[Ironhawk]

Merry Jolkar said:
If I bid high for a mercenary, but lose the province where the mercenary was supposed to show up, I do not get the mercenary. However, does the next highest bidder then get them, or do they just return to the merc pool?

Whoever controls the province will get the mercs, I believe. Don't hire mercs in border provinces if you can avoid it.