06-25-2009, 05:57 AM
1)
"Go ahead!" Hallah snapped. "You think I care-"
"ENOUGH!" the man ordered, "Quiet or on my oath I'll-"
The arrow that thudded into his shoulder was enough to jerk spin him halfway around. He bellowed in pain and leaning heavily on his sword, sunk to his knees.
"Alston, get Hallah out of here!" Bartel bellowed, pulling another arrow from the quiver.
Even as he clambered to his feet, Alston could feel the rumble of heavy hooves through the very ground. The town defenders may outnumber the riders, but the men on heavy horses were faster, better armed, and better armored.
A hand grabbed his arm and started pulling. "Come on, you're supposed to be protecting me," Hallah groused.
"I know!" Alston grumbled back. Whether I want to or not.
"Well, you're not doing a very good job of it!"
"Wait, where's Sammie? SAMMMIE?!"
Before he got a response, a rider on a huge gray horse swerved and started to bear down on him and Hallah. He held a wicked looking mace and held it upraised, ready to swing.
Alston pushed Hallah behind him protectively, for all the good it would do. They were surrounded and being overwhelmed.
The riders closed in. All he could do was try to fight.
Gods protect you Sammie...
Daniel woke with a start.
He was alone in his house, peaceful with only the sound of sleeping people. So peaceful, unlike...
He rubbed his eyes. Was that another vision like the ones in the caverns? He thought Robin had been somehow responsible for those, but this... Robin couldn't have caused this one, could she?
Javon.
Lord Tomas said there was a massacre at Javon.
Maybe it was just a dream. After today's attack... yes that made the most sense. Just the weight of all the excitement and his mission was making him have nightmares.
All simple and easy to explain.
And Daniel couldn't make himself believe it for a minute.
Wrapping himself in a blanket, he quietly made his way to the fireplace. Only a few embers remained, but they radiated a pleasant and comforting warmth in the early dawn.
Nearby, he heard Marcus stir.
"Just me," he said quietly.
The guardian sat up and blinked a bit before donning his glasses. "What time is it, lad?"
"About dawn. Too early for you, old man?" Daniel joked.
Marcus chuckled. "Not THAT old, boy. I'll have you know I've yet to see fifty summers and... what's that?"
Daniel listened too. There were sounds of some kind of commotion coming from outside.
"Gods, not again," Marcus growled and reached for his boots. "Never thought Aric would return so early."
"No wait..." Daniel listened. It didn't sound like an attack. Just voices. He went to the door and looked out.
There was a small group, looked to be the town watch, making their way hurriedly towards Miriam's the Herbalist's home.
One of the men was carrying a young girl who looked tattered and half frozen.
Daniel blinked. Sammie?
"Go ahead!" Hallah snapped. "You think I care-"
"ENOUGH!" the man ordered, "Quiet or on my oath I'll-"
The arrow that thudded into his shoulder was enough to jerk spin him halfway around. He bellowed in pain and leaning heavily on his sword, sunk to his knees.
"Alston, get Hallah out of here!" Bartel bellowed, pulling another arrow from the quiver.
Even as he clambered to his feet, Alston could feel the rumble of heavy hooves through the very ground. The town defenders may outnumber the riders, but the men on heavy horses were faster, better armed, and better armored.
A hand grabbed his arm and started pulling. "Come on, you're supposed to be protecting me," Hallah groused.
"I know!" Alston grumbled back. Whether I want to or not.
"Well, you're not doing a very good job of it!"
"Wait, where's Sammie? SAMMMIE?!"
Before he got a response, a rider on a huge gray horse swerved and started to bear down on him and Hallah. He held a wicked looking mace and held it upraised, ready to swing.
Alston pushed Hallah behind him protectively, for all the good it would do. They were surrounded and being overwhelmed.
The riders closed in. All he could do was try to fight.
Gods protect you Sammie...
* * *
Daniel woke with a start.
He was alone in his house, peaceful with only the sound of sleeping people. So peaceful, unlike...
He rubbed his eyes. Was that another vision like the ones in the caverns? He thought Robin had been somehow responsible for those, but this... Robin couldn't have caused this one, could she?
Javon.
Lord Tomas said there was a massacre at Javon.
Maybe it was just a dream. After today's attack... yes that made the most sense. Just the weight of all the excitement and his mission was making him have nightmares.
All simple and easy to explain.
And Daniel couldn't make himself believe it for a minute.
Wrapping himself in a blanket, he quietly made his way to the fireplace. Only a few embers remained, but they radiated a pleasant and comforting warmth in the early dawn.
Nearby, he heard Marcus stir.
"Just me," he said quietly.
The guardian sat up and blinked a bit before donning his glasses. "What time is it, lad?"
"About dawn. Too early for you, old man?" Daniel joked.
Marcus chuckled. "Not THAT old, boy. I'll have you know I've yet to see fifty summers and... what's that?"
Daniel listened too. There were sounds of some kind of commotion coming from outside.
"Gods, not again," Marcus growled and reached for his boots. "Never thought Aric would return so early."
"No wait..." Daniel listened. It didn't sound like an attack. Just voices. He went to the door and looked out.
There was a small group, looked to be the town watch, making their way hurriedly towards Miriam's the Herbalist's home.
One of the men was carrying a young girl who looked tattered and half frozen.
Daniel blinked. Sammie?