The ruins of the village.
This message was last updated by the GM at 21:34, Sun 17 Jan 2016.

Wulfsen and his men rode through the gates of the village. His heart sank at the sight of the destruction. He could almost smell death filling the air. He turned his destrier to look at his men. "Spread out, search for survivors. You and you," he said to the men with the wagon, "Go through the shops and homes, salvage what you can. Save room for any injured. We can come back with trunks and pack up the rest. For now, gather foods, weapons and animals."

He turned and headed toward where the guard barracks stood, or at least, where they used to stand.

Shawn had managed to dig himself out of the rubble at his office and half walked, half crawled to his home. He hoped and prayed his family had made it out of there. He had hated pushing Sileas away but he wasn't sure if he would be able to work free and hadn't wanted her wasting time and putting herself in danger.

When he reached his home though, Shawn could only let out a cry and fall to his knees. His wife, his children, his daughter's beloved, all gone. Nearly his entire family. Tears streaked down his cheeks and he rocked until he heard a small cry. Shawn crawled over to his family's remains and found one of his babies still alive.

"Olivia," he whispered. The daughter they had named after his mother. And just like her namesake, she was a survivor. "Let's see if we can find any food inside."

Finding only bodies at the barracks, it seemed the entire guard was decimated along with a few prisoners, Wulfsen tried to remember which way Shawn's house was from the barracks. He had visited a few times before but it had been a while.

Unless he missed his guess, it was in this direction. Holding his horse's reins, he began walking toward the forge. He found what was left, a horrible sensation settling in the pit of his stomach. Three of Shawn's daughters, a man Wulfsen didn't know but he appeared to have been defending them.

He waved another two men over. "Please give them a proper burial." Wulfsen heard sounds coming from the house. He pulled his sword and headed inside, only to find himself at sword point.

"Hello, Shawn."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:07, Tue 18 Aug 2015.

"Wulfsen!" Shawn greeted, he tried to smile but he just couldn't do it. Olivia nestled in his arm eating a piece of cheese. He put his sword away and hugged his old friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Apparently arriving too late," Wulfsen replied sadly. "Our spies relayed word of an impending attack, Xavier and I got here as soon as we could. It would have been even longer, but Father had been feeling for some time it was long due for a noble to be watching over the villages here. Especially with Tristan acting paranoid because he fears I am after his position. The last thing I want is the throne," Wulfsen added.

"I am sorry about Brie and the little ones," he added with quiet sadness. "And the young man. Brie's apprentice or Sileas's beau?"

"Her betrothed," Shawn admitted. "The second beau she has lost to violence." He glanced around. "I should have been here, at home, to protect my family. Instead I got buried under rubble at the barracks. I thought I was dead too, or would be soon. I pray that Sileas was able to reach the refugees and that they have reached safety."

Camped in the woods outside the village- what the villagers had called 'the hunting woods', Jack relaxed under a tree as he dabbed a wet cloth at some scratches on his face. He was feeling warm with the love of family, and accomplished. A cripple's wife now knew what a real man was like. Well, real men. As for the nosy cripple himself, no one recalled killing him so it was possible he survived. Jack was not disappointed, death was too good for him. It would be better if he knew what had happened with his wife. In fact Jack was thinking he would let her go in a couple days if she was still alive. If the cripple was a widower he could move on, but who wants a ruined wife?

A short distance away from Jack and his family and friends, there was the slightest hint of movement by a tree. Tied to it was a bloody and bruised woman who couldn't even summon the strength to moan. There was not one inch of her that did not hurt and not for the first time since the attack on the village, she wished she had died.

The scratches on his face clean, Jack picked up the bowl of pink water and walked over to the woman. He bent over to look at her. He grinned, even though grinning made the scratches hurt.

"Thirsty?" He flung the water over her. "We weren't like that cripple you married, were we?" Jack asked, pushing her foot with his boot. "Tell me, what was it like?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:25, Tue 18 Aug 2015.

Brie shook her head. "I'm not thirsty." Truthfully she was parched, but she wanted nothing from these men. "No, it was nothing like being loved by the man who has my heart. None of you could ever hope to measure up to him." Wincing, she dragged her foot away from him, although she knew he had the advantage.

Jack placed his boot heel on Brighid's knee and slowly put his weight on it.

"Tell the truth, do you wish your husband left me and my wife alone, or are you glad my family came?"

Brie glared up at him, hatred burning brightly in her eyes. The pain was unbearable but she bit her tongue, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. "I wish Shawn had put you to death when he caught you. You don't deserve to live," she hissed. "He should have sent word to the King to have your family hunted down as well."

That wasn't the answer Jack wanted. He slapped Brighid across the face. "You need to learn better manners than that."

Little did Jack know what Brighid had gone through at the hands of Jeremy over the years. She didn't flinch or turn her head away. She spit in his face. "Only a pathetic excuse of a human behaves the way you do."

Jack swore. He stepped back and kicked Brighid in the stomach.

The air left Brighid in a rush and a groan escaped her. She hated giving him the satisfaction of knowing he had inflicted any pain but it had taken her by surprise.

Pleased to be getting the reaction he wanted. Jack kicked Brighid in the stomach again, harder this time.

Brighid emptied her stomach on his foot.

Jack shook the vomit off his boot. He was furious. He grabbed a whip he had been using earlier trying to tame a black horse that threw him. "Beg for forgiveness."

Brie silently glared at him. She would treat him no differently than she ever had Jeremy.

Pinja had been so much easier to break, too bad she turned out to be untrue. Jack lashed Brighid with the whip.

Brie's respect for her daughter grew immensely at the strike of the whip. She bit her lower lip until it bled. She intended to hold out as long as she could before showing any pain.

Jack was merciless. "Say you're sorry and I'll stop."

"I will not lie and say I'm sorry. I will never be sorry for anything I say or do to you," Brie hissed.

Jack swung the whip at Brighid's face.

Brie took a deep breath and held firm. Tears sprang to her eyes when it struck but she managed to not cry out.

Jack paused. "Or maybe you want another go with Bruce." Jack suggested, referring to his violent cousin. "Would you rather have another roll in the hay with Bruce or want me to keep whipping you?"

"What I want is for all of you to drop dead."

"So both." Jack resumed whipping Brighid. "Hey, Bruce!" Jack called. "She wants another go."

Brie let out a string of expletives, telling Jack exactly what she thought of him and his family, and what should happen to them, in no uncertain terms.

Jack whipped Brighid until Bruce walked over. Bruce smelled of beer but was still sober enough to walk straight. He looked over Brighid lustfully.

"She was begging for you, Bruce." Jack said, patting his cousin on the shoulder. "You know what to do."

Jack left Bruce to do what he wanted with Brighid as he went to see if that horse had calmed down at all.

Sileas picked up the remainder of the canvas. "Questa, while you are nicking things, grab any fabrics you can. I'm sure Difyr could use it for bandages. And any food as well." While Wulfsen held James, Sileas made her way around the cart and unwillingly looked under debris for any sign of his parents. She found a basket that she could carry some food in as well.

"Have I ever not nicked food?! Struth!" Questa said and went to see if the cheese stand had any more cheese.

"No but I was hoping you would gather enough for all the survivors. We're all in the same tight spot right now," Sileas pointed out.

"Evry geezer will cop a cut, right, even if they're bein' lazy, right, sittin' on their arses at the keep." Questa said.

"I don't think anyone is being lazy right now. They're either injured, grieving or exhausted and emotionally drained. But yes, this time you're gathering for everyone." She glanced around. "I don't even know that this is considered nicking."

"Not much of a challenge." Questa said ruefully.

"This is more gathering for survival," Sileas said. "Don't wish for a challenges, we're not really equipped for facing down the raiders. There's too few of us right now."

"I fink the chuffin' raiders are all gone." Questa said. "Shouldn't yer be lookin' for yor... person." Questa still did not know what to call Brighid, she was not really Sileas's mother. "Leave the grabbin' stuff ter me."

"I was looking to see if James' parents were here somewhere and injured. He will be needing them if they are still alive. When we meet back up with you, let us know if you find anyone." Questa was right, finding James' parents was important but she had come for a reason. "Be careful. She left the basket for Questa and returned to Yehudit and Wulfsen. "Questa's going to look for supplies and James' parents."

"Good." Wulfsen nodded. "Let's go to the forge."

Sileas climbed back up behind Yehudit on Star. She wrapped her arm around her cousin and took the reins before setting out for the forge.

Yehudit yawned and leaned back against Sileas.

Soon the forge came in to sight. Sileas wanted to cry again. Her home was destroyed, they would be hard pressed to find anything to salvage there. She told Star to stop and she slid off, moving to tie the reins off on anything that looked sturdy. Sileas turned to help Yehudit dismount before she began to look around.

Yehudit clumsily fell into Sileas's arms. She stared at the destruction in horror.

Sileas held on to Yehudit until she was steadier. That was her excuse should anyone ask. The truth was, Sileas's head was spinning and she feared she might topple over. "I suppose we should go inside and look for her," she said quietly.

Yehudit was afraid to go inside, what if Aunt Brie was laying dead inside? Yehudit gulped.

Sileas studied the house. She wasn't even certain that it was safe to go inside of, but she had to make certain her mother wasn't in there.

