"Thank you Janny, you are a good girl." answers Zenobia with a smile and warm praise. "Mother has just finished making some sweetbreads I think, go in and ask her for one."

That would keep Janny busy out of the reach of any potential harm, thought Zenobia. It would not do to have children around armed strangers riding from bandit country.

Zenobia fresh from helping with the thatching of a roof, and with a dirty smudge across her face, seems less than noble this morning (she helps out where she can), turns to her chamberlain, himself sweaty from the morning's labor, and says quietly before the rider is in hearing distance..

"Dominic, quietly arrange for a mounted messenger to go to Tenderwood. Have him ready to go in short order. I will pass you the message when I have spoken to this stranger. It may be that they will ask for help, but perhaps the intention of the brigand that haunts their fields is to draw our men away, so that he can strike here. I shall have to act carefully to ensure our people's safety."

"Have the archers Hal and Bron watch the way out as well. I don't know this fellow."

Maeve takes a clean cloth and dipping it in some water, rubs the dirt from it. She reaches down with her left hand and grabs the collar of her over-enthusiastic hound, Havoc, who is already regarding the oncoming stranger with sharp toothed suspicion. Havoc doesn't bark. He doesn't do that when his Mistress' hand is on his collar, he's been smacked for that before.

"Hush.." she murmurs..

Zenobia directs her bravest, most welcoming smile to the rider as he aproaches. Zenobia is standing virtually in the doorway of her home. Deep in the shadows of doorway stand her personal guard of two soldiers (also sweaty from thatching -they are still putting their armor on). They are wary but unobtrusive. If the rider tries to ride her down, she need only step back within the building, while releasing her hold on Havoc. Her eyes move over the stranger, examining his clothing, carefully looking for anything untoward [Spot and Search].

"Welcome to Riverhill, I am Zenobia, your host." she says.

She tries to read the man before her (sense motive) while bringing the full weight of her beauty and charisma to bear.

Janny runs off with a smile after the sweets.

All the mental preparation and anxiety of a stranger melts away as the rider pulls up before the beautiful, if dindgy leader of the town.  He is barely old enough to be considered a man, probably no more than seventeen years old.  As he plops down, everyone can see that he is a bit excited and weary all at the same time, but as Zenobia really begins to turn on the charm, everything else melts away to be replaced by complete infatuation, a common enough reaction in young men who don't know her.

"My...I...we, er," for several moments he can't find words.  Finally, after clearing his road dusted throat unsuccessfully several times, he hands a hasitly scrawled parchment out to the bard.

In reply to Game Master (msg #3):

Zenobia takes the parchment, but ignores it for a moment as she turns and calls into the house. "We have a dry throated messenger who has travelled far standing out here." she says, her voice both lilting and slightly husky at the same time. She can't read it in any case, she is still holding onto Havoc's collar. Havoc, in tune with his mistress' reaction calms down and merely sniffs the newcomer, adding him to the repertoire of not to be bitten, worried or eaten.

Zenobia glances down at Havoc and sensing that he's no longer thinking of marrowbone let's go his collar. She then beckons courteously to the young messenger to follow her inside.

"Come.." she says with a smile and, turning sinuously on her heels, her hips unconsciously adding their touch of magic to the moment, leads the young man into her home, which is plain and simple in decor and appointment. It is however clean.

"Someone please bring this brave young man something refreshing to drink before he expires in our home" she calls again.

This is Zenobia, at home among her people, she doesn't say "welcome to my hall", or "stand at ease", or even read the message first. There's a weary and thirsty young man before her who is serving his people well and that's what she thinks of first. She continues reading (sense motive) him as she leads him inside into the comfort and shade of her home.

"Corwin, if you could see to the man's horse." she says passing one of her guards standing inside the shade of the doorway. "I'm sorry I don't believe we've been introduced, I am Zenobia Aurelius Gracchus", she says looking at the messsenger with shining eyes.

She listens to his response as she sits down, opens the parchment and reads what is contained therein.

"Kennon, ma'am," the boy finally gulps out around a big glass of weak wine.  "I wasn't s'pposed to read them papers, an...and I didn't, but I know what they say well enough.  Halbrech has given his ultimatum for Swiftpier.  He aims to be king."

The news does not sit well with the few gathered there.  Sure enough, the papers are from the town council of Swiftpier.

