Chapter 51

Jason and Ryan had had a busy day. Jason had met with Lord Nicholas and Sir Keith to discuss what needed to be done. The storm had caused most of their preparations to collapse. They needed to come up with a new plan quickly but no one could think of anything that could be built quickly and withstand an attack by the enemy for very long. They had decided to spend the day making what preparations they could while trying to think of a plan.

Ryan was tying bundles of arrows to their pack horses when Jason joined him. How'd it go?" Ryan asked.

"Not too good. It seems all the prep that was done was destroyed by the storm. None of us could come up with a reasonable plan for a defensive wall that would stand the enemy attack long. Also the general consensus is they will head towards us as soon as the rain lessens. If only to get off the exposed beach"

"So why not plan for it to fall?" Ryan said his mind busy with other details.

"What?"

"Huh? I forgot what I said."

"You said plan for it to fall." Jason was lost in thought and walked away slowly.

Lars walked up to Ryan "What did you say to Jason? I haven't seen him look like that since his first year assessments."

"I don't really know. I was busy thinking of what I needed to do and just spoke."

"Have you got everything we need?

"You're coming with us?"

"Wouldn't miss it."

"Then no. I think I had better find out who all is coming to the coast so I know how much more I need to pack. I think I might need another pack horse or two. Who would I ask how many are coming?"

"I would think this is Jason's war so he would be the one to ask. But I think Byron is planning to come. Have you seen Joey around?"

"He went over to the Healer school to get some supplies. Do you know where Jason is taking us for lunch?"

"He said the coffee shop but I have no idea what he is talking about. You?"

"No, but I'm getting hungry." He replied and walked off to find Jason.

When Ryan found Jason he was sitting at a table with a scholar named Mel talking quietly. Mel had a sheaf of paper in front of him and was busy sketching while talking with Jason. Ryan approached quietly and caught Jason's eye then stepped from the room. Jason came out a minute later "What's up?"

"I was talking to Lars and realized I need to know who is coming back to the beach with us in order to get all the supplies we will need. Also Lars and I are hungry and you said you knew a good place for lunch."

"Ok give me a minute to finish with Mel and we'll go for lunch." He stepped back into the room and Ryan wondered how long a minute would be this time. In an actual minute Jason returned and said "If you get Lars I'll meet you at the front gate."

"Alright see you in five minutes."

When Lars and Ryan joined Jason at the front gate he said "Sorry guys we're going to have to eat at the castle because I have to be close for another meeting. I'm going to present Ryan's idea to Lord Nicholas, Sir Keith and few others.

"My Idea?"

"Yeah your brilliant idea. Have a wall that falls. Care to join me for the meeting?"

Both men nodded, Ryan adding "I can't wait to learn what my idea is."

As the three Rangers were eating their lunch three more Rangers approached. "Uh Jason, we were told to see you to find out what we're needed for." Said Ranger Nathan.

"Join us for lunch and we'll discuss what we all are going to be doing." Byron said

Harlan, Jordan and Nathan sat down and Jordan said "With everything that's going on we're kind of feeling lost."

"You're all first year silvers aren't you?" Asked Lars

"Yeah. I feel more like a first year apprentice though. Everyone is rushing to do something and I don't know what I'm supposed to do now. I got the fief army here now what?" Said Harlan.

"You've done the hard part now we get to do what we've been trained to do. We get to fight an enemy without them ever seeing who they are fighting." Lars said grinning.

"Actually," injected Jason, "This time we want them to see us and chase us as we lead them into a trap. Grab some food and I'll tell you the idea I'm going to be presenting to Sir Keith and Lord Nicholas."

As Jason, Lars and Ryan headed for the meeting Harlan, Jordan and Nathan went to gather more supplies. Jason was chatting with Ryan about some of the things they needed when he was suddenly punched in the arm so he spun his hand on his saxe. Standing in front of him was a mountain of a man with red surcoat that had a relief of a pine needle on it. Jason laughed as he saw it "Sir Horse of the order of the pine needle?"

