Meeting bandits was something Theokritos had known would inevitably come about in his line of work; it was the most common form of anti-imperial lawlessness in the frontiers, after all. All the other kinds were far more deadly or intense in scale, but it also drew the attention of the legions.
Bandits, however, were nothing but a drop in the bucket that could be ignored by the greater armed forces of the Empire.
His travelling had let him see how bad things could get from their touch. Ransacked villages were only the aftermath: rape, theft, murder, and assaults were all commonplace in lands that fell under a bandit's territory. Burolo had just finished most of its recovery and was relatively weak, so their lands were low-hanging fruit for scavengers and immoralists like bandits.
The trio of knights marching with them had been quick and short with introductions following the meet-up: Egon walked at the center with Theben trailing at his flank, escorted by his imperial squires Letizia and Heiner. Although they were squires, both of them wore the status of an Imperial Knight: it was a display of their skill and Egon's that they achieved such a status yet still weren't done with their training.
Letizia walked with Diaras on the leftmost flank, hardly speaking at all since the crunch of undergrowth masked her voice considerably. She had been the soft-spoken one that looked down on him, hailing most likely from the Gold States. The golden feathers clasped to the side of her helm were their signature, but his life in the frontier had left Diaras with hardly any knowledge more than a name and their signature colors.
The one walking ahead of him on the right flank was Heiner: the largest of the knights to such a degree he paralleled Diaras. Unlike Diaras, however, his tongue was trained to keep quiet. He was an Empire Heartlander like Egon supposedly, yet his lack of flair in attire likely meant he came from a different world as a lowborn rather than a noble. It showed that his armor was rigorously kept by a second-hand touch; dents in the plate were minimal, but the pattern of its shine were done by unskilled hands. People who couldn't afford the work of a true smith learned their own methods to maintain gear, after all, and Theokritos had similar signs of wear and maintenance in his own gear.
It was comforting to know that the one with him had a similar way of life earlier on, even if the status of their positions now were vastly different in scale.
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"We should almost be where the caravan was hit," Egon calls to the group, swinging a smaller secondary sword to hack at a particularly dense piece of brush. Each of the knights carries two swords, but all three had the smaller cleavers known as Frontier Hackers for travelling through woods like this. "Try not to get distracted. Heiner will look for their tracks whilst the rest of us investigate the site for any survivors of either the caravan or bandits."
Theokritos glances at Heiner, considering for a moment whether or not to ask just how skilled he is. The only reason he doesn't is he's certain it won't get an actual answer. Instead, he trudges closer to the middle of the formation and looks to Theben.
"Survivors? Would the bandits have left any or remained behind, even if they were successful?"
The veteran guardsmen turns to look his way but keeps walking so as to not slow the group down. "It is very likely. Take note, Sergeant Theo: bandits aren't similar to you and I. They are people who take and harm others for satisfaction and benefits; leaving behind a wounded ally means a bigger share of profit and less resources to worry about. They would only kidnap or save those they can keep alive with little to no issue. Anyone else would be dead weight and left behind."
After finishing, Theben waves him back to the flanks. Theokritos makes his way back to Heiner with a sigh.
It isn't that he doesn't believe Theben... but that such actions wouldn't garner favors with many — if any — of the Empire's gods. His faith to Merius had changed him, so perhaps it also jaded his perception on whether or not others truly cared about what the gods thought. Most people wouldn't interact with gods outside of the clergy or the blessed anyway, so maybe offending them had little meaning to their foes.
The thick brush gives way at last and the knights stow their blades, all six of them easily seeing through the trees into a much thinner part of the woods. Stumps litter the cleared section and more trees remain marked with lumber banners to signify which will be chopped in the future. Further ahead was the road... and on it is a scene too familiar to Theokritos even after all these years.
"Spread out," Egon calls. All of the knights pull their main blades at once whilst the militiamen drew their own weapons a moment later. "Don't wander out of eyeshot of the group."
All six of them pass out of the treeline and into the road... directly into the midst of the sacked caravan remnants. A turned-over and broken box wagon was left behind with two dozens of corpses. Some of the bodies were burnt but the others were left bloodied or in pieces.