"It doesn't look safe." Yehudit said anxiously, then she noticed something in the trees. "Wait- what's that?"

"I know, that worries me. But it's all the more reason to..." Sileas followed where Yehudit was looking. "It looks like a fire for a camp." Her grip tightened on her cousin. "I would have thought the raiders would have been gone by now."

"Maybe they're survivors." Yehudit said hopefully.

"Maybe." Sileas glanced at Wulfsen. "What are your thoughts on it?"

"We have to be careful." Wulfsen set the boy down on some soft grass. "I'll go over and see who's at that fire."

"I'll come with you," Sileas offered. "Yehudit, why don't you stay here and watch over James?"

"Okay, but be very quiet." Wulfsen's voice was already hushed as he began walking towards the woods.

Sileas pulled some arrows from her quiver and her bow out from beneath her cloak as she quietly followed Wulfsen. She was careful to make no sound whatsoever.

"Don't look into the fire, it will mess up your vision." Wulfsen warned in a low voice as they approached the camp. When they got close enough to see who was around the campfire Wulfsen stopped. "Do you recognize any of these men?"

Sileas looked over the men. "No....wait...I think that one, I think Papa had arrested him for abusing his wife. What are they doing...I think they have someone over there that they're raping." She dug her fingernails into his arm.

Wulfsen drew his sword, even though he knew if any light hit the blade he would be spotted. There was some activity going on under a tree, and it looked like what Sileas suspected. Wulfsen hurried through the woods, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

Sileas hurried after him, even though she knew she was going to have to deal with flashbacks without her calming tea. Maybe she would find someone at the keep who would just knock her out. Questa maybe, she was good at knocking people out. She tossed her cloak over shoulder to allow access to her quiver.

A woman, covered in blood and tattered clothes was tied to a tree and there was no mistaking what the man was doing. Wulfsen probably should have given some warning but he was fed up. This man had to be one of the raiders, there were so many dead and injured. So Wulfsen swung his sword to lop off the man's head.

Noting the direction Wulfsen was heading in, Sileas focused on the men who were approaching. She began firing arrows at them. Sileas was trying to only injure so Wulfsen could punish them properly but her heart wouldn't be broken if she killed them.

Sileas turned just in time to see the man's head flying through the air but that wasn't what turned her stomach. "Mama!" she half-whispered. She longed to fly to her side but her brain told her she needed to wait until it was clear to do so.

Wulfsen threw the man's decapitated body aside and used his sword to cut through the ropes.

"We're going to get you out of here, ma'am." Wulfsen did not even recognize Brighid Spenser. After the ropes were cut off he offered her his hand to help her up. "Can you run?"

Brie was shaky and hurt all over. "I can certainly try," she replied. Of all the people she might have expected to see, Wulfsen wasn't one of them. Brie rubbed her wrists for a few moments before trying to hold her clothing closed.

Sileas hurried over, removing her cloak as she ran. She wrapped it around her mother. "I'll carry her if I have to." As tired as she was of having to be the strong one, she needed to persevere even longer for her mother.

Brie kissed her daughter's temple as she slipped her arm around her. "Let's go."

"I can carry if need be." Wulfsen said, putting a thick arm around the woman to help support her. The woman seemed familiar. "Let's get her to Star- don't hesitate to kill any bastard that tries to stop us!"

"What the hell is this?" Jack stood mostly behind a tree to protect himself. "Your rescue is late, she's a whore now. I've been with her myself. Twice."

"I won't hesitate." Wulfsen of course didn't know she had killed before, to protect Yehudit. "I will not let anyone further hurt my mother," Sileas snarled emphatically, walking as quickly as her mother could go toward Star.

"Hold on Mama," she said quietly when the man appeared. Sileas notched her arrow, holding it level at his head. "She is no whore! I remember you. You beat and attacked your wife over and over, the woman you forced into a marriage. It was a sham of a marriage."

Jack ducked his head along with the rest of himself behind the tree.

"I never beat Pinja, I seduced her! The marriage is over because she committed adultery!" Jack shouted. "Go ahead and take that whore of your mother with you. We're done with her. We can find a whore less used up in a brothel. She'll never look at your crippled father the same way again, not after finding out what real men are like."

Sileas was seething. She knew full well her parents would work their way through this. She itched to kill the man but she would have to get closer to do so and that would put herself at risk. "Let's get Mama out of here. We can take care of that garbage later," Sileas said. "Seduced my arse."

Then she stopped walking and looked at Wulfsen. "I can't let him live."

Now Wulfsen recognized the woman. He scooped her up as gently as he could. He burned in anger at what Jack said, he wanted to kill him, but Jack's family outnumbered him and Sileas. And Brighid Spenser was badly injured. They had to get out of there.

"Sileas, let's get your mother to Star. Now." Wulfsen said. "We came here to save your mother, she's badly hurt and needs a healer. I want to kill him too but we're outnumbered- if we fight him one of use could get hurt or even killed. When we come back with more men he will die."

"You are right. He's crazy and we don't know how many more people he has with him. We're going to take you to Difyr, Mama. Papa and Olivia are already there." Sileas tried her best to keep her voice from breaking. "Aunt Lia to, she'll know how to help. And don't even think of trying to hide. I can tell you from experience that it does not help at all, it only allows everything to fester inside you," Sileas said as they walked. She reached up to touch her mother's hair. I should have come sooner. I shouldn't have run.

Jack called a parting shot. "What hurts your crippled husband now- his wife being an unfaithful whore, or his twins getting sliced up like a loaf of bread? Of course a cripple can't father children." Jack laughed. "But maybe he convinced himself they were his."

In reply to Sileas (msg # 72):

Wulfsen ignored Jack, and took the moment to watch Sileas while she was occupied with talking to her mother.

"Aunt Lia to, she'll know how to help. And don't even think of trying to hide. I can tell you from experience that it does not help at all, it only allows everything to fester inside you,"

The confirmed what Wulfsen had suspected of happening to Sileas. He knew seeing her mother in this condition had to be especially hard on Sileas because of what she went through. Wulfsen wanted to hug Sileas, to comfort her. But his arms were full of Brighid.

"Mrs Spenser, do you feel able to ride or should we make a litter or try to find a small cart?" Wulfsen asked.

"I'm not sure," Brie admitted, her voice weak and tired. "Everything hurts so much." She felt heartsick. "Did he say two of my babies are gone?" she whispered.

Sileas glanced at Wulfsen and shook her head. "She's not going to be able to ride, not with what they...with her...injuries." Sileas kissed her mother. "We will talk about that later, you just conserve your strength so we can get you to Difyr."

"Don't listen to him." Wulfsen said. Mrs Spenser could face losing her children after she was someplace safe and her wounds were cared for. They neared where they left Star. "We're going to need a wagon, the boy can't ride either, not with a broken leg."

"If they didn't destroy it, Larrigan kept one behind the forge area. He used it for going for supplies and delivering orders," Sileas said softly.

"Hopefully it's still there." Wulfsen frowned. "We're going to need another horse. Star can't pull a wagon all the way back by himself."

"Lightning was being boarded at the inn stables but I doubt they left him behind. He's much too good of a horse to not take. I pray they didn't kill him. Thunder could possibly be still at the barracks, their stables are fairly well hidden," she said of her father's horse.

Wulfsen did not like how they were hoping that the horse and a wagon would be there- that they could very well not be there. "Yehudit can keep watch over your mother as well as the boy while we go look."

Sileas nodded. She half carried her mother over to where Yehudit and James were setting. Her mother had passed out which was probably a blessing. "We're going to look for a horse and a cart or wagon. Can you watch over Mama?"

"What happened to her?" Yehudit asked anxiously, thinking Aunt Brie looked so terrible she was afraid she would die on her.

Sileas lay Brie down and glanced at James. The boy was sound asleep. Some of the raiders, they...she..." Sileas took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "She's badly injured, she's going to need help from your mother when we get back to the keep." Sileas looked down at the ground. "They raped her," she whispered, her heartbreak obvious.

Yehudit's hands formed fists. "Did you kill the momzers?"

"We killed a few of them, some are laying out there dying. We need to come back after the leader. Mama needs Difyr quickly, no time to hunt him down," Sileas replied.

Yehudit clenched her teeth, angry that the momzer was getting away with it. "I'll watch her."

"Thank you. And pray that we find a horse, any horse and any sort of cart or wagon." Sileas handed her her short sword. "Here, in case you need protection."

Yehudit puffed out her chest with pride and clumsily wielded the short sword. "I won't let anything more happen to her."

"I know you won't. I trust you." And she did, but Sileas found herself wishing Questa was near for extra protection. She bent down to touch her mother again before going off to follow Wulfsen.

"I'm sorry that we did not find your mother when we were here earlier." Wulfsen apologized to Sileas. "If we were more thorough we may have saved her from so much suffering."

"If they had her out in the forest, they wouldn't have had a fire going yet since it wasn't dark. There was no reason to suspect they were still in the area." Sileas wiped at her eyes. "Did you see Sarah's...body...when you were here earlier? They didn't..." her voice choked up. "They didn't do anything like that to her did they?"

"They killed her, but that was it." Wulfsen said honestly. "They killed her quickly, I don't think she had much time to feel any pain or fear. I can show you where she is buried, it's not far."