"Actually Karen just made this up when we learned we were coming here and you would be around somewhere. It just Sir Horse Cantwell, no order of anything as yet."

"How is Karen? What are you doing here, shouldn't you be with the army from Araluen?"

"You'll have to ask her, she's here somewhere. I was given the task of ensuring my favorite Courier made it here from Araluen safely. I only had to beg a little for it too."

"Hey Horse, I see you grew some more since I last saw you." Lars said.

"Lars, so good to see you made it through your time with this walking disaster. I hope you don't bear as many scars as I do." Horse added with a laugh.

"So who is your favorite Courier?"

"My Wife. You met her once Lars. The same day you took this ragamuffin away." At Lars' blank expression he added "You threatened to have Jason tickle her."

"Wait, you and Karen got married? When did this happen and why did I not hear?" Jason asked.

"We tried to find you but it seemed you evaporated for three weeks at the beginning of summer. For that matter it seemed all the Rangers did. We sent messages to Araluen to the Ranger commandant and we also heard you were in Kingscross fief so we sent a message there but no one there knew who you were. Unfortunately we didn't have a lot of time as Karen was being sent out of the country on assignment. She needed an escort to pose as her husband and I suggested that it would be better if her real husband went and she replied she wasn't married. I responded by getting down on one knee and said 'Will you take me with you as your husband?' She laughed and said yes. We had to arrange the wedding and prepare for her trip all in four weeks."

"You always were the romantic. I'm sorry I missed it. I'll have to ask Gilan why he didn't pass on the message. But you're here and things are happening that will give heroes a chance to rise. Are you up for it?"

"Seems like I've been waiting my whole life for this. I just wish someone would stop this infernal rain."

"I have a meeting to go to but we have to get together with Karen and talk."

"I think we might be headed to the same meeting. I've heard were short of ideas how to set up a defense after all the rain. I hope we have enough men to hold them. Do you know how many men they have?"

"I've seen their camp and I know they have a lot of men and horses. As for actual numbers I'm not sure."

"The battle school apprentice that went up the coast managed to get a count of ships and the number of men on each. It adds up to more than twenty five hundred men though some of those will be support personnel."

"If the man we captured is to be believed then half will come this way while the other half heads up the coast. Sounds like we'll be face over a thousand men with what we have and I would bet very soon after the rain stops. The reports we're getting is they've hunkered down in their tents or what is left of them after the windstorm earlier."

"We better go and hear the bad news about our situation then. I think I might put out a call for extra heroes. Maybe if we put up posters." Horse said with a sad shake of his head. "At least we had a good honeymoon."

"You sound like you are already dead boy. Don't worry, we will prevail because we have Jason on our side." Lars said with a proud smile.

"Just what I need more pressure." Jason said with a shake of his head.

"Don't worry Jason, I'm here to help too." Ryan said as he cracked a wide grin.

"Great." Jason said morosely

Andrea didn't stop for lunch but rode on at a walk until it was again about an hour before dark then she looked for a place to camp where she could possibly have a fire. What she found wasn't as good as the night before but it would do. A couple of trees had snapped about a meter and a half from the ground in the recent storm. They all lay together in a mass of interwoven branches. Andrea saw that if she cut off some of the branches that were now pointing down she could have a decent place to camp. It gave enough cover for her to have her bed and a fire somewhat out of the rain with a bit of space to move around. The best part to her was that it came with a supply of wood for her fire. It might take some time to cut through but it would burn. She staked her horse by some grass and got to work sawing the branches to make room for her camp. She stacked all the branches she had cut for firewood. When she had a decent supply of wood she moved her horse under the cover of another tree and tied him there with a long lead. Taking her pack she went back to her camp and started her fire. She unpacked her blanket and finding it wet set it aside. She dug out her supply of rawhide and strung a long piece between where her bed would be and the fire then hung her blanket over it to dry. While she waited for it to dry she made her supper and ate.