|
Post by ivory on Jul 29, 2009 12:05:03 GMT -5
"Must have been tough getting through the war zone coming in from Toscano."
Galen thought a few dozen curses in his mind, but he revealed nothing as he gave a shrug. "Well, when your family's at risk, you do what you got to do. But you're right. Was mighty hard."
"I hope your sister doesn't get conscripted into the General's Haram. I heard he is travelling with a large contingent of concubines."
Galen allowed his face to pull into a frown even though he doubted it'd happen to Teresa. She was strong, smart, deady, and too untamed to take orders from anyone, not even him, or maybe, especially not him. Out of all of the Family she was the loner in the group, constructing her walls too high for anyone to climb over. He didn't even know the majority of her story and doubted he ever would.
With a worried look, he flicked his gaze to Jock before shaking his head. "She should've came with us. Now I can't be risking me boy." As the gink [OOC: means: man/boy/fellow/guy - lol. That dictionary again. *grin*] tensed, Galen prayed he'd get the message that they were only faking it and wouldn't do anything gaga [OOC: means: foolish/crazy].
He frowned as he turned back to the Sir Louis. "If you don't be minding sir, I'd like to get me boy home quick." He lowered his voice so Jock couldn't hear, or at least pretended too. That gink had the ears of a wolf. "Then I'll be heading back to me sister. Get her out of there before things gets too bad." A flat out lie considering Malleus was already on it, or heading there anyways.
|
|
|
Post by Brandwyn on Jul 29, 2009 12:41:04 GMT -5
Sir Louis nodded, "I understand. Don't blame you at all and sorry for giving you more to worry about." He motioned for his men to follow. "We best get a move on anyway. Their army can't be that far behind us and I would just as soon meet up with them again with an army at my back full of fresh Araluen and Skandian troops."
Louis turned to leave and then turned back, "really, though, once you get your sister out, we could sure use your help. I think every able bodied person is going to be needed to defeat these miserable bastards." He extended his hand, "Good luck to you."
|
|
|
Post by ivory on Jul 29, 2009 12:45:59 GMT -5
Galen nodded once and took the man's hand. He held it as he said, "Me son needs lookin' after, but I might be able to help. Heavens know it's needed." He dropped his hand to his side and though he hated having strangers at his back, he waved for Jock to come on. They'd be on the same road until they exited the woods and would be able to drop off the road without looking too suspicious.
|
|
|
Post by Brandwyn on Jul 30, 2009 11:04:44 GMT -5
Sir Louis and his men moved off and shortly after turned off the trail and made their way through the woods to the southwest. He agreed with Ian that it did seem strange to be running into people out here in the woods. This obviously wasn't the blind man Ian and Brandwyn had seen, he didn't fit the description at all. So, maybe there were some others meeting here in the middle of nowhere.
But was that any concern of his? Louis didn't see how it would affect them, as long as they weren't ambushed, so he dismissed them from his mind and urged the men faster. He didn't want to lag behind the rest of the Gallican and Toscano forces and get caught by the Aslavians. Soon they were leagues away...
|
|
|
Post by ivory on Aug 9, 2009 15:58:45 GMT -5
As soon as the troops parted down another road, Galen ushered Jock to hurry into the brush. They made their way through the trees for a while before coming out on the other side and heading west. They'd swing north after a few days rest; Jock was limping again, not as heavily as before, but still enough for Galen to worry. Besides, he had a lot of things to think over, starting with Shark...
|
|
|
Post by Brandwyn on Aug 18, 2009 9:27:47 GMT -5
Brandwyn woke suddenly to a light touch on her lips. Even though she was partly asleep, she knew it was Ian. That was their signal to be quiet because something was amiss. Ian motioned for her to get up. It was almost dawn, the sky was just starting to get faintly lighter, at least what she could see of it between the canopy of trees.
Ian was quickly and quietly stowing their gear and Brandwyn hastened to roll up her bedroll and tied it behind her saddle. They gave the horses a bit of grain and all the time Ian kept glancing through the woods towards the northeast. He looked at her worriedly as he hobbled around on his crutches.
Then Brandwyn heard what was bothering him. The distant sound of drums; marching drums. She looked at him in alarm. It would seem the Aslavian army was not very far away.