It would be difficult, but Sileas needed to do it. "I would. That way when we come back to see if anything is salvageable I can bring something to mark her grave. Are my sisters and Larrigan near her?" The latter nearly broke Sileas just saying it.

"They were all buried next to each other." Wulfsen said. "It only seemed proper for them to be near each other."

"Aye. Larrigan adored them, they can all be together for him to watch over," Sileas said, her words catching in her throat.

Wulfsen patted Sileas's back. "That's what I thought."

Tears were streaking down her cheeks. "Papa didn't see the girls' bodies, did he?" She could only imagine how sick and devastated he must be feeling if he had.

Wulfsen sighed heavily. "It's best to think about how they were in life instead of how they died."

"I'm trying, but it's hard. I need to get a message to Haroth and let him know what happened too," she said.

"Take your time to send word to him." Wulfsen suggested. "The wagon is over there?"

Sileas nodded, "Yes," she said absently, her gaze fixed to the fresh graves. It was taking every last ounce of her remaining strength to not throw herself down in tears. Her body had other ideas as she found herself kneeling at a spot where each was accessible. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she said goodbye to her sisters and her betrothed.

Wulfsen crouched next to Sileas and put his arms around her.

Sileas leaned into him, even her shoulders shook with the force of her grief. This was what she had needed, no, wanted, all night. Someone to hold her and not expect her to be strong and brave.

Wulfsen rubbed Sileas's shoulder.

When her tears finally stopped, Sileas hiccuped and sniffled. She felt wrung out and drained but oddly much better. It was a cleansing she had very much needed. "Thank you," she whispered. "I needed that."

Wulfsen wanted to kiss her, but now would be a very bad time. Instead he helped Sileas back to her feet. "I care about you... You're my friend."

Sileas managed a small smile. Her hand moved as she nearly reached up to touch his cheek but stopped herself. "You are my friend as well. I just meant that every one expects me to be the strong one and sometimes, sometimes I person just needs to be allowed to break."

"You deserve a break." Wulfsen said, producing another handkerchief and offered it to Sileas. "I'm always here if you need me."

"I am grateful you're here, you arrived just when we needed you," Sileas wiped at her eyes with the soft fabric. "When I needed you."

Wulfsen gave her another hug. "We should go and find that wagon."

"Yes,  we need to get Mama to Difyr." Sileas was comforted to know that someone was here that would take care of her and let her not be strong when she needed it. Sileas wiped at her eyes and headed toward where the wagon was stored.

Wulfsen followed Sileas, trying to pay attention to the surroundings instead of the view.

Sileas paused in front of the outbuilding where they kept the wagon so it wouldn't be exposed to all sorts of weather when not in use. The building didn't seem as damaged as the rest, and she hoped that didn't mean the wagon had been destroyed or taken.  She took a deep breath and opened the door.

Wulfsen pulled his eyes from Sileas to look in the barn. Miraculously, the wagon was still there.

"There is half the battle," Sileas said. "Now we just need something, anything to pull the wagon. I doubt a war horse like Star would be appreciative of being hitched to a wagon."

"He won't be happy, but he'll do it." Wulfsen said. "But I think it's too heavy for even him to pull on his own."

Sileas sighed, wondering how they would ever get her mother and James to Difyr. "What should we do?"

"We need to find another horse." Wulfsen said. He ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe I can steal one from the raiders."

Sileas readied her bow. "I will have your back. Though I'm suspected all are dead except for...him." The last was said in a tone of voice with a facial expression that clearly revealed what Sileas thought of Jack. "And I will gladly take him out."

"I don't think he's alone." Wulfsen said. "Maybe I should go alone and you stay with your mother."

Sileas scowled at him. "I am not letting you go into that lion den without someone providing cover. And there's only myself and Yehudit here."

"All right." Wulfsen said and began heading back towards the raider's camp. He prayed Sileas was not hurt.

Sileas followed Wulfsen, mentally reviewing what weapons she had on her. Her main dagger she had left with Yehudit, but she bore three others of varying sizes and blade. Since shedding her cloak to wrap around her mother, all were easily accessible. She had no plans of getting as close to the raiders as Wulfsen would need to, she was only there to protect him.

Wulfsen spotted a black horse tethered to a tree. He looked strong, but upon closer inspection Wulfsen saw that the horse had been mercilessly flogged. The poor beast couldn't be strong enough to help pull a wagon.

The horse lifted his ears and looked directly at Sileas. He nickered.

Animals tended to like Sileas so at first she just smiled gently at the horse and stayed where she was. But then recognition dawned on her. "Lightning," she whispered. She wanted to cry when she saw his condition. She felt for one of the pouches she wore around her waist and found the cubes of sugar she always carried. Sileas listened intently for a moment then, keeping alert, she headed for the horse. "Wulfsen, it's Lightning."

"Oh." Of course they couldn't leave Sileas's horse, but Lightning probably wouldn't be very useful right now, being as hurt as he was. "Take him, but we're still going to need another horse. There must be other horses around here... Cover his nose so he doesn't give us away."

Sileas untied the rope tethering him to the tree and led him back to where she had been standing. She rested her hand on his nose, and whispered softly and soothingly while keeping her eye on Wulfsen. "Shhh, my boy," she whispered, rubbing his nose with her thumb.

Wulfsen found a rough corral made of branches. He quietly climbed in and spoke softly to the horses so as to not spook them. He chose a chestnut gelding and was leading him to the makeshift gate when a challenge rang out.

"Hey, what are you doing? Who are you?"

Wulfsen swore.

Sileas was feeding Lightning a sugar cube when she heard the shout. She let out a few curse words that she was certain would please Aunt Lia. "I need you to stay here and not move." Lightning nodded and nickered, but her hand covered the sound. "I'll be right back."

She readied her bow with an arrow and headed in the direction Wulfsen had gone, coming upon the corral. And blast it all, one of the raiders. Sileas took careful aim and fired the arrow.

Wulfsen threw open the gate, before he could lead the chestnut out, the whole rest of the herd charged out, nearly trampling him.

"Oy," Sileas said. Having seen the raider go down with the strike of her arrow, and not seeing anyone else in the area, Sileas made her way down to the corral. She wasn't certain at all what she might be able to do, other than having a calming influence on the horses. Sileas stayed back from the make-shift gate, out of their way. "Whoa, whoa!" she called out softly.

The chestnut tugged, but did not run off with the other horses. Wulfsen gave Sileas a sheepish look. "That should make things difficult for the raiders."

Sileas grinned. "Yes, it should. If any were treated the way Lightning was, hopefully they get some revenge." Then Sileas frowned. "I didn't see Papa's horse. Let me get Lightning and we'll head back." She started walking back the way she had come, ignoring the injured man crying out in agony. The price of doing battle.

Wulfsen winced when he saw where the arrow was sticking out of the man, but he remembered what these raiders had done and left him to suffer.

Sileas hummed softly, barely audibly. The man had most likely taken a turn with her mother and she doubted he would ever be able to harm another woman if he was found in time. It was personal and it felt good to make him pay.

Wulfsen brought the chestnut to the wagon and hitched the horses to it. Star did not look impressed, but he pulled the wagon out of the barn with the chestnut's help. Wulfsen smiled at Sileas. Getting the injured and more supplies to the keep will be easy.

Lightning followed Sileas to the wagon but looked grateful when he wasn't hitched to the wagon. Every once in a while he made a sound that let her know he was hurting. "When we get to the keep, I'll see what I can find to help you, Lightning." She noticed the confidence in Wulfsen's eyes and hoped everything would go as easily as he thought.

"You can tie Lightning to the back of the wagon." Wulfsen said, and offered Sileas a hand up.

Sileas tied Lightning's reins to the back of the wagon. She accepted his hand to help her climb up. She was starting to feel weary to the bone but she couldn't rest until everyone was safely back at the keep.

Wulfsen drove the wagon to where they had left Brighid, Yehudit, and the injured boy. He hopped down to help the injured into the wagon bed.

Sileas hopped down to help. She immediately went to her mother's side. Having had the chance finally to allow herself to let go, Sileas felt she could be strong for her mother. "Come on, Mama, Wulfsen is going to get us out to the keep and to Difyr. I will get Aunt Lia for you as well." Sileas knew there would be hell to pay when facing Aunt Lia, but hopefully finding her mother would negate some of her aunt's anger.

Wulfsen removed his own cloak and spread it out on the wagon bed. He gently lifted Brighid onto it. "I'm sorry it's a bit rough, hopefully Questa got some blankets while foraging."

"Questa is pretty good with foraging. She's probably got half a cartload of things by now."

"Would she know to collect blankets though?" Wulfsen asked, gently placing the boy next to Brighid in the wagon.

"Questa knows what we need for survival. I told her to grab any fabrics to make bandages and the like and she reminded me that she knew what she was doing."

Just a few hours ago Questa had stolen his belt, so Wulfsen did not have a lot of faith in the thief. "I hope she find what we need."

"I am trying to have faith in her. Something I've been sorely lacking for quite a while," Sileas admitted. Once her mother and James were settled, she grabbed her cloak and spread it over them.

Yehudit clumsily hauled herself into the wagon. She gave Aunt Brie a worried look.

