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Post by Ringulf on Jun 10, 2011 18:41:05 GMT -5
"Ahight! Why da hell did we come to dis freekin frozen turd of a castle anyway! I don't know why I let that big oaf convince me dat dis would be a good idea! we got snow and cold and well yeah its good grub and some interestin pickins at da tables but I promised Tim I wouldn't clip any of the guests so again I say...WHY DA HELL AM I HERE!"
Roath shivered even though he was wearing more clothing and of better quality than he ever had before. He could not stop the spontaneous spasms in his core and limbs and he could not even feel the fact that his reddened nose was dripping profusely.
"I have got to get over to that fireplace and warm up," he thought. "Now where is the big guy? I saw him talkin to those ladies over there a little while ago, nope not there now, wow I hope I am going to see him before morning! I gotta convince him that there is a really great fair coming up in...like the southernmost parts of Gualica and if we leave right now we might get there before somethin freezes an falls offa me!"
Just then he saw a big Ranger come quickly to the center of the room he spoke a few hurried word to a couple who was dancing and then turned and left as quickly as he had come in.
"Hey I recognize that guy from the Harvest fair, and those two kids dancin was dere too, I wonder what's goin on? Maybe I could pad their shadows for a bit and get a little action, nothin else to do around this iceberg!"
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Post by Brandwyn on Jun 15, 2011 14:16:04 GMT -5
Tory was making her way toward Finn’s booth just inside the side door with Adrianne in tow and laden down with delicacies from the food table when the door burst open and her temporary mentor bustled in with a look on his face that meant business. Ringulf scanned the room and made a beeline for Mylia and Aribjorn in the middle of the dance floor.
“C’mon!” Tory said to Adrianne, dumping her food into her satchel-plate and all, “Something is going on.” Tory started after Ringulf and then paused suddenly as she saw that Mylia and Aribjorn had just finished dancing and it looked as if they were about to kiss. She froze, not only her forward motion but her breathing and even her heart just stopped.
She knew Mylia thought Ari handsome, just as Tory did, but she hadn’t been sure if Ari had preferred Mylia over herself or not. Not until this moment anyway. She looked down at the floor for a moment and then took a deep breath to calm her nerves. As she walked forward a bit more slowly, she took stock of her feelings toward Aribjorn and discovered that although she found him very handsome, and knew that she would enjoy a closer relationship with him, she also knew that he was not to be the one that she would marry, not likely anyway. Her feelings toward him, once she looked beyond the initial infatuation, were more of friendship and comradeship. She could relate to him and talk to him, just as she could Mylia. They were her two best friends and it was only right that they be together if that is what they wanted.
As she neared she heard Ringulf say, "Mylia!...Aribjorn...Come quickly! We have a situation! Get your weapons and gear and meet me in the courtyard!"
Tory’s pensive look turned to one of alarm and even excitement as she came up behind him and asked, “Me too? What’s going on?”
She shot Aribjorn and Mylia a quick smile and nod of her head, hoping that they would understand that she would not be upset if they took their friendship to another level. Then she turned her attention on Ringulf.
Harrison, the ranger for Norgate Fief, came striding up, already donning his ranger cloak, bow and arrows in hand. “Ringulf, is it true? Someone outside came in through the front door and said there are Wargals in the courtyard!”
“Wargals?” Tory squeaked and her face drained of all color. She even took an involuntary step back from Harrison. “Here?” Her voice trailed off and it was unlikely that anyone heard her whisper, “oh no, not again,” as she backed up another step, then turned and ran for the corner where she had stashed her weapons behind a Yule tree.
Her heart was racing as she strung her bow and checked her arrows and made her way to the courtyard among the milling crowd. The music had started playing again and the majority of the people seemed to see nothing amiss, although a few seasoned guests were watching the rangers all scramble for their gear. It seemed to Tory as if everyone else was moving in slow motion and their voices were distorted as she wended her way through them to the courtyard. Her mind was back to a year ago…the last time she had seen a Wargal up close and personal. Her hands suddenly broke out in a slick sweat and she fumbled with the clasp on her ranger cloak, having resettled it over her extra quiver on her back.
In the courtyard she found Fin and Gier. Fin was donning armor and furs, obviously prepping for battle and Gier looked pretty shaken up and somewhat out of breath. Tory looked wildly around the courtyard, but she didn’t see any Wargals. Obviously at least part of the hasty report was not true; there were no Wargals in the courtyard - yet.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jun 15, 2011 14:50:38 GMT -5
Timothy Baskerville was nervously trying to blend in with the crowd while looking for a particular Lady Knight who ought to be sticking out of the press of people like a sore thumb, but for some reason he couldn’t locate her. She was here, of that he was certain. He had seen her once in the middle of a group of knights, many of whom would likely have recognized him if they had put their minds to it. He was wearing fine clothing today, however, not the usual travel worn black with armor. He felt naked without his armor on, but it would have been rather conspicuous in this company without being on duty.
Tim was making his way through the food tables, selecting items that could be packed for travelling when he found himself face to face with a young, pretty lady in a black velveteen gown with silver trim. She had sapphire earrings that matched the plain gold circlet around her head and around her waist was a wide white belt with a longsword strapped to it.
