The battle had finally ended and the knights were pulling the prisoners they had captured via a rope. Emery watched as more slumped prisoners walking behind the knights exited from inside the fort. In fact, some of them didn't look to be marauders, just peasants based on their linen garments, but Emery guessed this was how the world functioned, you'd have to stand by your decision and these people, had been unfortunately driven to desperation and became criminals in the eyes of justice.
He then took a walk beside the well and breathed out again, feeling a bit calmer this time while looking at Morgana standing beside him. He smiled at her, thankful for what she did before.
In front of them were Sir Bagdemagus listening to Sir Keane who was giving a battle report. Emery heard that among the enemy's forces of two hundred fighters, forty had died in the battle, twenty had been heavily injured, around sixty were captured and the rest managed to run away.
Sir Keane also mentioned that there were only six knights wounded but nothing severe. Emery was quite surprised to hear that considering these knights took most of the brunt of the initial skirmish and led the charge. Maybe it was due to being better equipped and having more experience in battle that they had suffered less because on the side of the Venta Mercenaries and Quintin's Family Guards, Kastan reported to the old knight they had three dozen people heavily injured, fortunately, no casualties too.
Several people then pulled up empty carts on the courtyard; those heavily injured were laid down on the carts and Kastan mentioned he'd leave at once for Venta to have his men healed immediately.
Among the wounded people on the carts, a bloodied large man stuck out like a sore thumb. Emery made his way toward it and said, "Gregory, you're one tough guy, aren't you? Hang in there buddy!"
The normally cheerful giant wasn't in the mood for jokes, however. "Not sure it was fortunate or unfortunate to go battle with you master Merlin." The big man turned around, groaning, facing away from Emery. Emery opened his bag and handed out a container that had the green healing paste in it to the man taking care of the wounded. He then walked away toward another cart where there were more injured people and gave another healing paste. The healing paste he created should be useful to heal all open wounds because of battle, unfortunately he doesn't have too many of them.
A moment later, Kastan approached Emery. "Master Merlin, will you not join us in the return to Venta?"
Emery shook his head.
"I still have something to do at the moment. After that I plan to travel for a while," answered Emery, glancing at Padraig.
"Travel? I see. Have a good journey then," said Kastan.
"Please relay to Luna my heartfelt gratitude," said Emery, putting out his hand for a shake.
Kastan shook his hand and said before bowing, "I understand, Master Merlin. Please, take care."
Morgana butt in and said, "Tlabel? You flan to tlabel?"
"Wait, did you understand what I just said to Kastan and you're speaking our language? Wow, you're learning fast!" exclaimed Emery in her language.
"Just you know, I'll follow you where you're going, it's the will of the High Priestess," answered Morgana, using her language now. She turned away from him again.
Emery could only laugh inwardly. There was no way she could join him in the Magus Academy and he still wasn't sure how he could convince her to go back to Felaenon because the thought of him disappearing abruptly made him feel terrible. Again, nothing came into his mind, maybe he'd thought of something later, so for now, Emery approached Sir Bagdemagus, who was giving out orders to the rest of the knights, to see if he could have a moment to talk with Padraig.
Sir Bagdemagus shook his head. "The guy's still unconscious because he lost a lot of blood. You want to ask him about the attack on your father's estate, don't you?"
"Yes," Emery said.
"Just as I've thought. What do you plan to do with the information?" asked the old knight, crossing his arms.
"I need to see to it until the end. I won't let my father and the others sleep in their graves until proper justice has been dealt," said Emery with his tone rising at the end, trying his best to hold back the surging anger again.
"I see. Emery…" emphasized the old knight to his name before saying, "will you listen to the advice of an old man?"
"Of course." Emery nodded.
"Leave this thing to be dealt by the laws of the kingdom. I'll personally see to it. I'll find out who's Padraig's backer and once I know who it is, I'll tell you about it. What do you think?" said Sir Bagdemagus in a stern voice.
Emery was conflicted about this. On top of only having one day left, he didn't want to wait another three months for news of who was behind Padraig.
"Will you think of it as a request from me, Emery?" said the old knight, breaking Emery's thoughts. Not sure how to reject his late father's mentor, Emery hesitatingly lowered his head in agreement. He still needed to find a way to get away from Morgana anyway.
The old knight then smiled and called for one of his knights to bring his horse. He mounted it and said to Emery, "You better join this year's Knights of the Divine Order initial trial, Emery. I promise that I'll endorse you under my name so you can participate. With your talent and honorable demeanor, I'm sure you'll be a great addition to the order. Also, I'm confident you'll not be less talented than the famous Logress Prince."
Once again, Emery kneeled on one knee to the old knight in appreciation. Having a knight's title had always been one of his dreams, so Emery made it a goal to join the order once he returned from the Magus Academy.
The old knight led the way followed by the silver knights; at the back where the prisoners tied to a rope, which some of the knights held. As for the unconscious Padraig, he was tied on the back of another horse which Keane guarded.
He and Morgana then hopped on to their horses to follow, but then from the back, Emery noticed the knights' group splitted into two. One group with all the prisoners in tow and another group seemed to follow the Knight of Anvil.
Emery decided to follow the group with prisoners while thinking of a way to get rid of Morgana before his recall when he realized Keane wasn't in sight and so was Padraig, the chief marauder.
Making his way to the front, he asked the leading knight regarding why had the group divided into two. The knight was happy to oblige Emery and mentioned the Knight of Anvil had decided to take Padraig to a different place. This, however, raised a question on Emery's mind.
He then decided to double back with Morgana and follow the tracks of the other group when they had split. It took them a while to pursue the tracks but when the nightfall had, the tracks led them toward an abandoned house sitting in the middle of nowhere. When Emery rode closer, he noticed the knights had set up camp outside of the building.
Emery was about to approach when suddenly something in his heart told him otherwise.
He pulled back the horse, got down and said to his companion, "Morgana, I need you to wait here with the horses, I need to check something out. It won't be long. Guard the horses for now, okay?"
Surprisingly, Morgana agreed easily this time.
With that out of mind, Emery cautiously moved toward the camp while carefully avoiding the broken branches on the ground. The shadow of the night helped make his way through and if ever someone managed to detect him, he planned to use the spell blacksmoke spell if needed.
Fortunately, there weren't that many knights, so Emery managed to arrive one the side of the abandoned house undetected. He pressed his ears against the wooden walls and heard the muffled voice of Sir Bagdemagus.
Following it, he was led to the backside of the house where there was a small window peeping to the inside. He peeked on it to see the old knight talking to the captured Padraig.
To his surprise, however, the marauder chief wasn't tied to a rope nor chained. Instead, he was sitting on a chair, facing a table that had small candles lighting up the dark room together with the old knight sitting in front of him.