Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Aunty M was pacing, going over every detail with the Caption Rigs decided she might be able to get in with three wagons providing she can find enough men among the crowd of soldiers that would pass enough as county farmers. It was tight, but daylight was running short which in her case it was a good thing looking at the people she had with her. Arken and his men had things well under control putting people in groups mixing and matching. Yes, it was odd bunch when in a pickle jar there better be a whole lot of vinegar and oil.

It wasn’t a long trip too town about an hours drive with a wagon, but they were in hurry. Not knowing the dangers around the area and being so close to the battlefield the previous night. They needed those tents and bad and Jaydan needed these men to protect the people.

Considering they were at least a week’s ride to the main company surrounding the front of the stronghold. Keeping Morgan at bay as much as possible, but their resources were running down according to Jaydan and somehow Morgan knew that by his spy’s in the towns. It seemed every time they had a foothold Morgan took it away from them.

Aunty M pointed to the old dirt road up ahead. “Boys, this will takes us into town, now then their's an old shack right behind the barn if we just....” Aunty M see horses and men coming towards them. “Wait here!” Aunty M taking the reins nice and easy rides up ahead to the horses and men. “Well now, aren’t you sight for sore eyes. It’s all right boys,” waving to them.

“Hello, Margaret,” Nathaniel replied.

Margaret yelled back. “It’s just Nathaniel and his boys.”

“I thought I told you to leave weeks ago?” He intoned.

“Oh I did, but there’s a problem, the town I was supposed to go to is now gone.”

Gone?” He replied in shock.

“Yes gone, destroyed, burnt, dried up gone.”

Nathaniel's face went white with shock. “And the people?” He asked.

Margaret looks down at the ground. “We think we have most of them.”

“Most?” Nathaniel's heart was breaking as he looked at Margaret. Margaret slowly tries to tell him what happened as the tears forms in his eyes looking towards the west. “What about Ned?” He asked.

“He’s there with them with the group, but Granny, we haven’t found yet we are going to resume the search as soon we can get these people we have taken care of tonight at least. We have very little of anything except the clothes on our back and what we could find that wasn’t destroyed.”

Margaret could see the fire burning in Nathaniel's eyes as he gets on his horse and leaves in the wind. He was heading towards the camp. She knew the anger well and the rage as she watched the wind push him towards the camp. But there was nothing she could do for him, others were waiting as she pushed on. “Fella’s, I need those tents.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And whatever you can give me.”

* * * *

 

Nathaniel riding hard as the wind blows him towards the camp, his mind racing for his loved ones that may be dead or trapped reaching the campsite sees the people of Springfield and many campfires of families.  Jaydan looked up at his old friend standing on the hill his eyes burning for his lost love. Nathaniel gazes around once more before entering the campsite by Jaydan near the edge of the water he noticed. He too was grieving, for he has not yet found Lizzy.

“Come to take your place I hope Nathaniel?” He asked.

Nathaniel gazed out among the fields. “No my friend. You are just not that lucky, we have two women and they are both lost and we just can’t find them,” trying to stay positive.

“But I can tell one thing my friend your in heap of trouble.”

“How so?”

“Because you left yourself open to anyone, you have no men, no supplies, nothing.”

“Well, we do have one thing that Morgan doesn’t have and wishes he had.”

“What’s that?” He asked.

“Walk with me.” Jaydan takes a stroll over to where Mrs. Tweed is holding the boy on her lap and have all her children around her. Jaydan smiles as he nods giving them each a plumb he got off a tree and book for the boy.

Nathaniel turned three shades of white grabbing Jaydan arm. “Are you mad?  You just can’t do things like that.”

“I didn’t Nathaniel, Jeff did.”

“He did what?”

Nathaniel walking quickly to a quiet corner casting ward so they could talk. Jaydan quickly breaks it down watching Nathaniel's eyes pop out his head as watched the Tweeds with the boy. “Now I know you are insane,” Nathaniel replied.

“Well, we were fine until things went south a bit.”

“A bit?” Nathaniel looked around, “You have no homes, 300 people or more strand in middle of nowhere; oh did I mention these people are not from this part of the world.”

“That’s why I need you, Nathaniel, to take charge because I have no clue what I’m doing.”

“No Jaydan, Derrick left the task for you, the brotherhood left the task to you. My task is protecting a town going up against that buffoon sitting on a hill which in time will figure out what has happened.”

“Then why are you here if are not going to help me, Nathaniel, because I have enough to worry about,” Jaydan replied.

“I know you do!” Nathaniel paced back and forth looking at the people. “Just don’t go anywhere for few days is all I’ am asking, but you are too much in the open friend you need get closer to that mountain for some protection. So what’s for dinner considering I am staying?”

Aunty M arrived with cheers and 6 extra riders 4 more wagons full of goods coming down the road.  The Whitmore’s were driving one of the teams full of tents with Grandma Stuart seating next to Lenny in a new hat. Things were looking up as they unload the wagons of all the goods. Grandma was in tears seeing all the grand-kids giving them all a big hug. Then Arken picks up Sylen hands him to her to hold as he puts his little arms around her. She wept like a baby, she was so happy to see him and him too.