It took Tim a moment to realize that this was the person he had been looking for; she looked so different from when she was in armor. No wonder he hadn’t been able to find her, he hardly recognized her. “Sir Katrina?” He asked tentatively and as her face lit up in recognition he threw his arms around her gave her a great bear hug. “It is good to see you again, Mountain Kat.”
Katrina returned the hug and then a look of concern crossed her face. She casually glanced around the hall to see if anyone was watching them. “Tim, what are you doing here? Are you mad?” She tugged at his sleeve and led him away from the throng of people and down a hallway and into a room away from the crowd. It was a small sparsely furnished room that was currently strewn with Katrina’s armor and several dresses laid out on the bed. Katrina moved her armor off the chair and tossed it onto the bed, on top of the ball gowns. Tim closed the door behind them and looked around. She rounded on him, “Well? Aren’t you risking a hell of a lot coming here?”
Tim leaned against the arm of the little couch and crossed his arms on his chest, a chuckle emanating from deep in his muscled chest. “I suppose, but I had some business to take care of.” Then his face darkened. “I had to check on Mother too. She was ill at the Harvest Faire. Did you get anything from a weird guy named Yule for me, by any chance?”
Katrina nodded, “Yeah, right there on the table, all bundled up and ready for travel. Is that more parchment and inks for forging patents of arms for the tourneys next season?” Katrina knew he was dodging the subject, she tried to steer it back. “Never mind, I don’t want to know. So, what business is worth you getting hung?”
Tim glanced at the door and lowered his voice. “I may have some information for you about those attacks on the military members and their families. My apprentice and I followed some of them. We think we found one of their lairs and it isn’t in Norgate It is just south of the border in the east. They are moving south and killing anyone that finds out about them – at least they are trying.”
“Really?” Katrina moved closer in order to hear him better. “Wait! You have an apprentice?”
Tim chuckled, “Well, more of a protégé really. We kind of “found” each other, you could say. His name is Roath and he is a little rascal, but has proven to be a great traveling companion.”
Katrina looked at him in wonder. “I never thought you had it in you, not to mention that life on the run is no life for a kid.”
“Well, I think it might be a bit better than living on the street and getting beat up by the gangs, even though it is not ideal.” Tim retorted, “So, you want to hear about the raiders or not?” At Katrina’s nod, he continued. “Well, they are definitely being funded by the Scotti – or so they would have us believe. They have a mission, you can tell from their attacks. Roath and I have been mapping their movements.” Tim pulled out a sheaf of parchment and sorted through them, handing three maps to Katrina. “Here are copies of what I have found. I think they are planning to annex the northern fiefs into Picta. You know how much they really want this nice farmland over here on this side of the mountains. They have been trying to get their hands on it for centuries.”
Katrina looked over the maps. “Are you sure about this?”
Tim nodded. “We have been following them for the last two months.” He ran his hand through his slightly graying hair. “We have tried to help save some of the people they have hit, but I can’t claim too many successes. They were pretty thorough in not leaving any witnesses for the most part.”
“Yeah, I know.” Katrina said with a grimace. “What I find interesting is the path you are showing from the fissure here down deep into Norgate and then this turn here, like they are going someplace.” Katrina folded the maps and placed them in her belt pouch. “What is more interesting is that Dougal and I have been tracking an entirely different group.” She traced her finger over Tim’s map, farther to the east of his markings. “This group seems to be working over toward the border with Marshwood and they are avoiding larger villages and wiping out smaller ones and single holdings.” Katrina studied the map for a moment while Tim looked on.
“It looks like they have two large forces and they are encircling Norgate and isolating it.” Katrina muttered, more to herself than to the knight errant. “The castle seems to be right in the middle of their advances, do you think they would be so bold as to try to seize Norgate Castle?” Katrina looked at Tim in alarm. “It would be madness.”
Tim took the map from her and studied it. “Madness maybe, but it could be done – with a large enough force. In the dead of winter there are limited supplies of food in the castle. This festival is going to severely deplete the Baron’s stores.” Tim cupped one elbow in his other palm and stroked his neatly trimmed beard in thought.
She stood up and paced the small room, dodging the furniture. “They are already affecting trade between Norgate and Marshwood. Most of the merchants that regularly travel between the two fiefs have been attacked and robbed and it seems the larger their military escort, the greater target they become. Perhaps they are thinking that they can paralyze the countryside with fear, interrupt communication between the Fiefs and take over section by section.”
“That would still take an army. A disciplined army and I don’t see the Scotti doing that.” Tim argued. “Besides, I thought there was a truce between Araluen and Picta since the war in Gallica.”
Katrina snorted, “Officially yes, but there are some clans that are very much against this truce. Quite a few actually. There hasn’t been much information out of PIcta lately either. The last thing I heard was about a clan feud between the MacGreggors and the MacIvors. Both are fairly powerful clans, but neither has a claim to the throne. If they drag allies into it though, it could lead to a civil war in Picta.” Katrina stopped and cocked her head toward the door.
“Something is going on out there.” Tim stood and drew his sword as they heard the sound of pounding feet running past the door in the hallway.
Katrina drew hers as well and cracked the door open. She saw a group of rangers making for the front door and several knights scrambling for weapons. “There is obviously some threat, but I can’t tell what.” She turned back to her fugitive friend, “I trust you can keep yourself out of sight and not get caught?”
