After having a taste of some adventure in the previous summer, the winter seemed to drag on for the squires of Bastogne, who were eager to be out on more adventures. The short days and long winter nights slowly gave way to warmer weather, and the snow that covered the land thawed away.
This spring, Duke Thierry assembled his knights and men-at-arms in Burgundy for May Day. King Pepin was already on campaign in Aquitaine, leaving Prince Charlemagne and Prince Carloman with Duke Thierry.
The journey from Bastogne to Burgundy took about two weeks, which led to two distinct thoughts. Firstly, for the most part, the young squires had never been outside their home county. They had heard of far-off places like Rome and Constantinople, but had not traveled more than a city or two away for their whole lives. Burgundy was still Frankish territory loyal to King Pepin, and thus spoke the same language and had many of the same customs, leading some to wonder just how wide-spread the kingdom was. This feeling was not unique to the young squires, as even some more experienced knights were filled with the same level of wonder.
Secondly, being amidst an army on the march was quite a departure from the lavish feast of last spring. Some of the young squires embraced the hardiness of sleeping on hard cots instead of soft mattresses, eating hardtack
1 instead of freshly cooked meals, and always marching. In addition to the rigors of life on campaign, it also gave them ample opportunity to observe and participate in the day-to-day operation of the army: feeding the men and horses, planning travel routes and supply lines, repairing and replacing worn down or broken armor and equipment, establishing campsites and fortifications, and a dozen other tasks that are necessary for an army on the move.
However, despite these two differences, there was still no shortage of rumor and gossip. Pope Paul had died, and many of the devout were waiting to hear word from Rome as to whether the next pope had been chosen. There was also the matter of Ogier, a Danish prisoner. His father, the King of Denmark and nominally a vassal of King Pepin, had defied the king's messengers. This led to his son, Ogier, being taken as prisoner. Currently, Count Ganelon of Ponthieu was the appointed guardian of Ogier, though many people disagreed as to what his fate should be. Some believed that having Ogier as a prisoner ensured the king's good behavior, and while he may be rude to messengers he would not dare to rebel or make war against King Pepin. Others, including Count Ganelon himself, believed that Ogier should be made to suffer for his father's behavior.
1 This is flour, water and salt, dried to form biscuits or loaves. Somewhat like unleavened bread, it would not spoil for a long time and could be transported while in the field. This type of ration is very old and has many names, I am not sure if "hardtack" is what it would have been called at the time.
The army is assembling in Burgundy for campaign. Each squire has several options:,- Attempt to buy or outfit himself with additional weapons, armor or supplies
- Find exotic or unique goods to buy and sell (essentially function as a merchant)
- Talk or carouse with the lords during travel (it is easy enough to walk or ride near a lord for an hour or two and talk)
- Learn the ways of war and strategy from veterans
- Make devout prayers at small churches and shrines as they pass
Or any other thing you can think of while on the road.