"Oh, can we give them our supplies? I am not giving up Clover. And I don't see any goats to steal to gift them except theirs. It does not seem wise to make an offer we likely can not keep until after we next see them. Definitely not helpful in the way you seem to want. But if we did have something to spare, sure, it would be a kindness."
"You think I don't know that?" Thadeus speaks gently, not reprovingly, "I just arrived, so I don't know what we could spare for them. It may be nothing, at this time. Perhaps later, when thing are better." He sighs.
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"I am unsure what you know but you asked if I thought the offer right now was wise and I gave you my reasoning, despite my Christian desire to help these people."
Thadeus just nods.
He looks at Benvy once he has asked his questions, making no mention of possible help at a later time for the village.
She looks unhappy. «It has been a long time. Probably, but I cannot remember who. Lennox, I guess; he always wanted to hang around the wizards. I know he survived, but I am not sure where he went.»
"Who also was at the funeral?, asks Thadeus gently, "They might remember something."
If they cannot derdge up more information after about an hour of inquiring, Thadeus will suggest to the other magi that they move on to Dunwald.
«Everybody was there, of course. Everybody had lost someone,» she says. Except for the few who stayed, she has a sister, Blinne, in a village about half-way to Dunwald. The rest she does not know where they went. There isn't more to tell; the wizards kept their secrets.
Thadeus thanks Benvy for her time and answers, he wishes her well. Then he rejoins the other magi with the additional tidbits of information.
Hamish remains outside the village, watching over pack animals and anything or anyone not taken into the village. The big red-head often seems to be looking off toward in the direction of Wicker Hill.
Nauvi is keen to hear everything that Thadeus has found out.
"I would offer the locals help, but you can't eat silver, and the markets on the way have been very short of food for sale. I feel our colleagues searching for a covenant site will need to consider how to keep us fed, as every kingdom on this island is suffering." He looks over in the direction of the hill.
"What's attracting Hamish's attention? Is there anything up that hill, or are we heading to Dunwald?"
Once the investigation is done in the village, and the group is a safe distance away, Cath'rinne comes back down to get the information they collected.
"I suggest we're careful with telling mundanes wizards are among us. Seems like the Diedne have the upper hand in this area so far, and them having spies among the mundanes means we need to be careful. Let's move on. And I concur with the idea that we can't spare too much funds except if we recruit covenfolk, which I think is unwise until we settle down unless we find a great talent."
Hamish, as usual, stands behind and to the right of Cath'rinne, though his eyes always seem to be attentive among the magi in particular. He is tense, on edge, alert.
"Mistress Cath'rinne is right. You must be cautious here. Even more as we go deeper into these lands." The big soldier's eyes narrow, thoughtful before he continues.
"Any of you ever been up against a cornered badger? One you cut right good and now have up against a wall? Its young trembling behind it? Cause that's the sardin' situation the Order's got up her with them Diedne. Folks might think the war is over, on its last breath, but be warned. That badger will tear you open if you let down your guard."
The soldier looks at Cath'rinne and then back at the others.
"She's right about the people and their loyalties up here. Most of 'em don't care about the Order and its business. They just worry about food with winter on its way. But it only takes one or two who watch and whisper for the Diedne. Wicker Hill had its grip on things in these parts. That badger's got razors for teeth and its claws were in people in these parts."
It seems that the magi try to avoid the town, and would rather head North without crossing the river in town. You know that you have to cross it before Dunwald, but you find several fords, mostly close to, but not exactly within, smaller villages. Benvy's sister is not as keen a storyteller as she was, and she has nothing to add.
The following day you arrive at Dunwald. There has probably been 20-odd cottages plus outbuildings, but it now all lies in ruins. In the middle of it all, stands a big cross and what looks like an altar. It looks completely out of place. It even looks as if somebody has made an effort to clean off the dust. On the outskirts, you can see two cottages standing. It looks like they have been repaired after the sack. A couple of goats are grazing nearby. The crop fields are tiny but ripe for harvest.
In the hillside, past the cropland, you can see a graveyard, with dozens of graves perfectly lines up,. Most of them seem to have identical wooden crosses, but one has a huge stone cross, about as tall as Jack.
Ealhstan looks to Thadeus, "Coming with?" Then nods his head towards the repaired cottages at the edge of town.
"Certainly, my friend, lead the way. We should start by speaking to those daring enough to come back to the village, bearing in mind that they could be Diedne sympathizers." Thadeus' face gardens at that, but he takes a deep breath before continuing. "They may not know about that and just be trying to survive. But we should be careful about revealing ourselves as magi."
As usual, Thadeus will check the area for magical influences.
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Ealhstan stops a moment, taken aback, "Of course I could not reveal that. It is not true of me." then continues towards the cottages and quietly says, "but perhaps you meant that I am with magi of the Order." When they arrive at the cottages, "Halloo! Is anyone here?"
"Yes. That." Thadeus nods with a smile. "No offense meant."
Thadeus, looking at the village from afar, can recognise the work of destructive magic in the ruins, mostly beyond Bonisagus' theory. Much of the croplands and pasture are also ruined too, and may take years to recover. The residues are old, and thus the details are blurred.
When you start shouting, two men appear from between barley in the fields, looking at you. Heaving a bundle of grain on their back, they start walking towards you. They address you according to your appearance. Are you still poshly posed on horseback? Dressed like the gentry or like the townsfolk?
They appear more curious than scared, and rather relaxed, as relaxed as one can be after a long day working in the fields.
Janus looks like a soldier, in chainmail, on foot but without weapons beyond a dagger.