A Morning Ride, ((anyone is welcome))

[Gwendolyn]

The sun was just coming over the horizon when a yawn escaped the pale lips of the woman inside the main house of Dia Equana. Stretching, she glanced outside the window, seeing that it would be a calm day, just lik emost of the days in this peaceful country. The woman always woke with the sun; there was so much to do, and even then, there seemed to not be enough time to get it all accomplished. After slipping on a deep blue gown with a bit of silver thread for the embroidery, the lady went to the main hall to obtain something to eat before getting down to business.

First on the agenda was to visit the people, like she did every day and to gather their concerns. It didn't take long to reach the outside of her home and down into the marketplace area where people were already gathered, trading goods and services. She smiled and started conversing with a family before playing a game of catch with their little boy. During that moment, she thought back to all those days before this that she slipped away just to play with the children some more before sneaking back into bed late at night. The memories made her giggle before bidding the family good day and moving on.

True, there were two guards around just to insure that she remain safe, but it was as if the two were not present at all. Gwendolyn felt safe here; the country was no threat to any of their neighbors, not to mention the walled city would protect them in case war did come about. It was her duty as Queen to insure that the people remained unharmed and safe, and she would do her best to keep that peace intact. A soft breeze ruffled through her hair, which made her smile. "I think I am going to go for a ride." The brunette spoke, heading back to the 'palace' for a moment to retrieve her mare.

Moments later, she and her two escorts were racing across the open plains of Eponia, into the rising sun. Not only was it something she loved to do, but it was the only fast method to reach the other cities and villages. Along the river she could see the crops already starting to grow, the people bustling about with their herds. Those that saw her waved in greeting as she rode past, and the woman returned the gesture with a wide smile. A good start to a good day.

[Azanael]

Upon exiting her private chambers Gwendolyn was met by her two permanent bodyguards, Geoffrey and Boaz; the two bodyguards were sitting at apparent ease in the anti-chamber, their weapons close at hand and their vigilance no less supreme with their apparent ‘lounging’ around. Whilst most bodyguards would have been drawn and quartered for this apparent lounging, these particular guards had learnt to be ever alert and had developed their own method of protection that was fool proof. All would be assassins believed the two guards to be inept and thus would, with their over confidence, proceed with an attack that was doomed to fail. The guards would spring quickly and easily into action from their apparent ease and remove the assassin before ever anyone else knew of their existence. They were skilled, they knew it, but they did not allow it to fill their minds with over confidence and boastfulness.

As Gwendolyn moved from her chambers the two men stood and moved up beside and slightly behind her, assuming a protective position that would allow them to move quite easily to protect the Queen. Geoffrey, the bodyguard who had the best relationship out of the two with the Queen, proceeded to make small talk with her, ”My Queen, how are you fairing this fine day? Is there anything that we might do for you before you begin your duties?” His inquiries were always the same, and the answers he received were, for the most part, always the same. It was a routine that gave assurance to both the Queen, her guards and her people.

The two guards followed her everywhere, to each of the places in her routine, often times meeting up with larger contingent of guards when they moved through more public places. Sometimes larger contingents would follow the Queen all of the time, depending upon the reports from the various spy networks or the occasions for that particular day or season. Regardless, always there was Geoffrey and Boaz, the two most reliable and skillful men in her Kingdom, as far as she knew anyway.

Both of the guards glanced at each other when the Queen made up her mind for a ride through the countryside; for her it was a simple ride, for them it was a nightmare to protect her; so many risks and variables that would make the task harder and harder. Regardless they would not disobey their Queen and thus they prepared their own horses so that they could follow her. As much as they dreaded the rides, they also enjoyed them; seeing their queen so happy and feeling the air through their hair and cooling down their armoured forms; it was indeed a wonderful experience.

That was until they saw the smoke upon the horizon and moments later saw a line of refugees moving down the road toward Eponia’s capital. The refugees were still some way off, but a quick ride down the gentle slope, around a paddock and then onto the road would soon put them in front of the refugees. Even at their distance they were able to make out the glint of armour and weaponry at the head of the pack, though that fellow seemed to be limping and his armour was dirty and sullied with dried blood.

[Gwendolyn]

Having left her quarters in preparation for the day, the woman had come across her two escorts; the never seemed to leave her side for any condition. Many a time she had often told them to relax; what oculd possibly happen in a peaceful realm such as this? Every day seemed almost the same as before, but regardless, she was grateful for their fealty. Geoffery, the more vocal of the duo, asked the same question as he did every day, to which she replied with a smile, "There is nothing that I can recall. I thank you for your diligence though; perhaps you would want to rest a little before beginning the day." But each time that offer was denied, as they did not wish to leave her alone as she went about the daily business.

