The leader of the bandits sat on top of his horse with a smug grin plastered across his scarred face, tapping his fingers lazily on the hilt of his sword.
The past week had been painfully dry, nothing but scraps, frightened peasants with nothing worth stealing, and the occasional wandering trader who barely had two coins to rub together.
But today...oh, today was different.
Before him sat a proper merchant carriage, sturdy, well-built, with heavy wheels and reinforced corners. The kind that screamed treasure inside. Even better, it was guarded by more men than usual, which meant whatever was in there was valuable enough to protect.
That only made him more eager to get his hands on it. Of course, better guards also meant more risk, so he'd been patient, waiting for the rest of his crew to arrive before making his move.
And now they had.
A horrifying smile spread across his face as he glanced at the caravan's guards, who stood tense and ready, eyes locked on him and his men.
