Turn 22

The Lynch Mob.

As Relg leaves the guardhouse with Coru and Maleg in tow, his way is immediately blocked by the sight of nearly two score villagers angrily advancing up the inclined street towards them. Many hold lit torches or farm implements and all look agressive. At their head marches Galgwen, the tavern owners wife. The group rapidly approaches the Easterlings, Froin and Heladil and the faces do not look friendly as they call out.

Relg shakes his head in disbelieve and says:
"It seems as if these people never learn. Maleg, keep this entrance clear in case they are trying to overrun us." Then he waves Coru to follow him a few steps, towards the crowd. "Wait, people, have you lost your minds?" With a loud voice, Relg tries to overcome the shoutings of the people.

He has little success at first because the group seems highly incensed.

As they don't seem to be reacting, Relg draws his sabre, giving Coru a sign to do the same. "Are you now going to fight the men who defended your village against these Szreldor dogs? Is this your way to appreciate our help?"

The action immediately causes the group to come to a rapid stop eyeing the weapons from about ten feet distant. As Heladil peers over Relg's shoulder at the group, he discerns the figure of Galgwen being presented at the front. She is pushed slightly forward by the others, obviously their appointed spokesperson.

The woman stands upright to her full height and fixes Relg with a defiant look. "We want the Traitor. The Elf. We know all this destruction is his fault and he must pay!"
The rest of the crowd take up the chant - "Yes. Pay! He must pay! We will make him pay!"
Another male voice joins in, directed to Galgwen. "Who are these? Easterlings by the look 'o them. We don't talk to Easterlings. They're the enemy too!"
Then someone else shouts:
"Capture them!"

Some of the crowd move forward once more but soon hesitate as the entire group doesn't follow them. Galgwen remains standing, hands on her ample hips.

At the threatening words, Coru looks heavenwards and throws Relg a half worried, half humorous look, saying:
"I don't know what is worse; them accusing us for being traitors, or capturing us because we're from the East."

Relg laughs out loud and turns to Maleg and Coru, speaking to them in the Gargath language:
"Protect Heladil, he might need our help here - but just in case." Then he addresses the man who is so eager to capture the Gargath warriors. Lifting his sabre towards him, Relg challenges the man to react:
"We are Gargath warriors and our destiny is to fight these Szreldor. You can call yourself lucky, in other times I would have killed you right away. We have defended your village against these cowards - I am beginning to wonder why." (This last sentence, Relg says more to himself, but the others nearby can hear him).
The Warseeker continues in a loud voice:
"Step forward and tell me your brave name. And if you still want to have us then come get us." (The sarcasm in Relg's words cannot be overheard.)

"Hmm. Well...I don't know anything about Gargath helping us an'..." mutters the man as no one is prepared to back him up. He shuffles further back into the crowd out of sight.

Relg turns to the woman again:
"As long as you don't tell me why you want Heladil and what you accuse him of, I and my men will protect him. If he is a traitor as you call him, then he will be treated as such. Now speak, but you'd better stay where you are!"

Galgwen looks nervously around, realising that she is suddenly in charge of the rabble as everyone has backed off slightly. Nevertheless, she speaks up defiantly in answer to the Easterling:
"Heladil, as you call him, is a known troublemaker. We saw the ghost owl in his room. He has dealings with the land of the dead and I'm not having that going on under my roof. He has powers which we people of the north can and rightly fear and were it not for him being here, those Szreldor would have certainly left us alone. Am I not right?"
She turns to seek support from the crowd and a few half heartedly respond. (They don't appear to want to commit themselves, having armed men defying them.)

Amid the general muttering, one eventually says:
"Well, it is up to us at least to tell Raigorn of the presence of this traitor..." The man falls silent once more, leaving the rest unsaid.

At that moment, Gwalchmai steps out from the building and to the side of the Gargath to try and talk to Galgwen:

"Galgwen, is this the way you want to thank a 'man' who saved your inn? Don't you remember that Heladil and myself risked our lives in your backyard to fight the Szreldor who wanted to burn your house? If you want Heladil, you'll have to get rid of me first!"

He walks a few steps ahead, just to show his determination, but does not raise his weapon in an threatening manner.

.....