Tim nodded. “Of course, but right now I have to find Roath. If I know him, he will be in the thick of the mess, whatever it is.” He pushed the door on open and gestured for Katrina to go.
She stuffed the maps in her belt pouch and then gave him a nod, “take care of yourself and come see me if you can before you head on out into the wilderness.” Then she darted out the door and made a beeline for her father and his friends who were all talking at once while checking armor and weapons.
Timothy followed and was soon swallowed up by the throng of people, most of whom seemed oblivious to the commotion the knights and rangers were making. “Now where did that boy go?” Tim muttered and not seeing Roath, decided to head to the courtyard where the rangers had just converged upon. If there was commotion, Roath would be checking it out, of that Timothy was certain.
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Post by Firehead on Jun 20, 2011 13:24:03 GMT -5
For a moment, it was as though Ari meant to kiss her. And in that moment, Mylia hadn't cared whether they were in public or not. But then the moment was broken by Ringulf calling her name. "Mylia!...Aribjorn...Come quickly! We have a situation! Get your weapons and gear and meet me in the courtyard!"[b/]
Mylia turned in time to see the back of Ringulf's head and shoulders disappearing into the crowd, headed for the outer exit. It took but a moment for what he said to sink in, and then she looked down at her dress. "Oh drats! I've gotta change! I'll meet you out in the courtyard." he told Ari, before she darted away toward her room.
She hurried to change into more appropriate clothing for the "situation" and grabbed her weapons as she dashed out the door again. In just under five minutes she was out in the courtyard, scanning around for her mentor and Ari. And Tory. She spotted them, and hurried their way. "Ready. What's going on?" she asked, arriving at Ringulf's side and looking up at him attentively awaiting his instructions. ------------------------- Rab slid out the gates and headed for the forest on foot, bow at the ready, eyes and ears alert. He followed almost parallel to Gier's ski track, back tracking it into the woods. Once among the towering trees, he glided effortlessly from cover to cover. His senses on hightened alert, wary of every creak and groan from the forest. Where might the Wargals be? He should be able to hear them as they approached.
That thought froze him in his tracks, and quite possibly saved his life. For the thought that struck him was: You could hear them...if they were moving. The Wargal blended well with the tree trunk and Rab didn't see it until it lunged toward him, teeth bared in an ugly snarl. It was less than fifteen feet away from him and Rab had only the constant hours of practice and Ranger skill to thank for saving his life then. In less than a split second, Rab had his bow up, an arrow notched, and then fired. The Wargal was so close that it almost bodyslammed him on it's way down.
Rab leaped back out of it's way, then spared it not a second glance as he scanned his surroundings with a swift eye. For half a nano-second, he bereted himself for stupidity, for almost waltzing straight into a Wargal ambush, and then he was off and litterally running for his life, as the Wargals broke cover and charged after him. Regrettably, he didn't have skis, and so could not outpace his persuers as quickly. In fact, he couldn't outpace them at all--they were slowly but steadily gaining ground on him.
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Post by Ringulf on Jun 22, 2011 18:02:11 GMT -5
For half a nano-second, he berated himself for stupidity, for almost waltzing straight into a Wargal ambush, and then he was off and literally running for his life, as the Wargals broke cover and charged after him. Regrettably, he didn't have skis, and so could not outpace his pursuers as quickly. In fact, he couldn't outpace them at all--they were slowly but steadily gaining ground on him.
Roath had lost track of the Ranger out in front of him as he had moved into the foliage.
"Damn! those rangery dudes justs freakin disapear don't they?" he said under his breath.
Then with a swiftness and clarity that was going to shove his last words right down his throat, Rab came quickly back into view.
In fact he was running very quickly and Roath was right in front of him as he burst from the bushes.
"Hey lookout! where's the fi....Uh never mind I'm right behind ya....AAAAAHHHH! Whatdahellardosetings!!!!!
Rab then saw how fast a young boy could run as Roath streaked by him headed for the gate like the hounds of hell were after him and he was wearing pork chop underwear.
"Lookouttherecomminnnnn!!!!" he yelled as he bolted through the gates almost running into Fin and diving between Ringulf's legs as the Ranger stepped to the gate and drew his huge longbow.
"Rab..duck!" he screamed and let loose an arrow that came close enough to Rab's ear that it moved his hair with the breeze. It stopped with a sickening "THUCK" as the shaft buried itself to the fletches in the creatures mouth no more than a foot behind the running ranger. Already another arrow was on Ringulf's string and a second wargal was about to loose his life when the crumpling of the first caused the next two to trip as they piled over him.
Rab streaked past Ringulf as the next arrow took one of the upright wargals that had stopped behind the pile.
"Close the gate!" Ringulf yelled as he pulled himself back in behind the iron gate of the courtyard.
The gate was not intended to be used as a fortification, but it would slow them down till everyone got back into the castle proper.
"Back to the castle, get up on the battlement and pick your targets as they come through the gates, it won't be long before they get them open!"
