Welcome again,first of all,Iadmit partial incorrectness in my statements onpre-rennaisance cloth dyeing, cochinea was discovered in the Americas by Spainards, no onein europe had it until then. After that, those who do read Solomon Kane may wonder who the girl is, she was briefly mentioned in Solomon Kane's homecoming, you really have to look for it to findhim talking about her. So once again enjoy.
The dawning of the new day greeted Lyndis Legion with a sense of optimism. Kent reported that it would be less than two days before they reached Castle Caelin, Solomon Kane showed no sign of joy, for one reason he was not a man one could easily see the mood of, another that he felt something in the air. Something he felt many times over in his adventures, the scent of looming battle in the air. Nils could tell as fast as Kane did, "danger approaches" the young bard said, Ninian agreed that there was a problem approaching "Lyn! Don't move!" The next moment an arrow shot from the distance landing next to the girl. "A ballista" Kent said "they really want us dead, siege weapons are hard to come by" Sain said. "What should we do?" Lyn said this while Mark the tactician's gears already started spinning "Kent, Sain, you two go east toward that village over there, everyone else go south to the artillery, except Solomon, you're the decoy until I give you the signal, we clear?" "Wait, I have business to attend to. Sorry that I can't join you for the time being." "Alright then, my strategy didn't really call for you but thanks for reminding me though. Everyone ready? Let's go" the small army then went to their tasks.
Kane stood out in the open waiting for the ballista to fire, it did, and he dodged two arrows when Solomon noticed a flag raised from the top of the mountain. Following the signal he ran quick to meet his allies, to find lyn and Dorcas attacking several enemies on a bridge, Will using the last arrows remaining in the newly acquired Ballista, and Rath taking shots at any remaining soldiers. After the bridge was taken, the fight ended simply enough when Lyn sliced up the enemy general's armor, he fell like all the others when this happened. When the battle ended Kent gave a grim observation, "These were soldiers of Caelin, I trained with them, knew many by name, how could they attack without hesitation?" "They're traitors now, they had it coming to them." Sain replied, then Matthew returned. "I searched around the city for information. Things do not look good, the marquis is very ill, and there is talk that Lundgren is poisoning him, if we are to save him, we should hurry." "Well then, two days, hope that's fast enough" Mark said. "Other problem though, Lundgren has told everyone that we are serving an imposter, even if we save Lyn's grandfather, most would still think she is a traitor." "That is a probelm, but the solution comes easily" Mark said. "Everyone who saw Lyn's mother sees the resemblence, we have two witnesses to that fact, one we are to never speak to ever again, and one is a seemingly nice prince, Eliwood could vouche for us if we found him." "Good point, we should return to Kathaleet, hopefully he's still there" Lyn said.
The group walked down the main road to Kathaleet, hoping Eliwood stays there. Solomon Kane was approached by Mark for a conversation "so, Solomon, a tall, strong guy like you probably had more than a few girls in his prime, did you ever have anyone?" "For a while I thought you wiser than most your age, young tactician, but now I see you talking like Sain." "Good point, but I'm bored, and you aren't much of a talker, so it would help if I get to know you." "Fine then, when I was eighteen I knew a girl, but then I entered the sailing merchant trade, I told her I would return, but forty years of interruptions for righting wrongs the world over led to me finally coming home to find that she died seven years after I left, other than her, I have cared for no others." "That's a pretty sad existence" "yes, but I did what I know is right, so it does not bother me." That statement summarized Solomon Kane, he lived following the sunrise and sunset, wandering throughout the world, stopping only to help where an exellent swordsman is needed, there were things he regretted, but he followed a drive to fix all problems, right all wrongs, he knew not the reason he lived that life, but he followed the path he chose.
The army met up with Eliwood, who said he got all the other Lycian nations to declare nutrality in the battle for Caelin. "Good news is now, Lundgren has no allies, bad news is, neither do we, guess we'll have to bring our little ragtag army against Lundgren the usurper alone." Mark said, with a hint of pessimism in his voice. "I suggest we take the south route, it is quickest, but we will run into general Eagler's estate" Kent offered "then we must fight him." Mark said, but then he discovered the nature of the field they stood at "It's all foggy, this could ruin a few plans." Matthew, however, offered his help "I'm good at seeing through fog, put my at the front." Mark's mind started formulating a plan when a giant man in armor aprroached them. "Lord Wallace!" Kent said, surprised at the man "you retired, I thought you went off to work the farms now" Sain said after Kent "I was retired, but Lundgren called me back with orders to capture the imposter and those serving her." "You believe us to be traitors?" Kent said "bring me the girl, and I shall judge for myself" "what do you plan to do?" Sain questioned "if I do not believe what I see, I will take her." "We will prevent you if you dare touch her" Kent boldy proclaimed "Prevent me? You must be-" "enough, I am here" Lyn stepped foreward. "Those eyes" wallace seemed to drift into another state of mind "I've been a knight for thirty years, and I can tell you, those are not the eyes of a deciever, in fact, I think I'll join your little band of mercenaries." "You are serious?" Sain asked "this old bull's loyal to Caelin, I would never let a usurper on the throne."
"Alright, another new plan, Kane, Wallace, Matthew across the bridge, the rest will go around the mountain range meeting up with them in the forest. We know the plan?" Everyone said yes and entered their ordered formations. "So, who might you be?" Wallace asked Solomon while they trudged through the fogged forest. Kane raised his hand to silence Wallace "we are in battle, I will get to know you after it has passed" then Matthew all of a sudden got grabbed "move and he dies" the brigand said. In one fluid motion Kane unsheathed his rapier, and the axe wielding brigand recieved a quick thrust through the right eye. "Uh... thanks" Matthew said, "guess you don't owe me then." That makes things easier, thought Kane. The trio approached the estate of general Eagler, but a soldier rushed at Kane with his lance. Kane grabbed the lance just below the point with his left hand and cut the soldier down with the rapier in his right. Then, "Eagler", Wallace yelled "General Wallace so, you have sided with the girl" "I fight for Caelin's honor." "No matter, I brand you all as traitors." The Paladin charged against Wallace, the two of them pointed their lances against each other for the inevitable clash that never came, for the cry of fire and thunder echoed across the plains. The puritan fired his pistol at the paladin's horse, it fell knocking Eagler off and straight into Wallace's lance.He struggled to form words as his strength left him "Go...Quickly...The Marquis... Poison...Go...For Caelin"
"Good work, to whom does the honor go?" Mark said when heand the rest of the army arrived on the scene. Wallace gave the details "you should have been there, technically we both get our share of honor, but where did you pick up this guy?" "Found him around Bern, says he's from a far away land from which only magic can get him here." "That's interesting, Castle Caelin can't be that far from here now" "Good, I look forward to putting a pistol ball to Lundgren's brain" said Solomon Kane as the army got walking again.