Salina didn’t think her manipulations would work on Marissa the way they had on Jons. For one thing, she noted by Targon’s behavior that apparently the children of the farmers and wood-folk that lived out in the wilds away from the towns and cities of Ulatha were raised fairly independent, and they didn’t take orders very well. She decided to simply be honest with Marissa and voice her concerns. “Marissa, I don’t think that is a good idea. If Targon was going to return, he would have done so by now, and in our current situation, I think he would want you to remain with us, wouldn’t you agree?”
Marissa looked at her with a bit of a pout. “All right, but he will return, and if we have to leave, maybe we should go after him.”
“Well, we haven’t decided which way to go yet. Does anyone have any ideas?” Salina said.
The group remained silent for a moment. “Well, going south will only take us closer to the brigands at first, and while we think we may have some of our friends and family to the south, none of us know the way. We would have to follow the river, and that would expose us too much,” Will said with a pensive look across his pale face.
“So east into the forest, Will?” Salina asked.
“No, none of us know the forest very well, and we stayed clear of it when we did patrols many years ago. No one really goes there anymore.”
“Surely you don’t mean to go north, then, do you?” Salina asked. “The old trade road and bridge are under Kesh control, and they would patrol all along that road. You’re not thinking like Marissa, are you?” She pointed to the girl. “You know Targon left that way, don’t you?”
“That has nothing to do with it, me lady. I’m thinking of tactics here. The river runs very quickly to the south. If they attempt to cross at the same point as where their camp lies, any boat would naturally want to flow south with the current. If we can disable their rowers or at least distract them, then by the time they get control of their boats, they could be a couple of miles south of here.”
“I see your point, Will. So you think north is the way we should go?” Salina asked.
“Yes. Eventually we may have to cross the old northern bridge on the Kesh road to get back on the west side of this river. Even if we went south, the White River would block us from getting to Cree, and we’d either have to pass through the forest or head far to the east up to the headwaters of the White River in order to cross it and then return west again to reach Cree. It may be better for us to return to the west side of the Rapid River.”
“I hate to think that way, Will, but none of us know these lands very well outside of Korwell. At least the river bought us some safety for the time being. I wish Targon was here.”
“Hullo!” Targon said, peering through the arrow slit on the east side of the blind. “You called for me, Lady Salina?”
“Targon!” Marissa practically yelled, jumping up and running out the blind and around the corner to give Targon a huge hug. Quickly, the others followed suit, and everyone was outside slapping his back and giving him hugs. Even Agatha hugged him, but Targon turned the brightest shade of red when Monique squeezed him so hard he almost couldn’t breathe.
“My, it’s good to see you, lad!” said Will after he hobbled outside and sat on a log with his back against the blind’s wall.
“It’s good to see you, too, Will, but my, you look horrible!” Targon said, grabbing his pack from his back and setting it on the ground, rummaging through it. Quickly, he found what he was looking for and handed it to Agatha. “I know you don’t approve, Agatha, but please use these Arella leaves on Will’s wound. He’ll feel better. Also, I found a sewing needle and some thread to use as well. We’ll have to sterilize the needle, but it should do the trick.”
“Always trying to poke me.” Will laughed.
“I’ll use it now, young man, since Will needs help,” Agatha said, taking the items and preparing the needle and thread.
“I don’t think we have time for a fire,” Salina said. “We need to get everyone to safety.” Salina then went on to explain to Targon the events from the last few days.
“I understand,” Targon said, rummaging in a second bag he carried on his shoulder. He quickly pulled out five fish, four large cabbages, seven carrots, and another bagful of apples.
“Bless you, son!” Olga exclaimed, hugging him again.
“Nicely done!” Yolanda said as she eyed the food. It was small in proportion to the group, but after not eating for two days, it seemed a feast.
Olga and Marissa started to hand out the apples, and Agatha told Monique to put Karz down and grab her cooking pot. “Well, I don’t see the harm in eating first if they are still building the boats,” Targon said to Salina as she gave an apple to Karz and started to eat one herself.
“Best if we go back and keep an eye on them, but Will is in bad shape. Some food and medicine would do him good,” Salina added, biting into her apple again.
“Targon, I’ll go back. I’ve had a couple of hours of sleep, and I’ve been keeping watch on them all night,” Cedric said, his mouth stuffed with an apple as well.
“Do you approve, Salina?” Targon asked her.
“Well, he has been a great help to us there, and he even found a good hiding place where we can observe the brigands. Cedric, I’ll take Targon to the brigand camp and keep a watch. We’ll have you relieve us once you’ve had something hot to eat.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” her son replied.
“Listen, everyone,” Targon said, getting their attention. “I have a place for you all to stay. We can leave for there in a couple of hours and arrive just after sundown. For now, stay put and don’t stray into the forest. Also . . . don’t panic when I show you a new friend. I need everyone to stay calm.”
The group almost literally stopped eating, and it became eerily silent. Targon hollered for Core. “Carrot, come on over here now.”
The large brown bear came strolling out of the forest brush and approached the blind. Half of the group couldn’t see him from over the barricade they had erected since they were sitting or kneeling, but quickly, they all peered over at the bear in shock and awe.
