Lost Scout

[ChickieBooBoo]

"Are the orcs ready?" Laethros asked Gomez as they walked away from the cell. "Ain't got much time left 'fore Ragnar starts sending out the cavalry. Told a woman this morning that if her husband and daughter weren't back in 3 days, he'd send out men lookin' for 'em. They'd gone the day before, so that only gives one more day. And now with this one gone missin'..." he jerked his head back toward the room where they'd put the girls, "bound to be even more cries for him to do somethin' bout it."

"They were close when I left this morning." Gomez reported, unaware of the chaos that was now unfolding there because of Strider and Aelfric. "Shouldn't be too much longer now. How close is Ragnar to having a formidable enough force to pose a threat?" He asked, looking to update himself on Aberdeen's status before he returned to the camp. The orcs would be eager to hear, he knew.

 

[Frundette]

"If you can," Gytha answered, pivoting her torso so that her bound wrists were oriented toward Anna.

She shook her head, still finding the whole idea that Charles would be allied with the orcs hard to fathom. "I think the orcs are getting ready for a fight," she said. "They're fortifying their camp and more of them were arriving every day. I thought I could get away and warn Lord Ragnar..." she hung her head, feeling utterly defeated.

---

"A dozen sworn men," Laethros answered, not counting himself or Charles in the total. "Could probably rally another 20 from the farmers. But triple that if we give him time to recruit help from Wedmor or even Camden."

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Gomez was nodding slowly as Laethros talked, he had been expecting as much. "I will relay the news to the orc camp then." He replied. "They will likely decide to attack as soon as possible. I trust you have made sure the route through this cave isn't flooded? The recent rains may have raised the water level above normal and we'll need it to surprise them."

 

[Frundette]

"Not yet, just got here a short while before you did," the old man replied. "Let's go check..."

Charles followed along, a few steps behind Laethros and Gomez, barely listening to their conversation. Instead, he was replaying the scene with Gytha over and over in his mind, unable to forget the look of hurt and betrayal when he had handed her over to Laethros, as if she meant nothing to him. For the first time, he began to question if the great wealth promised to him was worth the enslavement and deaths of others who had placed their trust in him. Too late for those thoughts, fool. You're in it deep now.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

"I know it isn't my decision," Gomez said to Laethros as they walked deeper into the cave. "But I was thinking that the best way to surprise them would be to send a small attack group to the bridge and draw them down the road. Ragnar doesn't know the cave exists, so he'll send his men to the bridge to meet that group, meanwhile the larger group crosses the river through here. Nobody'll see them coming, and Aberdeen will be left unguarded."

 

[StarrNico]

"If you can," Gytha answered, pivoting her torso so that her bound wrists were oriented toward Anna.  

She shook her head, still finding the whole idea that Charles would be allied with the orcs hard to fathom.  "I think the orcs are getting ready for a fight," she said.  "They're fortifying their camp and more of them were arriving every day.  I thought I could get away and warn Lord Ragnar..."  she hung her head, feeling utterly defeated.  


---


"A dozen sworn men," Laethros answered, not counting himself or Charles in the total.  "Could probably rally another 20 from the farmers.  But triple that if we give him time to recruit help from Wedmor or even Camden."

Anna felt around in the dark until she found Gytha's bound hands. She felt along the rope, studying the knot then started untying it. "If you can get away from here, you need to warn them. Especially about this cave. There's an entrance over the cliff that is near the settlement"

 

[Frundette]

"Convincing him to send men out after the orcs will be the hard part," Laethros said, pointing out the risk in the plan. "He is sometimes slow to act unless it is clear there is no other choice." He let out a short laugh, "Course, we could pressure him a bit more. Arrange it so I... or maybe Charles here needs rescued. 'Less you need him elsewhere?"


Charles looked up suddenly from his thoughts, feeling a small twinge of nervousness at what Laethros had just volunteered him for.


--


Gytha nodded at Anna's statement before remembering the other girl probably couldn't see the gesture. "That goes for you too," she said, keeping her voice low in case the men were nearby. "If you have a chance to escape, you must take this news straight to Lord Ragnar. No one else."


As the bonds finally came loose, Gytha rubbed her wrists, then turned around again, feeling for Anna's hands. "Now let's get yours off."

 

[StarrNico]

"Convincing him to send men out after the orcs will be the hard part," Laethros said, pointing out the risk in the plan. "He is sometimes slow to act unless it is clear there is no other choice." He let out a short laugh, "Course, we could pressure him a bit more. Arrange it so I... or maybe Charles here needs rescued. 'Less you need him elsewhere?"


Charles looked up suddenly from his thoughts, feeling a small twinge of nervousness at what Laethros had just volunteered him for.


--


Gytha nodded at Anna's statement before remembering the other girl probably couldn't see the gesture. "That goes for you too," she said, keeping her voice low in case the men were nearby. "If you have a chance to escape, you must take this news straight to Lord Ragnar. No one else."


As the bonds finally came loose, Gytha rubbed her wrists, then turned around again, feeling for Anna's hands. "Now let's get yours off."

Anna paled, though it couldn't be seen in the dark. "If you can get out the door and go right (?) the cave entrance over the cliff is that way. Maybe you can try to go that way and I could try the other, that way one of us will have a chance to get out of here." She offered the suggestion, hoping to not have to go near the cliff again

 

[Frundette]

Gytha's fingers were sore and she was having trouble with the knot in the rope, but after a few more minutes of trying, the knot loosened. "There," she said as she pulled the rope off and considered Anna's plan.

If they could both get out of this room, which seemed doubtful anyway, she didn't particularly like the idea of splitting up, but perhaps it was wise. "Very well," she agreed. She stood up, and put her hand against the wall in order to find her way back to the door, only to find it solidly barred shut.

 

[StarrNico]

Gytha's fingers were sore and she was having trouble with the knot in the rope, but after a few more minutes of trying, the knot loosened. "There," she said as she pulled the rope off and considered Anna's plan.

If they could both get out of this room, which seemed doubtful anyway, she didn't particularly like the idea of splitting up, but perhaps it was wise. "Very well," she agreed. She stood up, and put her hand against the wall in order to find her way back to the door, only to find it solidly barred shut.

Anna nearly sighed in relief as her plan was accepted. She stood and followed Gytha to the door, one hand trailing on the wall to keep her bearings. After they tested the door and found it barred, she started following the wall to see if she could find anything to use as a weapon or to pry the door open.