Chapter 3

Learning on the Road

I had wanted us to get an early start but the fates had not worked that way. It was late morning by the time we were off. We had eaten such a large breakfast that we ate snacks in the saddle as we went along instead of stopping for lunch. We arrived at the next town mid-afternoon. Getting used to being in the saddle was uncomfortable, so we stopped to get some watered wine. Of course the lunch snack was not holding us over, so a bowl of stew and some bread got added to the bill.

We got back on the road just a little over an hour later and for the heck of it galloped for close to an hour. My rear and thighs let me know that getting used to this would take much longer. When we slowed to a walking gait, Tim went out in front of us keeping his watchful eye out for any ambushes. There was a clatter behind us; when we turned to look it was a platoon from the army we could see as they rode closer to us. They were no doubt patrolling to keep the roads safe from bandits and ambushes.

They stopped and we spoke for a time. They wished us well as they went on their way. Tim came back after they had passed him and said it would be good if we found a place to camp for the night.

We had set up the camp with a couple of tents and a small fire about a half mile from the road. Ruby cooked us some tasty treats with some tea to drink.

We were sitting back when Tim left. I figured it was to take care of his nightly business, but he was gone for longer than was usual. We sat around discussing the day when Tim reappeared. “There are a group of men about a mile on the other side of the road.” That got everyone’s attention.

“Do we have anything to fear from them?” I asked.

“I went over and listened. But I couldn’t get close enough to hear. They were keeping it as quiet as they could so I don’t know.”

“Should we sneak out?”

“It would be tricky. Better we leave the camp here and each of us sneaks out later.”

“Ambush them if they come to attack us?” I asked.

“That is the best idea. They won’t come in until after we’re down for the evening,” Joe said.

“If they are coming,” Sammy said.

“Why wouldn’t they?” Ruby asked.

“We are just too tempting of a prize.” I said.

So we doused the fire and started to settle in. Tim helped to sneak each one of us out of camp. He was truly a wonder to be with. He had us cover and tie anything down that would rub or make noise. He led us out slowly, putting us in positions where we could use the bows and crossbows but not shoot at one another.

We spent a chilly night waiting. Ruby was with me, Joe and Sammy were together and Tim was out there somewhere. We had ridden hard during the day, and it was tempting to go to sleep. Ruby and I used our fingers to walk up and down each other’s arms and legs to keep awake.

It was false dawn and nothing had happened yet but us losing some sleep. It is always calm before the storm, they say, but that logic is like looking for something and finding it in the last place you look. Of course once you found it. Why would you look any further?

I could see ten of them. They were coming over the road towards our camp quietly, with weapons in hand. When they had gotten about two hundred yards from us the storm broke from the peaceful quiet. Except it wasn’t them or us. It was a horse charge that attacked them. I was having difficulty making out exactly who it was but my guess was the troops from yesterday had spotted them at some point and used us as bait.

On one hand I could be angry, but I had not let the patrol leader know who I was, so he was reluctant to tell me of his plan. On the other they had made sure we were protected, so it was a wash.

The fight was over in a few moments. They had surprised and destroyed the group out in the open so it was a quick slaughter. A few of the troops were coming our way. Once it was clear that it was the leader coming over, I stood up with Ruby at my side.

“Hello.”

“Hello,” he replied as he rode over to me.

“I see you found your bandits.”

“Yes, they have been killing many along this road.”

“So we were your bait?” Ruby asked.

“Yes, I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you, but I didn’t want you to do anything to alert them,” he replied.

“Well, I am not exactly happy about you not telling us, but I do understand why you needed us to look as normal as possible to them.”

“Not much I can do about it now. I will make it up to you if I can.”

“How is that?” Tim asked.

“Well without you I might not have caught them. So it’s only fair that you take all their possessions.”

“Won’t you get in some trouble for that?” Joe asked. She and Sammy had come over to join Ruby and me.

“Not as much as if I had let you die with this plan.” I wondered if I should show him the amulet from Samuel but figured he might have more problems if any of his men spoke of it. So I left it tucked away.