They led their horses on foot for a time, but the sound of drums was fading rather than drawing closer, heading more north than coming straight at them. Ian whispered, “I think we can mount up and follow them. I want to get a good look at them, without being seen.” Besides his leg hurt more than he would admit and he needed to ride.
Brandwyn helped him up and then climbed up on Asfala who danced sideways a few steps until Brandwyn calmed her with a few strokes on her neck and murmured words. They set off at a ground eating trot that jarred both of them and had them gritting their teeth in pain, but it was the best gait for covering long distances over long periods of time. The horses could keep up that pace nearly all day with only short breaks.
An hour after the sun came up they were lying on a grassy hill looking down on the Aslavian army as it passed through a dry gulch below them. The horses were hidden farther away and they had taken great pains not to disturb the scouting out-riders the Aslavians had guarding their army.
Brandwyn watched a man with a contingent of body guards ride up to a wagon near the middle of the army of marching soldiers. He rode along it and seemed to be talking to someone and laughing at them, but Brandwyn could tell it wasn’t to the driver of the wagon. When it finally passed below their hiding place, she could see a woman was tied up in the bed of the wagon. “Ian!” She whispered and touched his arm.
“I see.” He said tightly, his eyes narrowed in anger.
“We have to help her!” Brandwyn said, watching the man and his retinue ride off.
Ian didn’t answer at first since he was counting soldiers and units, supplies and other fine details that the King would want to know. Finally, after studying the army for quite some time he said, “How? We can’t just ride down there and take her away. Neither of us could pass for an Aslavian in broad daylight.”
“We can’t just leave her there. They are killing her.” Brandwyn argued, not knowing what they could do, but only knowing they must do something.
“I don’t like leaving her any more than you do, but we can’t do anything at this moment.” Ian said firmly. “Maybe an idea will come to me as the day progresses.” He changed the subject, “Did you finish your counts?”
Brandwyn nodded, she had already made her estimations. She recited them to Ian, hoping she hadn’t forgotten anything. Ian grunted in satisfaction, secretly quite please that his apprentice had assessed the particulars of the enemy down to almost the same detail as he had done. “We had better get back to the horses before the next scout comes along.”
Brandwyn followed Ian back and they kept a watch on the army all day, riding parallel to it. Brandwyn knew Ian was trying to figure out a way to rescue the woman, and two other Gallican prisoners they had seen, otherwise they would have left already. An idea was beginning to form, she could tell, because his worried look finally turned into a slight smile. He had a plan, but it would have to wait for dark.
Meanwhile he listed all the information they had gathered in code on a piece of parchment and stuck it in his saddlebag. Anyone finding the paper other than their Scout Master or the King would not be able to read it. An insurance policy in case things didn’t go well that evening, Ian thought.
|
|
|
Post by ivory on Aug 18, 2009 9:49:31 GMT -5
Malleus had faded deeper into the woods at the rumble in the ground, wishing again that he wasn't blind. By the sound, it was a formation of horses and a couple of wheels. He frowned, wondering what it was. And then his stomach clenched tightly as he realized the truth. The army was marching a whole lot sooner than he'd thought. Muttering a curse, he made his way back the way he'd come, hoping Jock would find him. Galen was a good eye, sharp ears, but that boy's surpassed Father's by far. Despite that he'd been with them for a while, it still freaked him out from time to time. The first time, he'd even told Galen that the lad was a sorceror, but Galen of course, had merely laughed and told him he'd lost his mind along with his eyes. He was right of course, Malleus was just being paranoid.
-----------
Galen frowned as Jock caught his attention and stroked his chin with one hand as if he had a beard. Malleus should be a ways ahead of them, on a slightly different path. They shouldn't run into each other at all Not unless...
Jock whistled, perfectly mimicking some type of bird Galen'd heard numerous of times, yet still had no idea what it was. A minute later Malleus stood before them.
------------------
Galen's face was grim as he followed Malleus back the way he'd come and for once hoped that Teresa had failed her mission, that she hadn't even been able to get close enough to the army to reach Abdilah. He knew they were false prayers though; Teresa had yet to fail.
