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New Defense:
By Markus Thyme:
Previous episodes are in The Master’s Hand archive.
It was first light when Bruce the Younger cautiously entered
the South Tunnel. He had traveled through the forest with great haste and met
John when they were three days from the South Tunnel. After a brief discussion,
they agreed that John would continue his task to bring news to
Upon entering the tunnel, he immediately discovered the four slain folk and stood quietly in grief.
“This be bad,” he whispered.
There was nothing to do. Grimly Bruce searched hurriedly through the halls and caverns wondering what other disasters awaited his discovery. He found nothing more. He fearfully took up the three-mile path to the North Tunnel at a steady trot. About half way, he met Robert with a group of folk.
“Bruce!” exclaimed Robert. “You return. That be good.”
“Aye,” replied Bruce, “but what I discovered in the South Tunnel be not good.”
“Aye,” agreed Robert. “We go now to retrieve our slain folk.”
“I envy you not that task,” remarked Bruce. “I saw four of the folk there on the floor of the main tunnel.”
“That mean five be captives of the Invaders then,” said Robert sadly.
“I know nothing of that,” said Bruce.
“When I left
“Aye, Bruce, we slew the Invades when they entered the South tunnel.”
“Aye, Robert. I met John in the forest and he told me as much.”
They meant to slay us and we surprised them.” Said Robert. “I fear we will never surprise them again.”
“I fear you be right,” agreed Bruce.
“Mayhap we have brought ruin on the folk. These new invaders are unlike
the ones
“Indeed,” agreed Robert. “They be more like the Invaders of the Chronicles who destroyed our homes. It was such as they who caught our folk in the South Tunnel. Now four be dead and five more be in their hands. Tim of Newport escaped the snare and warned us. We have been in fear of another attack, waiting these five days past.”
“They came not again?”
“Nay, Bruce. It be a puzzle your father ponders even now.”
“Yes, my father. I must go to him now.”
“Indeed, Bruce. We will continue our task,” said Robert. “Go now.”
Bruce turned again toward the North Tunnel and resumed his trot. Robert and his group continued on to their grim task.
By first light of the following day, the four had been
attended to and buried. Bruce the Younger had reported to Bruce the Elder and
learned of all that had passed since he became a watcher with
“We be weary with waiting,” remarked Bruce the Elder.
“Aye,” said Robert. “It be better to fight than to know not what comes.”
“Mayhap, the Invaders know that,” said Bruce. “Mayhap they plot to weary us and make us careless.”
“Aye,” said Wayne of Sylva. “I catch myself dreaming awake at times. We all be weary.”
“We must do something then,” growled Robert.
“Aye, but what?” wondered Edward of Ashville.
“I have pondered this,” answered Bruce the Elder. “Mayhap we should make some watches on the hills and trees about the tunnels.”
“Send men into the open,” gasped
“Aye, my friend,” smiled Bruce. “We sit now, like rodents in a cave waiting for disaster. We know not when or how. We know not even if they will come. The only watchers we have are at best ten days away from here. That is of little value to us, as the Invaders can use their fliers to come here in less than a day.”
“We have no way of knowing of them coming,” agreed Robert.
“Only the dogs,” said Edward, “and their barks be a warning too late.”
“Indeed,” agreed Bruce the Elder. “So, I would make a new defense. I would put groups of bowmen in the hills and caves around the tunnels.”
“How will that be of use?” queried
“That be true,” agreed Bruce. “They could not warn us, but they might surprise the Invades by being behind them.”
“I see,” remarked Robert. “If we stand here in the tunnels, we be trapped when they come. We must fight to the death and that will be swift with the tools they have.”
“Aye,” said Edward. “We have already agreed we must stand here and fight to the death.”
“So, why should we wait for them here?” demanded Bruce.
“That be a good thought,” said Robert. “Why indeed?”
“Hear me now,” pleaded Bruce. “It be true we cannot outrun a flyer, but any one of us can outrun an Invader.”
“Oh ho,” blurted Robert. “I see now. If we be in the forest, we may send shafts against them and flee ere they know were we be.”
“Aye,” laughed Bruce. “And we can do the same again, from any direction.”
“But, how will each know what the other be doing?’ argued Edward.
“That be a matter of how the groups be placed and how swift our runners be,” replied Bruce.
“I be for it,” growled Robert. “It be something to do. It be better than waiting and not knowing.”
“What of the women and children?” asked
“I have pondered that,” said Bruce. “Unless the Invaders make a complete search, they be as safe as can be where they are.”
“Then let us do it,” demanded Robert. “Let us meet these cursed Invaders in the open. We know the forest. They know it not.”
“Also, we can be active,” said Bruce. “We need not grow weary with waiting. We can hunt and gather food. We can send runners to the women and children. We can come out of the tunnels and stand like men.”
A chorus of cheers came from the leaders of the houses and there were smiles on faces that had been grim for many days.”
So it was, that a network of groups was set up in the forests to the south and east of the South Tunnel and in the hills flanking the tunnel. Then they waited, but they remained active as they did. They stood and walked tall under the canopy of the forest. They even dared to make cooking fires.
Four days later, Earl of Shelby returned to the tunnels. He explained to the Elders all he knew of the captivity and the release of the five folk.
“This be strange indeed,” remarked Bruce.
“What make you of it?” asked Robert.
“I know not,” admitted Bruce.
“What will we do now?” asked
“I believe we must needs return our captive to the Invaders.”
“There be danger in that,” argued Mathew. “This invader knows much about us, more than we know of them.”
“Indeed, Mathew,” replied Bruce. “But I believe we be honor bound to act with respect for those who could have slain our folk and released them.”
“How will we return him?” asked Mathew.
“I fear we must send him with some of our young men to guide him to the Invader’s stronghold.”
“Why not just release him?” demanded Robert.
“You have observed him, Robert. I fear he would get lost in the forest and probably be slain by the mountain cats ere he got home,” laughed Bruce.
“Robert snorted and said, “As always, Bruce, you be right.”
So it was that Bruce the Younger and Tim of Newport set out with the Invader at first light of the following day.
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