“That’s about as fair as you can be,” I said.

He bid us goodbye. The men had stripped off everything worth anything from the bodies and had them tied behind their horses. They would drag them to whereever they wanted to display or dispose of them.

We went on a forage mission. It was a gold mine as far as treasure, weapons and horses were concerned. I would take Samuel’s example and sell a small amount at each place as we went along. That would ensure that I get the best price.

It was a short time before we finished. Tim had come back leading the horses with all the supplies they had tied to them. Ruby fixed us breakfast and we broke down our camp. I was eager to get off the road and into a bed early tonight, so we traveled for a while and stopped for some lunch.

While Ruby was cooking, Tim took me to look at the horses. He knew his horseflesh, so we traded out two of our horses and decided to keep another one of them. The rest we would sell along the way.

We rode for an hour after lunch before we came to the next town, stopping first to put the horses into the livery stable. I noticed one of the men standing around town looking over the stock and then took off running. In the pit of my stomach, I knew there was nothing good that would come from that.

I wasn’t going to wait around to see what would show up so we headed to the tavern, arranged for some rooms and took everything up to them. Tim did his sneak job on the rooms and declared them secure, and we went down to get some more watered wine and dinner. We sat back in a corner, our weapons handy. We ate quietly as the others shared my bad feeling, and it didn’t take long for that feeling to become a reality.

They came in a group of five. I never liked to be sitting down when trouble was around, so I stood next to the table. The others stood behind me when the biggest and ugliest of them said. “Where did you get them horses?”

“They were given to us.”

“Who gave them to you?”

“I’m not sure, I think he might have been a sergeant, or maybe he was a lieutenant. I’m not sure.”

“We ain’t seen no patrol round here,” he growled.

“Well that is what happened. You have asked your question and I have answered it. I suggest you leave so we can finish our dinner.” Samuel had said that you would see the fight-or-flight response in a man’s eyes for a split second before he decided to make a move. I saw it and before he drew his sword out there was the distinct sound of a crossbow being fired.

Then there was a scream and a thud against the far wall as a man was struck and fell against it. That distraction was all it took for us to have our swords at the necks of four of them left in front of us.

“I think we’ll be leaving,” he said then.

“Not until you drop your weapons,” I ordered.

The crossbow sounded again and another scream and thud was heard. “You will all drop your weapons and leave.” There was the clatter of swords and daggers hitting the floor and much grumbling as they left.

We sat back down and I looked at Ruby. “Where did you learn to fire the crossbow like that?”

“At the Wither’s Citadel,” she said with a chirp in her voice.

“And who taught you?”

“Why my General, of course.”

“Always more surprises around here.” We finished our dinner in relative quiet and the barmaid came to clean up the dishes and bring us more watered wine.

“They will be waiting for us either here in the morning or to ambush us on the road.” Tim said matter-of-factly.

“I would guess as much.”

“Why aren’t you concerned?” Sammy asked.

“Let’s go upstairs and talk about that.” So we finished our drinks, picked up all the weapons and were back in Tim’s and my room.

“So why aren’t you concerned?” Joe asked.

“Does anyone know the answer to that question?” I asked.

Ruby was beside herself almost jumping up and down at the excitement of knowing. “Well Ruby, do you want to share your thoughts with the others?”

“It is the General; he knows that we have to come to save Damsels at some point, so he puts patrols out. They know what John looks like, and that he would likely have all of us with him.”

“So he has us stirring up the pot of criminals, and he has his troops follow us and clean up them up?” Tim questioned.

“That is about how I figure it. I doubt that Samuel had direct involvement, but you can be sure he has the General’s ear.”

“It is very clever,” Sammy said.

“Very!” Joe added.

“Keep in mind that we are always in some danger when the bandits are close and the troops are not. With the bandits wanting to ambush rather than have a straight up fight, we have the advantage. That is as long as we can keep out of the killing zone.”

“How did you know he was doing that?” Tim asked.