Chapter 2
"Are you ready to go Lady Teresa?" A soldier would shift his bow over his shoulder. Teresa shook her head, "No not yet, I am waiting on some people." Teresa leaning back and turning her head to look over her shoulder. The small convoy of wooden carts were getting loaded and the archers were getting situated and ready to move out. "Hurry up Selma!" The voice of Paula's would break the silence of the early morning.
Selma would be in the distance behind Paula, "Don't wait on me!" The both of them reaching Teresa's side panting a bit exhausted. Teresa would blink confused as she spoke up, "Are you two okay? Where is Alan? Did he decide not to come with the caravan?" Selma would lean forward her sword on her back even felt like it weighed a ton, hands resting on her thighs while she gasped for air. Paula was almost in the same boat, her simple iron sword resting at her side. "No milady, he set out early this morning to scout ahead. He thought you would be taking the path through the forest village."
Teresa was stunned by his early departure, even more so by knowing which way they would go. "Well that is wise of him I suppose, why are you two out of breath?" Selma would stare at Paula who looked down a bit red faced, before speaking up. "We were getting a bath in the spring out in the forest. We were worried that we would miss the trip. Lord Alan would be upset with us for being so late." Paula's ears going down a bit as she tried to smile. Teresa couldn't help but chuckle, "Don't worry I will not tell him."
Paula was relieved, hopping onto the back of the cart, "I appreciate this a lot Lady Teresa. Alan isn't so forgiving of us goofing off in his words when there is work to be done." Selma would climb up on the other cart resting beside a guard who would start the caravan forward. Teresa looking down toward the horse which would begin to trudge forward. The decently guarded caravan would be safe. Teresa raising her hand up to block out some of the sun while the caravan moved north toward the village.
Flat palm would touch a tree, Alan's light colored orbs slanting looking into the forest, it was to quiet. This couldn't have been a forest full of griffons could it? Moving forward a sound stirred his attention, where was it coming from? Alan moved between the trees before noticing a large hole dug in the ground, probably an old griffon trap made by a hunter. Lowering down and peering in he was shocked to see someone inside. "Hey are you okay?!" The person did look up, but was so muddy Alan couldn't make them out.
Judging the height of the whole being over twelve feet deep and rather wide it was easy to fall inside. The sides looked smoothed so climbing out was nearly impossible, "Are you hurt?" Alan called down again the person on the inside would from what little light he could make out was pointing down toward the leg area. Perhaps a dislocated joint, or sprain. Either way the person needed to be helped out of the hole. Alan loosening his weapons belt letting one of his two wakizashi's stabbed into the top of the ground firmly. Looping the belt around the handle, he would begin to lower down into the hole.
"Grab my arm, come on lets get out of this hole." Alan waiting and feeling the person grasp his forearm tightly. Only to force him to muscle the person up a bit more, "Wrap your hands around my neck." Alan was nearly choked when the person finally clutched about his throat. "Just.. Just hold on." Alan grunted climbing up the wall and pulling himself up while the person clutched to his neck. Turning to look at the person, it was a female, but she was covered in mud. Apparently she been down in the hole for a long time.
Setting her down he would adjust his weapons belt again sliding his wakizashi's back in place. "How long were you down there?" The young woman would look up, but no words came from her mouth. "Apparently long enough, come on. The town isn't far from here." Alan lifted her into his arms moving back toward the town, where he would pay the inn keeper to get a room for the young woman. While he paid the local doctor to inspect her for wounds and such. Alan standing outside of the inn, eating an apple while looking toward the gates.
"Young man?" Alan turned a moment looking toward the doctor as he stepped out of the inn. "The young lady is a local and hero to the people here. Thank you for bringing her home safe." Alan simply nodded, "Is she okay? Nothing was broke was it?" The doctor raised his hands assuredly, "No she has a sprain and was in a state of mixed dehydration and exhaustion. However a little rest and she will return to normal." Alan chuckled, "Well I am glad I could help sir." Sounds of carts would stir his attention away. Seeing several archers including Selma, Teresa, and Paula.
"Take care sir, I must go my ride is here." Alan would move from the steps and toward the caravan waving his hand, "I see you guys made it. Was the trip safe Lady Teresa?" Teresa would smile looking to Alan as her cart moved by him. "It was quite enjoyable. Your two servants are pleasant to travel with, I would not understand how you could ever leave them behind." Alan slanted his eyes toward Paula who only smiled at him. Alan would shake his head a bit, "I scouted ahead and the route is clear. If you don't need to rest, I would suggest passing through the town and continuing on. If we do this we won't get stuck losing a day or caught in the dark traveling in the forest."