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Post by Brandwyn on Jun 22, 2011 20:45:09 GMT -5
Tory heard the crush of brush beneath the Wargal’s feet as they chased Rab and some boy back to the castle. She took up residence behind one of the ice statues about 20 feet inside the gate that had a clear line of sight into the woods. Knocking an arrow on her string she stood calmly, waiting for a killing shot to show itself. Outwardly she appeared calm, but on the inside she was as cold as ice, so scared she couldn’t even quake in her boots.
She glanced at Adrianne who was right next to her and also had her bow ready. She looked a bit afraid, but Tory figured her own face was showing a lot more fear than Adrianne’s. “They move fast. Really fast. As soon as you get one in your sites shoot, and then just keep shooting until they reach the gates. Then we run like hell for that door that leads to the stairs to the battlements, okay?”
There wasn’t time for an answer, the first Wargal was in sight out in the woods, literally right behind Rab. Tory was about to loose her arrow when fletches suddenly appeared in the creature’s mouth and it went down. Tory shifted her aim to the beast behind that one and let her arrow fly, figuring it was going to fall over the Wargal in front of it, she aimed low. The arrow struck it in the throat and down it went, but Tory didn’t wait to watch it. She was already firing another arrow. She got off two more shots; both of them hitting their mark, but there didn’t seem to be much affect on the Wargal she hit. It came up to the gates just as they were being closed. Tory didn’t figure the gates would stop a bunch of angry Wargals, she threw her bow over her shoulder and grabbed Adrianne’s arm, “Time to run!”
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Fin moved forward with Ringulf as he made his stand, trying to give Rab enough time to get back to the castle. She’d had time to don her breast plate and helmet and grab her sword and although she was not a warrior anymore, she certainly knew how to use one. She prepared to defend Ringulf so that he could continue to shoot at the Wargals and give everyone a chance to get inside.
"Close the gate!" Ringulf yelled as he pulled himself back in behind the iron gate of the courtyard.
The gate was not intended to be used as a fortification, but it would slow them down till everyone got back into the castle proper.
"Back to the castle, get up on the battlement and pick your targets as they come through the gates, it won't be long before they get them open!"
Fin stayed close to Ringulf as the Wargals assaulted the gate and those within the courtyard scrambled to the battlements and inside the castle. A small group of knights and squires were forming a shield wall and everyone seemed to be shouting directions and no one was listening.
The last man who had shoved home the crossbar on the gates ran past she and Ringulf and Fin said calmly in his ear, “That’s the last one, Ringulf, come on, we need to get inside.” She pulled at the back of his shirt, not wanting to mess up his aim and then saw Tory and another apprentice girl running like mad for the side door that led to the center tower. “Let’s go!” She urged, but refused to leave his side.
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Post by Ringulf on Jun 22, 2011 21:38:15 GMT -5
"Right behind you my love!" Ringulf replied.
"Get to the top of the stairs and when they come through the gate don't let any up here!" He said to Fin.
Then he positioned himself at the beginning of the rampart so that he was shooting over the shield wall of knights and squires forming in front of the main door to the castle.
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Aribjorn had grabbed a two handed great sword from a standing set of armor that stood in the hall, it was not very sharp but would do the trick. He was trying to get to the shield wall to strengthen their numbers even though he had no shield, when he saw the wargals break through the gate in a solid press of hair and stinking muscles. out of the corner of his eye he saw Tory and the new girl Adrian making for the side door. The wargals would be on them in a second and the shield wall was defending the inner door! They were not going to get clear without help. Just then Ari saw one of the apprentice knights, Drake, that he knew trying to form into the shield wall, but he was in the back of the line.
"Drake!" Ari yelled at the squire, "Quickly, Ramp one...set!"
The young man responded to the command from hours of training in the maneuver without thinking. He planted the point of his shield and stuck it into the ground and put it up against his shoulder at a slant.
In a few quick strides Ari had covered the distance and leaped to plant his right foot on the shield as he threw himself forward on the next step with all the strength his right leg could afford him.
He sailed over the shoulders of the shield wall and landed none too steadily on the other side. Realizing he was not going to "stick the landing he tucked the sword across himself and dove into a shoulder roll. when he popped up and raised his sword he was behind the fleeing girls and much closer to the press of wargals than he expected.
The tactic had surprised the wargals as they saw the girls and the shield wall but had no idea some half crazed Skandian youth was going to fly at them like some winged demon swinging a huge sword.
Aribjorn started with great side to side sweeps to clear out the front line of creatures as they approached, they were almost inside his weapon arc so the last few actually got hit with the quillions of his crossguard rather than the blade anyway. The next row of beasts were so close he could not use the sword at all so he put his shoulder down and tried to bowl over as many as he could causing a massive knot of hairy squirming bodies to pile up trying to get through the gate. He heard a shriek from a female voice behind in the sheildwall calling for a charge as a forest of hairy arms fists clubs and so forth descended on him in a blur.
He fought with the sword almost like a quarter staff and gave as good as he got for some seconds until a sea of knights seemed to sweep over and around him like a great wave until the monsters were pushed back toward the gate.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 13, 2011 20:00:06 GMT -5
Fin let Ringulf pass her at the top of the stairs and then planted herself so that anyone coming up would have to go through her to reach Ringulf. She heard his bow twanging, but couldn’t see exactly where he was shooting from that angle. At the moment there was nothing for her to do except wait.
