Wulfsen tousled the boys' hair. He hoped Shawn and Brighid were willing to take these boys in. He wanted children, but just taking in Oscar was making him anxious.

Felix half-heartedly tried to duck, but there was denying the smile on his face. Until a few years ago, the eight year old had had a happy family. He wanted one again.

In reply to Sileas (msg # 261):

"I just want food!" Oscar said.

Sileas sighed. "Then let's go inside and see what we can find."

Oscar's stomach rumbled.

---to the keep

The wagon sped as fast as it could, laden down with everything it could carry, including various farm animals. Tucked between the animals and within the hay, a young girl hid, fearing for her life. Hopefully the family friends taking her to Buckley Villalge would arrive without incident, but every once in a while, she peered out on the road behind them, searching for any sign of someone following them.

But then the wagon stopped, and she dared to stand up to see if there was trouble. She noticed they were at a gate, hopefully this was the village. And safety.

"Who goes there?" A slightly nasal voice demanded from the gate tower.

"James and Olivia Spenser, parents to Shawn Spenser," James replied. "We come seeking refuge and news from the Capitol."

"Wait there." The squire turned to the two knights who were playing dice. "Can someone bring Shawn Spenser here to verify who they are?"
"Why don't you get him?" One of the knights sneered.
Ualan's eyes glared at him from below his visor. "Because I don't want to make the guests throw up and curse the marriage."
"Fine Ugly, I'll go." The knight clambered down the ladder and headed for the hall.

Shawn reached the gate in good time, albeit out of breath. He peered out the gate. "Yes, that's my parents," he told Ualan.

Ualan nodded and cranked the gate open, receiving no help from the knight also on guard or the other knight who still had not returned from the hall.

James waited until Shawn had stepped back out of the way then urged the horses to pull the wagon in. Shawn's expression grew more puzzled when he noticed the farm animals in tow.

Ualan was confused by the farm animals, he had not heard of any new shipments of livestock, but all seemed in order.

James couldn't help but notice his son's confusion. I know this looks odd, but we're also seeking refuge, son. I'll explain, but I need to speak with Wulfsen as well. He glanced around. Probably the entire family."

Shawn nodded. "I just asked for a portion of the land here for a farm, you can park there." He showed his father where the farm was, and then he spotted someone in the back. "Xyla?"

The girl lowered her hood and smiled at the man she thought of as an uncle. The smile didn't reach her eyes though.

"I'll meet you all at the farm and walk back with you to the keep. Everyone is there."

Ualan waited in the open gate, ready to shout to the lazy knight to close it if he saw anyone besides Shawn's relatives coming.

Lek thought he spotted Millie'new apprentice, Tria, sheltering in the shadow of the keep as he headed to the gate. Hopefully he could find Xavier swiftly to make up for his horrendous mistake.

Ualan was feeling antsy. For weeks they had been preparing for attack, yet still no attack had happened. Other men on gate duty were irritable, but not as anxious as Ualan was feeling. They resented the extra shifts on guard duty with nothing happening. They wanted to either be off duty or fighting. Instead they grumbled and rolled dice.

A loud, drawn out crashing sound could be heard from the gate. An army of horses rounded the corner, racing toward the gate.

Ualan cursed. "Everyone to arms! Someone fetch Xavier!"

"Open up in the name of King Alexander," the leader bellowed from his war horse.

Ualan wished that someone higher up was at the gate. He knew better than to open it for the army though.

Xavier stopped running when he neared the gate. "What...Get everyone armed and ready to fight. Find Wulfsen!" he ordered the men. Then he looked at the army. "You're not coming in here, so you may as well turn back."

One of the other leaders began  sorting the men into units, sending them out to find any breachable areas in wall.

Ualan was one of the few men at the gate who had not been slacking off. He kicked the dice off the wall and into the bailey.