The fifteen-man team quickly made their way along the bank of the small meltwater supplied pond that normally helped hid the entrance to the tunnel which was until recently covered by thick vegetation. The bandits had made a poor job of hiding the entrance after having to cut the vegetation back to gain access to it and it was because of this that its location had been discovered by Raja Avanti. Nara Bajbu one of those who had previously scouted the camp was the first to enter the tunnel and Evarist Barly the last.
Once everyone was inside Amondo had everyone quickly move away from in front of the tunnel exit and sent Raja for one last scout of the bandit camp. He returned a few minutes later and informed him that the remaining bandits were currently having their breakfast and that from the looks of it they would soon be finished. Evarist stayed behind to guard the exit while Nara led us over to the cooking area.
On the way, Jensen Fateh literally ran into one of the bandits but luckily Recep Schar the person nearest to him at the time was able to subdue the bandit before he was able to raise an alarm. Jensen had been dazed in the collision with the bandit and so he stayed behind to guard the now tied up prisoner while the rest of us continued on our way.
When we got in sight of the cooking area it was clear that other than the one whom we had already dealt with the remaining seven bandits were still about. Not wanting to waste any time we quickly got into position to take them down and then the eight archers in our party divided the targets amongst themselves, the most fearsome-looking of the remaining bandits being given the dubious honour of being targeted by a pair of them. They then got out their bows and waited for the signal to fire, it was not long in coming. Once it was given, they released their arrows upon the unsuspecting bandits, doing their best to take them down in a single shot.
The bandit struck by two arrows died immediately as did the elderly one and the older of the two women wouldn't live to see another dawn. It was up to the gods whether or not the one with the limb lived long enough to be hung but the others certainly would.
"Niko, Chagat, Josiah, Albion secure the prisoners and if one of you even so much as glances lustfully at the female bandits there'll literally be hell to pay, is that understood?"
"Yes, Milord."
"Gunji go back and have Evarist inform Erdal that the camp is secure, Vete organises everyone else to search the camp just to be on the safe side, leave the campaign tent till last, I'll want in on that myself."
By the time they got around to the campaign tent Erdal and several others had turned up to see the former bandit camp for themselves. Up until that point, the search of the camp hadn't uncovered anything of any real value and Amondo was hoping that the campaign tent might contain the bandit's ill-gotten gains, perhaps in a conveniently placed chest or a hidden location that would be easily found.
This of course might not amount to much since though the bandits would have been paid by agents of Eugene in the guise of agents of Nazma, bandits like any force of armed men need to be well supplied and unless stolen these needed to be paid for. Still, it was entirely possible that enough funds might be found to at least pay for the fielding the baronies troops in suppressing the bandits. Any extra would of course be much appreciated both by him and his men since they would receive a portion of it, not that large of a one but still very much welcomed.
The wealth found on the bandits killed or captured earlier in the day hadn't amounted to all that much, the bandit leader had been wearing a chain around his neck with five gold coins attached but the others combined hadn't even half that amount. Other than that of their leader the weaponry they had though not of that high a quality would be a good addition to the baronies armoury and be much appreciated by the levy the next time they were called up.
"Well Erdal how are the prisoners, are they behaving themselves?"
"Well the dead and the dying certainly are but as for the living well we've already had two escape attempts but they were dealt with in the prescribed manner and no one was harmed so hopefully they will have learnt their lesson, I certainly would have but then I do have a low pain threshold."
"Any luck finding out where they've stashed their horses?"
"We didn't even have to torture it out of anyone, apparently three other bandits have taken over an isolated farm on the other side of the border."
"Once we've had a look inside this tent you can recall the perimeter watch and send word to Kincarn about that farm if you haven't done so already that is. Do you want the honour of first look at the inside of this tent or shall it fall to me?"
"Best to let one of the men in first I'm sure it's not booby-trapped but best to be on the safe side."
"Too true, Evarist come over here and search this tent and please be careful you might be a waste of space but your my waste of space and long may you continue to be so."
Evarist pulled aside the tent flap before entering it, returning a minute or so later.
"Sire the tent is secure you may enter whenever you are ready but if I was you I wouldn't be in a hurry to enter the other one
"Good work for once and what do you mean by that last remark."
"You'll see milord."
Intrigued I quickly entered it myself to find a smaller one-man tent inside with a bedroll to the left and a small table with a few simple chairs on the right. I had a look behind the other tent, discovering a small, locked chest and a small collection of daggers and other things inside an unlocked slightly bigger one before looking inside the inner tent to discover a gaping hole in the ground about a yard in diameter.