Although she wasn’t really a warrior, she had spent a few years raiding with a wolfship as well as a few more hiring out as a sell-sword. So even though she didn’t really like fighting for a living anymore, she did feel her Skandian battle lust stirring in her guts and her breath quickened, her sight narrowed and her hearing seemed to be picking up every minute detail as her battle senses began to take over. She would be ready when they broke through – if they broke through.
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Katrina tucked the hem of her skirt up into her belt on each side, revealing her leggings and thigh high boots. Her mother would surely have a fit if she saw Katrina’s new fashion statement, but she didn’t care. It was extremely difficult to fight in a full skirt without tripping and with Wargals all it would take is one misstep or minor loss of balance to tip the battle into their favor. Besides, she doubted the men she commanded would mind in the least.
“Form up here in front of the doors!” She shouted to the other warriors and knights, realizing she wasn’t the senior knight in the group but since no one else had immediately taken charge she figured they could iron that out after the Wargals were dispatched. “Form a shield wall! To me! To me!” she called out and felt others press in close on each side of her. Within moments there was a wall of interlocked shields across the center front of the castle. She felt the press of bodies behind her as those with spears and polearms formed a second rank. “Charge!”
She ordered them to and then out of the corner of her eye she saw a rather large shape sail over the line of shields and charge at an advancing Wargals. Then Katrina saw why; two ranger girls were sprinting for the side door to the tower trying in vain to outrun the Wargal. Katrina saw a young Skandian man attack the group of Wargals, bowling some of them over and giving cover the girls allowing them to reach the door. She couldn’t tell what happened to him after that however, for the first of the Wargals was upon them as the line of Norgate warriors charged forward, enveloping the young Skandian back within their protective circle.
Katrina ducked a viscous swing to her head as she raised her shield and ducked down behind it. This opened up a tiny hole big enough to thrust her sword through into the furry body in front of her. She slammed it home with all her might, but the thick hide of the Wargal resisted her blade and it glanced harmlessly off the monster’s side. She lowered her shield to look over the top and the spearman behind her thrust his spear right into the Wargal’s open mouth. The monster gave a garbled cry and then toppled to the ground, nearly on top of Katrina. Then she heard Kenyon’s voice above the din of battle ordering the line to advance. Pushed from behind, Katrina was forced to step on the dead Wargal at her feet and then over it as the line took two paces before it met the next group of Wargals that had broken through the castle gates. She wished she was on Ace and had her lance, but was left little time for such thoughts as she was now battling a fierce Wargal intent on her destruction. Her thoughts turned to survival and she felt the battle fever starting to take over. Fighting down the panic at the thought of berserking she managed to hang onto her senses and resist the urge to just let go and let the red haze take over. Now was not the time to loose her head.
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Tory reached the door of the castle tower right behind Adrianne who was struggling to open it so they could rush in. She was vaguely aware that someone had interposed himself between her and the Wargals, but she had been so intent on reaching the castle that she hadn’t taken time to watch the warrior that had come to their aid. Now, as she helped Adrianne get the door open, she turned her head back and saw Aribjorn backpedaling behind her. His great sword was nearly useless as the Wargals pressed in close around him, but that didn’t seem to faze him. He just ducked his shoulder and charged, bowling a bunch of them over and then retreated from the Wargals.
Finally someone inside heard their yells and unbarred the door, letting them in. Adrianne charged up the tower stairs but Tory turned to help Aribjorn. He was battling a couple of Wargals and they were pressing him back toward the castle until he was right at the door. Tory screamed, “ARI! Lookout!” as she saw a huge hammer descending right toward Aribjorn’s head. She grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and with both fists full of his tunic pulled him backward with all her might, right into the tower at the foot of the stairs. The hammer whistled past their heads, right through the space Ari’s head had just been in. Two men grabbed the pair of them and pulled them all the way inside while a third slammed the door and a fourth threw the cross-brace down, locking them in.
Tory threw her arms around Aribjorn and hugged him, planting a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks! You saved my life!” Then she stepped back and glared at him, “What the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed pulling a stunt like that!” She jumped then as something large thudded against the door, shaking dust from the mantle and ledges overhead and causing the ground beneath their feet to shudder. “I hope that is a dead one.” Tory said faintly, backing away from the door and up a couple of steps. Not waiting for Ari to answer her, she turned and ran up the steps, pulling her bow off her shoulder again as she took them two at a time. “Ringulf needs help!” She said realizing that she was nearly babbling like an idiot, as usual any time she got in close proximity to Aribjorn. “Come on, Ari!”
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Post by Firehead on Jul 20, 2011 8:56:44 GMT -5
What in the world? Rab thought as a young, screaming blur shot past him heading for the castle. A second look told him that it was a young lad. Rab shook his head with incredualty and dug in, putting on a burst of speed to keep just ahead of the reaching paws of the Wargals.
"Rab..duck!"
For half a second, Rab thought that Ringulf was shooting at him, and not at the Wargals just behind him. But with the shouted warning, Rab realized what Ringulf was really shooting at and threw himself forward in a roll, the arrow stirring his hair as it flew past his ear. Rab came up and keep going without losing any momentum, and sprinted into the momentary safety of the outer courtyard.