They found the army a few paces away from where Malleus led them and blending back into the woods, they began to follow. They split up so in case one was caught the others wouldn't be too, each watching for lingering patrols. They merely moved around them, not wanting to kill and thus give away the element of suprise, knowing that they'd probably switch guard every so often and if one didn't come back they'd grow suspcious.
But it wasn't a teasing for them, each having rid themselves of emotions as they stepped into that of battle. Nothing but shells as they moved quietly, each waiting for the chance to strike and strike hard should the need arise. And each knew that if Teresa wasn't with them, they'd simply fade back into the shadows and move on their way. After all, this wasn't their fight.
|
|
|
Post by Brandwyn on Aug 22, 2009 18:51:23 GMT -5
Brandwyn watched the wagon with the woman in it all day and well into the evening. They had eaten a cold dinner of beef jerky and dried out bread, not risking a fire so close to the enemy.
The army was moving slowly, but Ian said that was normal for an army of that size. It would only go as fast as the slowest supply wagon.
When the moon rose and the camp seemed settled for the night, Brandwyn made sure Ian was fast asleep as she pulled her midnight blue cloak out of her pack and slipped it on. She knew Ian wasn't going to approve, but she doubted that his plan would work with his current broken leg.
She untied their horses and saddled them both; trying not to disturb Ian then commanded them to guard him. Asfala whickered softly after her as she slipped away from the camp. Brandwyn turned around and stated softly, yet firmly "Guard! Asfala stand!" and pointed at Ian. Asfala laid back her ears and tossed her head in protest but she didn't attempt to follow Brandwyn after that.
Brandy made her way easily to the perimeter of the camp and slipped within the patrolling guard's circle without any trouble. She made her way quietly, slipping from shadow to shadow towards the center of the camp where the woman who had been in the wagon waited, staked to the ground.
There were a couple of places where she had to walk in the open casually to avoid suspicion. A group of soldiers hailed her and she greeted them with a grunt, brandishing a parchment and headed on her way, her heart in her throat. But the men let her pass and no one pursued her. She slipped into the cover of the shadows for a moment and sighed with relief. The woman was only twenty feet away now.
Brandwyn studied the scene before going on. She would have to neutralize the guard somehow because she would never get close enough to cut the woman free if she didn't. There wasn't hardly any noise and the guard was drowsing against a large rock.
Brandy picked up a rock that filled her hand and as silently as a ghost, slinked up to the back side of the rock and around it. She tossed a pebble over the rock to her left to distract the guard. When he turned his head toward the sound she slammed the rock in her right hand into his head. The guard crumpled to the ground with barely a noise. Brandwyn froze for a minute to make sure it hadn't attracted anyone's attention.
She turned around and approached the woman from the front. "Shhhh..." she whispered. "I have come to free you." She said in Gallican. She hoped the woman could understand her as she slipped around behind and cut through the ropes around the woman's wrists. "Follow me and we can get out of here without them ever knowing."
|
|
|
Post by ivory on Aug 22, 2009 18:52:48 GMT -5
Teresa's head hung after a few hours in her position, pain numbing her body, too tired to keep it upright, but at the sound of a something hitting the ground a little bit away. She instantly became alert, having trained herself to do so at any 'foreign' sound. Someone had made their way through camp to reach her. She thought first of Abdilah, but doubted he'd have to creep around to see her. And he wouldn't have knocked out the guard. And his voice definitely didn't sound like that.
“Shhh…I have come to free you.”
She wondered who this girl was and more importantly, where she was from. As Abdilah had reminded her, Gallican women normally didn’t go into this kind of lifestyle and never got into the army. A freelance? Or Araluen? She frowned at the second possibility, not liking where this might lead. She was supposed to get in and out on her own, not helped by a possible Araluen, which would cause more trouble than she or Galen wanted.
“Follow me and we can get out of here without them ever knowing.”
Now that was a problem. She still had a mission to do. Her mind told her she was too weak to finish it now anyways, but as usual her stubbornness beat it to submission. She wouldn’t leave, not now. There’d be no way she could get this close to Abdilah again. Mind made, she gave her answer.
“Thanks, but I can’t leave yet. I still have business to take care of.”
