Eddard's Diary: Chapter 3

They came, We saw, I Charged

 

It was like that, As soon as the two wagons came into view, I spurred my horse forward.

 

I had one major concern, that the guards did not have time to react to the attack and kill the people being transported. 

 

I stood high in my saddle, and leaped the distance from my horse to the wagon top.  Even as the crossbow bolt stuck in my side, my swords impale the guardsman.  I was hurt pretty bad, but I used the body of guardsman as cover from the crossbowman on the wagon.

 

An arrow appeardd in him, and he fell, from Ulf I think.  Thoram took care of the guards flanking the wagon.  Garrus and Ulf went after the other.

 

As quick as I could I got the body of the guardsman free of my blades, and he fell with a dull thud to the packed ground below. I swung into the wagon.  The guard looked like he was going to fight until Thoram's appeared behind me.  He dropped his weapons.

 

And just like that, it was over.  I was bleeding from my side from the bolt, but one by one, sacks were untied and people appeared.

 

We created quite a commotion.  There were people everywhere.  Even the guard turned up before long.  There wasn't that many involved that the city guard couldn't put a stop to it in reasonably short order.

 

We were asked questions.  It was sort of undiscussed, but the party as a whole decided not to try and fight the watch.  The freed people spoke for us, as both witness and evidence.

 

In the end, we were asked to leave town, but the guard captain in charge seemed a little worried.  He asked us to stay in touch, and we'd use the Troll and Maiden as the message point.

 

We left the next morning, with out fanfare.  We rode while our charges walked.

 

Well for the most part.  Azzarak did catch up to us the following day.  He had little explanation for his absence.  He also had this idea that the freed people would be better on horseback while we, their protectors walked. 

 

A quick lesson in battlefield tactics will tell you that the armed people needed to be mounted, as we can respond to better to threats.  We can see further, and react faster to potential problems then someone on foot.  In fact the first lesson I learnt in fighting mounted opponents was "be the mounted opponent."

 

He got his back up and insisted he was right. 

 

I realised that Azzarrak was a moron.  I offered to demonstrate this principle.  I told him to start at 150 paces.  If he could reach me before I could put 3 arrows in the ground, he was right.  I knew that I could put 5.  He also refused to take me up on it.

 

I wanted him out of the party.  I can abide many things.  Except constant stupidity on behalf of the guy that should know better.

 

Logan soothed us.  Azzarrak walked.  I got over it.  For now at least.

 

It took us nearly a week to return to the Troll and Maiden.  As we drew close, we saw smoke on the horizon.  This wasn't going to be good.  I could tell.