Theokritos hasn't seen anything like this since finding Burolo in the state it was in, but perhaps it helped deaden him to this sort of sight. He walks over the bodies and to the turned over wagon. Box wagons like this weren't great for storing much; they could secure goods inside them, but mostly had goods stacked onto and tied to them. The doors were still fixed with their lock, blood staining the metal and wood around it as if someone had been trying to open it.
"The wagon is still intact," he calls, watching Egon approach from the corner of his eye before turning to face the knight. "I doubt we can open it if the bandits couldn't. The caravan master will have to do so later-"
The imperial knight cracks the lock with a powerful pommel strike from his main sword and then fits his hacker into the extended ring. He twists the weapon and the thick steel of his blade wins out; the lock's body falls to the ground, Egon returning the hacker to his waist and gesturing to the ring-barred door.
"Remove it, Aggerosk. And do so slowly: we don't know what or who could be inside."
Between the difference in their gear, Theo hadn't even considered something like that possible. It took strength, obviously, but the density and quality of iron from the Heartlands vastly outperformed the bronze and iron in the frontier. It's the first time he's genuinely jealous that he didn't have such a useful tool in his arsenal. But, for now, the guardsman puts it aside; he nods in response to Egon's orders and sets his spear against the wagon, removing the ring and grabbing the hatched doors.
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As it opens, however, they are interrupted. Heiner's voice barks across to them from the treeline opposite of where they arrived.
"I've found the trail of the bandits; the only signs not taking the path of the caravan and heading away seem to be these, Sir Egon."
Egon chuckles, turning the visible smirk his way. "We're in luck. Come on, then."
Theokritos doesn't let go of the door handles. "But the wagon-"
"We can worry about it later, can't we?" He reaches out, clasping and lightly shaking him by the shoulder. "Make your ancestor proud and focus on the mission, boy."
As Egon moves away, Theokritos turns his gaze back to the wagon. It was true that they had come to deal with bandits... but isn't it odd that they broke the lock and are so quickly trying to leave? What if there was a bandit inside the wagon who got locked in by his comrades and told to wait? Everyone moves and starts to leave, but he doesn't release the door handles. Perhaps it wasn't what Merius would have wanted, but Theo wasn't going to ignore the wagon.
With the others moving into the treeline, he opens the hatches of the box wagon. Inside is something he never expected to see.
"Captain!"
Theben turns first before the others follow suite, only the older militia leader running over to the wagon. He clears the side of the toppled cart, Theokritos kneeling in front of him with a young woman in his arms. Diaras is the next to arrive in a jog whilst the knights arrive a moment later, each of them all having different reactions. Theben joins Theokritos at his side whilst Diaras reaches for his plugged canteen. He drops to one knee, uncorking it and mumbling beneath his breath.
"By Lores... they aren't bandits."
Diaras puts the bottle to the girl's lips, letting her drink whilst he turns to look back at the disdainful scowl of Egon. "You knew about it, right? That we aren't after bandits?"
Theben shoots a look at Diaras, but soon joins him in looking at his old friend. The girl in Theokritos' arms was malnourished to the point that the rags covering her clung to her ribs. It was impossible to know how long she was trapped inside the wagon, but it was the sign of someone who'd been intentionally starved for a long time. Theokritos ensured she could drink but kept her wrapped in his arms, feeling Merius' energy fill his rune. After all, it was one of his favored races in his arms: the woman was an elf, clasped in a steel collar of the Empire's slave trade.
"We're after elves trying to rescue their own," he whispers, wishing he had something to drape over her to warm her up. "This isn't how we treat slaves. We need to treat her wounds and-"
Egon grabs his sword's hilt and draws the weapon. Letizia follows suite, but Heiner simply grabs the pommel.
"I told you not to look inside it. This only complicates our job. We are here to dispatch bandits, not rescue anyone."
Theben stands up, the old men exchanging a moment of staring before he approaches the imperial knight. "Gazzur, we won't abandon the duty asked of us. But this elf is imperial property, isn't she?"
Diaras looks at Theben in confusion, then corks his canteen and stands up to approach the duo.
