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piosenniel · 01-11-2004, 02:18 AM

Pio – Will and Berilac

His legs were leaden as he approached the North Gate. Poor Lily had tried to stifle her moans, the pain in her ankle shooting up her leg each time he tripped a little or came down hard in his step on the rutted path. He had no strength left to make it to the hole in the hedge, further north. Will leaned against the locked door and kicked it hard with his boot. ‘Open up!’ he yelled.

‘Now, now,’ came a sleepy sounding voice through the spy-hole. ‘Who is it? And what business do you have in Bree, lad?’

‘Open up,’ roared Will again, barely swallowing the ‘old fool’ that nearly followed the command. ‘There’s a fire! It’s heading toward Bree. And some of the children are trapped in a cave up along the hill.’

With a gasp, the fellow doing guard duty threw open the door. The smell of smoke clung to the boy as he pushed his way past the man. ‘Ring the bell; sound the alarm,’ Will said, turning back once, his eyes wide in his smoke-grimed face.

The sound of the North Gate’s large brass bell ringing out its call over the sleepy town followed Will’s footsteps as he ran toward the Inn. The cry of ‘Fire! Fire at the North Gate!’ rang out in the clear dawn air. Lights appeared at windows, people wrapped in shawls and just roused from their warm beds came out into the streets as the bells and cries from the other gatekeepers picked up the urgent call.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Berilac was up already. His usual morning routine was to walk the hedge from east to west. Repairs had all been done, leaving only those holes in the North end where the Mayor was hoping to spring a trap on the ruffians.

His heart raced as the first peals from the North Gate’s bell rang out. ‘Are they here so soon?!’ he thought grimly, sprinting toward the sound. Not the bandits, he heard. Worse, it was a fire! Not in the confines of the hedge, he noted, scanning the northwest side of Bree. But now, with the sun rising, he could see the rising curtain of smoke, turning the early light red.

He turned up a street, toward the Town Hall. The general alarm bell was now sending out it’s big booming notes from the tower. He could see others, their clothes thrown on hastily, also heading there to see what would be organized. At a cross-street he ran into someone in his haste, almost knocking the person over. ‘What’s this?’ he asked, reaching out his hand to steady Will. Lilly raised her tired, frightened face from Will’s shoulder and looked at the Ranger.

‘Fire,’ gasped out Will, shifting Lily’s weight on his back. ‘Some of the children sneaked out last night. They were taking the Inn’s conies to the northern caves in the hillside. I was following them. But the fire started and I couldn’t get to them. It blocks their way out of the cave.’ He stopped an took a ragged breath. ‘Willofain was there – she’s gone to the Mayor. I’ve brought Lily back; she’s hurt her leg.’

‘The other children,’ said Berilac, in a tight, quiet voice, ‘who were they?’

‘I couldn’t make them all out. Kari was there, and Rollo and Randy. Edmund too , I think.’ Lily’s thin voice filled in, ‘Hamson and Pearl went with us. And Fippi. And Kali, too.’

‘Take Lily to the Inn, Will. Have Andreth fix her up. Her folk will probably gather there.’ He took in Will with a look of concern. ‘And you too. Rest a bit, and see to any hurts you’ve got. Let your folks know you’re alright, then you and your brothers and Da need to come to the Town Hall. We’ll need all the hands we can muster.’ Will nodded to Berilac and made to turn up the path to the Inn. The Ranger stopped him with a hand on his arm. ‘You’ve done well, lad. Now hurry on!’

For a brief moment, Berilac watched the boy run doggedly toward the Inn; then ran quickly toward the Town Hall himself. ‘By the One!’ he muttered to himself as his feet sped over the packed earth. Kali and the others were trapped in the cave. His thoughts ran as fast as his feet, thinking how they could be gotten out safely.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Mayor was there as Berilac knew he would be. A growing crowd of Big and Little Folk gathered round him. The Ranger waited as Harald organised the men into fire-fighting teams. At a break in the action, he approached him with his ideas on how the children might be gotten out safely . . .