She rose as she whispered it, rubbing her wrists, then rotating her shoulders in an attempt to ease the pain. It didn’t help, but not wanting to waste any more time, she went searching for her weapons, doubting that she’d be able to feed him the poison without a fight. Her targets always did like to fight.
|
|
|
Post by Brandwyn on Aug 22, 2009 19:24:51 GMT -5
Brandwyn looked at the woman doubtfully. "I don't mean to disrespect you, but you don't look like you are in any shape to do much of anything right now.
Brandy glanced around the clearing and pulled the woman gently into the shadows. They were too exposed in the open where she had been staked. "That guard is going to wake up soon, and he will raise the alarm. We need to get back to the hills and my master before then, or we won't get away!"
"Please, come with me!" She pleaded. "What could possibly be so important you would risk more of this torture - or worse?" Brandy pointed toward the severed ropes.
She noticed she had left tracks all over and looked around for some means to obliterate them. There was a patch of tall wispy grass growing next to a tent a couple feet away and she went over and cut off. Then she proceeded to rub the grass over the dirt, scuffing out their tracks around the circle. She didn't have time to make sure she hadn't missed any of her own foot prints though.
The whole process took her only a minute to confuse the tracks around the guard and where the woman had been tied. She looked back to the woman to see if she was going to follow her back into the hills.
|
|
|
Post by ivory on Aug 22, 2009 19:39:30 GMT -5
"I don't mean to disrespect you, but you don't look like you are in any shape to do much of anything right now.
Teresa wouldn't argue with her on that score considering there was little she could say that the girl wouldn't be able to look at her and know she was lying. She started to turn away when she got a tug on her arm, pulling her into the shadows.
"That guard is going to wake up soon, and he will raise the alarm. We need to get back to the hills and my master before then, or we won't get away! Please, come with me! What could possibly be so important you would risk more of this torture - or worse?"
Teresa didn't have to follow her gesture to know what she was talking about. Her muscles were screaming all too loudly. Still though, she had a mission to do. Not because she had an overwhelming loyalty to Galen or the Family though she did like them as much as she was able. Rather, it was because of a promise she'd made to herself the day her family was slaughtered and she whispered it now.
"I'll never be weak again. I have to do this." She normally wouldn't have told her, but figured she owed her at least that for risking her neck to come 'save' her.
Now if only she had her weapons, or even a weapon...
|
|
|
Post by Brandwyn on Aug 22, 2009 20:06:30 GMT -5
Brandwyn shrank away from her intensity just a bit. She noticed the woman looking around for something. She suspected the woman wanted a weapon.
"You are planning to kill someone, aren't you?" Brandwyn pulled one of her spare knives out of her boot. She looked it over and then tentatively handed it to the woman. "Here. I can't help you, but if you get out, Master Ian and I will be up there in the hills. We don't have an extra horse, but we can give you some archery cover." Brandwyn turned to go. "well, up to a point anyway. We can't afford to get caught here."
|
|
|
Post by ivory on Aug 23, 2009 9:39:53 GMT -5
Teresa gave a single nod of understanding and thanks as she took the knife. She didn't bother to hide it as she made her way through the camp since her face would give her away within a matter of seconds anyways. Better to simply have it out and all the sooner ready to use.
She kept to the shadows, careful to walk casually and with her shoulders more than her hips around those tents that still had light within them, not wanting her shadow to give her away. She didn't have to worry about the more feminine parts of her considering how they were small and she practically curveless, more squared with muscle. Walking with her arms close to her side to 'merge' them helped too.
Her way was clear for the most part, slow and with a few wrong turns, but she'd managed to finally get it within her sights a little under half an hour. She stood back for a moment, hand tightening on the knife before she gave a flick of her wrist and brought it from pointing up to pointing down. She twisted her grip into another position, better for that hold, and began to advance.
When an arm gripped the thin layer of clothe on her back. Without even bothering with a curse, simply going for cold efficency, she spun around, left arm up to connect with the soldier's forearm. She twisted it around his limb, gripping the upper even as she plunged the knife in her right straight up from his chin. Her grip only tightened when he began to gurgle, supporting him so he didn't collapse. She jerked the knife down and out and as he began to fall she dropped with him, lowering him slowly to the ground.
