WOT Adv 71 - An Officer Captured

--- The Wheel Turns ---
As the officer and the other soldier move towards you, you leap out of the woods and dash through the forest toward the east.

"There he is! After him!" The officer shouts and you soon have the two hot on your heals.

The sounds of fighting and death continue in the background. You keep running occasionally looking back and slowing your jog to ensure that they're following you. You see the officer pause, and pull his bow off his back and in a fluid motion he nocks an arrow and shoots. The shaft scratches you and tears through the sleeve of your tunic.

After a few minutes of running and keeping the trees between him and yourself, you begin to lead them towards the road you were on. Soon the sounds of fighting is faint in the distance. Two more arrows come at you, but you use the cover to your advantage and both either go wide as you dodge and weave through the branches or embed themselves on the thick tree trunks.

There. You run down the road where you told Maeslyn and the others to wait, shouting. An arrow speeds out towards the two men and it strikes the soldier. "There's more of them!" The soldier yells in warning. "We need to get back to the men!"

"To late!" The officer shouts as Thenlir gallops from the trees bearing down on them. The footman with the brings his blade up to parry, but cannot stop the powerful blow that takes his head off, leaving his form crumpled and dying.

The man curses and wheels to face this nearest threat, dropping his bow and drawing his sword. Suddenly you see the man stiffen, his arms held in place by weaves of the One Power and Maeslyn rides out towards him, studying the man carefully.

"Maer, what is this?" She gestures to the strangely clad man.

"A soldier of some sort. I think this one is an officer."

"Of what army?"

"There was an encampment up ahead with at least a half dozen soldiers. The beast you saw earlier delivered supplies, and a man riding the beast asked for a report for Murdoc. As soon as the beast left the soldiers were attacked by a band of men equipped with no more than boar spears and clubs."

"Indeed," Maeslyn muses. "Who is this Murdoc?" Maeslyn asks turning to the officer.

"You will get nothing from me. I am an officer of the Forerunners. You will swear the oaths or perish." His words are hard to understand and seem alien from any accent you've heard thus far in the westlands. You have no idea what he means.

"I'll show you who's gonna perish," Thenlir threatens, his hands on his axe.

"I think they were looking for someone." You continue. "Perhaps even us. I also suspect these are the rumored invaders spooken of."

"Perhaps." Maeslyn muses. "Thenlir, tie him up, and we'll pay a visit to his soldiers. Perhaps we can find more information from their attackers."

Thenlir takes a stout rope and firmly ties the man to a horse. As soon as he's free Maeslyn nods and he's able to move again. The man eyes Maeslyn with disgust and respect.

Thenlir pulls the dead buddy into some bushes. "Let's go."

When you arrive back at the clearing the fighting is clearly over. The remaining five soldiers are dead and in a pile, their gear and supplies in a different pile.

At your approach, men raise clubs, spears and bows threateningly. A woman's voice calls out. "Who are you? You do not look like invaders, but state your business quickly!"

"We are not invaders." You respond. "As you can see, we have captured one who sought to flee into the woods."

"You have our thanks." the middle aged woman replies, brushing a strand of her long hair just shading to grey from her face. "My name is Brya, and these are refugees from the village of Tobin Hollow.

"These foreigners, they call themselves the Seanchan," She explains. "They attacked our village, Tobin's Hollow, the night before last while everyone was sleeping. They are swift and powerful and show no mercy. They fight upon terrible beasts--not just the ones that fly, like the one that was hear, but also strange creatures that walk on land, bigger than an ox and as vicious as mountain cats."

"And they have Aes Sedai with them!" a man in simplbe clothes but with a bow in his hand spits.

Bryna frowns. "Not Aes Sedai, I think," she corrects the man. "For Megda Sedai fought them. But these women had terrible powers-more fearsome than the Aes Sedai. We are all that escaped the attack. Everyone else is either dead or being held prisoner somewhere in the village."

"You mentioned Megda Sedai," Maeslyn says. "We are looking for her. Do you know where she might be?"

"I met Megda and Maynard, her Warder, you see, in Tobin's Hollow about a month ago. They stayed in the Inn of the Valley for several days before traveling to Falme. Just before the Seanchan raid on village they returned and came to me for aid. I am somewhat gifted in the healing arts and poor Megda was badly wounded and both were exhausted. I helped as much as I could, but the attack came and although Maynard fought bravely, as did several villagers, they were both eventually captured. We are all that escaped."

"So Megda is being held in the village?" Keb asks.

"I would assume so." Bryna nods. And then turns excitedly to you and Maeslyn. "We want to rescue them, but we simply don't have the skill or the numbers."

"You did a job on these poor sots," Thenlir says cooly, looking at the pile of dead soldiers.

"We were lucky, I'm afraid." Bryna says. "It helped when that officer turned and ran. They weren't sure what to do at that point. But still. We luckily outnumbered this group and hit them when they were surprised. While we have two skilled trackers in our group, one on one we are not much of a match for trained soldiers. With your aid, however, we may be able to free Maynard and Megda and perhaps the other villagers. What do you say?"