As she progressed through the city checking upon its inhabitants, she noticed that some of the other men were following her as well, to which she didn't mind. In fact, before Gwendolyn had decided on the morning ride, she even conversed with some of them, mostly to keep their spirits lifted. Perhaps that made her different from the others; she cared more about the people's wellbeing than for her own safety. In this, she supposed she had a lot to learn yet, but what good was governing a country if the people rarely see their ruler, not to mention a ruler that doesn't undersatnd whatever plight has befallen them?

As they rode, the brunette gave several glances back at her escorts, almost realizing how difficult she was being. But if anyone deserved a break from their duties, it was those two men. Not a long one, of course, but just enough to show them that they could relax. But as they descended the hill that made up the capital city, something moved on the horizon. Rearing her mare to a stop, the queen peered into the distance, trying to make out what it was. Moving to take a closer look, she flicked her reins and brought Sirona to a trot. As the image was made more clear, her heart ached at the sight of the strangers coming down the road toward her. But where were they from? What happened to them?

Since it was her duty after all, her mare was halted before the lead refugee and a question was asked in a gentle tone, "What happened?" Dismounting, Gwendolyn moved over to the man that was limping and supported him, not afraid to sully her own clothes to assist him. Turning to her guards, she asked one of them to ride back for more assistance. Hopefully, the wounded man was still alive enough to reveal his story. "Where did you come from?" Was her second inquiry, mostly just to insure that if anyone else came, the kingdom should be prepared. War was something she disliked greatly, but if there was no other choice, then it had to be done, though with a very heavy heart.

This post has been edited by Gwendolyn on Jun 6 2008, 01:32 AM

[Azanael]

The armoured fellow at the head of the contingent stopped when he saw the mounted woman and her two guards’ approach, the column behind them slowing and eventually stopping also as people congregated to see what transpired. Many recognized their Queen and sent whispers back along the column informing the rest that their Queen had found them and that they were safe now. Many sighed with relief; others grumbled that she should have been there to protect them when they had needed her most. Mostly though those people were chastised and the ground descended into an eerily silence as the armoured man at the head spoke.

”Raiders. They attacked at dawn last night. Killing all whom stood in their way. Such were their numbers that the town guard could do little to stop them. We managed to gather some of the population and flee, however the majority were already dead, wounded or captured and we could do nothing for them. We were harassed once again by the raiders early this morn, however we managed to beat them back, though we lost the remaining twelve of the city guard.” He was tired and limping, however he did not allow her to hold him up or assist him in that manner, and it seemed he was a stubborn middle-aged man who was using a long stick to hold him upright. Though the stick was only a necessity because of the wound he had sustained to the leg, the reason for his limp. His face and armour were covered in blood and dirt that he had not seen the need to wash off given their being pressed for time and the fact that everything he had known in his town had been burnt.

The smoke upon the horizon was thicker than before, giving the indication that the fires in the town had consumed the entire village now. By the time they arrived there would be nothing left but the bare burnt husks of buildings. Boaz was the guard who turned his horse about and set off at breakneck speed back to the Capital to bring a contingent of Guard to assist the refugees, and to also assemble a force that they could take to the town in pursuit of the raiders.

[Gwendolyn]

Perhaps it was true that she should have been there, but unlike her father, who no doubt would have been there and seen to such things, she was still a woman; even some of her guards would often say she did too much. Gwendolyn may be a queen, but status didn't matter when the lives of innocent civilians were at stake, and she knew long ago that even the highest of titles didn't protect one from incidents and conflict. Glancing at the others, her heart ached as some mentioned that she should have stopped this, but how could she have known? And raiders, here? Glancing up at the thickening plume of smoke on the horizon, she guessed that once that village was done and destroyed, those raiders would no doubt come further inland seeking more treasures.

"You are in safe hands now. Once my guard returns with more men, you and the others can find refuge in the city. The citizens there will see to it that you're all well cared for and resting; I can tell some wounds look serious. Do not worry; those raiders will not reach further than they have." She spoke calmly, though fear welled within her soul. True, it was not a leader's place to feel such an emotion, but she was still human. All she wanted to was have this realm remain in peace for the rest of her days, but with war on the horizon...would it ever come again? A few tears welled in her eyes as the brunette added, "I am sorry for your loss; they fought bravely. I will remember them in my prayers. Come, we should keep going. If there are any young ones or seriously injured, they can ride Sirona." She gestured to her mare.