He skidded in the snow as he reversed his direction, and bounded forward to help Ringulf close the gates. "I think there's enough to go around." he told Ringulf somewhat breathlessly, as they swung the doors shut. --------------------------------------
Mylia had stayed at Ringulfs side first at the gates, and now here, on the ramparts, matching him almost arrow for arrow. the courtyard below them became swirling chaos and she had to slow down and pick her shots carefully, in order to be certain that she didn't kill anyone on their side.
Such was the way of things that she almost missed seeing Ari almost lose his head...then she wished she hadn't seen it at all. It frightened her to realize that she had almost witnessed the death of someone who meant so much to her. She faltered only a moment, and then she pushed aside her emotions for the time being and continued to empty her quiver into the Wargal onslaught. ---------
Simone continued to call the shots from her position on the ramparts, watching as the battle played out below them in the courtyard. With Katrina's charge, it looked as though the tide were turning in their favor. A glance over the other side of the wall showed that there were no reinforcements for the Wargal raiders. Party crashers. she thought wryly. "Alright men, pick off the wargals closest to the gates. That way they can't flee, and they can't provide backup for their brothers-in-arms up front."
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Post by Ringulf on Jul 26, 2011 11:41:46 GMT -5
The charge had pushed the dark mass of wargals back to the gate, then they concentrated into a shield wall once more at the Iron gated arch that had opened into the courtyard.
The archers on the walls quickly ran to the crenelations that fronted the gate and Ringulf and a few others bore left and mounted the circular corner so that they could fire at the enemies flank.
In no more than twenty minutes it was over and almost a hundred black furry corpses littered the ground from the courtyard to the sloping field before the gate that was now stained red with blood.
The blood was shared between men and worgal but the victory had been extremely lopsided in the humans favor.
Some of the knights and men at arms that had run to battle had done so in court attire so the wounds that might have been spared them, had they been prepared for battle, were all the more grievous. Many sat in the snow exhausted, others leaned on their weapons, while skirmishers checked each of the fetid, stinking hulks to make sure they had breathed their last.
Ringulf called from the battlements for chiergeons to tend the wounded, then he turned to the archers around him and said,
"Good job lads,...and ladies, many of our people would have fallen today had it not been for our shafts!"
He moved over to Fin and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "many thanks my Valkyrie, I was confident in my shooting, for I knew you guarded my back!"
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In the darkness of the stairway Ari was working very hard to recover his breath. The kiss had surprised him but it was not an explanation for why his chest heaved and it felt to him as if he was inhailing through a thin reed. He followed after Tory and Dian who were making their way up the inner steps to the battlements, were they could get better shots at their foes.
"Tory,..Tory vait I...I haff to catch... a breat..."
He stopped for a moment on the stairs double over filling his lungs but then realized his difficulty. His courtly black tunic was soaked along his left side and he started to realize that his pain and inability to draw breath was due to whatever had happened there.
He put a hand down to the area and felt the jagged end of a shaft about an inch and a half in diameter. he felt a bit further and followed it to the beginning of a flinted head that was just visible before it disappeared between his last two ribs.
He felt a wave of dizziness hit him, but he steeled himself and resisted the urge to withdraw the weapon.
"OK..ve go to de top ya!" He said grasping Tory's arm as they continued up to the battlement.
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Post by Brandwyn on Aug 18, 2011 12:44:54 GMT -5
"Good job lads,...and ladies, many of our people would have fallen today had it not been for our shafts!"
He moved over to Fin and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "many thanks my Valkyrie, I was confident in my shooting, for I knew you guarded my back!"
Fin smiled at Ringulf and then looked around at the devastation. “Thanks Meh Love, It seem Ah missed out on all deh fun dough.” She pointed to all the Wargal bodies laying in the courtyard. “Vwhere did dey come from and vwy did dey attack?” Fin wasn’t all that familiar with Wargals, but she seemed to recall they came from down south near Celtica. “Are dere any more ohf dem out dere do ya think?” She asked Ringulf and watched Sir Katrina examining one of the Wargal bodies along with two other knights.
___
"OK..ve go to de top ya!" He said grasping Tory's arm as they continued up to the battlement.
Tory didn’t realize anything was amiss at first, but when Ari seemed to lag a bit behind she turned to look at him when they got to the top. His face was pale and he seemed to be breathing rather heavily. She looked down and then saw the blood at his side.
“Oh my gosh, Ari!” She pushed him down onto the top step. “Sit down right there and let me see that.” She lifted his arm and sat it on her shoulder as she gently peeled back his clothing to get a look at the arrow shaft. “This is not too good. You need a physician so sit tight. The more you move the deeper you could drive it in.” She looked at him sternly and then poked her head over the battlements for a moment.
“They are mopping things up down there.” She then crossed to the inside of the wall and looked down through a bolt hole to a group of people standing below. “Hey you! Send up a physician immediately. We have a serious arrow wound up here and I don’t think the patient should be moved.” The man below her that looked up saw her bow and her ranger cloak and nodded, “On it Sir…uh… ranger, I mean ma’am” and he disappeared from view.
