Garthalan: Mother of the Wood

A Drunk Commanding Officer

Helena pov

I ran up the stairs of the forts castle, being the highest ranking Gretha would be a priority target of the shadows. Also too if he does a lot of soldiers would not easily follow my own orders, with Garen and Adaya being gone and Duncan dead I would be the next in command. I finally made it to his room to find that he was not there."Commander! Where are you?" No response. I turned away, perhaps he is with the other soldiers.

Gretha pov

"Leave the bottle friend. I still have things in need of forgetting." The pubmaster lay down the bottle of gin and moved to another customer. I took a swig and turned to the crowds ,the pub was alive with people and music dancing and singing, most belligerent drunk as I was.Most of these people had lost someone close to them

I lifted the bottle to take another swig only to find it empty. I turned around and called the pubmaster. "Misterrr massterrr I need yirr sevviccess." By the sound of my voice it's time for me to call it a night. The pubmaster came over with another bottle ready to poor. "nno no, I just need to pay and find my bedd."

"Alright sir, your at two gold prices."

I dug into my coinpurse pulling it three. "If you cann I need you too finnd mee an esscort back too mmy roomm." The pubmaster handed back the third peice and called to a waitress.

"Shel. Come give this man a hand to his bed." I voiced my thanks as the woman moved to help me up.

Adaya pov

With the newly reavealed ability of mine my mind was elsewhere. I had barely remembered to grab the pack until I was on my way out. Then I remembered why I had come and went back for the pack. I then ran as fast as I could to get back to the fort it would be a while however, I had walked out here so I could follow sashas trail. It would take a couple hours to get back at my current pace though.

Garen pov

Three days into the mission and only now do we run into bandits. I could see them hiding behind the trees. One of the wardens, Shey. "Shey." She looked to me and I threw my head to the side telling her to go around. She did so quietly and without dragging attention. I moved my horse to the nearest warden. Kellion. "Send the word up. We're being attacked." He did so quickly, we were now all ready to spring into action as soon as the opportunity presented itself. A woman stood in the middle of the road wearing a dress. Not really ambush material but it was smart, it would make most people drop there guard.

"Please I need help! My daughter! She's hurt!" That almost sounded real. But I watched as an archer was silently taken down by Shey, she quickly moved on to the next, the archers would be no problem. "Please! She's just over here." The woman moved to a tree where I could see the legs of someone sticking out, coated in blood. The woman was telling the truth, the bandits were taking advantage of it. I rode forward and dismounted the others took defensive position as the bandits moved into the open. Without their archers. The girl by the tree was around Adayas age, she was very pretty with blonde hair and a smooth, angular face. She wore a tavern dress with a slot from the top of the thigh all the way to the end showing off the full leg. On that leg a bone stuck out of the skin at her shin. She was passed out with a look of pain on her face.

"How did you end up out here m'lady?" I reset the bone but the girl did not wake. I wrapped a splint around it and grabbed her up.

The woman had not answered so I asked again, how they had gotten out there. She still didn't answer because one of the bandits were swinging at me with a large axe. I sidestepped it and drew my dagger, it made its way to the man's lung dropping him quickly. I lay the girl on my horse and backed into our circle of protection. I would ask the woman later when there was not so much going on.

I turned drawing my sword and joining the defense, there were few people left I deflected a thrust from a spear grabbing it and pulling him into my blade. The last of them were gone and all of us were still here. Shey stepped out of the woods sheathing her knives and joined back in the group.

"Who were they?" The woman stepped up behind me looking over my shoulder at the dead bandits.

"Simple bandits m'lady. Now why are you and your daughter out here? In dresses at that?" I turned to her.

"We were running from the kings men."

"The king of the capitol? Why?"

"we umm, a prince wanted Hailey as his bride, but he was cruel and obsessive so now were here. Hailey fell down the hill then you came." The woman moved to her daughter who was across the back of my saddle.

I moved to the other side and lifted myself on the horse as well. I grabbed the girl and straitened her up behind me. "Ride with Shey. You'll both be checked for injuries when we make camp."