Lady Nightingale.  We hope this letter finds you well.  We have little time so this letter will be short and to the point.  Please forgive our inelegance.  Swiftpier is under assault, or will be by the time you receive this.  Halbrech, leader of the bandits, means to be king, not just of Swiftpier but of all human towns in this area.  He'll use Swiftpier as a base to build his numbers and strike out at other nearby towns, but his sights are set on Riverhill.

We beg your aide, but we can only hold off for a few days.  The only reason this is possible is that the thug doesn't want to destroy the town.  He does not want to rule a ruin.  We know it is in your heart to help, but we also know that you may feel that you cannot wisely do so.  If you do not come, we will understand, and hope you will at least heed this as fair warning of Halbrech's aims.  No doubt if Swiftpier falls, he will gather more to his banner.

The blessings of Halai be with you.

Swiftpier Town Council

The brief letter is bound with the official Swiftpier Council seal.

"Trouble?" Lucius asks stepping through the door from the outside.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:49, Sat 26 July 2008.

"Trouble?" Lucius asks stepping through the door from the outside.

Zenobia cocks her head to one side as Lucius enters and says "trouble?". She considers the word for a moment. "In a sense, certainly a lack of harmony, almost certainly the prospect of murder."

Zenobia's eyes return to the messenger. "Brave Kennon, you should make yourself ready to take the message back to your people." she says with resolve. "Do not fret unduly, for we shall not stand idly by while your people are subjugated. We all stand or fall together. We are all us after all".

"Corwin.." she says, speakin to the guard who had dealt with the young boy man's "horse, "make sure Kennon has everything he needs to make the return journey".

When Kennon leaves the room Zenobia returns her gaze to her advisors.

"We should move to help Swiftpier with all speed. We are the central town and leadership in this matter falls to us. The way we live our lives and all we hold dear cannot be subject to the whims of a would be dictator."

"Here is my plan.."

"I have no doubt that his eyes are set on Riverhill, it may be that the attack on Swiftpier is little more than a diversion, designed to draw defenders away from Riverhill so that he could come here and take this town with impunity, therefore we must show caution. We must seek assistance from the villages furthest from the fight, so that they send fighters here. This will allow us to move more strongly against this Halbrech, knowing that should he move against Riverhill we will be behind him."

"The problem lies in that we can only match this Halbrech in the field if we pull every last guard from Riverhill. This I am unwilling to do. However anything less introduces the possibility that we would easily lose a fight should Halbrech intercepts us between Riverhill and Swiftpier.”

"Kennon the messenger must be given a message that in essence spells out our decision accurately, that we are coming to help. However it should also outline how we will do this. This brigand doubtless has scouts out, so it may be that Kennon is intercepted and the letter read. If we can delude him into thinking we are approaching from one direction while approaching from another, then we will pull the wool over his eyes and gain some advantage in doing so."

"At home we do not have a wall for the defense of our people and it is something that I think we shall require in the future, however, the walls of our buildings are high enough that each hut and cottage could act as a little fort in itself. We should have ladders so that our people can harangue any invaders with stones, slingstones and the like. With luck it should not come to that but in war anything can happen.”

“When it comes to a fight I mean to delay this as much as possible, so that we can parley. In talks I would hold a clear advantage. If I can encourage defections from his ranks, for who knows with what threats he holds his men together with, then it maybe that many lives shall be spared on both sides.”

"We should also seek help from the elder races. They ignore us for the moment for we cause them no trouble, but a bandit king in their midst might be something that will cause them to exert themselves on our behalf, if only lightly, by using their magic to cover our movements and inform us of the movements of the enemy. Word we can send quickly to our neighbors, some will arrive immediately, but others will require horseman. I do not believe we are alone in this fight. Friends we have if we are just and honorable."

Zenobia pauses , takes a breath, smiles shyly. It is more leadership now than she has ever attempted before. She smiles almost shyly..

“My family has ever spoken for this town, but I am not its sole counsel. What say you my friends to what I have proposed? I would not be King like this Halbrech, but rather a Speaker for the People and the Hand of their Will.”

The two elder advisors nod at the wisdom of Zenobia's words.  The few younger folks gathered about add a few suggestions here and there but the essence of the plan remains intact.

Kennon returns somewhat refreshed and ready to take word back.  He must travel along the eastern shore of the river to make Swiftpier lest he be forced to swim or row across the lake.  He assures everyone he did not see anyone on the way in, but a boy his age would not necessarily have the ability to see someone more skilled.  With fresh water bottles and hope, the young man is sent away to bring the same to the southern town.