Several minutes later as Tory took a bandage out of her satchel and tried to keep the blood from leaking out around the arrow, the man arrived with an elderly gentleman carrying a big medical bag. “Thanks!” Tory said to the other man and he stood back to watch. Tory ignored him and told the physician, “He’s got an arrow shaft imbedded here in his side and I think it may have hit his lung since he is having a hard time breathing.” She lifted Ari’s arm again gently. “It isn’t bleeding very much, but I figured it best to leave the arrow in until you got here.”
The doctor sat down next to Ari and nodded, “Good call, Miss. Now let me see what we have here.” He examined the wound, his face impassive and then sat back. “He is going to need to have that cut out but we can’t do it here.” Turning back to the man who had summoned him he ordered, “Get three more stout men and a stretcher so we can get him into my office.”
He wrapped the arrow shaft with some bandaging that went all around Ari’s torso in the hopes of holding the arrow in place while they moved him and keeping the bleeding down. “What’s your name, son?”
“I won’t lie to you, this thing is in rather deep, and if just pull it out, the arrow point is going to stay in there. Plus Wargal arrows tend to be pretty dirty and it would likely fester and you would develop a fever and probably die if we leave it, so it has to come out.” He explained as they waited for the stretcher. “I am going to have to make the hole bigger so I can get in there and I am going to have to seal up that hole in your lung if I can.” He had always felt it better for the patient if they knew as many details as possible about what he planned to do to treat them. “the good news is that it is not near your heart, so you won’t die from the initial wound. I am more afraid of infection setting and causing more problems. Now, when we go to move you, I want you to keep your arm on top of your head and try not to move your side if you can help it, understand?”
Tory moved to the battlements again and looked down. “The Wargals are all dead I think. Look! There’s Mylia.” Tory waved to her friend frantically and pointed toward the main door. “Mylia, meet me at the door. Ari’s been hurt!” She called out as loudly as she could over the din of voices and people running back and forth. The scene was chaotic below. She waved again at Mylia and pointed, making sure Mylia understood and then turned to run down the stairs.
“Don’t worry, Ari, you are going to be fine!” She said confidently as the men with the stretcher blocked the stairs for a moment. “I’m going to get Mylia!” She slipped past them and bolted down the narrow stairs and toward the front doors on the inside hallway, pushing people over as she ran. “Mylia! Mylia! Over here!” She called out as she ran, interspersed with the occasional apology for mowing someone down in her path.
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Post by Ringulf on Aug 20, 2011 6:32:28 GMT -5
He wrapped the arrow shaft with some bandaging that went all around Ari’s torso in the hopes of holding the arrow in place while they moved him and keeping the bleeding down. “What’s your name, son?”
"I am Aribj...Ari,my name iss Ari dat vill do." He looked up at Tory and gave her a weak smile as he winced through the pain of the physician's probing.
“I won’t lie to you, this thing is in rather deep, and if just pull it out, the arrow point is going to stay in there. Plus Wargal arrows tend to be pretty dirty and it would likely fester and you would develop a fever and probably die if we leave it, so it has to come out.” He explained as they waited for the stretcher. “I am going to have to make the hole bigger so I can get in there and I am going to have to seal up that hole in your lung if I can.” He had always felt it better for the patient if they knew as many details as possible about what he planned to do to treat them. “the good news is that it is not near your heart, so you won’t die from the initial wound. I am more afraid of infection setting and causing more problems. Now, when we go to move you, I want you to keep your arm on top of your head and try not to move your side if you can help it, understand?”
"Yah, I understant but der iss not much blood ant none in my mout, I almost tink de head may have struck de rib and run along it, it feels like pressure not like it iss deep."
"We will see," said the physician, "....now lie quiet while we get ready to carry you."
“Don’t worry, Ari, you are going to be fine!” She said confidently as the men with the stretcher blocked the stairs for a moment. “I’m going to get Mylia!” She slipped past them and bolted down the narrow stairs and toward the front doors on the inside hallway, pushing people over as she ran. “Mylia! Mylia! Over here!” She called out as she ran, interspersed with the occasional apology for mowing someone down in her path.
"Tory...tank you, doan make a fuss, I doan vant you or Mylia to vorry, I will be fine, dose damn dirty apes! I doan know vere dey came from, but I tink ve got dem, eh?" He smiled again at her but this time he laid back and closed his eyes.
The men lifted him onto the stretcher and the movement made him grunt a bit.
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Post by Firehead on Aug 20, 2011 7:37:36 GMT -5
Mylia ran out of arrows at about the same time the battle suddenly ended. Taking advantage of this, Mylia dropped from the ramparts to the courtyard below, and started scrounging for arrows she could reuse. She was counting herself lucky to have found several the right length, when she heard what sounded like Tory calling her name.
“Mylia, meet me at the door. Ari’s been hurt!” She called out as loudly as she could over the din of voices and people running back and forth. The scene was chaotic below. She waved again at Mylia and pointed, making sure Mylia understood and then turned to run down the stairs.
Mylia felt her heart lodge in her throat, and she hurried toward the main door of the castle keep to meet her friend.
“Mylia! Mylia! Over here!”
They arrived at about the same time, and although slightly breathless from the sprint, Mylia didn't wait to catch her breath before asking, "What happened? Is he going to be okay? Where is he?"
