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Post by ivory on Jul 12, 2009 9:30:02 GMT -5
[sure]
Sir Louis and his men halted to a dead stop, many drawing their weapons before Sir Louis raised a hand to stop them. "Ian," he nodded in reply to his greetings. He looked the man over and then flicked his eyes to the girl beside him, unsuprised that they seemed only a tad bit better than his group. Times were hard.
His men were restless and tired, wanting nothing but to get to their destination. Sir Louis felt the same way, but Ian was a scout and he figured he deserved to know what was happening. Who knew? It might mean victory for their side.
“The army’s trapped at Toscano. They’ve managed to hold them back, but…” He trailed off with a tired shake of his head. His sweeping gaze across his mangled troops completed his sentence well enough. Their forces weren’t doing so well. “We’re regrouping at the border into Gallica to try to hold them off there. Iberion forces are believed to be helping us, as are the Gallicans as you probably already know." He took a tired breath, shifted his weight, and carried on. "Their supreme commander, man named Abdulah. He's a real piece of work and a great tactician." Though he didn't say anything because of his men around him, he let Ian know his despair through his eyes. He'd watched too many people slaughtered to have much hope against them winning. "The Araluen forces are coming through I take it?" He already knew they were, but he wanted his men to be able to carry more hope along with them. They were about ready to collapse and not care if they were trampled on. They needed their spirits raised and soon...
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Post by ivory on Jul 12, 2009 12:40:27 GMT -5
"We have to choose a side."
"Nonsense. We've stayed neutral for a long time and we're still thriving."
"I agree with Geoffrey. This is getting too serious."
Galen held his hand up to stop the oncoming arguement and waited until silence fell before removing the stolen material from his bag. He laid it on the table as his eyes scanned the seven before him. Malleus was blind and unable to partake in the suprise of the rest, but feeling it in the air, he tensed.
One by one, their eyes swept up to his and he waited for the question. Finally, Geoffrey asked it, "So it's to be them then?"
Galen nodded once. And then started to explain.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 15, 2009 14:54:53 GMT -5
Ian acknowledged Sir Louis' look about how good the enemy commander was with a barely perceptable nod. He didn't like the fact that Sir Louis felt the situation was hopeless. His men looked like they had given up a while ago and all they cared about was sleep and a good meal.
"The Araluen forces are coming through I take it?"
Ian nodded and smiled, "They are. I got word a couple days ago that the vangaard sailed a few days back. They should be landing on the coast today or maybe even yesterday if the weather didn't cause them any problems." Ian noted that a few of the men looked hopeful, but not many.
"I have some news you probably haven't heard, though." Ian went on, a bit louder so all his men could hear. "You won't believe it, but the Scotti have declared a truce with us and joined forces to help. The Skandians provided some extra ships, but there still wasn't enough to bring all the Araluen and Scotti forces over at one time. Still, with the Scotti and a few hundred Skandians, maybe that will be enough to send this Abdulah guy packing." Ian hoped that would give Sir Louis' men enough reason to keep going, even if for just a little while longer.
He then turned to Brandwyn, "Lady Brandwyn, this is Sir Louis, Louis, the Lady Brandwyn."
Brandwyn did an awkward curtsy and bit her lip as pain shot up her back again, clutching at Asfala's neck to keep from falling. "Nice to meet you, Sir."
Ian steadied her with a hand under her elbow. "She is my apprentice. We we had just set out from La Rivage to scout out the front and got attacked by that merc group calling themselves the Grizzlies. Would have been killed probably if not for a couple of rangers comeing along at the right moment."
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Post by ivory on Jul 16, 2009 19:20:33 GMT -5
"You won't believe it, but the Scotti have declared a truce with us and joined forces to help. The Skandians provided some extra ships, but there still wasn't enough to bring all the Araluen and Scotti forces over at one time. Still, with the Scotti and a few hundred Skandians, maybe that will be enough to send this Abdulah guy packing."
Sir Louis didn't even bother to hide his relief and from the sighs behind him his men didn't either. "Praise the heavens," he whispered with closed eyes of gratitude.
"Lady Brandwyn, this is Sir Louis, Louis, the Lady Brandwyn."