Sileas climbed in as well. She sat beside Brie and took her mother's hand in hers. She seemed so small and frail. Her mother was one of the strongest women Sileas knew.

Meanwhile, Questa was taking quite a haul. She found a lot of valuables that the raiders had missed- coin, jewels, other expensive bits and pieces. But she also found a lot of practical stuff too. Food, clothes, blankets... She got into where the healer's cottage used to stand and found a lot of bandages and herbs the healer used for medicine, Questa even found some of that tea Sileas drank there. Questa knew it would be dangerous to put everything she found in one place- what if the raiders or some scavenger happened along and found her stash? She would lose everything. So she was hiding caches of food and supplies all over the village.

Feeling rather pleased with herself, Questa was lugging a basket of candied fruits from a shop when she heard hoofbeats. She looked up expected it to be Sileas, Wulfsen and Sileas's millstone, but instead they were two strange men. It was too late to hide, they had seen her and were coming right her way. Questa watched them. The men reined up before her.

"Well! I was hoping for some sweets but it looks like we've found something even better- aye Errol?"

"Aye, finish using up that old whore and we find us a fresh girl." Errol leered. "Shame she's so dark- think it's just dirt?"

"We could dunk her in the pond to see." Errol's companion said. "I like them to be clean."

Questa knew running would not do her much good, their horses would be faster than her. "Go stick yor own 'eads in the pond and take a deep breaff yer muck-covered perv."

Errol took offense to Questa's order. He made a grab for Questa but she stepped back. When he overreached for her she hit him in the face with the basket. He fell from the saddle and hung by one foot in the stirrup. Before Errol had a chance to free his foot Questa slapped the horse's butt and screamed: "Run yer stewpid 'orse!" Errol was last seen screaming to his death as he was dragged into the distance over rubble by a panicked, galloping horse.

"Why you crazy bitch!" Errol's companion leapt from his mount upon her. "I'm going to teach you a lesson-" Errol's companion grabbed Questa's collar but let go when Questa buried the blade of her shiv into his belly. Questa shoved him off herself. He screamed like Errol and tried to hold his intestines in with his hands. Questa stabbed him repeatedly in the chest until he stopped screaming and went still.

"I'm bloody well not copping dunked in any pond." Questa muttered. She cleaned the shiv on what part of the man's tunic was not soaked with blood. She tried to wipe the blood off her face and hands with his cloak- but Questa knew she had to be a bloody mess.

"And ole Sileas were just lecturin' me about violence... Screw that." Questa said ruefully. She looked at the basket, it had been ruined when it hit Errol's face and all the candied fruits had been spoiled by dirt and blood. Well, there were more sweets in the shop.

Yehudit looked up when she heard rapid hoof beats. There was a horse- and it was dragging something.

"What is that?"

Sileas squinted in that direction, trying to make it out in the darkness. "I don't know."

"It almost looks like a person..." The horse was fast approaching and showing no signs of slowing.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:49, Sat 29 Aug 2015.

"Wulfsen! If you're not in the wagon, get in now. Hopefully we're not in the path of this out of control horse!"

"Yah!" Wulfsen shouted, but miraculously the running horse veered just enough to not hit them. When the horse was dragging got caught on one of the wagon wheels. The body was barely recognizable as a human.

Sileas grimaced and pulled Yehudit toward her so she couldn't see what hit them. "We have a...some..." Sileas searched for a word that wouldn't alarm Yehudit. "Debris against the wheel."

Yehudit stubbornly pulled herself away and looked.

"Ew, what is that? Is that a hand?" Realization struck her. "That was a person? Who is that? Is it dead?"

Sileas sighed audbily. Aunt Lia was really going to kill her. "I don't believe it could possibly be alive, but it is in the way of the wheel."

Wulfsen hopped out of the wagon and looked at the body. He did not think he could recognize the man if he knew him. His face was mostly gone. Wulfsen pulled what was left of the battered corpse away from the wheel.

"I suppose we should try to figure out who he was." Wulfsen said and began checking the man's pockets.

"Ew! Wulfsen is touching it!" Yehudit squealed, clutching Sileas's arm.

"There's not much choice unless we run over it," Sileas pointed out. "It's not like we have any tools to move them. Did you find anything Wulfsen?"

"Some coins, and he was wearing a ring, looks like gold." Wulfsen held up the ring. "It has a seal of some sort on it."

"Still gross." Yehudit said.

"I suppose we can ask around the keep tomorrow and find out if anyone recognizes it. He could have been one of the raiders though." She narrowed her gaze. "Is that candied fruit in what's left of his hair?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:23, Sat 29 Aug 2015.

"I think he might be a raider too, might have been able to tell more if his horse hadn't gotten away." Wulfsen pocketed the ring and looked at the hair. "It does look like candied fruit... I have no idea how that could have happened."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:25, Sat 29 Aug 2015.

Sileas shrugged. "Let's go find Questa and what she amassed and get Mama up to Difyr."

Wulfsen climbed back into the wagon and began driving back to where they had left Questa.

Sileas settled back down next to her mother. "I wish she had had some water to bring with us or thought of it." Her mother appeared to be about to speak. "Shh Mama, conserve your strength."

Wulfsen smacked his forehead and took a canteen from his belt. He handed it to Sileas. "I'm a fool, how could I forget to offer this?"

Sileas managed an earnest smile. "Thank you, Wulfsen. I don't know why I didn't think about bringing some either. It's been a long day." She unscrewed the lid and slipped it in her pouch so she wouldn't lose it. Sileas gently lifted her mother and supported her with her leg. "Drink just a bit nice and slow Mama"

Wulfsen suddenly stopped the wagon. He saw a bloody body ahead. He stood at the wagon seat to get a better look.

Sileas rocked but she held her mother gently but firmly. She was confident she had taken the bulk of the jolt. James moaned softly. "What's wrong?" she asked without taking her attention from her mother.

"Another body." Wulfsen said in a hushed voice. He jumped down from the wagon, drew his sword and approached the corpse. There was candied fruit everywhere. The dead man had been stabbed repeatedly. When Wulfsen touched him the body was still warm.

Questa came out of the shop with more sweets.

"So I were violent. Hang me for it, why don't yer, eh, mate? They came after me and were gonna dip me in the bloody pond, and were probably gonna do more afterwards. So I killed the buggers." Questa said defensively.

Sileas placed her bow on her lap and pulled her quiver close. She inched closer to her mother, practically pulling Yehudit with her. "The raiders are still here and looting?" And then she heard Questa. Bless Questa. "So he was one of the raiders."

"Two of them tried lootin' again. That one 'as too many 'oles in 'im ter raid anymore. The uvver one were bein' dragged by a stirrup ter hell last I sor." Questa said. "Any roads I've gotten a right good 'aul lootin' meself... A bit of food, right, blankets, right, kit, right, bandages and uvver stuff from the healer's place, do wot mate! Even got some of that tea yor always drinkin'."

"See Wulfsen? I told you Questa knew what to grab for survival. I had every confidence in you. We uhm, saw what was left of the one the horse was dragging. You can hand up what you grabbed, I'll put it up here toward the front of the wagon."

Questa handed Sileas the basket of candy. "I got it all 'idden in different places, I didn't want any cove findin' it and takin' it all on me- I nicked it first!"

Sileas set the basket in place securely. "That was a good idea. Can you get them quickly, we need to get back to the keep quickly."

Questa looked into the wagon and saw Brighid. "So yer found 'er then? She's alive?"

"Badly injured but yes, she's alive. Hopefully Difyr can help her," she added.

"I'll be damned, I fought she were dead." Questa admitted and took off to begin gathering her loot.

Wulfsen looked from the dead man to Sileas.

"So I got off lightly earlier?"

"Yes, you did," Sileas nodded, giving him the smallest of grins. "Obviously Questa didn't feel as threatened by you, she only thought you were going to interfere with our plans."

"I can't even count how many time she stabbed that guy." Wulfsen said. "Is she always so... Stabby?"

"When she feels threatened. That's how one is when they grow up on the streets, having to defend themselves from such a young age. If it wouldn't have been that I wanted something more, wanted to be something more, I would be the same." Sileas lowered her head. "When you live on the streets, it's kill or be killed."

"You had to survive." Wulfsen said.

"I was lucky. I found a home and was still young enough to change so I could reach my dream." Siles looked toward Questa who gathering her goods. "Questa wasn't so lucky. I don't know if she can ever change and I worry about her. I don't know how she can exist in society still living that life when she doesn't have to now."

"Could she have done that if she had?" Wulfsen gestured to the corpse.

"Survival skills remain, it's just a matter of being able to realize when to use them and when not to. Like when she knocked you out, she should have been able to realize that was too far to go."

"At least she didn't murder me outright." Wulfsen said.

"She did show some restraint there. Maybe because I was yelling at her to stop," Sileas noted.

"Oh." Wulfsen was happy to be alive.

"See? I always have your back." Sileas looked across the road. "I wish she would hurry up."

"I'll always have your back too..." Wulfsen said quietly, though Sileas was distracted looking impatiently for Questsa. He looked at all that she had already loaded in the back of the wagon. "She sure got a lot."

Sileas may have been distractedly looking for Questa, but she had caught what Wulfsen had said. It made her feel warm. Then she turned and looked where Wulfsen was looking. "That's another thing you learn on the streets. How to pillage quickly and efficiently. It appears she is still gathering things up."