As the stand off continues outside, Arekhel steps in the way before Sgilti can leave the room. She addresses him:
"Hi, my name's Arekhel and I am a traveller who happened to stay in this village right at the wrong moment! I was in the Inn with the bunch over there (she nods to the group by the door). Raigorn seems to hold you high in his esteem. May I ask you if you are one of his bodyguards or something else?"

......

At the other's words of support, Heladil steps forward:
"Thank you, Relg."

He then faces Galgwen and with a quizzical look on his face he says, "Good Lady, I am a simple Elf. I have stayed in your Inn because I was injured by wolves who attacked me. As long as I was there, did I injure anyone? Did I cause any problems among your guests? Did I ever threaten you or anyone else? Did I not risk my life and fight the Szreldor at the Inn as they tried to burn it down?"

"Well I saw no evidence of that. I...We were hide..busy, in the cellar when they attacked so I didn't see anything. How do we know that you and your evil and demonic familiar didn't call them to meet at your own call? Huh? We've all seen you on the hill yonder - speaking apparently with the very spirits of the air. I say its all mighty strange and I don't trust your sort at all."

The crowd cheers at her response, baiting the Elf to continue. Gwalchmai takes the opportunity to speak quickly to Relg at his side:
"While this will certainly not plead in favor of Heladil's case, I propose he leaves the town for a while. I propose to go with him and any other volunteer and wait outside the village until you decide what we are going to do with the Szreldor. If you know a safe place where we could wait for you and the others wanting to chase the Szreldor, let's meet there later."

"Agreed. You better go fast. Who else knows that place?"
Without waiting for an answer, Relg shouts back towards the door:
"Somebody get Raigorn out here, he may be the only one these insane people will listen to."

Then he looks at Gwalchmai, waiting for a reply. He doesn't get it for at the very moment, looking at the crowd, Heladil raises his voice once more:
"Lady Galgwen, I have never consorted with evil or the dead. Is it my fault that you have an owl living in your stable and it entered my open window? Is it because I am not as you that you would inflame these good people with you and have them do something that they knew to be wrong? Perhaps it is you, who should look in your heart and sees what lays there."

"Huh?" she shouts back, incredulous. "I'm not the one whose in league with the Szreldor."

"As for my living under your roof," the Elf continues without stopping, "Do not worry for I am bound with the Men of this town to hunt down the Szreldor who took your fellows. I would not stay at an Inn whose Innkeeper fears a simple bird and is so blinded by fear that they would strike out at an innocent."

As they hear this, the crowd gives a wild cry in unison and surges toward the group, makeshift weapons held high. As Gwalchmai and Heladil backs away, Relg realises that there is no rational argument which might stop the mob. He grabs Heladil by one arm and pulls him back, towards the door of the guardhouse. Addressing him and Gwalchmai, he says:
"Go, but go fast! Take one of the rear doors or escape over the roofs. We'll meet outside the village tomorrow, just before the sun reaches the horizon." Then he waves Coru and Maleg to stand at his sides and protect the entrance. "Try not to hurt them too much" is the last thing he says before pulling up his shield, with a battlecry on his lips.

The crowd comes forward but without Galgwen, for she seems stunned by Heladil's words and stands there gaping at the retreating Elf.

Meraina sighs and mumbles "Stupid fools," to herself. Quietly she turns to re-enter the guardhouse.

Meanwhile...

"Yes. We should indeed. But what is all that racket?" Sgilti turns towards the shouts in the street outside.

Arekhel throws up her hands and shrugs.
"I don't know, probably another riot because of us! Let me see and I'll have a look."

Arekhel steps towards the door and Sgilti goes with her, leaning on her for support. She peers above the heads crowding the doorway, on tiptoe. At that moment, Heladil steps back hurriedly from the street and flourishes his spear. Heladil's face hardens. "Fools," is all he says and prepares to sell his life dearly.

"My sympathies Elf. I know exactly what it's like when the folk of this village think you have done them wrong. Prepare for a struggle," says Coru taking a combat stance beside him.

Sighing, Arekhel turns to Sgilti:
"Oh, well, it seems like we'll have to wait a little bit before being able to leave this building...a mob of villagers has decided to lynch a couple of my comrades...but I would not worry, the Easterlings -Relg and Coru- seem to have the situation right in their hands! Another misunderstanding, probably, or maybe Balneg's wife is still unhappy with us because we had to knock her husband out to save them against the Szreldor!"