He opened them at the introductions and as she curtsied, he swept into a formal bow. His complety bruised torso offered a protest, but he simply gritted his teeth and completed it. He hadn't missed the pain in her own eyes.
He straightened as Ian began to talk again and with a nod he gritted out between his teeth two words: "Harsh times." Though he was still as sore as he'd been when Ian had called them over, the news about the joining ranks of the Skandians granted him hope and allowed him to ignore the pain...for a while anyways.
"We've run across them. Once, right after a battle." He shook his head at the memory - as if watching his men slaughtered in the battles of war weren't enough, he had to watch them get slaughtered by those he wasn't even sure were invovled in the war. "Any news about them? Why they're attacking or if they're involved with the Aslavians?"
His men grumbled at the last remark; a few spat on the ground before muttering a curse. And though he shared their disgust at the thought, he didn't let it show.
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Post by ivory on Jul 17, 2009 8:58:10 GMT -5
Once he finished explaining, he swept his eyes around the room and waited for possible questions. There weren't many; they all wanted to get to the more important business at hand: Family.
If the room had been tense before, it was now stiff and ready to shatter. All eyes locked on their Father and waited for him to move on. Galen didn't keep them waiting.
""Now, about that Family business...Three dead. Suspect: Gorrick "Shark" Romels. His current location unknown." He flicked his eyes over to Jock, sensing more than seeing his anger, before turning back to the group. Each of them knew the man, but none would dare speak up for him - not because they were afraid, but because they were too loyal to the Family, the group being the only home either of them had ever had. "Stick an ear out while you travel. I want to know who he was working for. Why I was, and probably still am, a target." He needn't go into the details; they knew their job. He turned to the Godfather [Malleus].
"You’ll meet up with Teresa. Get her out even if he’s still alive.” He didn’t have to say Abdilah’s name for everyone there to know whom he was talking about. Neither did he have to wait for Malleus’ nod of the head. The man had his orders and was one of the most reliable here. "The rest of you split off in twos and fill in the Grandparents. Jock and I will keep underground for a few days."
Jock protested quickly with his hands; Galen shot him a glare. “Make that a week.” Jock glared back, but stilled his hands. "While we're gone, Mother's in charge."
Malleus let out a hearty groan, but didn't mean anything of it. After a final gaze around the room, he gave a single nod. Two hours later, the house once again lay empty.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 21, 2009 11:36:57 GMT -5
"We've run across them. Once, right after a battle." He shook his head at the memory - as if watching his men slaughtered in the battles of war weren't enough, he had to watch them get slaughtered by those he wasn't even sure were invovled in the war. "Any news about them? Why they're attacking or if they're involved with the Aslavians?"
Ian nodded, "one of our Ranger's caught one of them and managed to turn him to our side." he said, glancing at Brandwyn to confirm. "He said they were a mercenary group out of Teutlandt and were hired by the Aslavians to disrupt things both here in Gallica and in Araluen. They have been interferring with trade and commerce in La Rivage." Ian chuckled. "It seems the theive's guild was pretty put-out by that and they teamed up with the merchants and basically drove the Grizzlies out of the city. The citizens themselves fought them and now they have gone back to their camp, wherever it is."
Brandwyn stepped in, "I think it is not too far outside of the city. I heard Tandar and Shanna talking about it." She was far more curious about the Aslavians than the Grizzlies, though. "Are you all regrouping somewhere to make a stand against the Aslavians?"
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Post by ivory on Jul 22, 2009 11:03:51 GMT -5
Sir Louis hmpf-ed at the telling of the 'battle' in La Rivage.
"I think it is not too far outside of the city. I heard Tandar and Shanna talking about it."
He bit the inside of his lower lip as Brandwyn's words, weighing the fitness of his men and the possibilites, but quickly dismissed it. They hadn't nearly enough numbers to try and attack the camp even if they were all fresh and ready to fight. Though he might...
His thoughts were interrupted by her next words and he blinked once before they registered, and then nodded. "We're to try to regroup with the Araluen army and report in if we can. If we can't, then we move east into Gallica near the western coast."
Having answered, his thoughts started to drift again. Maybe if he....