"She's good." Wulfsen picked up a brick of cheese wrapped in wax.

"It's a shame you don't need a supplies forager," Sileas said. "Or we'd have found the perfect trade for her."

"It's not something that comes up every day." Wulfsen said.

"I know. I just don't know what she would be good at. Or if she'd even respect any tradesperson enough to apprentice with them long enough to learn the trade."

"Berserker?" Wulfsen shrugged.

"That might work. Perhaps if you need a berserker in your army you might approach her about it."

"I think she's too small though." Wulfsen said. "Can she lift a sword?"

"She picked up your sword but it was heavy for her. Larri..." Sileas's face fell. "Ma...Mama could possibly make something special made when she's better. If we have the supplies."

Yehudit noticed Lightning and rubbed his nose.

"What did they do to Lightning?" Yehudit asked, tearing up from being so upset.

Sileas stiffened, worried how Lightning would react after such abuse, but he nickered softly. She handed Yehudit a sugar cube to feed him. "I..I think they flogged or whipped him. I'm going to have to tend to his injuries when we get to the keep."

Yehudit sniffled. "Horrible momzers."

"Quite the understatement," Sileas pointed out. "At least we can be grateful they didn't kill him."

Tears ran down Yehudit's face as she petted Lightning. "Poor Lightning."

"We can heal him with love. He came right to me and he's accepting of you," Sileas said softly. "Time and love."

"He's going to have a scar." Yehudit mourned.

"Yes, he will," Sileas said sadly. "He'll truly be my horse then, we'll match." Her cousin had only ever seen the more minor scars, she had never seen Sileas's back. Sileas wasn't too certain that Yehudit had known she'd been whipped when she was younger.

"Yor a bit weeer than 'im and not as 'airy." Questa said, packing the last of her loot on to the wagon.

"Aye, there's that. I meant our souls though. We will understand how the other feels on a level only we'd understand."

"Yer know more than apples and grass." Questa said. "Any roads, right, that's it. Do yer want ter take in the bloomin' view some more or go back to the keep now?"

"No time for the scenic route, I have to get Mama to Difyr and tend to Lightning's wounds," Sileas said. "Are you walking or riding?"

"Were finkin' I'd crorl me way back. Me knees 'ave been feelin' too right good lately." Questa said sarcastically, climbing into the wagon.

Sileas stuck her tongue out at Questa.

"Me best haul ever." Questa rooted around until she found a loaf of sweet bread and tore off a hunk, it was stale but still good. "Even better than that time we got into that rich person's 'ouse wen 'e were on 'oliday."

"You did really well, Questa. This will definitely tide every one at the keep until the knights can come down and give a thorough search for usable items."

"I didn't leave anyfink for the knights." Questa said before she bit into the chunk of bread.

"You had the time to go through every building, outbuilding and cart? You only picked up essentials right?"

"And more stuff." Questa said.

Yehudit heard a ding. She knew that sound- it was a very familiar sound. Yehudit had grown up with it. It was the bell that sat on the desk in the lobby. Often a guest rang it, but more often it was Bob playing with it and the chickens.

"Is someone checking into the inn?"

Sileas had been talking softly to her mother. She looked up. "What?"

"I heard the bell." Yehudit said, half standing in the wagon.

"Yehudit! Sit down! You shouldn't stand in a moving wagon! What if the wheels hit a rut or a bump!" Sileas hissed.

What if? indeed. Yehudit fell out of the wagon.

"Wulfsen! Stop the wagon! Yehudit fell out!" Sileas cried out. She scrambled to the edge of the wagon.

Wulfsen hastily reigned the horses to a stop. "Is she hurt?"

Sileas jumped down from the wagon and hurried to her cousin's side. "Yehudit?" She knelt and tried to check for blood in the darkness. "Are you injured?"

Yehudit grumbled something about sticky buns and cheese.

Sileas wrinkled her nose. "Sticky buns and cheese? Yuck!" She extended her hand. "Can you stand?"

Yehudit grabbed Sileas's arm and dazedly got to her feet.

"Don't ever do that again. Never stand on a moving wagon. Ever," Sileas fussed, unknowingly sounding like her Aunt Lia.

"I Only fell because you distracted me." Yehudit argued. "I heard the bell."

"You fell because you shouldn't have been standing. You know full well this road is not even."

Yehudit scowled. "But I heard The Bell. That means someone wants to check in at the Inn. Which means someone is at the Inn."

"There was no inn left when we came through," Sileas said honestly. Almost bluntly. "There's nothing for anyone to check in to."

"I know what that bell sounds like, I've been hearing it every day of my entire life." Yehudit said. "Someone rang that bell."

"If the bell survived, the wind may have caught it."

Yehudit shook her head. "Don't you even remember the bell? The wind couldn't ring it."

"Then it's wishful thinking. There's no inn to check in to," Sileas pointed out again. "Unless they want to sleep in rub...or it's the raiders trying to lure us toward them."

Yehudit suddenly got very angry. "Let's go kill them!"

"Wulfsen and I agree that we need to get Mama and James to Difyr and safety first. Our rescue of them would be pointless if we go out there and get killed and they lay here and perish. We also don't have enough man power or weapons."

Yehudit was still angry. "But they're at the Inn- my home!"

There's no home left. We are all homeless. "Maybe, maybe not. But we can't risk our lives and stay here any longer. We need to return to the keep and safety."

Yehudit clenched her hands into fists. She was shaking and beginning to go into one of her rages.

Sileas recognized the signs. There was going to be no reasoning with Yehudit. She probably wouldn't get her back in the wagon either. She made her way to the front of the wagon, resisting the deep seated urge to roll her eyes. She discreetly motioned for Questa to follow her.  "We have a problem, Wulfsen."

"What's going on?" Wulfsen asked.

Sileas glanced back toward Yehudit, trying to keep an eye on her. "Yehudit has an inclination to go into uncontrollable rages," Sileas said softly. "She can't be reasoned with and she can't be calmed down. It's been quite a while since she's done it, but she fully believes she heard the check in bell from the inn." Sileas sighed. "Unfortunately I said if it was the bell, it was probably the raiders, she started going into a rage because she wants to kill them. I tried to say we didn't have time, not with Mama and James needing aid nor do we have the manpower or weapons, but she just glared and clenched her fists."

"I can tap 'er on the head, not 'ave 'er wake up until we're back at the chuffin' keep." Questa said, pulling out her weighted sock.

SIleas was almost tempted to agree immediately. She glanced at Wulfsen. "It might be our only choice but Aunt Lia will murder all three of us for harming Yehudit."

"Is there anything you can do to calm her?" Wulfsen asked nervously. He did not want Mrs Buckley killing him.

"If we had any of Difyr's calming tea prepared and could get it down her, that's about it. And we don't have any of the tea, much less any prepared. Yehudit is pretty much uncontrollable when it happens and Aunt Lia knows it. As long as we get the chance to explain it to her, she should understand. Though she's already going to be fearfully angry that Yehudit left the keep in the first place."

"I grabbed a load of that tea yor always drinkin' from the healer's 'ouse. Try shovin' the bloody dry leaves dahn 'er froat." Questa said.

"How are we going to get close enough to do that? She's extremely violent when she's like this, Questa. She might even put you to shame."

Questa cracked her knuckles. "I can take 'er."

"I think you're going to learn Yehudit's not as light of a feather as you thought," Sileas said. "Worth a try. If it doesn't work, there's always your original thought. You are strong enough to face Aunt Lia."

"Crazy tart. But she's ole and I can take 'er too." Questa rolled up her sleeves.

"Don't try too many leaves. It's rather potent when it's brewed, I can only imagine what the leaves in their natural state are like."

Questa dug through what she have scavenged and came up with a fistful of herbs. She aggressively turned to Yehudit. "Yehudit, eever yer cop yor arse back in the bloomin' wagon so we can go or open yor mouth."

Sileas stared with wide eyes. She made a vow to herself to not ever go wild and end up on Questa's wrong side. "This...this can't go well."

"Should we stop her or something?" Wulfsen asked.

"We don't have any better plan," Sileas sighed. "Unfortunately Questa is probably best equipped to deal with this."

Yehudit had herself well worked up. She glared daggers at Questa.

"Don't tell me what to do. You like stealing and taking what's not yours so much you're not far removed from the raiders that destroyed the village." Yehudit picked up a large chunk of rubble. "Maybe you're even one of them."

The confrontation had taken a turn that Sileas hadn't expected. Her eyes widened and her fingers dug into Wulfsen's arm. "Oh this is not going to be good. I think we should have gone with Questa's first idea of knocking her out."

"Oh 'o! I'd like ter see yer try 'ittin' me wiv that rock. C'mon, yer cripple, yer couldn't 'it a lame turtle." Questa escalated the situation, swinging her weighted sock.

Sileas covered her eyes with her free hand. "I can't watch!"

Yehudit screamed in rage and charged at Questa, holding the chunk up to bash the smart mouth's face in.

Sileas flinched at the sound of Yehudit's rage. She had never heard her like this. Then she sighed. They didn't have time for this, they had to get her mother and James to Difyr. "I'm almost tempt to shoot Yehudit with an arrow, if I thought it would help."

