Turn7

Someone lost, someone gained

Spurring her horse on faster, Meraina rides for the line of trees, which even now approached apace. The horse and rider are a blur as they streak across the open field. As she nears the edge of the forest she hauls back on the reins and by the time she reaches it the horse is trotting. Carefully making her way deeper beneath the trees, Meraina goes as far as she can on horseback, then dismounts and leads her horse higher. She mutters to herself...."Let's see if we can find a handy outcrop, where I can see whats what. Wonder if I'll find one up this way?" and she heads off, climbing higher up the hillside all the time.

She passes through the stand of trees using an old animal trail and climbs the slope until she is above the treeline. The land above is cold and clear with low heather and scrub grass. An eagle of some kind cries from high above. Over to her right she sees where a small stream has caused a horseshoe shaped ledge to be formed. A small pool has collected here.

Looking back at the village Meraina immediately can make out the extent of the damage through the grey smoke which is coiling up into the dawn air. The fires seem mostly limited to the houses near to the surrounding wall and hardly any towards the center of the village. The damage looks less severe from above. The watcher is too far away to make out people in the village but she does notice the steady trickle of people leaving through the main gates in the south wall and now some others are bunching up outside the west postern door. As she watches, a few Szreldor warriors move away from the main group at a tangent, towards the surrounding trees. It is not hard to guess from the main group congregating down by the river that the Szreldor are leaving the village and rounding up their prisoners.

**********

Raddish and Billy head beneath the trees but away from the congregated horses of the Szreldor. Puffing with exertion, Raddish looks behind him to see five Szreldor appearing outside the village and searching around for their mounts. It doesn't take them long to spot footprints and they head confidently but warily towards the trees.

"Oh no! They must have seen us. Quick, we must escape further into the woods."
"Well that's fine by me," answers Billy, holding his cloak about him.
"The sooner I am away from this village the better I will feel. It is becoming far too dangerous for people like us."

Maleg, watches silently from the trees as the Szreldor approach. He half draws his bow but then remembers the words of his leader. "...If there are many, leave the horses. You are worth more than any number of them. Withdraw from the area to the place we've chosen and await our return."
Shrugging, the Gargath warrior turns and disappears silently into the woods, stopping only to release the tethers of the horses.

*********

The line of prisoners pass, one by one, the entrance to the alley in which the Gargath crouch. Coru draws his bow half back but pauses, waiting for Relg's signal. The older man touches two fingers to the young warriors shoulder then points to the two Szreldor at the rear. He then motions that he will attack the leader. With sabre drawn and held across him, Relg steals to the edge of the street then suddenly launches himself in a flying leap at the leader. His action surprises the group leader who turns in defense but Relg's sabre is not intended for him and cleanly slices through the cord binding the man to the prisoner. The woman stumbles forward but recovers as Relg turns to challenge his foe.
"Is leading women and children the best that you are good for?" he taunts mockingly in clear Szreldorn. "Why don't you try with me instead?"
The other man sneers and draws his own blade. The two drop into the combat stance and ignore all around them.

Coru, distracted by Relg's sudden charge forgets to fire his bow and only reacts when the two Szreldor turn their weapons onto the Gargath leader. Coru leaps up, dropping his bow and arrow while shouting loudly and charges into the street. The Szreldor turn together to face the new threat but have little time to fire before the Gargath is upon them. The first fires wildly but the second marks his target. Only Coru's swift roll to the ground avoids the arrow's flight and it glances off a nearby wall. Coru comes to his feet before both men in a fluid movement, the men realising that neither now has a suitable weapon to defend against him. Coru grins at them, raising his blade to strike.

*********

Saelvach glances briefly in the direction of the stocky Dwarf, perhaps waiting for some reaction to his deed.

Boldor looks at the Gambler, suprised: "Ooch I dina think ya had't in ya, aye yeh did the right thing if you dina do it I'd 'ave."
Squinting up at Saelvach he adds: "Now I'm going to teach these scum a lesson - you can wield that stick alright for a tall fella so know are ya gunna help me or ya gunna slink off and hide?"

