“When you leave for the battlefield once more,

Bid your farewells to those you love and care.

For while you’ve lived and survived heretofore,

Should you fall, the pain would be theirs to bear.” - Old poem commonly sung by Mercenaries prior to leaving for a battle.

“Be good and take care of your sister until we’re back, all right?” said Reinhardt to the two girls who looked at him with unwilling eyes. This time, the expedition was estimated to take a couple of months at the fastest, so most of the mercenaries said their farewells to their families - at least those who does not serve the company in a supporting capacity as well -, who would be staying in Dvergarder, where they were safe, for the time being.

Naturally, Erycea and Alycea would be left with the others as well, as they were far too young to be brought along. Accidents like what happened in the Holy Kingdom were few and far between, and Reinhardt felt it safer for his children to be protected in the fort city with thirty thousand defenders than have them come along to Jonkver with the Company’s support staff.

“When can we help as well, father?” asked his nine-year old daughter with a disappointed face. Erycea had grown fast as was common for children of therian heritage, and was already as tall as Elfriede’s chest despite her young age, built lithe and strong as well. On the other hand, his adopted daughter Alycea was still rather small even for being nearly six years of age, though given the group the girls hung out with, had been an active child as well.

“When you’re older and your mother deems you ready, okay?” replied Reinhardt as he bent down and pulled his daughters to a warm embrace, which they returned in kind after a moment. Shortly after they began training Erycea, they quickly realized that the girl leaned far more towards Elfriede’s style of fighting, which relied on speed and technique rather than brute force, and more of her training was placed under her since. Reinhardt himself sparred with his little girl from time to time, only to find that she had improved her skills at a ferocious pace.

He thought it would be a while still. Elfriede was as strict a teacher as they come, and she was unwilling to allow Erycea to take the field herself until the girl could land a hit on her while she was fighting properly, which considering that she only used one hand to handle her so far, would still be a while.

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Perhaps part of the reason the girl asked again - it was not the first time she had asked, nor would it be the last time, Reinhardt suspected - was that one of the children who usually hung out with her as a group would be joining them on this mission as a member of the company.

Ayrie was the eldest of the children who hung around Erycea most of the time, being fourteen years of age, and had honed her skills in scouting and tracking under Dacia’s - One of the several veterans of the Company who stood down from a combat position but took up the work of teaching the young instead - guidance, and had been inducted into the ranks of the Company’s scouts just a couple days before the meeting with the Duke.

“Train harder until you can fight me on even ground, then,” said Elfriede as she walked by without a sound - an old habit she never got rid of - and ruffled Erycea’s hair all of a sudden. “When you get skilled enough to make me acknowledge you, we won’t prevent you from coming with us anymore.”

“En,” said Erycea as she nodded. Elfriede gave both girls a tender hug as well, before she bid them to be good and to stay safe during their absence. Alycea also gave Elfriede a kiss on the cheek before she rose up, which Elfriede returned by ruffling the younger girl’s hair as well. After having raised her for five years, both Reinhardt and Elfriede truly considered the girl as one of their own as well, despite her being adopted.

As they walked away from the children, they met a few others who had just been bidding their own farewells to their own children. Mischka was there along with her children, as were several others from her unit. Also present were some of Elfriedes old friends, Karenina and Zyd, as well as Cassie and Arne, who likely just bid their goodbyes to their children. Alva was there as well, accompanying his sister Kari.

They exchanged nods with one another as they walked together to where the rest of the company had gathered. It was still another half hour before the relief force was meant to depart, but it was better to be early rather than late. The rest of the Free Lances had already prepared for departure, both the mercenaries or their support staff, with only the dependents staying in Dvergarder.

The many wagons of their caravan were loaded, while the mercenaries themselves already gathered in neat formations. A bit further in the distance they could also see the other mercenary companies as they too prepared for departure, or in the Hellraisers’ case, already prepared and just waiting for the Duke’s forces to come and lead the way.

“This will be our first major battle since Theodinaz, isn’t it?” Elfriede asked suddenly while she and Reinhardt walked towards the front of the formation.

“It is. We’ll have to use this chance to show that we're back in proper business, after keeping a low profile for so long,” replied Reinhardt with a nod. The Free Lances had avoided larger battles over the past years as they rebuilt, but now, he felt that they might be ready to take the field once more. “I just hope we’ll manage to do well enough.”

“Just do your best, dear,” said Elfriede as she rubbed his back reassuringly. “And remember that we’re all with you on this.”