Lost Scout

[Frundette]

(This is a private RP. PM me if you wish to join!)




The location for the new human settlement could not have been better. Fertile land nestled in small river valley with plenty of standing timber to provide building material and open fields for herds of livestock to graze. Over the past few months, over 3 dozen wagons had arrived to help settle the land. And all seemed well.

Occasionally, scouts were sent into the surrounding countryside to explore and to ensure there was no danger. But the scouts consistently reported that the land was quiet. And it wasn't until autumn that trouble came.

-

"She's three days past due, lord," Aelfric said, worriedly. It wasn't like the scout to not return on time.

Lord Ragnar, the minor noble that controlled this new settlement, was helping a few of his men as they thatched the roof of his newly built hall. The lord did not look overly worried, but nodded.

"Gather a few volunteers of your choosing and see what's become of her," he granted permission.

"Thank you, lord," Aelfric said. Aelfric strapped on his sword belt and saddled his horse, then rode to the surrounding homesites to ask for help finding the lost scout...

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

On the outskirts of the fledgling settlement a tall man was crouched on the roof of a small grass hut, completing the finishing touches on his family's new home. It was humble and quaint, but beautiful to the poor man who had struggling in previous years to feed his growing family. The new settlement was a fresh start and a new beginning for them, and he was ever grateful for the opportunity.

"Ezra!" A female voice called from within the hut, and the head of a youthful women poked outside a window and looked up. "Have you seen Olivia? I can't seem to find her anywhere, she must have run out."

The man looked up and scanned the hillside with keen eyes. From his vantage point, he could just barely make out the tiny shape of a young girl playing in the tall grass. He climbed down from the hut and placed a well worn, brown hat on his head before cupping his hands to his mouth and shouting the name of his daughter, "Olivia!"

The girl looked up at the sound of her name and a broad smile lit up her small face. She grabbed a pile of wild flowers which had been carefully stacked together and began jogging back towards the small house. "Father!" She exclaimed once she drew near. "Look what I've found!"

Ezra scooped Olivia up off the ground and swung her in a circle around his head, enjoying the sound of her tinkling laugh before he tucked her against his chest in a bear hug. "What have you got here?" He asked, letting her announce the news of her flowers, even though he could see them clearly. Before she could reply, however, he spotted Aelfric riding towards them and tipped his hat to the man. "What can I do for you, sir?"

 

[Frundette]

Aelfric reined in his mount and the horse stopped easily, then reached its nose out to inspect the flowers the little girl was holding, trying to eat them. The man spared a smile for the girl and her father before turning serious.

"I've come to ask your aid, Ezra," he said, dismounting so that he could hold out a hand to the man in greeting. "Gytha is three days past due," worry was written on Aelfric's face, hinting at more than a strictly professional relationship between the sworn man and the scout. "Lord Ragnar has given me leave to go after her. Another set of eyes would be most welcome."

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Olivia giggled and reached out to pat the horse's nose, holding out a flower for the animal to eat while shielding the rest.

After shaking with Aelfric, Ezra placed his daughter back on her feet and ushered her into the house. "Go show Mother your flowers, I'm sure she'll have a jar that you can put them in." He instructed. Once the girl was gone his friendly and gentle face hardened to reflect the worry which Aelfric was displaying. "Aren't the scouts usually sent out in at least pairs of two?" He questioned. "Where is her partner? Are they missing too?"

(I'm just assuming that the scouts aren't sent out alone... feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!)

 

[Frundette]

"She went alone," Aelfric replied with a frown, remembering the conversation the morning she had left.

--

"Ragnar needs Charles here," Gytha said again as she tightened the saddle girth, brushing aside Aelfric's worry.

"Then I'll go with you," he said.

"You?" she laughed. "Disobey Ragnar?" She ran her fingers through his hair. "Listen, I'll be fine. Thorne here will keep me out of trouble," she gave the horse a pat, then swung up into the saddle. "See you in a few days!" she called, kicking the horse into a trot.

--

"With the countryside so quiet, Lord Ragnar saw fit to decrease the patrols so more hands were available to finish up the work that needs done before winter," Aelfric did his best to keep any accusation out of his voice.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Ezra went silent to listen to Aelfric relay the story to him. He didn't miss the hint of accusation in the other man's voice, but he didn't give any indication of catching it. Although he didn't know Aelfric and Gytha very well, it was fairly well-known in the community that they were fond of each other, and he understood why Aelfric would be unhappy with Lord Ragnar's decision to let the scout leave the settlement on her own. With his house finished and his family settled in, Ezra saw no reason not to help find the missing woman. She had probably just ventured a little bit further then necessary and gotten lost, or found something interesting that needed a closer inspection. "I will come with you, just give me a moment to fetch my horse and supplies."