[Azanael]

Upon first looking at the armoured man before her the Queen had not been immediately aware of what armed force he hailed from, though it was simply assumed that he was one of the regions town guard or perhaps a retired guardsman who had joined the militia when the raid began; it only now become obvious to the Queen that the uniform of the armoured man before her bore a symbol that was not altogether foreign to her, but it was not one that had been seen in her Kingdom for a great many years. She remembered the symbol due to it being contained in one of her father’s journals; that particular section of the journal spoke of a band of men that his father had discovered. This band proved to be particularly skilled; however they would not join Eponia’s army. Her father had asked for a reason why they would not join the Army when they were obviously Martial Men. The reply he was given was that they were preparing for something, a time when they would be needed, for a certain prophecy to begin. Her father had not been able to find out what prophecy was being alluded to, nor could he convince any of the band, or even the surrounding villages, to join the army; such was their devotion to this unknown Band.

The armoured man nodded slowly at the words of the Queen, ”My Queen, my guard and I will remain here until your reinforcements arrive, to ensure the raiders penetrate no further into Eponia.” The armoured man turned and gave orders before informing the refugees that they were now in safe hands and would be escorted by the Queen and her guard to the Capital City. In short order the refugees continued down the road and off to one side the Armoured Man and his Band assembled. They numbered roughly forty strong, though most of them were injured in some manner. They could have stopped the raiders themselves, though to do it they would have had to sacrifice the refugees; essentially the Band had sacrificed themselves in order to keep the towns people safe and ensure they escaped.

[Gwendolyn]

There was a symbol on the man's armor that she noticed, but didn't think too much of it then; the safety of the refugees came first and foremost. Now that the situation would be taken care of as soon as the reinforcements arrived, Gwendolyn turned to look at the man once more, only realizing that the symbol looked strangely familiar. While trying to hink on where she had seen it before, she decided to try and obtain more information on how this unfortunate incident occured. First off, she needed to know his name; it was only proper.

"I would like to ask you your name, if I may. I appreciate your willingness to remain and protect the others, but I can tell that some of them need care now. Even if you were to go and fight them now, I cannot stand by and watch wounded men die upon the battlefield. I may be foolish for thinking this, but your safety, and that of the others, matters to me." She spoke, the concerned expression growing. "Do you know where these raiders came from? How many of them are there, and how far away are they now?" It was then she recalled where she had seen that symbol before: In her father's books, inside one of the journals he kept. It was mentioned in a spot where he had come across a group of men who excelled in warfare, but had declined the offer to join the army. A prophecy was mentioned, but no specifics as to what it entailed.

Gwendolyn looked toward the captical city, expecting the men to return any moment now. One final question was asked of the armored man before her, "Did you know my father?"

[Azanael]

”My name is Cylawin, Cylawin Heathcoat. And whilst we appreciate the thought that you care for our safety, this is what we were born and bred to do. Even wounded my men and I will hold these raiders until you return. It would be my suggestion for you to return to Dia Equana with the refugees and bring your guard as quickly as possible.” He had, at first, been unwilling to tell Gwendolyn the more intimate details of the raiders and what their movements were; at that time he had simply wanted for her to bring someone more militarily minded whom he could discuss dispositions with. However it seemed that the Queen was going to press him for information and now that she actually asked the question he could do nothing but answer it. ”We have seen these raiders before, they come from the small island on the eastern reaches of Eponia. They sail to varying regions of the coast, not usually our own regions, and rape, pillage and plunder coastal villages. Not only have they uncharacteristically raided Eponian lands this time, but they have penetrated further inland than ever before. As for their numbers? We can only ascertain the number that attacked the town, some sixty or so armed and armoured men and women. They are armed and armoured well also, no doubt from their plundering of the other kingdoms. We estimate, based upon their speed in travelling and their discipline that they are not very far behind us, an hour, perhaps two at the most. If no one remains here to halt the progress of the raiders then they will ravage the land here also; we cannot allow that.”

His case made he had been turning away from the Queen to rejoin his men; however her last question stopped him. He turned back to her and shook his head slowly, ”I did not know your father; at least no more than any other citizen does their ruler. He passed through a town I was living in once, and was seeking recruits for his army, but that was a long time ago” He alluded to no more than that. This fellow may well be too young to have joined her father’s army those years ago, but his father would have definitely been in a ripe age for it. Perhaps this was the next generation of the Band her father had experienced.