Smash! Questa shattered the chunk of rubble with her weighted sock. She thought hitting Yehudit between the eyes would calm her down.

Liadan tackled Questa.

"How dare you attack my daughter?!" Liadan demanded, pummeling her.

Oh oh. OH. NO. "Aunt Lia! Yehudit is in one of her rages. Questa  is trying to get some of the tea into her but she couldn't get close!" Sileas cried out.

Yehudit joined in on beating up the four-fingered thief, kicking her while she was down.

Sileas had had it. She might not agree with Questa most of the time or feel that violence was always the answer but this wasn't fair. She stormed over to where her aunt and cousin were beating Questa, drawing her blade as she walked. Sileas forced herself in between. "BACK OFF. NOW."

Liadan swore and grabbed Yehudit, trying to pull her daughter away from Questa.

From the position she was in, Sileas couldn't grab Questa without putting herself at risk. Someone needed to calm Yehudit down. "Aunt Lia, you need to get Yehudit under control. We have people who need to get to Difyr and we have no time for this," Sileas hissed.

Muttering about posh people only able to stand a chance when they ganged up on her, Questa grabbed Yehudit by the ankle and yanked her off balance.

Sileas sighed. "Questa, you're not helping at all." She glanced at all three of them. "Wulfsen and I are returning to the keep. The three of you can stay here and kill one another or settle down and come along." She turned and headed for the wagon.

If her mother was not holding her, Yehudit would have wound up on her butt. She was still enraged, screaming, swearing and flailing.

Sileas reached Wulfsen's side. "Come on Wulfsen, let's get Mama and James to the keep. They want to do nothing but fight, let them walk back." She climbed back up in the bed of the wagon and took her mother's hand.

"Damnit Sileas!" LIadan struggled to get Yehudit under control. "You brought Yehudit here!"

"Oi! Oi! The crazy girl were kickin' me! Blimey! I'm bloody well not layin' dahn and takin' that!" Questa said angrily, getting to her feet and touching her bloody lip. "Her and 'er crazy muvver."

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 284):

"I wanted her to stay at the keep. I tried to get her to stay. I wanted to come alone," she said, hopping back down from the wagon.

Wulfsen sat in the wagon seat, ready to go, but he hesitated a moment. "It's not safe here, there are still some raiders in the woods. We would all be safer to travel together... Get her under control."

"You know Yehudit would not be left behind, so you both should have stayed at the keep." Liadan glared daggers at Wulfsen, hating his uniform. "And you let them go, you came along with them." Liadan was having an even harder time keeping Yehudit under control as she felt herself feeling enraged herself. "What favors did you expect in exchange from a grieving girl hoping to find her mother?"

Wulfsen frowned. "I expected nothing from either of them... Sileas was determined to come here and I wasn't going to let her go to a dangerous place alone... and it's a good thing we came when we did because Mrs Spenser is still alive and Sileas saved her."

Wulfsen glanced back in the wagon bed. "But she needs to be seen by a healer right away, she is badly hurt."

"As it turns out, Aunt Lia, I was right to come. I found Mama and I would dearly like to get her to Difyr to be cared for. Can you get her under control so we can get her there before I do lose my mother?"

Aron removed his cloak and waited for his opportunity. He draped it over Yehudit who was struggling in Lia's arms.

Liadan blinked. "Brie's alive?" The cloak quieted Yehudit a little but she still struggled. "You said you had tea?"

"She is, but badly injured. We have tea leaves, no way to prepare it. Questa was trying to subdue her and try to get the leaves in her but everything went wrong."

"No water?" Liadan asked, "If not hot at least warm?"

"Questa, did you find any water when you were seeking supplies?"

Questa wiped the blood from her face. "Might be able ter get some water from the well."

"It's worth a try." Sileas walked over to Questa. "I'm sorry, I didn't know she was nearly past the point of no return."

"I almost 'ad 'er, until 'er muvver jumped on me." Questa said. "They're boff crazy."

"Get some $%&*#( water or I'll set her loose." Liadan said impatiently.

Sileas quietly curled her hands into fists. "I know Wulfsen's right, but gosh I wish he'd just driven off and left them here."

"Would've been easier ter leave Yehudit behind ter begin wiv." Questa said, walking to the well. The well had been partially collapsed. "Yer might be able ter get some water out of this."

"Behind at the keep? I wanted to. I tried to. I didn't feel she should be walking on her ankle any more today," Sileas said as she knelt. "Do you see anything we can carry the water in after I find it? I wanted her to stay at the keep because I didn't know what we might find or how it might affect her."

"Yes, behind at the bloomin' keep. I put a couple containers in the bloody wagon but I fink there's a bucket over 'ere, right, it's all beat up." Questa picked up a badly dented and rusty tin bucket. "I don't fink there's any 'oles in it."

"We'll take more than we'll probably need just in case." Sileas had finished pulling the rocks away from the well opening. "It's nearly impossible to convince Yehudit to stay behind," Sileas said as she gingerly lowered the buckets into the dark depths. "I think she is convinced I am going to run off or something."

"Maybe yer 'ave ter break boff 'er legs properly ter make 'er stay behind where she belongs." Questa leaned against a toppled wall. "Were yer gonna run off, isit? If yer didn't find yor... her?"

"Seems to be a drastic solution to have to do every time I wanted to go off alone." Sileas gave a small smile as the bucket grew heavy, hopefully with water and not rocks. "If Papa and Olivia hadn't been found? Maybe. But no, I had no intentions of running off if I didn't find Mama. It was like I could hear Mama calling me to help her." Sileas shifted her position. "I've never experienced something quite like it."

"Yor not turnin' crazy like Mad Mary, right, are yer?" Questa asked, referring to a beggar woman from Portside who heard voices and saw things that were not really there. Questa's eyes traveled to the building that used to be Millie's dress shop, miraculously still mostly intact, and pulled her eyes away as if wanting it to not be there.

Sileas shook her head. "No, I don't think so. But I do believe that when people are deeply connected, one might be able to feel certain things when the other is in danger. Kind of like Lek and Millie with their twin connection."

Questa glared at the dress shop, as if resenting that the owner's name was brought up, then looked back to Sileas. "Yer got enough water yet?"

"I believe so. As long as there are no holes, there should be enough left for each of us to have a drink." She hauled the bucket up and checked it. Good. No rocks.

QUesta gave the dress shop an uncomfortable look. "Good, right, ffen let's cop out of 'ere."

A long lock of gold-blond hair blew from the doorway.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:41, Thu 17 Sept 2015.

Sileas straightened her back and turned to head back to the wagon. But the sight of the blonde hair caught her eye. "We need to come back tomorrow," Sileas said absently.

Questa shook her head vehemently. "There's nuffink ter see there."

There was blood on the hair.

"Yes, there is." Sileas handed the bucket to Questa. "Here take this to the wagon, I'll catch up." She took off toward Millie's shop.

"Damnit, right, stay out of there. If yer go in there yor gonna cop all weird and upset again... There's nuffink ter be done now." Questa wanted to chase after Sileas but the bucket had to be held carefully so as to not spill because the lip had been so badly bend out of shape.

"But she could be injured and need Difyr as well. I can't just leave someone injured behind," Sileas pointed out, nearing the shop. Get the water up to the wagon. I'll catch up, I promise."

Questa groaned. "She's dead, that blond girl that worked wiv Millie in the dress shop. Cor blimey, would I lie to yer? They cut 'er all up, right, yer don't want ter see that."

Sileas stopped in her tracks. The ringleader of this attack had been married to the girl who worked with Millie and was very angry with her. It made sense. "You already checked? She really is dead and not badly injured and in need of help?"

"She weren't movin', right, didn't 'ave a look ter be breathing. I covered 'er but didn't touch 'er." Questa shifted uncomfortably, she grew up with violence and committed a lot herself but what she had seen done to the girl really troubled her. "They put the smile on 'er face and carved letters all over 'er body wiv scissors... She's a bloody mess and blood is all over the bleedin' place. She can't be alive after wot they did ter her."

"Oh God," Sileas uttered. "We'll have to tell Wulfsen so he can have her buried tomorrow. I know the men are coming down to look for any missed survivors and anything that is still usable." She tried to walk away but found she couldn't. "No. No. Questa, take the bucket up to Aunt Lia and send Wulfsen down here. I'll wait here, I won't go in alone, I promise." Sileas readied her bow with an arrow just in case she needed to protect herself.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:24, Thu 17 Sept 2015.

Questa sighed, not looking forward to the flashbacks she was sure that Sileas was going to have, for no good reason. She went to the wagon.

"Here's the water. Sileas wants ter see a dead girl in the dress shop, she shouldn't go in there alone." She said pointedly to Wulfsen.

Another dead body? Wulfsen jumped down from the wagon and headed to the dress shop, where he met Sileas. He looked at the shop.

"It's strange that it's still standing. Questa says there's a dead girl inside?"

Liadan was still struggling with Yehudit. "Aron, can you fix up some tea?"

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 322):

"Questa said she didn't appear to be breathing and covered her. I was going to let it wait until the men came tomorrow to bury her but for some reason I can't walk away. I don't know why. Just a feeling that she might not be. But the way Questa described the body, I don't know how she could be alive."

