Yes, it's a good one. If that army was anywhere close, you'd have seen their campfires last night. They're most likely days away from this river. You'll take this opportunity to gain some extra payment. After depriving your men of a proper sack, it is only your right! You'll send one of your own to deal with the Mirevalian mercenaries later - no point in giving time to the commoners escape.

"Cavaliers!" you exclaim, your men looking at you expectantly. "Cross the bridge, we shall be taking that village..but no burning! The first one to set a house alight, I'll toss him in it myself! Take only what you can hide and be quick about it! Not a word of this to the rest of the camp!"

You are met with cheers and ayes as your troop begins to gallop forth towards the bridge...

==== ALESSANDRO GALLIOTA =====

You are yet again Alessandro Galliota, and you have now at last arrived to your destination. It had been a few hours more of tirelessly marching through the afternoon heat, but you have finally arrived, and to your good fortune, you spot not a single sign of the foe. You have arrived early enough to take positions, rest for the night, and hopefully, fortify this into a position you are able to hold.

Through the orange-tinted light of the sun, you begin taking inventory of the field around you which you could soon find to be your last stand. There are a few pockets of heavy forest, though none of them so close to the river they might serve as cover for the enemy (though the one on the south is close enough that perhaps you could use it). The river itself lays beyond a downwards slope, and from the long stripes of mud on the side, you can tell it was flooded until not much long ago.

What grabs your attention most, however is a road- another road, heading southwards. You suppose it reasonable for a smaller road to lead to a greater one such as this, and even more so when there be a bridge like this one. And yet...certainly, if there were a bridge further south, or even a shallow crossing, that would be enough to damn you. Your flank would be open entirely. However unlikely the chance, is it one you are willing to gamble?

Though you wish to say it is as easy as being safe, it is not so available an option. Your scouting parties have yet to return, after all, and by the time they do, it may be far too late and dark for such efforts to be made. You could send your Knights, perhaps, but even then...