"Zenobia, surely you will not ride out with our warriors?  Cannot Corwin or one of the other men lead while you coordinate things here?"  Dominic is ever the overprotective one, but he means well.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:50, Sat 26 July 2008.

In reply to Game Master (msg #7):

"Kennon, if your way is blocked by the enemy and you find yourself unable to flee do not try to fight your way free." she places a hand on the young man's shoulder. Indeed he is not much younger than she is. "Conceal the message [OOC: This message falsely describes the Riverhill approach] but do not fight to keep them from taking it. Mark my words, I want to see you in one piece when this is over. May Halaia watch over and keep you. Now, ride like the wind."

She turns to Dominic..

"I will ride out with the warriors, but I will leave leadership of the men to Corwin. I mean to speak to these brigands if I can and in doing so save lives. I doubt not that this Halbrech has men with little allegiance to his cause, men who deserve a better leader than the one they now follow. If it comes to a fight I shall stay with my guard and sing the songs of power I have learned from my people.  Either way I will save lives. Therefore I must go. Men I have known their whole lives will fight and die on the decisions I make. I could not in good conscience ask them to face that risk alone, when my skills could mean the difference between their living and dying."

"Now send words to friendly villages, furthest from the fight that we need what warriors they can spare to guard Riverhill while our fighting men are away. I will write to Marcus myself and ask that he protect my mother and sisters."

Zenobia turns to the Wizard Cal Stephir..

"I ask that you send word to your teacher of what is occurring here. I would have these lands remain peaceable and not be governed by a bandit King. Tell him that we seek to learn from the elder races, learn from their example, learn whatever skills they have to teach us. If this bandit King prevails then these lands shall fall under the sway of one who only respects power. This would in the years ahead lay the seeds of discord with all our neighbors. While I recognise that such trouble would be but a minor annoyance, soon ended. It would require the deaths of many humans, the blood of both innocent and guilty alike. Thus as Speaker for the these lands I ask that you offer us what assistance you deem sufficient and appropriate. I do not ask that you fight, this conflict has been started by humans and we must pay the price to finish it. However, if you could light our way, conceal our movements from the enemy then this would be greatly appreciated. If you could intercede with the other advanced nations on our behalf, for instance by spreading word of our plight faster than we could spread word ourselves then this would be of great assistance. There is a blight in our land that threatens to spread and we shall do what we can to end it with your help."

"There, I think that just about does it."

Zenobia sets forth the plan. It involves a ranger getting word to the people of Swiftpier by having him come float down the stream under the cover of darkness and coming ashore at the village. The boats of the village will then quietly ferry Maeve, Cal Stephir, 20 soldiers including Corwin and 5 scouts across the water. The plan is to lure them into a village, past huts where the doors have been fortified by piling dirt behind them and whose roofs roofs have been soaked with water. The Swiftpier guard will then refuse combat drawing Halbrech in, while the Riverhill guard suddenly jumps out from concealment behind. At the sound of a horn, all the huts will sprout folk with spears, bows and stone, from the smoke hole in the roof. An illusion of some elder troops would definitely help. Everyone is under orders not to start a fight. Zenobia needs a chance to talk some of these people down. The idea is that the war should be won by this point so that there doesn't need to be a war. Halbrech wants in, let him in. Just don't let him out again.

The plan basically consists of

An unorthodox approach designed to bypass watchers on the obvious route between the town and the village. Coupled with a message which says help is coming, along the obvious route. This message may or may not be intercepted, but the chances are it will.

The arrival of a Ranger well known to the folk of Swiftpier, bearing the message that the Riverfall guard is not coming by the east bank route sometime later, but is already concealed on the other side of the lake waiting to be ferried across. The movement of troops by night across water, bringing them into the Swiftpier unobserved.

The plan thus encourages the enemy to think that

soldiers from Riverfall are coming later,
by a route they can watch, and potentially ambush
this could move them out of position and get them to wait


it may be that Zenobia's plan will allow the good guys to get the drop on the bad guys by means of subtlety and misdirection. If the bad guys think that a portion of the Riverfall army is on the way by the obvious route they might well wait in an ambush position, leaving the good guys to get good position while reinforcements come from other villages to riverfall.

