the winter. Pydaso was checking up on something in their leading wagon, while his own guard as well as two other guards that Hudan had provided him for the journey, were making sure that all the knots were tight and the wagon beds were fully covered with oilcloth for the journey. He had also provided two extra horses to the leaving caravan, so that the guards would be able to ride back on them. The three horses which they had gotten from the bandits had certainly made it much easier to do it, without slowing down the construction work here because of the absence of those horses.

Nearby, the guard captain was talking with those guards who were leaving with the merchant, while Duvas was managing the allotting of laborers to both the foremen - Yeden in the north, and Pinoto in the south. Gorsazo and Feroy were also standing next to him near the same brazier.

"As much as I like traveling, I'm glad that I don't have to leave for Cinran once again," Feroy commented while rubbing his hands together after warming them above the brazier. "It gets tiring, you know? Not to mention that it'd be so cold on the journey this time, since it had already started snowing there when we arrived."

Kivamus nodded. "At least there shouldn't be any serious danger of bandits on this journey. Only two of them have escaped from Nokozal's group, and it's unlikely that another big group is waiting for an ambush on the road to Cinran."

He added, "That reminds me, did you find out who was the other bandit who escaped?"

Feroy nodded. "Yeah, I asked the guards about that. Calubo told me that they hadn't found the body of a small guy he only knew as the runt. So he must be the one who survived along with Nokozal." He snorted, "Of course, there is also Sejkil - the bandit who surrendered yesterday - but he isn't going anywhere else for a while." He continued, "Also, Calubo wanted to talk with you about something yesterday. It seemed important to him."

"Alright. Where is he?" Kivamus asked.

"Must still be sleeping I think," Feroy answered. "The poor guy had barely eaten anything in the past few weeks, and he seemed as tired as a deer running away from an adzee all night. So after he had eaten yesterday's meal, I'd told the other guards not to wake him up for now, so he could get some rest in the servants' hall."

"That was a good idea," Kivamus said. "You can bring him to me whenever he is ready to talk."

Soon, Hudan and Pydaso came walking towards them.