She wiped the blade off in the grass, then stood, scanning her surroundings with more efficency, remembering that he had guards around his tent. She slowly made her way over, making sure that she didn't ruin these precious minutes by rushing in the heat of the moment.
She did mutter a curse this time as she heard a yell errupt behind her. She spun around, placing her back to a tent, scowling as she saw someone backpedeling from the body, running to warn the rest. She didn't have much time. As soon as he disappeared she quickened her pace to Abdilah's tent, though still made sure to keep her defenses high and her awareness sharp. And thus, she just barely managed to dodge the knife swinging toward her.
She ducked as it swung into the tent, slicing it open and causing a jolt of suprise within. Five tents away she doubted that Abdilah wasn't now aware of the commotion in his camp. Scowl deepening, she came up with a plunge to his stomach. She ripped downward, spilling his guts on the ground, but not before he managed to stick her in the shoulder. Pain shot like lightning down to her center as she felt it enter her collar bone. It didn't slice all the way through, but enough to make her left arm completely numb. To pull it out she had to drop the knife in her right hand, leaving her weaponless, and already another man was coming toward her.
Gritting her teeth, she let the knife Brandwyn gave her get lost beneath the body of the second man as he crumbled, then quickly gripped the hilt pointing up on her shoulder and yanked it up and out. Her eyes watered with the pain, but she managed to keep her feet and turn to face the next attacker.
She thought she saw Abdilah standing at the flap of his tent, but wasn't sure, her attention being forced away by the flash of a blade. Either way, just the thought of him so close, yet too far away irritated her beyond doubt. But having not been raised a fool, she began to beat a retreat. She'd kept the hills in her sights throughout her travel through the camp and knew they were to her left. She sent a glare toward the tent opening in warning that she'd be back, though she didn't look long enough to see if it was him for the next man was advancing in a hurry and this one had a sword. Against other odds she might have chanced it, but she knew her limits and was truthful enough with herself that if she tried, it'd be pure suicide. And besides, she could hear more commotion behind her from the man who'd found the first body. Not enough time indeed. She darted to the left, kicked the man in the shin as he came out of his tent without breaking stride, not bothering to watch as he collapsed in pure reflex. He'd be up within a few seconds, but she was fast and a second could be the edge between life and death. She only hoped they didn't think to get the archers.
The hills stretched about fifty yards before her, normally a nothing, but with every step jolting her shoulder, it was murder. She refused to slow down, knowing that if she did she was as good as dead. Fingers brushed her back when she was halfway there and she dropped to the ground, curling into herself with her left shoulder pointing toward the ground. His feet dug hard into her side as he ran into her with a shout, unable to stop himself in such short time. As soon as he went flying, she was back up and running again, her first step stomping hard into his stomach.
Luckily, he was too shocked and winded to try to grab her again. All it'd take was one fall and they'd be on her like a back of starved wolves on a sick deer. She could hear the stomping of their footsteps behind her and judged them to be more than ten. But then, she wouldn't be suprised if in fact, there weren't that many. The starvation and water deprivation, not to mention the pain, was making her brain cascade out of full functioning mode. Still, better to overshoot than under.
She reached the foot of the first high and began to struggle upwards, breathing coming in fast as she was loosing more and more blood. She should stop and bandage it up, her hard pumping heart doing little to help matters, but she knew she couldn't risk it. Besides, help should be coming soon. She just had to get them in position, within reach. Or that's what she kept telling herself, using it to push herself past her limits.
She gritted her teeth as she slipped and out of reflex she twisted to the right as she fell, landing hard on her shoulder. Her feet kicked at the ground as she began to slide down the hill, desperately trying to find a foothole. She found it within a few seconds, but those seconds had cost her dearly. The men were now only a stone-throw away. She twisted to place her stomach on the ground and shoved off with her right hand, only to realize that she'd dropped the knife. She was on her feet and turning around searching the ground, knowing that if they were still too far out of reach of Brandwyn and Ian's bows, she was dead. Better to die with a weapon in hand than without one. Die strong. Not weak. A sheen of metal on the ground to her right. She went for it.
|
|
|
Post by Brandwyn on Aug 23, 2009 10:49:41 GMT -5
Brandwyn felt bad about leaving her in the camp, but she knew Ian was going to have her hide as it was, and she might be able to help her more if she got out and got some backup. So Brandwyn quickly slunk out of the camp, making her way to the edge and just into the grasses as she heard the first sounds of disturbance towards the center of the camp.