If everything goes as planned, then Zenobia will get the Swiftpier folk to begin fortifying the village. It may be that when the bad guys find out they will come rushing back to put a stop to that. In any case such inadequate preparations will block exits for enemy troops who wish to run, though a rout path is provided for the weak of heart - it'll be a dead end but they wont know that when they start running.

Zenobia gets all the scouts and rangers out to form a skirmish line to chase off harry any possible enemy scouts/watchers prior to leaving Riverfall with the military contingent. These skirmishers fall back to Riverfall when their job is done. If the landscape does not favor the concealment of a large body of men, then Zenobia has the men leave in small groups in different directions only to have them meet up again in cover. As much as possible the main reconstituted body of men stays to areas with a lot of concealment, the ranger moving on the periphery enough to see out but not enough to be seen himself.

As the second to last of the small groups leaves Riverhill, Dominic and Lucius stand near their beloved leader.  Finally Dominic asks again, "Zenobia, will you stay or go with them?"

In reply to Dominic (msg #11):

"I'm going. Build a mighty bonfire, if the enemy passes us, light it and we shall return with all speed."

[Private to Zenobia Aurelius Gracchus: Did you bring the wizard, Cal, with you or are you leaving him to defend Riverhill?]

Dominic's look lingers for a moment, then he bows without further question.  He will do what needs be done.

With supplies in hand, weapons at the ready, the last group trots out of Riverhill and makes for Swiftpier.  The journey takes only half a day by horse, but the elaborate trap set by Zenobia puts her in the lake town well after midnight.  There was no sign of Halbrech's men the entire way.  No one grumbles at the extra effort that was seemingly wasted.  Better to have been cautious and not need to be than incautious and have a need for it.

Once in the town, the councilman Mattaeus Vander greets Zenobia.  "Lady Nightingale.  Thank you for coming.  We are unsure what this bandit chief is playing at.  He hangs out at the fringes of the jungle and occasionally sends catcalls our way, but does nothing to attack.  He must know we've sent for help.  With Riverhill's reenforcements, we now match their numbers.  What do you think he means to do?"

In reply to Mattaeus Vander (msg #13):


OOC: Zenobia left Cal in Riverhill.

Zenobia frowns as she hears this, looks back in the direction of Riverhill.

“Did your messenger Kennon return?” she asks first.

"Yes, he made it back a few hours before your first contingent of scouts arrived and delivered your message."  Vander is unsure of the situation and waits expectantly for Zenobia.  Obviously she has a plan.

In reply to Mattaeus Vander (msg #15):

Zenobia grins devilishly, well it's an attempt. She looks far too angelic to carry it off.

"I told Kennon not to put up too much of a struggle if he was intercepted. The idea being that if whe was then they'd read the deceitful message I had written for him, that they'd get wrong footed."

She pauses for a moment, then looks back in the direction of Riverhill..

"If 'our' people are attacked in Riverhill they will light a great mound of wood that we shall see, a great glow at night and a pillar of smoke during the day. Can I ask that you have one of your people on a rooftop maintain a constant watch for this."

"Do you have huntsmen here in the village, I brought one such man, skilled in woodcraft with me. We need to know whether this brigand's full strength is there or whether it is just one man left behind to fool us. We need to know one way or another."

"We need to find out whether he is there or not. If he is gone and the intent of his threat to this village was a mere diversion then it will go badly for my people whom I have left mostly unprotected, though aid should come from the furthest villages."

"Now with luck he doesn't know that we are here at all. If we now feign weakness, make preparations for the defences that he must disrupt then we could draw him out, providing he is there at all."

"Tonight, have your people quietly prepare their homes for an attack, a board piled high with dirt should do. If an attack comes, have then dump the dirt at the base of the door and barricade it by leaning the board against it. Enlarge the smoke hole in the roof and have your people bring spears, arrows, rocks up there. We do not have a wall so we can’t keep him out if he wants to come in. But we can make him wish he hadn’t.

"Before sunrise, when the sky lightens enough to see, have your people begin digging ditches around the village and piling the dirt from the ditches on the village side. Making the villages stronger, makes his position weaker. It also shows desperation."

"For if he is not there then I shall have return with my men to Riverfall, which is doubtless the main prize in his eyes."

"In the meantime I will go sing for my supper while you hide my folk amongst yours."

"If he falls for the trap and comes rushing in overconfidently then your people should fall back to encourage them to come right in. Fire a few arrows but do so hurriedly and do not hit anyone."

