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You've no time to waste! Your target growing ever closer, you send out orders for the cavalry to begin exploring northwards, following the roads that they may search for any bridges and burn them down. You'd certainly not wish to allow the enemy to be able to flank you when so much of your defense depends on the river. As you set off, however, you relay another word - that of a <span class="mu-i">forced march.</span> Your men shall continue onwards at double speed, skipping entirely the customary stops for matters such as lunch. You've no doubt there'll be grumbling, but they can rest when you arrive.
You continue onwards, trudging through the roads. The terrain, as you had suspected, is <span class="mu-i">almost unbearable.</span> The rain turns the dirt to mud, men avoiding puddles when they can and trudging through mud when they don't. Every now and then, a wagon gets stuck in a mound of the thing, and the men are forced to all but drag it out. Even now, the artillerymasters you had 'borrowed' from Octavi - two Mirevalian men, from the Mascaloman Guild, if you are correct - struggle to drag their saker wagons. You are <span class="mu-i">very certain your Culverin would not have managed to travel in these conditions.</span>
Soon enough, you come to another fork in the road - a far smaller one than the 'highway' that you had been travelling on since you left Montechia. You spare not another look, but wonder how your scouting parties are faring by now. Already, the sun has begun to take a yellow tint...
<span class="mu-s"><span class="mu-b">==== CAPITÁN GAUTIER =====</span></span>
You are <span class="mu-s">Gautier Dessany</span>, a proud freeman of Montcher. Through the winding roads of life that you have followed under the guidance of the Splendour, you have somehow found yourself the captain of a Mirevalian regiment. You had been called by one of your old friends (and another Montcherian) Hugues to what you had been promised a good job under a wealthy liege - and all you have done so far is gallop through mud and pillage fruit farmers.
Hopefully this upcoming battle shall bring you some excitement.
You had been ordered by your colonel to lead your troop toward the river to find any bridge, and if so, burn it down. You are currently being accompanied by an unit of lancers, some <span class="mu-i">Jinete</span> mercenaries led by one <span class="mu-i">Capitán Hernando.</span> You had not expected much trouble - certainly, you'd have seen some campfires in the distance the last night if there was an army close. You had expected to find some old wooden bridge, bring it down, and returned to the regiment.
Having finally found it, however, you are interested.
The bridge is slightly less shoddy than you had expected. Your troop could probably pass this without trouble. Across the river, however, was a <span class="mu-i">village.</span> You had travelled along the leftmost side of the Carsa River in your foraging missions in the past few months, but never here, and never on the other side. A village such as this might have had some of its commoners still around - and their valuables with them.