The farmer turned around and jogged into the newly constructed grass hut. The voices of himself and the woman could be heard through the clay walls, but the words were too muffled for anyone outside to understand. A few moments later he reappeared in the doorway with a crude backpack slung from his shoulder. "My horse is in the barn out back, walk with me. What's your plan?"

 

[Frundette]

OOC: Mind if we use this for inspiration? Img url in case above map is too hard to read. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v710/penpen09/BlackmarshHyakuji.jpg I'm envisioning our new little settlement in hex 0603. I'm not using the red dots for anything, just liked the map!


"She should have taken the road east, through the Greywoods, then headed north to the Rednut River and followed it back to the north and west," Aelfric said as he walked with Ezra toward the barn. "My thought is to take the same path and see if we can pick up any sign of her," he said. Aelfric was no where near as skilled at tracking as Gytha, but there'd been no rain in the last few days to wash away tracks and her horse was shod, so he hoped it would be easy to follow her trail.

"Maybe even see if we can recruit one more to accompany us if we can," he added.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

(Sure, that would work)

Ezra slid open the door of a small barn nestled in a small clearing within a larger patch of trees. Inside were three horses each in their own individual stall. He went to the stall closest to them and led out a tall chestnut gelding with one white foot and a white stripe down his nose. "Easy, Panago." His voice was soft while speaking to the animal as it regarded Aelfric with a suspicious snort. Being a farmer, he wasn't as familiar with the territory surrounding the settlement as the men surrounding Lord Ragnar and the scouts were. The names which Aelfric called out while describing her route rang a bell, but he wasn't sure where they were or what they looked like.

"I'll admit, Aelfric," he replied while saddling the horse and attaching bags of food and weapons along it's back. "I'm not very familiar with the territory around the settlement. I'm afraid I won't be a huge help navigating, but if you lead the way I will follow and lend a second pair of eyes."

As the two men were talking, a dark hair girl about sixteen or seventeen years old stepped in through the back of the barn, leading a beautiful black Arabian colt through the rear doors. She stopped when she seen Ezra saddling up Panago, "Father? Where are you going?" She questioned, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Can I come?"

"No Danielle," Ezra replied, fixing her with a stern stare. "You must stay behind and help your Mother while I'm gone. I'll only be gone a couple of days, and plus, you don't have a horse."

"I do Father!" She exclaimed proudly, gesturing to the black colt behind her. "Duke is ready, I can bring him along!"

Ezra looked at Duke with a suspicious frown, similar to the one Panago had given Aelfric. "Absolutely not, you are not to let that horse outside the barn, and I don't want to see you riding him until I get back. Its too dangerous."

Danielle opened her mouth to retort something back but Ezra's stern glare silenced her. She looked down dejectedly at the floor as Ezra led Panago outside and shut the barn door behind him. "Perhaps my neighbours could be of some help." He looked at a row of houses about a mile away, then back at Aelfric. "We could ask them."

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

(Sorry for the long posts... I want to involve his family a little bit though!)

 

[Frundette]

(No worries! I like where it's headed!)




Aelfric

"A mighty fine animal," Aelfric said before they exited the barn. "Where did you get him from?" he asked out of passing curiosity.

Once back outside, he put his foot in the stirrup and mounted quickly, looking almost as natural aboard a horse as on his own two feet. His gaze followed Erza's to the houses in the distance and he nodded. "Let's hope..."

-

The first two houses they tried proved fruitless, as the occupants offered their sincerest apologies and best of luck, but were unable to make the trek. One man said he could accompany them if only they could delay until tomorrow. Aelfric sighed in frustration, anxious to get on the road. "Perhaps one more try," he said to Ezra and knocked on another door. This time an older man answered and Aelfric recognized him as the surgeon that had arrived with the latest batch of wagons.

Aelfric explained the situation and the old man chewed his lip for a moment, pondering. "I'm getting too old for such treks myself... Jasper!" the man called and a boy, probably not much older than Danielle poked his head into the room. "This is my apprentice, Jasper. Boy, I'm sending you with these men. Aelfric and Ezra. One of the outriders might be hurt and in need of your help."

The young man's eyes widened a little in surprise that he was to be trusted with such a task, but nodded silently.

"Go quickly and gather up supplies and food for a few days. You'll take my palfrey." Jasper nodded again and hurried from the room.



Jasper