Chapter 8: Ambushed

The anticipated trouble came early on the fourth day of their travels. Pēteris was riding point somewhat over a hundred yards ahead of the three women and the pack horses, and Les was riding drag about a hundred yards behind. There were five attackers, three in front and two behind.

The attackers were very good at concealment but very lacking in execution. Swords drawn and yelling, three charged out of the dense woods between Pēteris and the main party and two exited the woods in front of Les. The second robber out of the woods never managed to turn onto the road as a bolt from Les’s crossbow caught him in the left arm, felling him. His partner neither saw him fall nor heard his groan and kept riding towards the women.

As prearranged, Maggie spun with her crossbow while Robyn and Miriam charged forward to meet those attacking in front. Maggie’s aim was as accurate as her brother’s and another man was downed. The siblings charged on to check on their two targets. Maggie’s had risen and was struggling to draw his sword. She leaned from her saddle and slashed his throat. Blood fountained, splattering her and her mount. Les managed to finish his man with a lesser spray, but nevertheless received some splatters.

Before them, Miriam unhorsed her man with an arrow, but Robyn’s target had suddenly reeled to meet Pēteris’ charge and her arrow sailed by. The third attacker was quickly upon them, sword swinging wildly. Not realizing that he was now alone, he charged to attack Robyn, who had dropped her bow and was drawing her sword. He grinned evilly when he saw her partially sheathed sword, and was still smiling when Miriam’s blade entered him from behind. The sisters, after seeing Pēteris was unharmed, hugged, panting.

Pēteris’ foe had appeared to be the most skilled of the lot, because he managed to get his blade inside Pēteris’s guard; his sword point striking Pēteris above the heart. However, the point lodged in Pēteris’ mail shirt and snapped, unbalancing the man and enabling Pēteris to skewer the man in return.

Pēteris had released his sword to keep it from breaking with the inertia of the two charging horses. Panting from his short but intense exertions, he dismounted and walked back to his man to pull loose the sword. Blood welled, and Pēteris heard a death rattle. He looked over, then walked towards his ladies, pausing to render insurance that the arrow-pierced attacker was also dead.

The five gathered where the pack-laden horses still stood. Pēteris blessed the training someone had invested in the horses ‘donated’ by Dirty Jake. The new attackers’ bolting steeds demonstrated the value of that training.

“We were damned lucky on that one,” Pēteris started. “A little more organized or skillful, and we would have been roasted. I never saw either group when I passed. My hunting days are too far in the past,” he finished his out-loud musings.

“Okay,” he turned to immediate needs, “let’s get what’s of value and haul the bodies off the road a ways. Les, you and Maggie see if you can chase down the horses that ran off, but don’t go too far. It isn’t worth it. With even one more, we have enough horses for the additional weapons and supplies we’ll have.”

Before the youngsters departed, Robyn turned to them all and said, “We’re sweaty, and there’s a lot of blood on us and everything. We need to go back to that last stream and find a place to clean up.” She speculated, “And by the time we’re done, the day will be too far gone for much travel, so we probably should call for a break.”

When they reached the stream, they again followed their routine and walked the horses downstream in the water until they reached a sunny, grassy meadow. At the downstream edge of the forest, beavers or similar animals had built a dam, backing the water into a pool.

Mindful of his wives’ amorous reaction after their last battle, Pēteris led the brother and sister off to one side and sat on a conveniently situated fallen tree. He pulled Maggie into his lap and patted the log for Les to sit beside him. “Okay, my young friends, it’s time to lay down some rules,” he started. “You two are old enough to know how the world runs, so I’m going to lay this out plain and simple. First, Miss Maggie, I’m under oath not to sex anyone but my wives. Remember my talking about healing the mind? You might see an exception allowed in the case of real need - I doubt it - but it most assuredly will not be just for want and not without my wives’ agreement on the need.”