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 5:28 PM January 11, 2004: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

01-11-2004, 02:18 AM	#222
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	Pio – Will and Berilac His legs were leaden as he approached the North Gate. Poor Lily had tried to stifle her moans, the pain in her ankle shooting up her leg each time he tripped a little or came down hard in his step on the rutted path. He had no strength left to make it to the hole in the hedge, further north. Will leaned against the locked door and kicked it hard with his boot. ‘Open up!’ he yelled. ‘Now, now,’ came a sleepy sounding voice through the spy-hole. ‘Who is it? And what business do you have in Bree, lad?’ ‘Open up,’ roared Will again, barely swallowing the ‘old fool’ that nearly followed the command. ‘There’s a fire! It’s heading toward Bree. And some of the children are trapped in a cave up along the hill.’ With a gasp, the fellow doing guard duty threw open the door. The smell of smoke clung to the boy as he pushed his way past the man. ‘Ring the bell; sound the alarm,’ Will said, turning back once, his eyes wide in his smoke-grimed face. The sound of the North Gate’s large brass bell ringing out its call over the sleepy town followed Will’s footsteps as he ran toward the Inn. The cry of ‘Fire! Fire at the North Gate!’ rang out in the clear dawn air. Lights appeared at windows, people wrapped in shawls and just roused from their warm beds came out into the streets as the bells and cries from the other gatekeepers picked up the urgent call. ~~~~~~~~ Berilac was up already. His usual morning routine was to walk the hedge from east to west. Repairs had all been done, leaving only those holes in the North end where the Mayor was hoping to spring a trap on the ruffians. His heart raced as the first peals from the North Gate’s bell rang out. ‘Are they here so soon?!’ he thought grimly, sprinting toward the sound. Not the bandits, he heard. Worse, it was a fire! Not in the confines of the hedge, he noted, scanning the northwest side of Bree. But now, with the sun rising, he could see the rising curtain of smoke, turning the early light red. He turned up a street, toward the Town Hall. The general alarm bell was now sending out it’s big booming notes from the tower. He could see others, their clothes thrown on hastily, also heading there to see what would be organized. At a cross-street he ran into someone in his haste, almost knocking the person over. ‘What’s this?’ he asked, reaching out his hand to steady Will. Lilly raised her tired, frightened face from Will’s shoulder and looked at the Ranger. ‘Fire,’ gasped out Will, shifting Lily’s weight on his back. ‘Some of the children sneaked out last night. They were taking the Inn’s conies to the northern caves in the hillside. I was following them. But the fire started and I couldn’t get to them. It blocks their way out of the cave.’ He stopped an took a ragged breath. ‘Willofain was there – she’s gone to the Mayor. I’ve brought Lily back; she’s hurt her leg.’ ‘The other children,’ said Berilac, in a tight, quiet voice, ‘who were they?’ ‘I couldn’t make them all out. Kari was there, and Rollo and Randy. Edmund too , I think.’ Lily’s thin voice filled in, ‘Hamson and Pearl went with us. And Fippi. And Kali, too.’ ‘Take Lily to the Inn, Will. Have Andreth fix her up. Her folk will probably gather there.’ He took in Will with a look of concern. ‘And you too. Rest a bit, and see to any hurts you’ve got. Let your folks know you’re alright, then you and your brothers and Da need to come to the Town Hall. We’ll need all the hands we can muster.’ Will nodded to Berilac and made to turn up the path to the Inn. The Ranger stopped him with a hand on his arm. ‘You’ve done well, lad. Now hurry on!’ For a brief moment, Berilac watched the boy run doggedly toward the Inn; then ran quickly toward the Town Hall himself. ‘By the One!’ he muttered to himself as his feet sped over the packed earth. Kali and the others were trapped in the cave. His thoughts ran as fast as his feet, thinking how they could be gotten out safely. ~~~~~~~~ The Mayor was there as Berilac knew he would be. A growing crowd of Big and Little Folk gathered round him. The Ranger waited as Harald organised the men into fire-fighting teams. At a break in the action, he approached him with his ideas on how the children might be gotten out safely . . . <font size=1 color=339966>[ 5:28 PM January 11, 2004: Message edited by: piosenniel ] __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.