Moryan spied the two young ones coming out of the burning mansion. She rushed over to their side, and noticed the cleric draped over Drayton's shoulder. With a grin, she took the cleric from Drayton so he could aid his wife and they managed to get through the courtyard admist all the confusion.


Again, Moryan searched the smoldering air for signs of her cleric, unable to find him anywhere.


"Get her out ta safety Drayton.. shes yer responsibility ye know.." the mercenary nodded to the couple. "Did ye hear me? Get her out o' here already."

As the stumbling quartet emerged from the enflamed manor, Crispian was hurding men out of the yard, directly into the group under the command of Arguyle MacFadden, reknown general and occasional pompous noble. The many cloaks of Or quartered Sanguine with Lion Rampant was a pleasing sight to Crispian as he turned the charges over and headed back toward the burning building.

 

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Arguyle was slightly surprised by the resistance they had met. D'Vena's men had some fight in them but they were no match for the combined forces of the Order of the Red Lions, the Wayward Band and St. Crispin's League. The Highlander was barking orders at his troops when a large brit wearing the badge of a Captain in D'Vena's army charged him from behind.


Arguyle caught a glimpse of the man in the broken glass of the manor house. He turned and dropped to one knee raising his shield to block the blow at his shoulder. At the same moment he thrust upward with his sword and embedded the point of his blade under the chin of the man. If not for the strap holding his helmet on it would have flown off as the blade burst through the top of his skull. The man collapsed to the ground dead.


Arguyle was pulling his blade from the man's head and giving more orders when Carrington approached him.


"Drayton, Ravyin, and D'Vena are still inside!" he screamed, a desperate look on his face.


Arguyle quickly looked toward the house and saw the two coming out of the door. Moryan was standing with them and pointing. Then the two walked out of the home while Moryan stood looking inside.


"There they are lad! Moryan seems to have something in mind. Go to her. Keep her safe. I'm going after D'Vena." yelled the Paladin.


Then he ran past Moryan and into the burning house.

Basaia immediately collapsed before Lord Benowyc, as if striken with an old wound. He grasped his stomach hard, and began to wail incessantly. His face became white as a sheet, his eyes began to water and his speech was uncomprehendable. Above the old Avalonian's slurred words, the local guard as well as a cleric came to his aid. He could only hear a ringing within his ears, as the darkness swallowed the light around him...


He awoke somewhere outside the boundries of Camelot, within a warm and dimly lit infirmary. Judging by the clothes of the attendant surgeons about him, he deduced that this could only be Vetusta Abbey. He thought for a moment to himself, trying to summon the aid of his pupil Albricht but had not the strength nor the will within this hallowed place.


(((ooc I will be away for a week or two while I recover from my apendectomy =( )))

The highlander bolted through the courtyard and into the manor house. Crispian watched his cloak flap as he ran past.


"He's as crazed as a troll!" he yelled to Jashen as they encountered guards who definately did NOT want to yield to the laws of the king. "Take charge! Someone has to keep that Scot from killing himself!"


He raced to catch the older man as he disappeared into the blazing manor. "May fortune favor the foolish!" he thought as he plunged into the building half a pace off the Lord General. Several choice oaths were flying in the air as well as the flames as they plunged deeper into the raging blaze that had once been a fine manor.

 

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Moryan grinned at Crispian and stood watch over the two young ones. Finally, she saw the shocking red of Arguyle's hair under his helm, and there beside him was Carrington. At least she was able to breathe a sigh of relief.


"Caer! O'er here.. we ha'e ta get these two out o' here afore something else happens ta them!" She called to him, beckoning him over. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the fancy cloak and colors of Lord Hurbury, but it was none of her concern about that man, and she let him go. Going soft ye are merc, she muttered to herself, but stood careful watch over her charges. Her swords were drawn and it seemed many men took a wide berth around the battle ready mercenary wench.


**************


Jaelyan pried open the hidden doorway, and swiftly made her way inside, tugging it closed behind her. Nothing she could do about the footprints in the dust, but she wouldn't make it easy for any that followed. She dropped the heavy wooden crossbeam across the door to bar it shut as well.


"Let them break through that door," she hissed. Her way was lit by a single sputtering candle, and she slowly made her way down the cobweb infested hallway. She clutched her diaphanous robes to her as she walked, watching the darkness ahead of her.


The sound of battle in the courtyard was muted by the thick walls and the dirt, but she could still hear the men dying in her name above her. Fools, she thought to herself. They could have thrown down their weapons and been spared.


Already plotting again in her mind, she was nearing the end of the passage.

Ishish sat down on a fallen tree. The battle was over. She removed her helmet, wiping the soot from her eyes. She wondered what this had all been about. She had noticed the Kings own personal guard fighting alongside of her. Odd that. The Lord General was sending some detachments to clean up any straglers. A good commander that one was. Arguyle MacFadden was a man you could follow. Maybe she should confide in him. She had only ever told one person her story, and he was dead. She missed the old norseman. Ishish sighed. Another fight that didnt seem her own. She sat and wondered when her time would come. The day she could avenge her family. She stood up, placing her helm back on. "Soon." She said aloud. "Soon."

Arguyle heard some curses behind him and as he entered the manor house he found that Crispian had followed him. Just as he was going to tell the lad to get out of the house and see to the others he caught a glimpse of D'Vena as she scurried down the hallway ahead and darted around the corner.


Arguyle looked at Crispian and said, "There she is! Come on lad!"


The pair ran down the hallway as fast as they could. The heat so hot from the flames that Arguyle felt as if he might bake inside of his armor. As they turned the corner they saw a doorway, tucked away and hidden inside the wall, close. As Arguyle reached for his he could hear the heavy beam slide into place on the other side.


He pushed on the door to no avail. It was blocked. He looked at Crispian and shouted, "Lad you have to go outside! Find a wizard! We need to destroy this door quickly! Don't argue with me. Just go!"

Crispian sprinted out of the building, glad to have been blessed by Darnyk against fire earlier. He broke into the courtyard. "I need a wizard and a ram!" He looked about for Kromly, siege master for the League, but did not see him anywhere. "A WIZARD DAMN IT!"

 

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Arguyle watched Crispian run out of the house and then he turned to the door and drew his sword. The blade glowed red with magic and he swung hard. The blade crashing against the wooden door. Large pieces of wood flying as the blade bit into the door. Ashes fell from the ceiling and Arguyle looked up just as the heavy beam across the door jam fell. He raised his shield to try and deflect the beam but the force of it knocked him to the ground.


Then just as Arguyle was climbing back to his feet another beam came down across his back. The world went black. All that could be seen was the fringes of his Crimson and Gold cloak and the glowing sword still clutched in his gauntleted hand. The flames bouncing off of the shining armor.