It was so hard giving him back to Ma so she could feed him again. In which they decided would share the job with each a spoon and fork cutting up his meat then wiping his chin with a kiss. He was spoiled as his brothers pick him up to carry him on their backs throughout the camp. Ma yelling “please be careful,” but Pa was always close by and so was Jaydan.

Ma had noticed the same three people as they watched her boy, and had a very cold feeling every time she walked by them.  She wasn’t sure which one as she sits and watched her children play in the field. The menfolk had the tents set up in groups of twenty selecting a person from each group to be the quartermaster which was under the Caption. Theirs was six tents down from Jayden's group with Pa as their Caption and Mr. Sprigs was the quartermaster. Ma didn’t like Mr. Sprigs too much and thought he was full hot air.

The Whitmore’s were in another group, they were hoping they would be in theirs, but that’s ok considering they are all together anyway in one field. It almost reminds EJ of their tepee in front of the house except Ma’s table was outside. Here they ate on the ground with bark they cleaned off trees for plates or clay chipped plates that were found undamaged in the houses and mess hall. You had to be quick to get a good plate around here as he watched the wizards with status summon his which wasn’t fair to the rest of them.

Jaydan was true to his word when he said. “I want their belly full,” as he hands Ma another plate to feed him and one for her as well. The word around the camp is that Sylen caught the black plague from eating poison food on one of the worlds they traveled on and he was being nursed back to health. So far people are buying the lie considering it is everywhere and seeing signs of it here as well. That’s why they are keeping their distance from them which is fine, but they did wish they’d stop looking at them so strange, it gets to be annoying sometimes.

Jaydan and Nathaniel walked the outskirts of the camp watching the camp. “Nathaniel I am just not cut out for this job. They know it as I look into their eyes I feel it when I walk through the camp. I can barely protect myself let alone a group of people. All I was doing is finding a good wife, have a few kids, settle down for a while and take the load off. I have done my part.

“Instead somehow, somebody screwed those plans up. I wasn’t meant for this. You, on the other hand, can handle a sword better than any man I have ever known, knows how to lead and can get men to follow. What I am trying to say is…” Jaydan looked over the hill seeing a cloud of dust and dark clouds. Jaydan pointed running down the hill yelling. “Everyone, quickly get over by the mountain.”

Nathaniel face turned with anger as he watched the Dark Knights fill the sky around the people as they scream for cover.  It was a madhouse as they leave the wagons and last of their supplies out in the open for anyone to destroy. Margaret was so angry as her eyes burned white hot with the staff in her hand sizzled when she raised it. Her hair looked like it was on fire. She pointed the staff in the air a large red light flickered white as it trickled down as she waved with such power. Creating a dome of shielded glass around the base of the mountain, nothing in or out could harm them as they watched Morgan’s riders of death hounds and knights try as they might enter as the shadow hits with all its force.

Nathaniel on the outside of the shield striking with such rage as thunderbolts from the sky slashed, fought the knights. Margaret cutting an opening at the base of the mountain so the people could have a place to go away from danger as Jaydan leads them to safety. The rocks themselves melting in Margaret path as she pushed onward until the hole in the mountain cavern was large enough to hold everyone. Her eyes burning as her staff lights the rocks so they burn giving off a soft light for the people to see then nods to Jaydan as she burst open and seals the cavern closed.

Then a large light brighter then the sun peeks through cracks you hear Margaret scream almost laughing. “Is that the best you got Morgan?” As she quickly transported to his stronghold. Morgan looked out the window in the courtyard at a woman standing among all his dead knights and laughed at him. “I thought I would return these to you, my old friend!” Tossing a sword that missed him by inches as it stabs into a wall of brick melting itself to its base.

Margaret leaves kicking open the gate down to the field salutes to Caption in charge hands him his new orders. “Yes, my Lady of the light!” As she made a gate by sending them quickly too Jaydan where they are needed, then laughs pointing her staff Morgan’s courtyard and walls and blows them to pieces. Heads on back to camp to hug and kiss all the children and tuck them into bed like a good nanny.

Expect Nathaniel was still mad. I mean really mad as he looked down the mountain. “That’s twice Morgan tried to kill my people and my wife is still missing.” The only thing that was holding Nathaniel back was Margaret as she steps in his path in front of the courtyard.

“No Nathaniel. This is not the time or the place!” As Nathaniel looked up at Morgan’s tower his fist clenching white hot with anger. Margaret could see she was losing a battle of the mind with him. “You can’t and you know why, think about it if you go in there half-cocked that just what he wants you to do. Anger feeds him, emotion feeds him, and you do this you are jeopardizing everyone, not just you or me, everyone.”

“I guess your right, but I don’t like it,” as Nathaniel's lips curl eyes blazing towards the tower. Nathaniel with one swipe of his hand as he curls it with such force the tower crumbled.

Margaret slaps him hard. “Suppose EJ was or should I say Jeff was in that tower.” She replied.

“Ouch,” rubbing his face, “he wasn’t!”

“And how do know that Nathaniel?” She asked.

“I to have a spy inside, they moved the boy to better quarters. But it did need some remodeling, after all, he tore my town apart let's see how he likes it.”

Jaydan and the people were glad to see Nathaniel and Aunty M as she unsealed the cavern for them, but it was decided for now after taking inventory of all the goods that were scattered everywhere mostly ruined. To save what they can and put them inside the cavern.