After a brief moment Saelvach answers: "I have business elsewhere; perhaps we'll meet again when this is over and figure out what has driven these Szreldor to such heights of boldness".

"Well, allright. Either way theres gunna be some widows tonight" <Boldor grins evily at his Mattock>, wispering to it: "Where gunna make em pay aye darling?"

Saelvach nods almost imperceptibly to the old warrior then strides back across the square towards the guardhouse.

Boldor watches him go then follows, stalking across the cobbled square looking for his next victim. He turns onto the main street that heads south towards the main gates looking for trouble.

Once clear of the square, Saelvach reverts to a more stealthy gait, seeking the sanctuary of the shadows once more. A look of determination is written on his ageless face as he picks his way between the buildings. Methodically he works his way towards the guardhouse, pausing occasionally to scan the streets ahead until he can quickly cover the last few yards of open ground before the large stone exterior to the building. Noting that the wooden doors lie partially ajar, Saelvach carefully draws his long blade and, pushing the door inwards with his off-hand, steps quickly inside, preparing to face any of the intruders who might be waiting inside...

**********

Gwalchmai drops his pack to the floor and nods to the Dwarves who have the Szreldor prisoner under guard. Taking just his Axe and one javelin in hand, he heads quickly out of the back door and comes near to Heladil. From behind him he whispers: "Cover me, I'll try to run to the trees in front".

Arekhel halts her flight across the yard and reins in her horse. She dismounts and hides behind it, still holding the rope. She shouts in Elvish to Heladil:
"There is another bastard, there, against the wall! Be careful!!"

Heladil, seeing that she is no longer in danger and away from the two raiders, steps back into cover around the corner. There he scans for any sign of the raiders coming round. With his head cocked, as if listening for an answer, Heladil slowly lets out a mellow whistle. He pauses for a moment watching the actions of the bird in the tree then nods to Gwalchmai in answer. Moving to the edge of the building, the Elf takes a shot at the Szreldor in the grass but misses.

Gwalchmai chooses his moment and runs towards the trees before the stable doors and ducks for cover there. He holds his arm across his midriff and seems to be in pain but nevertheless rises to throw his javelin at the other Szreldor by the wall, who he can now see clearly. The man stops his creeping advance and turns to avoid the strike but Gwalchmai somehow accounts for it and still hits the man. However, the Northman is now open to attack from the bowman in the grass who returns fire, but sends his arrow into the foliage. Gwalchmai takes cover behind a tree.

Meanwhile inside the tavern...

Froin, keeping his crossbow and eyes fixed on the prisoner, decides to talk to him.
"That was mighty fun now wasn't it. You all coming in here and starting up a fight when one was not needed. I was enjoying my time until you arrived."
The other Dwarf, Tewo, pulls up a chair and sits down to scrutinise the prisoner. He waves for Froin to continue.

"Why have you come here? What was your purpose behind all this?"
The Szreldor sneers and spits on the floor in front of the Dwarves.

Froin raises the crossbow to eye level and aims it right between the mans legs. "Answer me."

"I am the Northman's prisoner. I am not yours, Naug!" replies the warrior in a heavily accented speech. "You can forget asking me pointless questions. I will not answer. Call back that man mountain. Until then, I will be silent." He stares at the floor.

**********

Valdo checks his sable horse before mounting up. The animal is clearly nervous of the strange smells around but the guard-captain soon has it under control. "I'm not sure if riding for Buhr Criocha is the best plan for this man. Dail is a much larger settlement, but it is yet many leagues to the south. It would take longer to ride for aid from the garrison there than go back to Buhr Criocha but... did we pass any farms or homes on our trip?"

"Hmm. There was a farmstead that we past about half an hour from here. It looked fairly run down but had chimney-smoke going. Why?" answers Lochan.

"Perhaps we could get those people to care for the wounded guard."

"It's certainly possible. I don't know what allegiances these people hold around here but it will likely be to the Northmen Lords anyway."

"Well, we must take the dead back to Buhr Criocha to their families anyway. Let us get this damned cart fixed." And with this, the two men set to the task at hand.

Overhead the carrion birds wheel and watch the tiny figures below with interest...

End of Turn 7.