The Branchalite Legionnaires

Chapter 10: The Journey to Waw.

Michelle put the new recruits to work as they made their way west toward Waw. Asmar was driving the rear wagon and Daniel and Dominic were out scouting to either flank. Fandy was up ahead and Sir Ailea and Talitha were covering the tracks behind them. Michelle felt they were doing all they could, but even so, she wasn't happy when she saw Fandy running back to the carriage leading the wagons.

"Nerakans ahead looking at ogre tracks," Fandy told them with a solemn expression. Michelle was sat next to Steven who was driving the carriage and she looked to him and then back to Fandy. She gave out a low-toned intermittent whistle: a signal for the scouts to come back in and the more experienced members of the group to gather at the carriage. She waited for everyone to gather before addressing them.

"We're going to need to go ahead and deal with some Nerakans," she said with a nod toward Fandy. "Were you able to distinguish types, Fandy?"

"More than one squire and one Thorn knight and one Skull knight."

Michelle jumped down from the carriage. "You guys move on up and take up the scattered positions we've trained for – I'll join you in a moment." She wandered back to the new recruits. "Listen, we've got some Nerakans ahead. I want you to stay back here and take care of the animals and the wagons. Leave the fighting to us for now. If we don't come back in thirty minutes, Daniel and Dominic should come up using stealth to see what is happening. If we're dead or captured, take everything and head north-west. Make for Alsip. Understood?"

The young heads bobbed their assent and Michelle prowled off after the others. She'd added a longbow to her complement along the way from Wayreth and knew she'd likely be using it shortly on a Thorn knight. Unless she was busy with another Skull knight. She sneaked up beside Fandy, knowing the others would be scattered to the east and west waiting for Fandy's signal. The squires were in the eastern part of a clearing on their horses in an arc around the Thorn knight. Behind the Thorn knight was a Skull knight, completing the circle. The lead two squires (in the western part of their configuration), were examining the ground.

Michelle strung her bow following the defined strategy for this scenario, but she realized that Fandy wasn't going to be able to fire her jet of flame here – the squires are grouped to prevent a line of sight attack. The skilled archers in the group were going to be able to drop arrows behind them of course, but that was a lot less certain. The Thorn knight could possibly get a few spells off this time. The Nerakans were either adapting or just getting better at anticipating.

Michelle lofted two arrows, giving the signal to her fellows and before the arrows had even reached their apex, she heard many other arrows joining them. Sarah's voice lifted in Branchala's blessing that lifted the spirits and made all attacks easier, but they were so spread out, that Michelle was not in range to benefit from the effects. Talitha did not have a bow so she moved up into position, actually making herself a target at the west side of the clearing. Many of the arrows struck their target and the Thorn knight fell out of his saddle.

The squires on their heavy warhorses moved out, each of them picking a target. Michelle saw two of the squires race across the clearing and swing their big swords at Talitha, one of them scoring a trail of red along her left arm. Another squire sped toward Steven. The last of the squires headed toward Sir Ailea, but his blow went wide.

The Skull knight behaved differently. He cast a spell on himself and then he lifted his two -handed axe and gave Michelle a modern knight's salute. Michelle had a rapier which was not strictly a knight's weapon and so she had to respond with an older, more courtly salute with the weapon. She was not part of the Solamnic Order any more, but this reflex was too ingrained. Ailea was nearby, and so Michelle got to see the surprise in the Solamnic's eyes as Michelle readied herself for the Skull knight's assault, already assuming the most defensive posture she could as he galloped his destrier toward her.