She scrambled up the hill and knew she wasn't going fast enough. She gave Asfala and Bandet the whistle for danger and heard Asfala's hooves pounding down the hillside toward her.
She swung up into Asfala's saddle and pounded back up the hill. Ian was already awake and stowing his bedroll on the back of Bandet. "What's going on?" he asked as she came cantering into camp. He swung up onto Bandet, the rest of their gear already packed before Brandwyn had left.
"I freed the woman, but she wouldn't come back with me. She is going to kill someone. I think it might be their commander, she was heading towards the big tent in the middle."
"Damn it! We had a plan! What made you go down there and do that? Now the whole army is going to come after us." Ian glared at her as he swung up onto Bandelero. "Let's get out of here!"
"No." Brandwyn said calmly. "We can't just leave her there. I told her we would give her archery support." She stared at him as he glared at her, the sounds of commotion in the camp drawing louder.
"We don't owe her anything. We don't even know her." Ian protested finally. "We have to get what we have learned back to the King. That is our mission."
"She has information we could use. She has seen a lot more of their camp than we have." Brandwyn countered. "You can punish me later, but right now I am going to help her."
Ian grabbed Asfala's reins just under the horses' chin. "You will not. You are an apprentice and if you insist on defying me, assuming we survive tonight, I will have you removed from the Scouts. Is that what you want?"
Brandwyn glared at him for a moment and weighed her options, then lowered her head. "No. I am sorry. I will do as you say." She mumbled.
Ian let go of the reins and then turned toward the army. "Let's take a look at what is going on and then I will decide what we are going to do."
"Yes Sir." Brandwyn turned her head, a ghost of a smile playing around her mouth that she hid from Ian. It was all about their ego, she reminded herself. Let him think she was following his orders when in fact he was doing exactly what she wanted.
They cantered up to the rise and looked down on the camp. "There she is!" Brandwyn pointed down the slope. "She has company." It looked as if she was about to be captured or killed.
As one, Brandwyn and Ian fired shots at her attackers. Two of them went down without a sound, arrows through the throat on one and forehead on the other.
In less than three minutes all her attackers were dead. "Stay here!" Ian ordered Brandwyn and plunged Bandet down the slope.
Brandwyn knew better than to follow him this time. She kept a watch on the edges of the camp, noticing that a larger force was assembling to pursue the woman into the hills.
Ian rode up to the woman and leaned down and reached out with his hand. "Come on!" he said in Araluen, ready to pull her up behind him on his horse.
|
|
|
Post by ivory on Aug 23, 2009 11:03:52 GMT -5
Teresa had barely managed to grab her knife, ignoring the pain that shot throughout her body, when she heard the whish of arrows. Thinking they were coming from the camp instead of behind her she bolted into a roll, chocking back a scream as she jarred her shoulder. Tears were forming high behind her eyes, but she refused to let them drop down her cheeks.
She froze as she saw two men fall, arrows in their anatomy. And then she sagged inwardly in relief. She hung back as the arrows beat them off her and within minutes they were all down and bleeding, most likely dead though she didn't check to make sure. As soon as the last one dropped she was running again for the hills, not thinking that they [Brandwyn and Ian] might actually come after her to help.
Fear tugged at her at the sound of a horse's hooves and she fingered the knife, preparing to throw, but her muscles refused to move gracefully enough for it to hit her mark. She doubted the rider even noticed her attempt. And a good thing too, she soon found out, when he reached down and said, "Come on!"
She wasn't too tired to realize that she'd been right. Definitely Araluen. She was though, too tired to think anymore of it. Simply gripped his hand in hers and swung herself up behind him. She wrapped her right hand around his waste, pressing her check to his back and against her will, her eyes began to close. She wasn't asleep, just resting her sore body and mind. A mind that wasn't too dull yet as to not realize that something had changed. Something big. Rather for good or not, it was too early to say.
|
|