"It's simple enough, Jaren." Aris stared up at the older man, eyes fixed and unwavering. "We can stay here, scratching a living in this forest whilst everyone else carves slices off the kingdom for themselves, or we can go back and fight. Maybe get a tasty bit for ourselves."
"Oh yeah, you impudent little shit. Fight with what. All you got here is a few score farmers armed with sticks. First army you come across will chew you up and spit you out." Specks of spittle hit Aris in the face under the onslaught. He blinked, and slowly wiped it off, making a point of flicking it away.
"You forget our secret weapon, old man. Your breath."
Jaren stood frozen for a moment and suddenly burst our laughing, clasping Aris on the shoulder. "Took yer a score of years, but you finally found yer balls 'eh. Alright, alright. I suppose you have some grand plan then?"
Aris smiled inwardly. The decision was made, it was just about the details now.
"As you well know, we are more than just farmers with sticks. Last count had us at just shy of 120 men, over three score with army experience. Add to that a score of hunters mean with a bow and we aren't just a flea to be flicked away. If we're smart, there's opportunities. Did you speak to Whiston about stores?"
"Food supplies are solid. These trees have fed us well. We got more bows than we have archers to fire them. What we're strugglin' with is arms and armour. For some of the lads, a stick isn't far from what they have."
"Don't underestimate a good quarterstaff, but agreed it is a problem." Aris put a hand to his chin, thinking. "Castle Winebrook is only three days away."
"Old Lord Kefnir's place?"
"That's the one. His armoury will be well stocked, if he could just be... ...persuaded to part with it."
Jaren grinned. "I can be mighty persuadin' when I wants to be."
"It'd be risky though. Decrepit as the place is, it's still a castle. Won't just be a stroll inside. There's some sense in just heading south. Heard rumours The Fireguard are roaming about there. If we join up with them they'd need to arm us, and a wage wouldn't hurt."
Jared spat on the ground. "Merc's. Pah, I don't want to be takin' no orders from some jumped up merc Captain."
"Wouldn't need to be for long and would see us right for a bit. But yeah, not too keen on it myself. We could always do some mercinary work ourselves. I could be your jumped up merc Captain. Head up to the coast, find some work around the docks of Stalhaven."
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