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 26, 2009 21:32:06 GMT -5
Ian nodded, "Well, we had better be on our way. We need to find out what is left of the Aslavians and where they are exactly. Head for the coast north of La Rivage and you should run into the Araluen Army. Watch out for this cabin in the woods back there a ways. We ran into a blind man that was wandering around in the woods by himself. I don't think he was on the level with us. Seemed like he was up to something, but I am not sure what." Ian glanced at Brandwyn.
She nodded, "yeah, I think he was lying to us, or at least hiding something. He seemed a bit nervous about us being in that cabin, like he couldn't wait to get rid of us for some reason. Watch yourselves out here, he could have friends. They might be ok, but they might not either. If you run into him and he asks, we are on our way to the University in Toscano." She said.
Brandwyn noticed how Sir Louis seemed to be interested in the Grizzlies and especially in where their camp was. "Hey, if you are thinking about tangling with those Grizzlies, I would think twice about it. They are highly trained and skilled fighters. You guys don't look like you are in the best condition to go taking them on." She rubbed her back, remembering the Grizzly that had nearly killed her and shuddered. "They are really tough."
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Post by ivory on Jul 27, 2009 10:22:18 GMT -5
"Hey, if you are thinking about tangling with those Grizzlies, I would think twice about it. They are highly trained and skilled fighters. You guys don't look like you are in the best condition to go taking them on. They are really tough."
Sir Louis only nodded, but didn't give an answer. He wasn't planning on leading a full-fledged attack against them, but maybe she was right. Maybe he should wait...maybe. He gave a crisp salute before ordering his men to begin to march again.
He almost forgot about the warning about the cabin, but clearly remembered it when two males exited through the front doors. He hearded his group off the road and into the woods alongside as he watched the two men scan their surroundings before heading in the opposite direction. Frowing, he waved his men foward and they began to slowly gain on them.
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"Jock."
Galen muttered a curse at the word. Jock was hardly fit to be fighting. Running wasn't an option either considering the lad could barely walk. He gestured to the woods, telling him to hide. Jock gave a single nod and started to hobble over to the tree's edge. Galen scanned his surroundings again when he saw them. Muttering another course, he whistled once for Jock's attention, having already lost him to the trees. He gestured with his hands, telling him to stay regardless what happened and prayed that for once the boy would listen.
Offering another prayer, he turned to face the group that was only a mere ten yards away. They didn't look in the best conditions, but they were all soldiers and probably well trained. He stood his ground and waited for them to get within talking distance, hoping that that's all they wanted to do. But if they decided otherwise...he wouldn't put up a fight, knowing that if he did Jock would be sure to come to his side regardless of his injuries.
"Hello men. What news of the war?" He figured a commoner would be just as curious though he himself couldn't care less - he had his own problems to deal with at the moment.
[OOC: Brandy, will you play Sir Louis now? lol. :-)]
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 28, 2009 10:28:41 GMT -5
Sir Louis eyed the man, obviously a warrior, for a moment before answering. He had seen the other one go off into the woods and nodded to his men to keep a lookout.
"It goes badly for us I am afraid." Sir Louis answered. "Best clear out of this area if you don't want to become part of the Aslavian Army - or worse, one of their victims. They probably are not far behind us."
Louis hoped the man wasn't in a fighting mood, but he had no idea which side of the conflict the man was on. "You Gallican? Louis asked him. "If so you should come with us. We are in desperate need of more men to fight the Aslavians and you look pretty healthy and able bodied."
Louis had no intention of forcing the man. That wasn't his job and his men were to weary to try to keep track of men who didn't want to fight and were likely to fight their own men to get away. But he felt obligated to at least make the attempt to conscript the man into the army. "The King could really use your help and your sword." Sir Louis tried to persuade him, without getting forceful.
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Post by ivory on Jul 28, 2009 11:44:38 GMT -5
"You Gallican? If so you should come with us. We are in desperate need of more men to fight the Aslavians and you look pretty healthy and able bodied. The King could really use your help and your sword."
He was, but he didn't want to join the army. He had enough problems on his hands these days. But then again, there was Jock to think of. He doubted that they'd missed seeing the boy head into the trees and wondered if he refused if they'd hunt him down. Normally, he would've placed all bets on the lad, but with his current condition...
Coming to his quick decision, he gave a nod. "Yep. Born and raised here. Married, have a son." He hesitated before turning toward the woods and signaling Jock to come on out. "He's mute and hurt. You don't mind my trying to hide him from you do you?"
