WOT Adv 59 - Jailbreak

--- The Wheel Turns ---
Maeslyn grimaces when she comes out from behind the bushes a few miles south of the northern camp where you found a spot to change into your new disguises. She sports sturdy wool pants and a tabard that seems to nearly fall off of her, somehow all tied together from the scabbard at her waist. She also has a dagger stuck in her belt.

Her shoulder-length hair is tucked under the large steel helm. You know that with any sudden movements the helm is liable to fall off. She cuts a somewhat comical figure as shows off her new "finery".

"Don't smirk." She commands, blushing.

"Me?" you look about innocently.

"I don't know about this." Keb says, giving you a side-long glance, her outfit doesn't look too much better either. "Is this going to work?"

You're not too happy about having to wear the stuff either, especially the hated sword at your side. You of course won't use it, but even if it's there for a disguise, it still disgusts you.

Therlin wears the chain armor under the tabard and it fills out nicely on him. He certainly looks the part.

You mount up and depart. The return journey is a lot faster since you don't have to stop to look for hoof prints in the moonlight.

"You know, Maeslyn," you say as you near the encampment. "There is no guarantee that the Fade didn't see me talking with the captain. It and the trollocs could still be there."

"I know," she says grimly, setting her jaw. "But either we try to help, or we let these innocents die at the hand of these barbarians."

It's well after midnight when you approach the camp. Things have settled down, the camp is quiet, most appear to be asleep, save for the semi-watchful sentries.

As your group quietly trots up the hilly path near the pen, when Maeslyn nods at you and whispers. "Good. I've placed a weave around all the guards at the pen. Within a confined distance of a few paces, no sound will escape."

You aren't sure you believe her until you can see a guard hold up his hand, mouthing the word halt. The sound doesn't leave the bubble. Then you enter the dome and you can hear again. Maeslyn smiles at you.

"I said halt!" A Taraboner holds up his hand.

Therelin rides boldly up and swings off of his horse and swaggers up to the man. You and the others also dismount. Three more sentries stand behind the one talking to Therlin. Two are chatting at the gate to the pen. The third is sharpening his sword and eyeing you.

"Look, we're tired, and we've been on patrol, so don't give us any guff, besides the Captain sent us. He says it's you're supposed to go on patrol; we're to take over the guard of the prisoners."

The Taraboner grimaces, pulling a sour face. "Another midnight patrol! Now what, By the Light!?"

"I wouldn't want to be the first to say it," you chime in, But I think the commander saw signs of some Domani spies, or worse, Trollocs, and that's why he doubled the watch. So you'll want to keep your guard up out there."

He nods and goes for his cloak. "Ok, men, it looks like we're on patrol. Where'd the captain say?"

"Over there." Thenlir points to the woods.

Another guard moves up and stands next to the first a study of concentration on his face. "Hold on Earl," he puts a hand on his shoulder. "Something, isn't quite right."

"What?" Thenlir says, tensing.

He moves between you and Keb and points at Maeslyn. "What's this?"

"What do you mean?" Thenlir asks, perspiration forming on his face, even in the chill of the night time air.

"Well since when have we started recruiting women soldiers?" And he pulls off Maeslyn's helm and her chestun colored hair comes down in folds around her slender shoulders. Maeslyn immediately bristles, her hand on the hilt of her dagger. But Thenlir steps in without a pause.

"Bah! That's no soldier, as you well can see. This is the captain's mistress! He ordered her brought in disguise. You don't want to be breathing this around to all the men. You know how jealous they'll get. Nice supple creature like her on a cold night like this..." Thenlir shrugs.

"Yeah," Earl chuckles, totally buying the story. "I wouldn't mind having one of them there supple creatures for my own, Thomas." His eyes linger on Maeslyn's slender form, slowly looking her over, lust clearly written on his face.

Maeslyn eyes Earl coldly, and he drops his eyes and curses. "Captain gets all the luck." And he kicks at the ground with his boot.

"Earl, you fool! How long have you been with us? Maybe a fortnight? I've been riding with the captain off and on ever since he got his commission. Never once has he taken a woman to his bed chamber! He's as celibate as they come!" He turns to Therlin. "You are a convincing liar, my friend. But you don't know the captain" He points to one of the men back by the gate. "You there, awake the--" He doesn't finish.

Thenlir curses something vulgar. "Now!" and he yanks his hafted axe from the leather scabbard on his horse. But Keb reacts quicker, and in a darting motion quicker than a striking adder, her rapier flickers and slides into the man. Thomas cries out in pain and whirls toward Keb, thrusting with his blade, she dodges out of the way and he screams "We're under attack!". You can see both the soldiers by the gate rush forward to assist, drawing weapons as they come.

Pulling your spear from your horse, in one quick move you send its barbed point toward an advancing guard. His eyes go wide in shock as he slumps to the ground with a groan. To your right, Earl has drawn his sword he and Therlin are soon engaged in deadly combat. Attack meets parry, and you certainly hope the sound doesn't carry back to the tents further up the hill. If so your troubles have just begun.

Maeslyn draws a dagger and sends it into Thomas' back. He screams in pain and goes down on one knee, and with a groan he loosely clasps his sword. Keb strikes at him forcing him backwards, but still he doesn't drop.

The other guard that was guarding the pen rushes to help his friend and when he sees you standing over the body, he screams and in a rage launches himself at you. But you easily parry his bows and send your spear into his shoulder. He howls, but still comes on.

To your right you can see both Thenlir and Earl circling each other carefully. Both are wounded, both are waiting for the other. Suddenly Thenlir begins his swing over his right shoulder, but brings the axe head down by his left knee and then with an over head swing from his left, he edges through Earl's guard and crumples his skull. The axe keeps swinging, nearly taking off the head of your opponent as well who dodges barely avoiding the blow. But the man comes back at you and with a feint where he suddenly changes directions, he sends the sword deeply into your upper shoulder. You wince and gasp in pain. The pain that is ever associated with cold steel parting warm flesh. Turning, you can see both Keb and Maeslyn have Thomas cornered. But none can get through his guard.

But then Thenlir strikes. His axe completely removes Thomas' head. The corpse tumbles into you and then slumps to the ground while the axe whirls for a new victim. The guard in front of you parries it. "You will die, Darkfriends!" He spits at you. "The Light Burn you!"

You see Maeslyn skirt around the edge of the conflict moving toward the gates of the pen. Bodies of Taraboner soldiers lie around you. You concentrate on the task at hand. But suddenly the man drops, breathing his last. A slender blade protruding from his chest. He slides to the ground and you see Keb grinning. "C'mon. Let's get these prisoners."

A few moments later, Keb springs the lock and you finally get a good look inside. There you see eleven bedraggled prisoners and Issa's family. After a few moments of surprise when they realize they aren't going to be killed. They burst into conversation.

"We're saved!" One of them says.

"Out of the frying pan and into the fire." Another says gloomiliy.

"What do you mean?" you ask.

"What does it matter?" he says. "I overheard them talking. Those officers are sending a squad of Taraboners to attack Arturo's Orchard at dawn."

"Don't listen to him. We can fight them!" Another says. "You can help us! We will send them back!" And others join the chorus.

Maeslyn moves up to you. "Lets quickly get some distance before the camp figures out their sentries are dead. We'll tend to our wounds and then head back to Arturo's Orchard.

You nod your head in agreement, grateful to still be alive.