"Sir, you can't be serious! It's obvious that the caravan was either smuggling slaves or slavers! We need to-"
Theben turns his gaze to Diaras and for the first time since their training yells. "Silence! Who is your leader!?"
"You," he replies, baffled at the sudden raising of volume. "But even you know-"
"Then obey my orders and remain silent!"
Egon relaxes at the exchange even before Diaras shifts into compliance; the young man salutes Theben but maintains his look of disgust. With him placated, Theben then turns his attention back to Egon.
"As imperial property, we are expected to ensure her return. Theokritos is also bound to Merius; if we left her here to die, his god would likely take retribution on him. As such, I am asking that you allow him to take her back to town. The five of us can still complete the mission and deal with the bandits; after all, it is the three of you who are intending to defeat their leader, correct?"
Theokritos looks up at Theben — shifting the girl fully into a princess-style carry — and rises to his feet. "Sir, not joining you could make things harder. I understand your concern for me, but Merius would understand me trying to protect my family. I need to-"
Theben's gaze turns to him but he doesn't yell. Instead, he merely sighs.
"First Diaras and now you? I trained you to be better than this... but the two of you seem determined to be insubordinate today."
The imperial knight's leader finally sheathes his sword. His open helm lets his fading disdain be well-noted by all there, even before he speaks with a bit more calm now.
"Theben understands that the practices of a God are not of the same importance as the god's favored. Merius chose you because of your virtues, but that elf was born in his gaze. While it is unfortunate to not see your abilities myself, it is vital now more than ever to concede that Theben is correct. You are dismissed from this mission. Return to Burolo with the elf and await our return."
Everyone looking at him makes Theokritos waiver; it was the first time Theo felt powerless since the Death Raven appeared in town. Everything in him made him want to see this through even with the revelation that these bandits were elves... but them being elves was precisely what now endangered him. Having no knowledge before the fight broke out would have guarded him from Merius' wrath, but the god couldn't avoid it if he actively knew and attacked elves. Even if they were still pushing to take him with them, he couldn't be involved in the actual fighting.
As of right now, his duty in this mission was over.
His eyes fell to the elf in his arms. Although elves were an enemy of the Empire, many had become subjugated and made parts of it through slavery. The frontier, in fact, was home to the most slaves for the sheer amount of labor they produced. With the caravan in shambles, it was likely this girl would be their only product... but she was too young and malnourished to ever be a good working slave.
"... I will return to Burolo, then." His words were quiet and submissive to the words of his superiors.
Egon nods and turns, motioning to the others to put their swords away. All of the knights begin moving along toward the trail in unison, whilst Theben spares only a moment's glance back at him. Diaras waits for them to move some distance away before he approaches and sets the now-plugged canteen in her lap.
"Take it easy on the way back. You might be in good shape but she may need a few moments to rest. Even if she's unconscious, moving around must undoubtedly take its toll on her."
It was the first time that Theo had seen his friend act this way with anyone besides their kids. Maybe it was from how young the elf looked, given she was about the size and maturity of a child just reaching their teen years.
He nods. "I know. Remember that you need to come back alive, though. Now that we know they are elves, you can't afford to let your guard down."
Diaras smirks, his familiar look all too quickly making Theo scowl. "Diaras, I'm serious."
"I know, buddy. And that's why I trust you no matter what. But even if they are elves, they won't be a match for an imperial knight. You just worry about getting home safe and making sure we got a nice warm meal waiting for us."
"Diaras! Come on!"
Theben's voice carries to the road even from how far into the treeline the group had advanced. The higher-ranking of the two takes a glance back at them before looking back to Theokritos. Both of them nod before he parts way, quickly jogging into the treeline and leaving Theokritos alone with their rescued elf.
It felt just like when they faced the Death Raven. Anything could happen in the woods... and if the five of them fell, it would be on him to protect Burolo until reinforcements came. Protecting this elf may have been a manner to help him avoid the stigma of Merius, but it also now meant that the leader of the Martell household would become the best warrior in the village. He takes a long, deep breath and finally sighs, looking down at the elf girl.
"Damn it."