Sons of Ironstorm - Book 4: Griffon's Stand

Chapter 8: Places of Resort

"Together the Masters of the Races and the Elven High King

Did agree to raise great places of resort and power.

Fortifications of some strength to resist the advances of the enemy.

For the demons already had established bases far and wide, their hold tight.

So the First Alliance did begin to build castles of great strength."

- from the Kata Na'Sylvinor, the elven histories 

Leather straps creaking, Colonel Valescu shifted in her saddle on her griffon mount's back and looked downward, sharp eyes looking for landmarks as Kyri banked hard to the left. There, through a gap in the heavy cloud cover and right where Lord KeLarion's map had marked it lay the deep blue bay named the Bay of Gorgons. And hard by its southern curve the sprawl that was Gorgon's Dagger, its grey granite easy to pick out against the greens and browns of the surrounding swamp. 'Finally!' she silently exulted, reaching out with a gloved hand to give Kyri's neck a happy pat. 'Four days a-saddle, with sleet, snow and rain snarling at me is about four days too long!'

The gloved hand drew back to wipe away yet again the rain that poured over her face, a gesture she had made all too often on her southward journey in these past few Watches. Hopefully his Majesty, King Ciradaan would have a fire going and some hot food, perhaps even a cup of fine Aerlorn pinoss or Benthar's Grove shumtai brandy. She could certainly use a good measure of both after so long in the saddle without relent.

<<Okay, girl,>> she tiredly said, pushing her musings into the back of her mind to focus on the final leg of her long journey. <<Our task is nearly done. Let's begin our descent, yes?>>

As soft as her rider's voice was against the howling winds of passage and the rain's heavy hiss as it fell around them in undulating sheets, Kyri's hearing was sharp. She easily winnowed Valescu's voice from the noisy background and gave a happy 'peep' of her own in agreement before immediately banking back to the right to swing them towards the distant fortress, some twenty lengths below them.

Dropping quickly through the dense rain clouds in a tight spiral, it wasn't long before griffon and rider broke through the low ceiling and into full view of the bay. Which brought into view the four massive human galleons advancing towards the curve along the eastern horn of the shoreline. Valescu's face instantly tightened as she caught sight of the heavy ships, appearing as though they were preparing to drop anchor and furl sail within an easy row of the fortress, but well beyond any wall-mounted machines of war. What was this? Humans advancing on the elves' tenuous foothold in an attempt to take possession of it? Or worse: shadow forces in possession of human ships making another attack?

<<Around, Kyri,>> Valescu hissed, leaning in and giving the reins an encouraging pull. <<Let's take a closer look, yes? And mind yourself, girl; I don't want to be pulling arrows out of your belly after we land.>>

The griffon snorted derisively as she angled for a run at the boats. No shadow soldier, Tjor'riin or turned elf, had been able to fire hard and fast enough to strike her during the Ka'thesck rebellion and certainly none would be able to do it from the heaving deck of a ship! Then they were dropping out of the sky, the rain suddenly miniature battering rams that pounded relentlessly at their taut bodies as the dive quadrupled their speed.

Lower and lower the pair went, closer and closer to the water and the four ships coasting to a halt upon it. Then, with a sharp whip crack of sound, they were stabbing between the four vessels, Kyri's wing tip just brushing the water before she righted herself. A heartbeat later they were beyond the massive ships-of-the-line and pulling hard for shore and the beetling bulk of Gorgon's Dagger. With the rain now threatening to push them down into the unsettled waters of the bay, the falling water much heavier at sea level than it had been high above it, Valescu frowned in her place on Kyri's back as she pondered what her keen and observant eyes had told her in their brief flash past the ships.