[Ransom]

Thagon futilely tried to suppress a yawn before rubbing his eyes with the back of his metal gauntlets. Leena was a light sleeper, and even a hardened knight could not get a good night’s sleep when his tent mate was constantly striking him with her hands and feet. As usual, he had risen before sunrise, carefully donning his plate mail armor. However, before strapping the heavy breastplate over his suit of chain mail, he had donned a thin black surcoat that fell to his knees over his chain mail. It looked and sounded impressive when a knight went clanging around in armor, but it was quite another when your stealthy advance was foiled because your breastplate decided to fraternize with your suit of chain mail. His hands pulled the dark green riding cloak tighter around him. While the weather was looking up, the morning was still quite chilly.

He stiffened as a he heard a soft, mocking whisper behind him. “Did you have a good night, dear knight?”

The smell of wildflowers left little doubt about the identity of the person behind him. “No, priestess, I did not sleep well last night. But be quite now. The council’s starting.”

“I have called this final council before we leave. I ask of and queries that you may have of our journey. Most were told in the pleas, and have already met your ears. Speak now, and all will be made known”

Sir Kestner coughed loudly, not so subtly indicating that he wished to speak. “Lady, I am as eager as any other to aid your village, but I am wary to rush into combat without more information. All we know is that a strange force has launched a series of escalating assaults on your village.”

“Captain Herebrand, Lady Lanaey, and I were discussing the situation last night before we took to our beds. Normal bandits do not attack people villages one at a time, and they certainly do not launch escalating assaults. Something is amiss. It would greatly help us if you could describe your attacks. How do they fight? Do they attack from the woodlands or the plains? What kind of weapons do they use?”

Leena winked at her friend before addressing Laurel. “I cannot say whether Sir Kestner is correct in his questions, but I am somewhat curious about your settlement. Where do you take the women and children during the raids?”

[ March 22, 2003: Message edited by: Ransom ]

[ March 22, 2003: Message edited by: Ransom ]