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Waiting:
By Markus Thyme:
Previous episodes are in The Master’s Hand archive.
Bruce the Elder sat with Mathew just inside the entrance to
the North Tunnel. They awaited the return of the ten searchers. They knew
nothing of the actions in the South Tunnel until Tim of the House of Newport
emerged for the forest running at full speed. His face told Bruce all he needed
to know. Disaster had struck. Tim had run at full speed for three miles. He had
to catch his breath before he could give a full report. What he knew was all
folk except he had been lost. Some were slain and some were captured. He knew not
how many of each.
Bruce immediately called for the leaders of the houses. They
came at once. Again Tim told of the debacle at the Southern Tunnel. There were
grave looks as the folk pondered the news.
“We had best prepare,” remarked Bruce.
There were many ayes.
“You must
take charge,” remarked Robert. “You need no permission. You have
but to tell us what to do.”
“That be your wish?” queried Bruce.
“Aye,” said several of the men.
“So say you all?”
Again there was the chorus of ayes.
“Let it be so, then.” Said Bruce.
“I think, for best defense, we must not stand all at
once in one place.”
“That be true,” remarked Mathew.
“Then, let us make groups of ten and decide positions.
Two groups must stand with me here at the main entrance.
“Further back in the tunnel, other groups must stand
at the other caves and tunnels.”
“That be a good thought,” agreed Robert,
“except, you must stand with the last group, not the first. I will stand
here.”
“Aye,” agreed several of the folk.
“But I must stand and fight like everyone else,”
insisted Bruce.
“Aye,” agreed Robert, “but you be our
leader. You cannot be the first to die.”
Bruce began to look belligerent.
“There be no time for dispute,” continued
Robert. “All agree, if you are to die, you must be the last.”
“Let it be so,” said Bruce. “If all die, I
would not wish to live.”
“Aye,” said several men.
“I believe we must have several runners of seventeen
summers to send the women and young away if disaster should strike.”
“That be true,” agreed Mathew.
“And, if the wait be long, we must sleep only half at
each time. Some must always be prepared.”
Again, all agreed.
Six runners of seventeen summers were selected by Bruce. All
protested that they must stand and fight.
With a wry smile, Bruce said, “There be no time for
dispute.”
So the folk dispersed in smaller groups to various parts of
the tunnel network. The runners took their places. The wait began near first
light. The sun appeared and disappeared twice and still no Invaders appeared.
Bruce called for another meeting of the elders, this time near the north exit
of the tunnel. All came to him leaving their seconds in charge.
“I understand not,” sighed Bruce. “The
Invaders were here. They took ten by surprise. Why did they not continue their
hunt?”
Robert shook his head with chagrin, “Indeed,
why?” he whispered.
“Mayhap they wish to make us careless,” offered
Thomas of Newport.
“Indeed, If we get no encounters, we may become
careless,” agreed Bruce.
“What can we do?” asked Mathew.
“Mayhap it be time to learn what awaits us in the
Southern Tunnel,” ventured Bruce.
“Aye,” growled Robert of Willets. “I be
ready to lead some men there, mayhap to avenge my son. Who will be with
me?”
Several of the younger men around Bruce stepped forward.
“No more than ten,” cautioned Bruce, “lest
they wait to ensnare us.”
“Aye,” agreed Robert.
He quickly selected ten men.
“We must leave at once,” he said. “It be
last light now. We should go and return before first light.”
“Aye,” agreed Bruce. “What be your
plan?”
“I would enter the caves from one of the lesser
tunnels and go quietly toward the main hall. If we be quiet, our ears and noses
may tell us more than our eyes.”
“That be true,” agreed Bruce. “The men you
have are all skilled at the hunt where sound and scent tell much.”
“Indeed,” smiled Robert, “and I have
learned the scent of the invaders from the one we still have.”
Several of the young men nodded in agreement.
“Go then,” said Bruce, “and return to us
ere first light.”
Edward set out with his group. Bruce went to the main
entrance, again to wait.
At the Southern Tunnel, Robert took his men to a small
hidden hole on the side of a hill. It looked like no more than a shallow rut,
but brush concealed another opening. It was just large enough to admit one man
on his stomach.
“We must go one by one” he said. “We must
stay together by touch. Never let go of the man ahead of you and follow my
signal always.
Robert quickly taught the men a set of hand signals which he
would use to guide them. Then he led the way. Further in, the small passage
opened into a larger tunnel where they could stand. None made a sound as they
traveled down the tunnel to the main hall. The tunnel was void of light and
their eyes were useless. All listened intently and sensed the air with flared
nostrils.
At the main hall, Robert led them in a complete circle of
the perimeter. They found, heard, or scented nothing. Carefully, Robert led
them into the passage to the main tunnel. Robert edged into the main tunnel and
looked toward the southern entrance. He saw the dim glow of the night sky, but
no movement and no Invaders. He took them to the very entrance, inching along
one wall. Still there was nothing.
He gave the signal to return and circled his men so he could
lead the way. Then his foot tread on something soft. He signaled a stop and
knelt down. What he found and smelled dismayed him. It was a man with the dress
of the folk and he smelled death in it. It was one of the ten who had been
taken by surprise. He knew he could do nothing in the dark. Again he gave the
signal to return and the group inched their way toward the place they had
entered. Outside, Robert spoke to them in a whisper.
“I found one of the folk dead on the floor of the
tunnel,” he said. “We can do nothing now, but we must return when
there is light. We must care for our slain folk.
“Aye,” whispered all.
“Let us return now and report to Bruce.”
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