Jock didn't look the least hurt, having bluffed his pain by walking normally, his eyes hard. He should've known. Jock hated showing his weakness to others - a habit he'd learned during his time in the wild. Animals hunted the weak.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 28, 2009 13:25:01 GMT -5
Sir Louis relaxed a bit when the lad came out of the trees. "I might have done the same thing, but we saw you both already." Louis signalled his men to lower their weapons. "Most of us are hurt too. Been fighting for weeks now and the Aslavians nearly slaughtered us back there at the border. We are basically fleeing before their army now, broke up into little groups to make a bunch of false trails and then regroup back near the coast somewhere." Sir Louis wiped sweat off his forehead with his dirty sleeve.
He looked the boy over, but didn't notice where the lad was hurt. "We have a medic with us if you want him to take a look at your boy. Not too many medical supplies left in the kit now though." Louis motioned one of the men in the center of the group forward. "We are hoping the Araluen King will keep his word and that his army gets here soon. If we can get to them before the Aslavians find us and wipe us all out, then we might stand a chance." Louis looked at the ground, despair in his eyes again. "There are just so many of them and they fight like demons. Never been up against anything like them before."
He looked up into Galen's face and remembered his conversation just a while ago with his old Ararluen friend, Ian and the pretty young apprentice girl. "You heard anything about those Grizzlies that have been harrassing people in La Rivage?"
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Post by ivory on Jul 28, 2009 13:39:46 GMT -5
"We have a medic with us if you want him to take a look at your boy. Not too many medical supplies left in the kit now though."
Galen was about ready to refuse, but thought better of it and instead shot a look at Jock, warning him to keep still. The boy hated to be touched, especially by strangers. Not even some members of the Family could lay a hand on his shoudler in comfort. The lad's memories were obviously still too raw.
"You heard anything about those Grizzlies that have been harrassing people in La Rivage?"
Maverick [OOC: Galen's last name *grin*] schooled his face perfectly against the question, giving no sign that he knew more than what he was about to say. "Yeah. Word gets around fast, especially during a war." He gave a sad shake of his head. "Never met a group face to face though. Lucky I am if the stories are true. We thought about stopping in La Rivage, as a matter of fact we were heading over there. Just came back from visiting a sister in Toscano. Tried to get her to come with us, but she refused. She's awfully attatched to her home." He scowled at his words as he gave another shake of his head. "Women, eh?" he asked as if in disgust, steering the conversation away from the Grizzlies.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 29, 2009 11:33:43 GMT -5
Sir Louis was surprised, but tried not to show it. "I suppose. Our women do what their told, so if I wanted my sister to come with me, I just tell her so and she doesn't have any choice. I hear it is different in other countries though. Like Araluen, the women there apparently fight right alongside the men. Most strange." He mused for a moment, then something the man said surfaced.
He said he came from Toscano. How did he manage to get past the Aslavian Army? They were between their current location and Toscano and their army was huge. Sir Louis' suspicions of this man rose a little, but he didn't make any outward sign of it.
"Must have been tough getting through the war zone coming in from Toscano." he fished for more information while his medic gently examined the boy's wound and began treating it. Sir Louis watched, glancing at Maverick's (Galen's) face every so often. "I hope your sister doesn't get conscripted into the General's Haram. I heard he is travelling with a large contingent of concubines."
There were a few mutters among the men along the lines of "must be nice..." and "ain't seen my wife in six months..." Louis silenced them with a raised eyebrow in their direction.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jul 29, 2009 11:37:58 GMT -5
Meanwhile Brandwyn and Ian mounted back up and moved on eastward at as fast a pace as the terrain and their injuries would allow. They avoided two more groups of Gallican soldiers and then didn't see any signs of humans all the way up to making a camp for the night.
The trees were getting thinner - farther apart and Ian knew they were coming to the end of the woods - and closer to the enemy encampment. He picked a secluded camping spot in a cluster of pine trees and they ate a cold dinner and lay down to sleep. Brandwyn took first watch, climbing up in a tree so she could see if anyone approached from most sides, especially the east, but also back the way they had come from. Her aching back kept her wide awake until it was her turn to sleep...
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