“Bloody hell!” Horace said, finally breaking the group’s silence as he raised his crossbow, pointing it at the bear. Targon placed his hand on the bow and pushed it down, lowering it so it was pointing back down to the ground.
“Watch your tongue, Horace!” Emelda scolded him.
“Is that your . . . pet?” Salina asked, turning to look at Targon. The bear slowly approached the blind’s north side entrance and lay down, looking at them.
“Well, no, not really. More like a new friend I made in the last few days. Please don’t ask, just don’t feed him or touch him. He can be grumpy at times.”
“At his size, he can be whatever he wants,” Agatha said mockingly. “Go on, Monique, fetch my pot. It ain’t gonna come walking out here on its own, and Cedric, see if you can start a fire.”
Monique quickly retrieved Agatha’s iron pot while Cedric grabbed what was left of their wood that they had tucked against the blind’s wall. “It will be hard to start one with everything either wet or damp,” Cedric said, looking around for some tinder.
“I’ll grab something,” Marissa said, scampering off into the forest.
“Well? Follow her, Cedric,” Salina said, motioning to Marissa.
“No need for that. Carrot, can you follow Marissa there and keep her safe?” The bear rose and started trotting to keep up with Marissa, who was quickly disappearing into the heavy woods.
“Bloody hell!” Horace said, and then Emelda elbowed him in the ribs.
“You said that already,” Little Jons piped in.
“Now don’t you go teaching the little ones bad words, and all my love, but yes, hell, indeed.” Emelda smiled.
“Show me,” Targon said to Salina.
“Horace, I
will take Targon to the bandit camp and show him what they are doing. You and Will stay here and maintain a watch,” Salina stated, her tone firm and authoritative.
Will tried to stand, but Agatha pushed him back down. “Fine by me, but Horace will need to keep watch alone. Just let me know if you spot anything. I have my sword at hand,” Will conceded.
Horace grunted his agreement and moved out of the shelter of the barricade and took up a position nearby with his crossbow.
“Let’s go,” Salina said, walking off to the south. The crossbows were too heavy for her to carry, so she took her lighter sword while Targon had his trusty axe and bow. Soon, they arrived from the east and crawled up the now familiar berm, ignoring the hollowed tree for the moment.
They could see that work was continuing, but clearly now they saw the lip of each construction as an extra layer of tree trunk wood was being added to each edge to make the vessels float worthy. “Those are rafts, not boats,” Targon said, observing their work. “You said they started this right at dawn?”
“Yes, well, that is what my son told me, as he was here all night. What does it mean?” Salina looked back at him intently.
“It means a fight,” Targon said, his expression turning grim.
Khan watched as night fell and the last of the work was finished on the four rafts. Dorsun and his team had done a good job to complete and lash the four vessels in only one day. He had sent some riders back to Korwell a few days earlier to bring supplies and reinforcements and they had returned. The skies were starting to clear up a bit, though it was hard to see the stars. Dorsun approached Khan with a faint smile on his face, “Four rafts ready to launch master.”
“Good. We rest tonight and cross in the morning. Do you have your teams ready?”
“Yes. Boxer will take the lead boat across with Slim and Burly to tie a rope securely on the closest tree to the riverbank, then we will use long poles and the rope to cross. How do you know they are on the other side master?”
Khan rubbed his glass ball at his side, “Just a hunch Dorsun, just a hunch.” Dorsun nodded, then he left returning to the crews to bark more orders for the night shift. Something was preventing him from seeing across the river and he was sure it had something to do with the Ulathans.
Targon and Salina returned just before dark, fairly convinced the brigands would not attempt a night crossing. They noted the faint glow of the fire on the east side of the blind where the blind would, of course, block its light from being seen from across the river. Still, after nearly two nights without a fire, the faint glow of this one seemed unusually bright to them.
The others had made good use of their time. Will had fresh bandages on. Cedric was trying to read his book by the firelight. Agatha’s pot had the scaled fish, carrots, and cabbages in it, and Agatha had offered each person a spoonful using one of the two spoons that Targon had brought from his home. There were two apples prominently displayed on a rock by the makeshift fire. The group was thoughtful of Salina and Targon, if nothing else. There was, however, no sign of the bear.
“Anyone seen Carrot?” Targon asked.
“It left right after Marissa returned with some dry leaves and twigs,” Horace said. “It never really came close to us.”
“All right, let me know if you spot him. He’ll most likely be back soon.”
Monique motioned for Targon to sit by her and Karz. “Won’t you tell us where you’ve been?” she said, and then she smiled at him.
Targon sat next to her and returned her smile while rubbing Karz’s head. “Let’s say I found what I needed to find.”
“You found your family?” Yolanda asked.
“Did you see my mother or brother?” Marissa followed up, an expectant tone in her voice.
Targon looked around the fire and realized the entire group was outside: no one was in the blind. They were all looking at him intently. “No, Marissa, I’m afraid I didn’t find your family and I didn’t find my family. Instead, I found my courage.”