Teresa tilted her head thinking about it before looking toward one of the soldiers, "Lets continue on, I don't think we need a rest. How about you captain?" The soldier would look toward Teresa and smile, "We can continue. I agree with him, that it would be better to continue on." "Then I leave it in your capable hands my captain." The guard would wave his hand, "Lets move on men." Alan would follow out to the side of Teresa's cart. "You can ride with me Alan, you don't have to walk you know?"
Alan waved his hand lightly, "It's okay, I rather walk." Alan offering a smile of reassurance to Teresa while slowing his pace to walk beside Selma's cart. "Anything happen?" Selma would look toward Alan and shake her head lightly, "Been quiet, I thought with these supplies on board we would have been a bigger target. However for the most part nothing has showed up, not even a curious forest animal." "That is odd, so it was that quiet Selma?" Alan just found the idea unbelievable swearing that they would run into more trouble.
Alan rose his hand up pointing toward his eyes and then pointed toward Selma and Paula. Each one understanding what he meant to do while they traveled. Picking up a light jog to catch up with the first cart where Teresa was riding. The forest quickly enveloping the caravan. It was amazing how time passed quickly, especially when they had a goal. Alan couldn't shake a bad feeling, so many archers and so much brush. The combination did not favor them and it was the only problem he had with Greenhill's army consisting mostly of archers.
"Why are you so tense Alan, you haven't heard a word I said to you have you?" Alan blinked turning to look toward Teresa, he had been so focused on the surroundings, so he didn't hear anything she said. "My apologies, I was caught up in listening to forest." "What sound Alan?" Teresa would lean over a bit as if trying to hear further out. "I don't hear anything, not even a bird." Alan would grit his teeth feeling the enamel begin to crackle. "I know that is the problem. Captain we should hasten our march."
The captain turned toward Alan shaking his head, "You are worried for nothing boy. Since the war with Highland there is no one who would dare mess with the archers of Greenhill." Alan didn't like the over confidence in his voice, "I would highly recommend.." Alan stopped talking noticing how the path widened a lot on either side and the brush was heavier on the right side. Right hand coming to rest on his wakizashi handle. "Captain, I beg you to hasten the march." Teresa got worried hearing Alan's tone go from normal to concerned.
"Captain maybe we should heed his advice." Teresa looking toward the captain in an attempt to sooth her friends worry. The captain would groan, "You don't need to worry, we are the best archers in the land. So no o. agh!" A thin bolt would slam into the captains neck. The thick brush would fall revealing men holding crossbows. Alan's eyes widened unsheathing both his wakizashi's. Knocking down one bolt and taking one in the side. "Grrr damnit! Ride get out of here now!" Alan hissed seeing the men drop the crossbows even as they laid to waist to almost all the archers.
Selma was about to leap down to aid Alan, "Stop! Go with Teresa get her out of here now!" Alan pointing his blade while stepping into a man who rose a hatchet with intent to split him in half. Alan's eyes would adjust a bit, everything slowing down be it just a mere second. It was enough, spinning around on his right foot, his wakizashi would slice along the back of the man's neck. The hatchet falling to the ground, while he slid forward driving his other wakizashi into another man's abdomen. His counter rune allowed for him to see just a mere second ahead of the attackers.
Selma would leap from her cart to Teresa's, "Hold on Lady Teresa!" Snapping the reigns the cart would jerk forward, the dead driver falling off to the side. Paula would jump down coming to Alan's aid, raising her sword up, "It's a mistake to attack us! Winds of sleep!" The wind rune would ignite above Paula's head, the subtle breeze of wind would ripple through the small wave of men. Each one inhaling the gust only to collapse onto their faces and knees. "Hurry up and get out of here!" Alan would wave some of the archers who were getting up, wounded and all. The carts following Selma and Teresa's.
It irritated Alan that the dead were being left behind, but what could they do right now? Not only were they being ambushed, they were outnumbered and the skill of the fighters outweighed the skilled archers at close range. Alan motioned toward the last cart, "Climb on and drive Paula!" Alan kicking a man in the face, the body falling back into another the two stumbling back. Paula quickly leaping to the drivers seat, waiting on Alan who leaped into the back of the cart. "Go go!" Alan hissed, the bolt still stuck in his arm hurt like hell.