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 323):


"I guess we'll need to risk making a fire, though I'm loathe to." Aron found some kindling and made a small fire. He held the bucket over it, high enough that the flames couldn't burn the wood.

In reply to Sileas (msg # 324):

"I've met men who should have died in battle." Wulfsen said, somehow, without realizing it, he had taken Sileas's hand. He gently squeezed it. "Maybe I should go in first."

Sileas nodded and squeezed his hand back. "If she is alive, she will need a familiar face. I did not know her well at all, but hopefully she will recognize me from seeing me around the village." Her stomach turned over.

Wulfsen nodded. He went into the shop, the door was off the hinges. There was a metallic clatter when he accidentally kicked a set of bloody scissors that skittered across the floor. There was torn fabric and blood all over the place.

Wulfsen's eyes were drawn to a still form laying on a work table, covered by a sheet of cheap canvas. Wulfsen lifted one end, the girl's hair had been roughly cut off close to the scalp and her face had been mutilated. Wulfsen had heard of the practice- a victim's mouth being cut at the corners then tortured until they scream or the muscles in the face contract and the cuts tear into an exaggerated ear-to-ear grin. Wulfsen shuddered but gently felt the girl's neck until he detected a pulse.

"She's alive!" Wulfsen said, as much to call to Sileas outside as an exclamation to himself.

He gently pulled off the canvas and wondered how much longer she would be alive. "Adulteress" had been carved into her chest and crueler words had been carved all over her body.

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 325):

"Is it ready yet?" Liadan asked anxiously. She could not control Yehudit for much longer.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 328):

Sileas inched around him. "Go..." the words died on her lips when she saw what had been done to her. She pressed against Wulfsen. "We need to wrap her up and get her to Difyr as well," Sileas said, silently wondering in Pinja would even want to be saved. Any emotional pain over the things she had endured fled Sileas in a rush of air.

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 329):

"It's not burning hot, but it's warm enough I think," Aron said, bringing the bucket over. "Questa, we need the leaves." He glanced at the bucket. "We need something smaller to put it in. Do you have your cup with you, Lia?"

In reply to Sileas (msg # 330):

Sileas shouldn't see this. Wulfsen thought right when he heard her voice beside him. He pulled the canvas back over Pinja and turned to Sileas. Impulsively he wrapped his arms around her. "I will. I have to check her for broken bones before I move her, though I don't think any bones are broken, she's just..."

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 331):

"I was in a bit of a hurry when we left, Aron." Liadan said, her voice rising when Yehudit bit her.

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 333):

Questa had dropped the fistful of leaves while fighting Yehudit so she dug around the back of the wagon for more leaves and something to pass for a cup.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 332):

Sileas pressed her face against his chest, having had seen enough. "Of course." A few tears escaped for Pinja. "Do...do you think she has a chance?"

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 333):


"I thought you and Brie had started wearing them fastened to your belt so you would always have a cup when you needed on." He glanced toward Questa who was rummaging on the back of the wagon. "Maybe she has something."

In reply to Sileas (msg # 335):

"I've met men who survived more severe injuries in battle." Wulfsen said, though being wounded in battle did not compare to this very personal and obscene attack.

Wulfsen hugged Sileas to him, he could smell her hair, he wanted to kiss her, or at least hold her longer. But there were two seriously injured women and a hurt boy that needed a healer as soon as possible. Wulfsen rubbed Sileas's back and reluctantly stepped back and held her at arm's length.

"You don't have to look, you can even wait outside if you want to, while I make sure she doesn't have any broken bones."

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 336):

"They're uncomfortable to sleep on." Liadan said. "It's back at the keep."

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 338):

Questa hopped out of the wagon with the tea leaves and a cup. "Here, for the crippled brat."

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 337):



Oh how she longed to run outside and wait for him. But she couldn't. Sileas shook her head. "No, I will stay. If she wakes  up by some chance, she'll be frightened by having an unknown man handling her. I can keep her calm or at least try to."

In reply to Questa Cort (msg # 339):

Aron accepted the cup and the leaves. "Thank you. But she's not a brat," he said as he filled the cup with the warm water and then added leaves. He walked over to Lia and Yehudit.

In reply to Sileas (msg # 340):

Wulfsen nodded and began gently probing to make sure there were no broken bones. He was no healer, but he had heard of broken ribs causing punctured lungs and he did not want to wind up killing this girl just by moving her.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 342):

Pinja whimpered and her eyes flickered. She tried to speak but her voice was too hoarse.

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 341):

Liadan held Yehudit. "Get it in her!"

In reply to Pinja Esposito (msg # 343):


Sileas touched Pinja oh so gently. "Pinja, I'm Sileas, you've probably seen me around the village. This is Wulfsen, he means you no harm. He's checking for broken bones before we move you to take you to Difyr," Sileas said in a calming voice.

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 344):

"Get a good grip on her," Aron said as he brought the cup to Yehudit's lips. "Come on Yehudit, drink this."

In reply to Sileas (msg # 345):

Pinja reached for Sileas's hand. She tried to speak again but lapsed back into unconsciousness.

In reply to Pinja Esposito (msg # 347):

"A mercy." Wulfsen said when he saw the girl faint. "I hope she was unconscious earlier too, when they did all this to her."

He picked up the canvas. "Help me wrap her in this."

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 346):

Yehudit spat and swore. "$$&)!!!!"

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 348):

Sileas held her hand for a moment or two. "Yes," she agreed. Pinja was going to have to be extra strong to live through all of this. "How about if you lift her gently and I'll spread the canvas out on the table and then we can wrap her from there?"

In reply to Yehudit Buckley (msg # 349):

Aron managed to get his hand beneath her chin so he could grip her jaws. He pushed the cup against her lips and tried to force them apart.

In reply to Sileas (msg # 350):

Wulfsen nodded. He gently lifted Pinja off the table and waited for Sileas to spread out the canvas. "Those raiders have much to answer for."

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 351):

Yehudit tried to bite Aron.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 352):

Sileas quickly spread the canvas out smoothly. Anger blazed in her eyes, mixed with her sorrow and fear. "I want a piece of them. No one messes with my friends and family. I did not really know Pinja but she is friends with Millie and that makes her part of my clan."

In reply to Yehudit Buckley (msg # 353):

When Yehudit opened her mouth to bite Aron, he decided to take advantage of it. Using the cup, he forced her mouth open further and her head up before he poured the tea down her throat.

In reply to Sileas (msg # 354):

"They will get what's coming to them." Wulfsen said, gently laying Pinja down on the canvas and wrapping her. He cradled her in his arms. "The keep should be secure by now, we can spare men to hunt down these animals."

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 355):

Yehudit choked and sputtered on the tea.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 356):

"I'm going along," Sileas said firmly. "I will avenge my friends and family."

In reply to Yehudit Buckley (msg # 357):

Aron cursed but he'd seen no other way to get the tea in her. "I'm telling you, it would have been easier to let Questa knock her out."

In reply to Sileas (msg # 358):

Wulfsen thoughtfully looked at Sileas. He thought she had gone through too much already, but she looked determined.

"Let's get Pinja and your mother to the keep." Wulfsen said.

Sileas was fairly certain of what Wulfsen was thinking from the expression on his face. He was probably right, too, but she needed to do this. Her father was too injured to face the raiders and that left it to her, the eldest child of the family, to set things right.

"Yes, let's."

Wulfsen was thinking that Sileas was very brave. If his arms were not full with Pinja he would have hugged her again. Instead Wulfsen gently brushed against her and headed back to the wagon.

Sileas followed, her weapons ready in case of trouble since Wulfsen's arms were full. She felt useful, at least, by helping Wulfsen. She missed feeling useful and strong.

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 359):

Yehudit finally went limp with exhaustion.

In reply to Sileas (msg # 363):

Wulfsen looked back at Sileas and felt his heart swell, if only circumstances were different... He forced himself to focus on bringing Pinja to the wagon and gently placing her beside Brighid Spenser.

"We found another survivor, she's hurt bad but I think she has a chance." Wulfsen said to the others, offering Sileas a hand up into the wagon.

Sileas accept his hand up. If the timing had been different, if interest in Wulfsen had stirred back during the last visit to Farthington...he was going to make someone a fine husband. Yes, a fine husband indeed.

She eyed her cousin. The tea must have kicked in or she exhausted herself with her rage. "There's no time to waste, so if you want to ride you need to get on now."

Yehudit was so exhausted Liadan hoisted her into the wagon, grabbed her daughter's walking stick and climbed in too. She sucked in breath when she saw Pinja's face.

"What did they do to her?" Liadan asked, then turned to Brighid. Brighid was in bad shape too, but alive. "Brie, can you hear me?" Liadan then noticed the boy with a broken leg. "Those momzers- hurting children too!"

Wulfsen may have held Sileas's hand longer than necessary before settling into the wagon seat. "Everyone make themselves comfortable."

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 367):

Sileas didn't pull her hand away. She needed the comfort, the support, the friendship. "I've never seen anything like what they did to her, Aunt Lia, and Wulfsen didn't let me see everything. Questa found her originally and thought she was dead, she saw more than I and seemed disturbed by it." She motioned her head toward the boy. "This is James. He doesn't know what became of his parents, I don't think Questa found anything. I'm not sure if the raiders directly injured him or if his injury was from his family's market stand falling on him." There was a hint of defeat in Sileas's voice but she was fighting it.