“Nonsense, lad, you have shown plenty of courage so far,” Will said, while many others nodded in agreement.
“Not that kind of courage, Will. I found the courage to do what is right first and then follow my own needs next.”
“What do you mean?” Salina asked, sitting next to Targon and placing her hand gently on his arm. Karz leaned against his mother.
“Ever since we were captured and my mother helped free me, I could only think of one thing to do and that was to save them, to free them and run for safety. Now, after much thought, I understand there remains a greater responsibility for me. I am responsible not only for my family but for my fellow Ulathans.”
“Well said, young man,” Agatha remarked in a rare but kind voice not common for her demeanor.
“So you won’t search for them?” Cedric asked from across the small fire, closing his book.
“No, I will never stop searching for them, Master Cedric,” Targon said and smiled as he mimicked Elister’s tone and mannerism in calling Cedric “master.” “But I will do what is right first and what I want to do second.”
There was a silence for a long while as everyone contemplated the words of their young woodland savior. Finally, Monique could bear it no longer. “At least tell us what happened to you since you left. You seem so different now, and it’s only been three days.”
Targon spent the next hour recounting the events of his chase to the Kesh border, including his discovery of the ambush at his home, the fight at the old keep, and his journey to the very border of Kesh itself. They all seemed most interested in hearing about the old druid Elister. Even little Amy who was only three years old appeared to lend an ear at the telling of his news. The kids enjoyed the story of Carrot taking out two bandits and keeping Targon warm in the bear cave, but this part of the story just got raised eyebrows by the elder Ulathans, especially Olga and Celeste.
When he finished, he turned to Salina. “We need to have a plan for tomorrow.”
“What do you suggest?” she asked.
“I think it’s time we set our own ambush at the river.” Targon nodded.
“About bloody time!” Horace said, putting his hand on the crossbow and giving it a pat.
Targon thought old man Horace had gotten too attached to the Kesh weapon, Little Jons as well, for that matter. “Do you and Jons know how to shoot those bows?” Targon asked.
“I’ve been practicing a bit and used one of these many years ago, but Jons is just a playing with his,” Horace replied.
“I can shoot mine, too.” Jons jumped up and went for the second crossbow near him where he had laid it earlier.
“I think it would be better, Jons, if you let Cedric use the bow,” Targon said.
“And what am I supposed to fight with?” Jons asked in a whiny voice with a pout on his face.
“I’m sure Cedric will loan you one of his daggers. He has four of them, after all.”
Now it was time for Cedric to display a pouty face. He wasn’t fond of giving one of his nice daggers to a child. “Do I have to?” Cedric looked at Targon.
“No, but I think the more we are armed, the better, even one as small as Jons. If it were up to me, I’d give one of them shiny daggers you got there to anyone else that could wield it.”
“Fine, I’ll trade a dagger, then, for the crossbow,” Cedric said, pulling one of his knives from his chest belt and giving it to Jons, who tucked it into his own belt.
“Seriously, though, do we have a plan?” Will said, bringing Targon back to focus on the situation at hand.
“Well, if they cross the river unmolested, then our chances will diminish for remaining undetected. Then again, we can’t win in a fight, either. There has to be nearly fifty of those brigands,” Targon said.
“What do you suggest?” Salina asked as she tried to scoop a bit more of the makeshift stew onto the w
ooden spoon from the pot hanging over the small fire.
“A running fight. We have two crossbows and my own bow. We just need to wound them enough to cover our tracks and buy us time.”
“Where will the rest of us go?” asked Celeste, and Olga nodded at her question.
“Well now, Will, don’t you object, but I think Will and the rest of you can follow the river north toward my home. There is some safety there, I think, if I can trust the old man, while the rest of us attack the brigands as they try to cross the river, and then we link back up farther upriver,” Targon said, finishing his apple.
“I won’t object, lad, but running isn’t my style,” said Will.
“Nor mine,” Horace chimed in, patting his crossbow.
“Agreed, but in case any brigands find their way across the river upstream, we will need someone who can fight them off. We all can’t be at the river crossing,” Targon said.
Salina finished a second scoop of stew. “It sounds like the best plan we could possibly have. I’ll take my Cedric, and Horace will join us with his crossbow. Who else will fight with us?”
“I think Thomas is old enough to at least help us load the crossbows?” Targon suggested.
“I’ve been there with Cedric for two days now,” Thomas said, standing up next to him. “Let me fight, too.”
“Fight then you will Thomas, but run also. If it looks like they are going to make it across, we have to be prepared to run, so we take only our weapons with us,” Targon said. “Marissa should be able to guide everyone else north along the riverbank with Will bringing up the rear. Can you do that, Marissa?”
“Yes, Targon, I will do that for you.”
“Good, so it’s settled, then. We should leave well before dawn,” Targon said, while the others either murmured in agreement or nodded their heads. Soon, Lady Salina had the children and women retire for the night inside the blind while the others spread out their cloaks and blankets and lay down to sleep just outside near the fire.
“We should keep a watch,” Will said, his voice sounding tired.
Ranger Rising: Claire-Agon Ranger Book 1 (Ranger Series) Page 20