"Alan up ahead!" Paula would see that two of the carts had been turned over, more archers were dead, several more men would be running out from the brush. "Shit. Teresa!" Alan would jump over the side of the cart, knocking a bandit down, turning on his right foot extending his left catching another man on the jaw. The body doing a sharp spin backwards, "Teresa!" Alan hissed running toward the two carts, Selma sticking her head up, only to duck down as another bolt flew over head.
"She is here! I am sorry they set traps up here, the path wasn't cleared!" Another sharp slash would follow the bandit collapsing clutching his throat. "Don't worry about it! We need to get out of here. Who is left?!" Alan growled noticing Paula ram her straight sword into a man's abdomen. A sort of sick feeling sunk in realizing every time he turned, he saw no one there to answer. "Protect Teresa at all cost!" Selma would step out slamming her two handed sword into a man's chest cleaving him in two.
"Yes m'lord!" Selma stepping forward raising her hand, the soft glow of the water rune would show, "Breath of Ice!" A cold gust of wind would form in front of a few men, only to explode into shards of ice. The ice splintering into the men's flesh ripping them to shreds. Alan ducked under another hatchet swing, driving his right wakizashi into the man's foot. Only to raise his left one up jamming it into the man's throat lifting him into the air slamming him into the ground. "Grrr damnit, to many!" Alan getting ready to attack, feeling a spear tip pressed under his throat.
"M'lord!" Selma turned sharply seeing Alan forced to stop his attack. Paula seeing this would step forward in an attempt to attack the man. "Stop Paula!" Alan raising his hand up to stall her, Alan deep down wishing he had not sealed his Rune away in his left hand. He hated to take lives but if he died here the Rune of Punishment would take on one of these fools as a new host. He couldn't allow that to happen he just couldn't. "Stop please! We surrender!" Teresa spoke up from behind the cart when she stood up.
"We surrender, just don't kill them please!" Her words were filled with deep concern for them. The men staring at the group of four. "Kill them anyway!" One would bellow, Alan wincing sharply feeling his end along with his close friends would be here. An odd sound would follow the group of five men would fall back, arrows jammed into their necks. A woman with a scarf and headband clutched a bow, her hand glowing a bit. She had activated the great hawk rune dispersing several arrows in a larger area. "Thank god I caught up, we must hurry more are coming!"
"Who are you?" Alan asked the question, Teresa blinking, "Ayda is that you?" The young woman would nod, "Yes Lady Teresa. We must hurry, they are here!" Ayda raising her bow taking aim and hitting a man in the knee his body tumbling forward over the ground. Alan didn't need to be told, "Teresa get in this cart, Selma take her ahead, be careful! Paula you drive this one, Ayda ride in back and pick off who follow." Alan issuing orders sharply, while he climbed into the last of the three remaining carts and would make the two steeds hurry ahead of Teresa and Selma's cart.
Light colored orbs scanning the horizon hoping the two turned over carts would stop them from pursuing. The twang sound of Ayda's bow was reassuring knowing at least if any were on mounts. She would knock them down and out of the way, the light of the forest ending was a relief. Alan and the first cart would clear, yet out of the corner of his eye he saw something. It was to late, a whip wrapping about his throat would jerk him from the drivers seat of the cart, his body being slammed on the ground.
Yet he would force himself to roll forwards toward the attacker, his left wakizashi would come to rest under the whip owners neck. The one in his right hand would be resting against the abdomen of another attacker. The dust hadn't settled yet while Selma and Teresa would slide out, followed by Ayda and Paula. Teresa's eyes would widen seeing Alan's cart turn over without the driver. "Alan!" Eyes adjusting while the dust settled, Selma stopped the cart in time to leap out and place her sword under one of the new attackers necks.
Paula had done the same knocking one of them down while straddling his chest. Her sword being aimed toward his face. Ayda raised her bow drawing back aiming toward the new threat, but lowering as the dust finally cleared enough. "You? Why are you here?" The voice of the one closest to Alan's wakizashi stunned him, looking up he noticed the dark skinned woman. The one out to his side he was keeping in check was a dark skinned male, similar in build as the woman. Teresa quickly spoke up, "Lucia!"
The name struck Alan while he looked up, "So you are Lucia, I take it?" Lucia would look down at the blade under her throat, "You know me, but who are you?" Alan groaned, he realized when he was jerked off the drivers seat and rolled along the ground. The bolt had broke leaving the point buried in his arm. "Tired.." Alan would collapse, exhaustion setting in with pain, his two wakizashi's would collapse beside him, the faint sound of Selma and Paula screaming his name. He swore as his lights dimmed that Paula said Lazlo, he would make her pay for that later.