Sgilti looks quizzically surprised at the Elven women standing beside him, amazed at her attitude and open sarcasm.
"You do not seem to have a very high regard for your fellow's well being my Lady. Why is that?"

Arekhel looks guiltily at him, as if he has just told off a young girl. She seems cresfallen, then sad. She lowers her eyes to her feet for a moment before blushing and looking earnestly at Sgilti:
"I...I don't mean to be like this, it is just that I..."

Meraina clears her throat to get the attention of all still there.
"Excuse me, but some good folk of the town have suddenly lost their senses. I think who ever is law here to have a few words with them."

Before she can say more, the imposing bulk of the Watch Commander, flanked by Valdo and Lochan, strides forward from the room as the figure of Froin takes a stance between the two groups.

The southern woman glances outside, shakes her head and rejoins the group facing the villagers.

"ENOUGH!!"
As the crowd slows, suddenly surprised by this new individual, they see a crossbow aimed straight at them. The voice is loud and demands attention at least, if not obedience. Froin looks directly at Galgwen and then lowers his weapon. "Good, now..." Froin begins to unload the crossbow bolt and then places the crossbow next to his leg. At that moment, Riagorn and his men push through the throng around the door to glare at the assembled group of villagers who stop immediately. Froin, facing the other way has not seen him and thus continues with his calming speech:
"Enough blood has been shed this day, and I know you don't want to be the ones to bring more death to this town. But if you choose to advance what will Lord Marhdhricks think about your actions? He will see that you have attacked the very people who helped defend the settlement against the Szreldor. The same people who helped you Galgwen and your husband against the men who would have seen it burned down."

Someone shouts:
"We have no quarrel with the people here we just..." but Froin interrupts him.
"Think about this before you decide to attack us. If you slay me, as you surely will if you think you will get past me, you will have the death of King Nain's chief engineer and ambassador on your hands."

Looking at the crowd and then to the group behind him, Froin sees Raigorn and his shoulders falter as if a great weight is upon them. The Watch Commander nods for him to continue if he wishes.

"There has been too much death this day. There is much to do to restore this town to the way it was before. And fighting against each other will not solve anything, it will only hinder us. Now if we can all go home, some to their children, others to their husbands and wives, we can rest this night knowing that we will not be attacked once more."

Raigorn steps forward to join Froin before the crowd.
"You've heard him. I'll have no more stirring from the likes of you, Galgwen. We can all understand that tensions are high and you wish to be told of what is going on, but there is no point jumping to your own conclusions and making fools of yourselves by believing the tales of old wives! I would bet that very few of you here have suffered much in this raid. Where are those that have lost wives, or son's or their homes to the invaders? Hmm, very few I see. You should follow their example and get about rebuilding the damage for these nights will be cold for those without a hearth. Now..." He turns to Froin and the others.

"Thank you all for your actions. Relg, please put your weapons away. We will not be needing them anymore today. Heladil, do not fear for your safety." He raises his voice suddenly (for the benefit of the crowd as well as the outsiders):
"Within these walls, you shall be given every courtesy, as will you all for we would be indeed in a sorrier state if it were not for your timely actions during the attack. These people, Ambassadors of their own tribes, deserve our every hospitality for soon they join us in the dangerous venture of hunting down the Szreldor and returning the missing to us. They do not do this for profit, purely for the sake of yourselves and for the freedom in life that each one strongly believes is their birthright. Now begone, before you turn my ammusement to wrath." With that he waves towards the crowd in dismissal and turns back towards the silent group. "Soon we will have much to plan but for now, I suggest rest for us all. Even the Szreldor must rest at some time. We can still ctach them."

As Raigorn heads back into the building and his office, the crowd of villagers has already almost dispersed, with lone figures shuffling away rapidly from the seen of their naivety.

Arekhel comes forward aiding Sgilti who has a slight difficulty walking. Just as they leave the building, she turns her head towards Relg, Gwalchmai and the others.
"Something about the coffin has given me an idea of what our friend Urmahd's little trick might have been..." she says, cryptically.

End of Turn 22.