‘Stow the gun, Jorgensson, there’s a lot more of them than there are of us,’ he said, eliciting an unintelligible mutter from Borik. ‘I just wanted to get a conversation going. Now,’ he barked, turning his attention back to the half-seen figures atop the battlements. ‘I’m sure you’ve got your orders, but a good man lost his life getting this warning for you so why don’t you be good lads and lasses, stop holding us up and let us in so we can talk to someone in charge? We just want to deliver this message then we’ll be on our way and you can go back to hiding behind your walls.’

This time Hendrick definitely caught Borik’s grumbling, something about getting paid for their troubles, not shot at.

‘The city is closed by order of the captain of the Draconium City Watch and the arch-lector of the militia-militant,’ came the reply from the walls. ‘If you’ve got a message to deliver, feel free to shout it up and I’ll be sure to see it goes as far as it needs.’

Hendrick was certain he knew how far that would be. He planted his feet, leant on the pommel of his hammer and squinted up through the rain at the battlements above.

‘We’re not bandits, we’re mercenaries, and I’m willing to bet we’ve seen more blood and strife in the last turning than you’ve seen in your entire career,’ he called. ‘So, when I say this message is important, and we suffered to get it here, I’m not wasting air. Now go and get one of your superiors so I can talk to someone with some sense.’

‘Step back from the gate and get gone, or the next shots won’t miss,’ came the reply, the voice from the wall clearly angry now.

‘For Sigmar’s sake, just listen, will you!’ shouted Hendrick, his temper flaring in turn. ‘We’re trying to help!’

‘Last warning,’ came the voice. Hendrick was half tempted to take another swing at the gate, just out of frustration, but he knew that giving the soldiers on the wall an excuse to shoot him was stupid. Instead, he turned on his heel without another word and stalked back to his comrades.

‘We’ll move back out of bow range and wait,’ he said.

‘You can’t be serious,’ said Bartiman. ‘We tried, Hendrick, but they don’t want to listen. This was sunk the moment we walked up and found the city’s gates shut and its guards ready to shoot anything that moves.’

‘But what’s got them so spooked in the first place?’ asked Romilla. ‘There must be a reason for the over-caution, the lockdown. I believe we’re doing Sigmar’s work here after all, Hendrick. I don’t think we should give up so easily.’