Araluen's Peril

Chapter 11 Return

Chapter 11 Return

The 5 trudged along the dusty path eventually coming across a small side rest shop. The serving man eyed the 5 travellers from the road. He seldom sees anyone getting off the road and approaching their little shack. He gives a tweet signaling a hidden group of bandits in the foliage, before giving a second look at the fact 3 of the riders had large longbows packed, and the 2 swords.

They left their things with their horses, and then the one with a grey beard and a young girl walked up, asking, "I need some oats, and some water" He nods and then walks to the back, "I'll be right back"

Maddie asked, "This place seems empty, and seems to rarely get visitors" eyeing the dusty tracks that seem to have been there for a long while, comparing to their fresh ones.

Will shrugged, doesn't matter as much, either they just rarely get customers or... his second thought was brought to reality when suddenly a band of attacks roars from both sides. Jack stumbled and instinctively drew his sword simultaneously with Horace. Will turned to see a large burly attack, where Will simply just ducked and flipped him backwards and let Maddie strikes him with her strikers. Will turned and went behind the counter with his saxes drew, and when behind, the servant of the shack wasn't there. Will thought, this is a trap.

They all grouped together, Horace remarked "This place is crawling with bandits isn't it"

Evanlyn gives a quick glance at Horace, "Really? You just noticed that?"

Horace lowers his sword and leans on it, "No I meant the country"

Jack laughs, "What did you expect-" parries and deflects a strike "It's the Temujai land, I wouldn't expect much better"

They brief battle continued, Will calls out, "We can't do this every time we take a stop or a break, we need to get the harbour, its taking us enough time for us."

Horace sighs, "Alright, Alright I was just taking fun with this."

With the superior swordsmanship they knew, he quickly finished the remaining attackers before anyone could disengage.

Will nodded and noticed a sudden movement on the corner of his eye, "Stop right there, or I will put this arrow right between your eyes."

The servant slowly turned, "Don't kill me please don't."

Will looked at him with disgust, "Where's the oats and water?"

He points to the hidden room, "Slide the door, there's the storage room"

Will nodded and the hit him hard in the heard knocking him out.

"Was that necessary?" Maddie inquired.

Will walked and turned his head looking back, "No, but I wouldn't want the man alarming anyone else, catching us with our pants down."

Horace laughs, "Are we still trying to prank Halt?"

Will looked at him "Always"

Ooo

Late in the afternoon they arrived at the shipyard town. Checking the map, Jack pointed out, "Okay here is the yard... which right over there" Standing on a cliff they saw 10 large ships in the harbour waters.

Horace gave a low whistle, "That's going to be a lot of ships to take down or sink"

Jack nodded in agreement. Will rolled up the map, "Come on, let's find an inn to stay, I want to sleep on a comfortable bed tonight."

In about dusk, after they ate, Will and Horace took a walk outside. In the weak light, they walked around the streets, no one payed attention to their presence.