Brie whimpered softly, her only response to Lia. It hurt too much and took too much energy to do anything more.

Questa was honestly surprised that the girl was not dead- she had lost so much blood. She perched on the stuff she had gathered and looked at her, now noticing the slight rise and fall of her breathing. "They cut words into 'er... Yer know 'ow ter read." She said to Sileas.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:21, Fri 18 Sept 2015.

In reply to Brighid Spenser (msg # 370):

"Poor girl... Poor boychik." Liadan said sadly, smoothing James's hair. She looked at Brighid. "What'd they do to Brie?"

In reply to Questa Cort (msg # 371):

"I saw a few of them before Wulfsen blocked my view. I think he would have preferred if I stayed outside and waited for him, but I was worried she would be frightened if she woke up and found a strange man examining her."

"Wot'd they say?" Questsa asked.

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 372):

Sileas looked at her aunt and teared up. "They had beaten her, it looked like they had whipped her. They were..." her voice broke. "They were raping her again when we found her, I don't know many times it might have happened."

She almost didn't hear Questa's question. "The big one was adultress. That was the one that caught my eye."

"No." Liadan whispered, not wanting Brie to have gone through that. She reached for Brighid's hand and squeezed it. "Brie is strong..." Liadan trailed off, remembering how it had been for her.

In reply to Sileas (msg # 375):

"Adultress? Yer mean a married bint 'oo goes sleepin' wiv uvver men?" Questa asked. "Why'd they write that?"

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 376):

"I told her when she was conscious I was going to get you to help her. She is strong and that's what got her this far but she needs support. We can't let her...we can't...we can't let her do what I did. I thought it was the strong thing to deal with it on my own and it was the worst decision ever. I'm still struggling and if I would have had support from the strat, I don't think it would still be this hard."

In reply to Questa Cort (msg # 377):

"Papa said her husband was insane. If she spoke to another man or if a man tried to help her, he assumed Pinja was sleeping with them , from what I understand. Look at the destruction they wrought in revenge. It's not the work of a sound mind."

"She won't hide or run off." Liadan promised. "I made that mistake too." Liadan added under her breath.

"Big mistake ter marry that bloke." Questa said darkly. "He needs 'is froat slit proper."

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 380):

"Papa won't The difference is there are five of us already who know what happened. No one knew with you or I before we hid."

In reply to Questa Cort (msg # 381):

"I agree. I've already told Wulfsen I wish to be in on the hunt. Vengeance needs to be mine." Sileas looked at Questa. "From what little Papa said, Pinja had little choice in the matter. From what I gather, either she was stolen from her family or bought from them."

Liadan found another cup. She filled it with water and began slowly trickling it into James's mouth.

Sileas went back to comforting Brie, holding her hand and lightly stroking her hair.

In reply to Sileas (msg # 383):

Yehudit curled up next to Sileas, snuggling into her side. The tea had not been strained and she had actually swallowed some of those herbs- they had her thoroughly drugged.

Sileas's eyes widened a bit but she welcomed the warmth in the cold night air since she was cloakless. In fact, as long as Yehudit remained calm, Sileas could take comfort in the closeness. As she spoke softly to her mother, Sileas checked on Pinja from time to time while Lia cared for James.

Because her cheeks were torn it was harder to get water into Pinja. Liadan found some clean cloth, wet it and loosely wrapped the lower half of Pinja's face in it.

Quiet tears streaked down Sileas's cheeks at all the damage and pain, the suffering to be endured yet to come. She ached to lay down and curl up against her mother but worried she would cause her pain.

Liadan handed Sileas the cup of water. "Brie is probably thirsty."

Sileas accepted the cup with a nod. "Thank you." She slipped her arm under her mother and gently lifted her. She held the cup to Brie's lips. "Mama, here's some water. I know you must be thirsty. Easy now, just a little at a time. I know you're thirsty," she said when her mother tried to gulp down some water. "That's right, little sips."

Wulfsen was trying to keep watch for raiders as he drove the wagon, but he could not help looking back at Sileas.

After Brie had drank, Sileas handed the cup back to her aunt.

Questa pulled out a small pouch of jewelry she had found while looting. It was not a lot, but it was the most jewelry she had ever had at once.

"Mama? Papa?" a tiny voice called out from near the inn. A little girl, about the age of five, covered in dirt and soot peeked her head out from the rubble of the inn. "MAMA! PAPA!" she cried.

The sailboat scraped onto the shallows. A bedraggled (and HUNGRY) Liadan jumped off the little sailboat and waded to the beach. Thanks to their non-existent navigational skills they did not find a port to get more food and water. If it had not rained they would have died of thirst. If they had not come across a large shoal of fish that literally leaped into their boat they probably would have drawn straws and resorted to cannibalism- or all died of starvation.

They managed to sail near the mainland and went up the coast until they spotted a familiar landmark- the beach near Buckley Village. They all wanted to get on dry land and did not want to try finding Portside. The village was closer to the keep than Portside anyways.

Liadan staggered across the beach to the river. She flopped on her stomach and drank. It was a little brackish this close to the sea but it was fresh enough. After drinking a couple gallons Liadan filled a canteen and went back to the boat. She manged to climb back in to give Nelek the canteen of water.

"I don't know if we'll be able to find any food in the ruins, the raiders took most of it and at least two parties from the keep scoured the village for supplies since the raid... But there are always rats. I've lived on rats, and while I prefer chicken they do not taste that bad." Liadan said to Aron and Nelek.

Nelek accepted the canteen and drank. He was stronger than when Liadan and Aron had first rescued him, but he was still not in the best shape. He was still very underweight and the voyage had been taxing. While he did not relish the idea of eating rats he knew he had to eat to build up his strength.

"We might be able to find crabs, and also dig for clams." Nelek suggested. "And I see a lot of seaweed... That's what I lived off of."

He tried not to look beyond the beach to the ruins of the village, but his eyes kept being drawn towards where the inn used to be. Where his children were murdered. He felt his eyes fill with tears and he took another gulp from the canteen.

The little girl was growing weaker by the day, not knowing how to fend for herself. After sitting on a charred tree stump for a while and crying, she stood. Where was her family? She headed down toward the beach area. "Mama? Papa? Lek? Where is everyone?" Had they gone off and left her behind? Was that her punishment for hiding. Finally, she released a weak scream. "Mama! Papa! Unca Shawn!"

When Nelek heard the scream he instinctively tried to run towards it. Unfortunately he was too weak to get off the boat by himself and fell sprawling into the surf.

Aron helped him back up to his feet. "We'll have to go slowly but the sound wasn't far from here."

Nelek tried to move faster then he was able to. "It sounded like-" He fell and got a mouthful of beach sand.

Aron helped him back up. "Do I have to give you the definition of slowly? Lia? Can you scout ahead?"

what little strength she had gone, Kadelyn crumpled into a small heap. All hope left her. Everyone had left her behind.

Liadan nodded and ran ahead. She did not get very far before she tripped over something- maybe her own feet- and landed flat on her face.

"I'm okay!" She said, getting up and resumed her walk up the beach. She stopped when she saw what looked like a small child.

"It's my little girl!" Nelek was impatient with his own weakness.

"That's not possible, Nelek. Is it? How could it be true?" Aron's voice held a hint of hope though.

Liadan knelt next to the child and felt for a pulse. The child lived. "Hey, Aron! We have a kid here!"

"How in the..we're on our way." He held Nelek's arm as he picked up a little speed.

Nelek struggled, trying to run.

Aron reached Lia. "How did this child survive here all this time? Or did they?" He held his breath for a moment. "Are they breathing?"

"It's alive. Probably survived how I did when I was a kid- eating whatever can be gotten hold of and hiding." Liadan gently turned the child over.

The child had been silently sobbing, having given up all hope. She could make out a face through her tears. She reached up to wipe them away. "Auntie Lia!" She hoped she wasn't dreaming.

"Kadelyn! If we had known you were here we would have come much sooner for you." Liadan tried to clean the child's face with her somewhat-clean sleeve.

"Kadey!" As weak as he was, Nelek sunk to the ground to gather his daughter into his arms. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Papa!" the girl cried out, squirming away from her aunt and settling in her father's arms. "Everyone lefted me here."

"I'm sorry." Nelek gulped and kissed her forehead. "We'll get you back to Mama soon, Kadey."

Kadelyn wrapped her arms around his neck, refusing to even consider letting go.

Nelek tried to stand up holding Kadelyn, but he was too weak. He looked to Aron and Liadan. "I think we need food."

"I wonder if there is still any vegetables in the inn garden," Aron said absently. "Something that might not have been ready at the time of the raid.

"And there's always rats." Liadan pointed out again.

Aron couldn't hide his grimace at the thought of eating rats.

Liadan scowled at Aron. "Are you too good for rats?"

"Just sounds...nasty."

Liadan's shoulders stiffened. "If I hadn't eaten rats I would have starved to death long ago."

"I never ever said I was too good for them. I just don't know that I would like them."

"They're really not bad." Liadan said.

"I suppose if push came to shove...but we're not far from the keep. We just need something for Nelek and Kadey."

"Rats might be all we can find." Liadan said, and her stomach growled. She was hungry herself.