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Post by Brandwyn on Aug 23, 2011 9:44:38 GMT -5
"Tory...tank you, doan make a fuss, I doan vant you or Mylia to vorry, I will be fine, dose damn dirty apes! I doan know vere dey came from, but I tink ve got dem, eh?" He smiled again at her but this time he laid back and closed his eyes.
Tory grinned back at him, “yep, looks like they are all dead.” Tory assured him. “But I am still going to find Mylia, cuz if she finds out I didn’t tell her right away that you are wounded, she will be madder at me than a wet hornet, and Mylia is one person you really don’t want to have angry with you.” Tory winked at Ari. “So I’ll just go get her. We’ll meet up at the doc’s office inside.” Tory squeezed his hand and then ran off to meet Mylia at the door.
They arrived almost at the same time and Mylia, though out of breath, sputtered out, "What happened? Is he going to be okay? Where is he?"
Tory took a moment to catch her breath and pointed behind her with one hand as she doubled over and tried to suck in a couple of deep breaths. Mylia might be able to see them bringing Ari down the stairs and into the hallway, but the press of people milling about made it difficult at best. When she could speak she gasped, “I think he is going to be okay, but he has part of an arrow lodged in his ribs, right here.” Tory indicated the spot on her own body. “The doc isn’t sure if it punctured his lung, but Ari says he doesn’t think so. He is having a bit of trouble breathing though.” Tory brought Mylia up to speed as she guided her through the crowd and down another side hallway that ran along beside the great room where the festival was being held. “The Doc is going to have to cut the arrow out and so they are taking him to the Doc’s office. I think I saw them going this way.”
They rounded another corner and could catch glimpses of the stretcher bearing Ari just a little way ahead of them in the milling crowd. Tory saw them turn and go into a chamber where a lot of other people were milling around the door. “Come on!’ She pulled Mylia after her and they squirmed their way through the people and Tory pushed the door open and rushed in.
The chamber was fairly large and obviously an infirmary. There were chairs, couches and beds lining the walls and most of them were occupied with victims from the recent battle. Tory saw the Doc wave off several people as he directed the litter bearers where to sit Ari’s stretcher down in an inner room along the west wall. The room was ablaze with candles and mirrors set at different angles reflected and magnified the light. In the center of the small room was a granite topped table draped with clean linen and a pillow. Carefully they moved Ari from the stretcher to the table.
Tory could tell he was in pain, but he seemed to be holding up fairly well and putting on a brave front. She was going to enter the room when the litter bearers came out, but a woman stopped her. “You will have to wait out here until the Doctor is done.” She told them.
“Wait, we just want to see him for a moment!” Tory exclaimed and pulled the woman aside gently but firmly. She lowered her voice and turned the woman so her back was to the door and said, “look, we just want to see him before the surgery just to wish him luck, it will only take a moment.”
While the nurse was arguing about the room being clean and Tory being covered in sweat and dust and who knew what else, Tory looked at Mylia and rolled her eyes toward Ari. Maybe she could keep the nurse occupied long enough that Mylia could sneak in and have a word or two with Aribjorn before the doc got started.
Tory listened to the nurse and nodded her understanding, looking disappointed. “Well, maybe you could use some help around here?” She asked the nurse, trying a new tactic and moved her a few more steps away from the operating room. “I have a little bit of skill in treating minor wounds. I can clean them out and sew up some of them if they are just surface cuts, See?” Tory pulled up her tunic and bared her own right side where a small scar about two inches long was visible as a bright white line in her slightly tanned skin.
“That was from a knife wound in Gallica last year. I had to sew it up myself. It wasn’t horribly deep, but too much to heal on its own with just a poultice. I had practice patching up others too during the war, unfortunately.” Tory looked sad for a moment. “But I should be able to help some of these people.”
The nurse regarded her for a moment and then said, “Okay, fine. Follow me.” She led Tory off to another room that was smaller than the antechamber, but much larger than the operating rooms. Inside were the people that had minor cuts or bites and were in no immediate danger of dying from those wounds. The nurse showed her where to find bandages and the other needed supplies and then hurried back toward the operating room. Tory smiled, hoping she had given Mylia enough time. Then she set up her station, washed her hands and gestured her first patient over. She looked around the room at several dozen knights and soldiers and figured she was going to be in for a rather long afternoon. Then she set to work cleaning wounds and stitching them up or applying salve and bandages as the need required.
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Post by Firehead on Aug 24, 2011 6:57:08 GMT -5
Mylia caught Tory's eye-roll, and immediately guessed what she was up to. When the nurse turned to face Tory more directly, Mylia ducked slightly and walked right past her into the other room. It was fairly easy, being short as she was, and if she just acted as though she belonged in that room, voila! easy as pie.
She slipped to Ari's side unnoticed and clasped his hand lightly in hers. When he looked at her, she told him in a low voice, "Don't even think of dying on me." She took breath to add, "I love you too much", but the doctor noticed her standing beside the table then, and shooed her off. "Don't worry yourself overmuch--he's in good hands here. Now go on, scat outa here so I can patch him back together. The sooner I do that, the sooner you two can go dancing."
Mylia felt her face flush slightly, but she knew the doctor was right. She lingered another moment, before exiting. She found Tory busy stitching up wounds and joined her, helping her friend by passing thread, needle, bandages, and whatever else Tory needed.
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