The Fall of the Stars Book 1: Wheels of War

Gerey Nesell III

The Densebrook was much like Rynn and Gerey left it. Corpses and crows littered the place with broken weapons and horses scattered about. Gerey's company of forty men combed the woods, searching high and low for Walter Barawayne. It was a familiar feeling, searching for this man. It took Rynn and Gerey along with two hundred men two days to catch up to Tyler, who himself was travelling with near two hundred. Walter Barawayne was alone, everyone believed, and Gerey only had forty men with him.

They searched the forest for three days until they finally reached the river that wrapped around the wood. "Do you suppose he crossed?" asked Richye.

"Likely," Gerey muttered. "We'll cross."

"And then go where? To Minton?"

"Yes."

"I never took you for a fool until today, Gerey. You expect us to march up the castle and demand that Lord Barawayne give up his son for winning a melee?"

Gerey shuffled uncomfortably on his horse. He knew Richye was right, yet he felt that he absolutely must bring the man to justice. When he pierced Rynn's eye with the sword, Gerey was sure that he had died. Only when Rynn rose to his feet did Gerey's rage begin to quell. Then, however, he saw the grievous wound and grew wroth again, but the Blue Knight was well on his way by then.

"You're right," Gerey said, wavering. "Still, I feel that I must..."

"You looking to challenge him or kill him yourself?" Richye smiled his crooked smile. "I don't think I like the odds, mate. Rynn's a much better swordsman than you and lost an eye to that man."

"Lady Mary said we were to only capture him and bring him back alive."

"A Lady is she, now?" Richye shrugged. "I've known Mary much longer than you, Gerey. Her power does not reach beyond that wall. If this Blue Knight is at Minton, nothing we say will get him out."

"He will be brought to justice one way or the next."

"I hope the time we're about to waste is well worth it, Gerey."

The Left River was ever a challenge to cross. In some spots it was shallow as a puddle, and in others it ran as deep as the ocean. The forty men of Gerey's party had to each look for paths to lead them and their horses across the river without either of them drowning. One man failed and lost his horse to the current, but everyone else crossed safely enough.

Gerey ordered a stop to set up camp. The sun was setting and they were almost out of Mewood. Once they entered Gath Plains, it would be a nonstop ride straight through Sirestar to Minton on the Mint Road. Gerey surveyed the area as the rest of his company pitched their tents and started their fires. The trees grew sparser and in the distance he could see the great flatness of the Gath Plains. What am I really doing? he wondered. I have no hope of finding the man. He is long fled. This is folly. We will ride to Minton, Lord Barawayne will tell us to fuck off, and then we'll leave empty handed, as we all expect to. What would Rynn do in this situation?

"You have that troubled look on your face," Sir Ellot shouted from his small fire. He had two empty pouches by his side. "Having doubts that we'll find the Blue Knight?"

"I don't understand how one could not." Gerey put his sword and scabbard by his feet and sat at the fire with Ser Ellot.

"To be true, I did not wish to go on this farce of a mission. Damn that bastard bitch."

"Watch how you speak of Lady Mary."

"Lady Mary," Sir Ellot mocked. "Her name and her words mean less than half a shit to me."