Form up your men opposite to where my men can hide. Ask for parley, saying that reinforcements haven't come and you are prepared to discuss terms. At this point we'll emerge from behind them.

When he starts to dictate terms you can say no, you misunderstand. I mean the terms of 'your' surrender. Someone blows a horn and your folk, missiles in hand burst from the hut roofs. With enemies on both sides and lots of arrows stones and the like raised in hands against them I reckon they'll throw down their weapons. If they don't I will put forth my magic to aid all our fighters."

"There, what do you think?"

The councilman blinks a few times at the complexity of the plan as he absorbs it, but then he nods and gets his people moving.  The huntsman Zenobia asks for arrives a few moments later.  When he is told what her plans are for him he smiles.

"Lady Nightingale, I just returned from there.  His scouts never saw me, but Halbrech is there with his full forces minus a scout or two of his own, no doubt surveying us.  As long as you don't go near the edge of town, I doubt they will know you are here."  He looks around at her men.  "They do know our people well enough to know these are visitors, but in the darkness of night...I don't think there'll be a problem."

"Let us hope they do not know our full strength now. A few visitors here and there won't concern Halbrech too much, but if he know twenty soldiers have come then this won't work. If he knows the village has 20 more soldiers when we do as I have set forth he'll know we're trying to lure him into a trap."

"On the other hand if the plan does not work, then I will sing and speak from the village. I doubt he has anyone there who can sway any here to his cause. Our cause being just has more power than his."

"Therefore let us proceed with the plan I have set forth, if he does not take the bait then I shall sing and speak in an attempt to win over his men to our cause."

Vander finishes giving orders and the townsfolk ready themselves per Zenobia's instructions.  All is laid out to the best of their ability.

Across the open field the catcalls finally cease and the bandit encampment quiets down.  Slowly their fire's die to a low flame but they do not let them go out.  The number of shadows moving about the camp indicate that if any men have left, it has only been a few...not enough to cause any real problem in Riverhill or anywhere else for that matter.

Still none can guess what Halbrech is up to, but all is ready.  It is Nightingale's move.

In reply to Mattaeus Vander (msg #19):

OOC: So they didn't come out when the villagers started digging or doing anything else? Interesting..

If none of the lures work, then Zenobia heads to the edge of the village and starts singing songs of family, home, love and life, of the welcoming home of errant sons. She doesn't put herself out there to be targets for rangers, she has a couple of men with shields with her, and the rest within striking distance but hidden..

As the song permeates the night air, men in the village began to stop working just to listen.  Vander walks around and one by one encourages them to get back to work on the fortifications and to listen while they work.  Soon the ditches are shaping up well.

An hour into the singing, a distant shadow appears at the edge of the village lights.  A lone man can be seen listening raptly to the music.  When none of the villagers move to attack him, he approaches closer.  Soon he is within the light and can be seen.

He is rather handsome in a rugged way.  His armor is scale mail of in-ornate but well-kempt materials.  He sees the singer and smiles.  His hands are spread wide to show that he wields no weapon.  It is soon evident that he wants to approach.

Zenobia bows to him, not deeply however and she keeps her eyes on him. She smiles, exuding charm, seeming more cautious than unfriendly.

"Approach as you wish Sir, but tell me your name and your business here as well. Doing that you shall come to no harm for as long as you exchange naught but words with me."

She looks to her guards, stepping back within the shadow of their shields, wary of some attack, whether it be a thrown knife, a poisoned dart.

The man looks around at all the goings on then back to the bard.  "My name is Cort."  His voice is a rich, deep baritone.  "I came because the music intrigued me.  You are outnumbered by bandits yet still have time for song.  And such lilting voice.  In essence, I came to meet the famed Lady Nightingale."

In reply to Bandit (msg #23):

Zenobia smiles at Cort, (reading him for clues - Sense Motive). "Well, you have met her now". She cocks her head to one side, the mannerism suggesting curiosity and grins cheekily at him.

"Songs lift what blades would cut whether it be hearts, spirits or limbs. Songs remind us of who we are and were our dreams might yet take us. Songs make for the harmony of the choir, not the screams of the battlefield. It is a better way is it not?"

"I do not know what Halbrech wants, perhaps to be Lord of these lands, perhaps merely to have his way with it as his appetites dictate. Perhaps his motives are loftier, but I cannot tell since doubtless he would have to tell me himself."

