Hynes Family/Alois/Downtime/RP9

The militiamen waved as the long procession passed, looking in awe at the sparkling armour and weapons of the Men-At-Arms as the firelight glinted upon their chainmail and speartips.

The militia was a pathetic sight; A motley, ragged, filthy bunch of peasants wearing boiled leather armour over died wool garb and an assortment of furs carrying rusted axes and shortswords, old crossbows with rotting wood stocks. Every now and then he would spot a man wearing a rusted halfhelm that still held a hint of it's silver luster underneath a layer of decay.

"Monsters will get them soon," Alois observed once they were well past, "Or brigands."

Pate, memories of the undead horde in Ejarr Puttle still fresh in his mind, shuddered. "God keep them."

"Aye."

They were nearing the border between Zawr and Clermont when they stopped for a rest. Alois wet his dry mouth with a splash from a wineskin and handed it to Pate, who guzzled three mouthfuls of the thick sweetness before handing it back.

The air had grown colder the farther south they moved, chilling Alois to his core.

"We'll be back in Semall soon. About two days, maybe a bit longer."

Pate nodded as he went to work, unsaddling the horses and rubbing them down. "It will feel nice to sleep in a bed," he said, pulling a sack full of oats from his saddlebags and tying it around Traveller's nose to let him eat.

Alois grinned. "You're getting soft," he said, "I figured campaign would man you up a bit."

Pate looked up from grooming his gelding and frowned, looking truly hurt. A wave of regret shot through Alois as the Squire looked at him.

"It was a jest, boy," he said, his tone soft and soothing, "Simply a jest. You did fine."

Pate nodded, silently and a little solemnly, and returned to grooming.

"When I broke a spear," Alois continued, "You were there with another quick as could be. You kept up and didn't slow me down hardly at all. You didn't turn from the fray and held your ground. Aye, a good squire," Pate looked up, grinning at Alois from across the Gelding's rump, "and you'll make a good Knight, one day."

Pate nodded, still grinning, "Thank you, Ser."

"Now," Alois said, pulling the saddle from the ground and laying it across Traveller's back, "Get to work. The horses won't water themselves."