"We could be a great people Cort, but only if we pull together. As to why I am here and singing. Well Cort my actions define me, and right will have out."

Zenobia smiles at him, genuinely happy to see him, waiting for his response.

He seems truthful, his smile easy and genuine.  "A better way?  Loftier motives?"  The bandit ponders for a moment.  "I don't know if those things have ever occurred to Halbrech before.  I know that he does sometimes go on about our station with regards to the other species.  He does order his men not to kill and to my knowledge, that order has been kept...so far."  This bandit is well spoken for a knave.  Somewhere in his background is something of an education.  It is a good bet he can read and write, too.

Cort hangs his head and sighs wearily, "His men, though, some of the new ones are blood thirsty.  What was just a game, at least for those of us who have been with him since the beginning, is becoming deadly."

The bandit looks up directly into Zenobia's eyes.  "Lady Nightingale, some of us want out but don't know how.  We staged this to meet with you because Halbrech heard of your wisdom and your desires that are so akin to his own.  Had he known that the stories of your beauty and your voice paled next to the reality, he may have chanced meeting with you in person sooner."  Here he looks up and out towards the bandit encampment.  "As it is, he is forced to remain leader of the bandits to keep the meaner ones in check.  If he defects and becomes respectable, those will elect a new leader and then blood will spill.  Halbrech doesn't want that and a lot of us, me included, don't want it either.  We were hoping that we might work out a solution."

He starts counting on his fingers and naming of names.  When he arrives at fifteen he pauses, "and I make sixteen of Halbrech's men that want to quit.  That leaves twenty eight renegades.  And mind you, these are not just rabble, these men...and women...are mean, my lady, very vicious.  They, well, they take pleasure in causing others pain and loss.  I believe the word is 'sadistic' if you know it.  If things go south, which they may do soon, they'll kill Halbrech and all us who side with him."

"What do you mean, 'go south'?" Mattaeus Vander asks.

Cort turns to Vander and smirks.  "What I mean is that this elaborate plan to attack Swiftpier is an elaborate hoax to meet with Lady Nightingale.  The renegades are beginning to question Halbrech's, er, tactics and are getting ansy.  We have tonight, maybe, to deal with them or sixteen good men are going to die and then a lot more are going to die when those idiots start attacking the villages in earnest."

He looks back at Zenobia then down at the ground.  You can almost feel the hope seeping out of him like water through a sieve.

Zenobia listens carefully. "Then Halbrech should hold them back no longer. The only way the better part of your band will survive is if you come to attack Swiftpier."

"Swiftpier is the only place where the good and the honest outnumber the those who are neither. These others will not allow you to desert them, and will kill you if you try. More than this, we cannot allow them to roam these lands freely doing what evil they will. This ends here, for them at least."

"So you must come together and that means an attack. We have force enough to deal with Halbrech's entire band and enough to ensure that none escape to the forest once more. Many of the villagers here are not soldiers but they will fight nonetheless, and will give a good account of themselves. They know what is at stake. The attack should come soon for soon the village will be too well defended to attack. The evil among you will appreciate the need to move quickly I am sure."

"Now, you must now figure out a way to lure these evil ones with thoughts of greed, rape and murder so that they separate from the good among you."

"If you say that all the women and valuables are being gathered in the chieftain's house over there, then thought of spoil and rapine will lead them in that direction all the faster.

"Let them take th lead then as their passions dictate. However once this is done and your honest man are in the rear then you must throw yourself into the fray. For as well intentioned as you say this started, it is far from that now. It is only just and prudent now that greater part of the risk must fall on you and those among you who do not wish for blood."

"You must show your intent before we come to your aid. As much as you seem a fair and honest man to me I cannot vouch for these others you speak of before my people and so it falls to you to ensure that there can be no alliance between your factions once the bloodletting starts."

"Once your men have proven their good faith in this, then we shall fall on these evildoers also."

Zenobia her expression sympathetic adds.."It may be that one or two of you will fall in the fighting, but aside from aid from my magic there is nothing else my people or myself can offer you."

"So when you come keep your friends close by, it should not be difficult, doubtless these others trust you and your friends little. Bring this to Halbrech but word of this plan should be kept to a few, for if the others become aware of it, they will fall on you without mercy."

Zenobia glances across at Matteus..

"Is this acceptable to you Matteus, as village leader and protector of our people here?"