[Gwendolyn]

Hearing his name, Gwendolyn nodded while testing it on her tongue. But hearing the rest of his reply didn't fill her with much hope; he and the others still insisted on remaining even in their current state. "Boaz will return with reinforcements. You, your wounded, the women and children, will make for the city. Fresh soldiers can carry on the fight; if you remain and perish, who will pass your traditions onto your children? Do you not have a wife and offspring of your own? This may be something you were born and raised in, but it does not have to be that way. It does not have to end here, in your last, defiant stand. Besides, my army has horses in which to go and confront them quickly instead of walking there and wasting time." As for the replies concerning the raiders, of course she would want to know; that way once reinforcements show up she can explain what is happening and listen in on plans to counter this assault. And there was no way she was going to allow the raiders to reach further inland; what was left, anyway? A few towns for farming and foresting, nothing promising as far as riches were concerned.

Just as promised, the sound of hoofbeats echoed on the horizon, bringing with them at least a hundred armored men ready for battle. Several stopped in front of her, and she appraised them of the current situation, pointing in the direction in which the raiders were coming. Gwendolyn did ask that about twenty men stay behind to assist some of the more wounded of the refugees, and they oblidged, even going as far as to place some of them upon their own horses to make more time. Catching the answer to her latest inquiry, she turned back to face Cylawin. "The Mother will never forgive me if I allow you to let your life end here. Come back to the city with me and the others. I am not asking you to join my Horsemen, but I am asking that you allow your wounds to heal. There is time enough to fight another day, when you can fight at full strength and show the invaders what your Band if capable of. I understand your willingness to carry on even here, but now is not such a time."

[Azanael]

OOC: Kinda skipped ahead there a little didn’t you? But we’ll go with it.”

Cylawin’s jaw noticeably tensed, his jaw clenching with the order that he and his men needed to make for the city and would not be allowed to halt the progress of the raiders. He looked down at the ground debating strongly whether to disobey the orders of his liege and stop the raiders from pillaging more of the Kingdom, with the prospect of a strong reprimand and potentially his death because of it; or to follow her orders and allow the raiders the opportunity they needed to strike further inland. He thought for a great amount of time on it and always came back to one conclusion; she had ordered him and his men to leave, and his oaths forbid him to do otherwise. He looked back up to her, his jaw still tense, he did not like what he was about to do. ”As you order, my liege; I pray to Kaine that you are right about this.” He bowed, turning to his men he spoke, his words sharp and short, a clear indication of his displeasure, but only those who knew him would have realized it. ”Fall into the refugee line, we’re going to escort them to the Capital.” One of the men spoke up in protest, ”But my lord! More will per-!” He was cut off by Cylawin’s booming voice.

”You’ll do as you’re ordered, Armsman! Fall in!” He pointed to the line and watched as all of them moved back into their escort positions, all of them unhappy with the situation. He turned and inclined his head to the Queen, moving to the side of the line and moving forward to return to the head again.

The Queen waited in that place for a few hours, after all the guard had to be mobilized, equipment packed and soldiers assembled and mounted, and then they had to strike out in column and orderly to come to her location. Such a number of horsemen could move quickly, that was true enough, however taking one hundred horses over paddocks and farmland was not the same as two or three people, as the Queen had; the horsemen had to follow the roads throughout the Kingdom. By the time the horseman arrived two more plumbs of smoke had risen upon the horizon, these extended further to the east of the first one. The last of the plumbs to rise was very thick and, due to the sun’s downward decent in the sky, the light of the fires created a halo of red and orange upon the horizon. The fires were blazing terribly bright, or the fire was incredibly close. Upon further investigation Gwendolyn would find it was the former; the fire was in the distance, further away than the first fire, and was incredibly large.

The leader of the horseman rode up to the Queen, bringing his horse to a rest beside her, ”My Queen, what is the situation? And what are your orders?” The other horseman stayed in rank and file upon the road, ready to continue onward to the blazing villages.

[Gwendolyn]

((sorry about that. ))

She had made the choice, yes, but that didn't mean she felt good about doing so. It was nothing against the Band, but as Gwendolyn had stated before, a wounded man upon the battlefield was a dead man. Watching as the refugee group fell back into line to reach the capital, the brunette looked at Cylawin once more, as if to ask his forgiveness for this decision before facing ahead with Geoffrey at her side. The two were alone for the moment. Gwendolyn bowed her head, the expression on her face changing to one of deep sorrow.

"Did I make the right choice, Geoffrey? True, I knew nothing about this Band, but I truly felt that their safety mattered more than their creed. I may not be strong in matters of war, but I..." Looking toward the horizon, she passed the time just simply staring into the distance, expecting the raiders to come into sight any second now when her horsemen arrived, asking for the situation and future actions. Wiping away the silent streak of tears on both cheeks, she turned around to face the inquirer. "From what I have been told, there are about sixty men and women participating in these attacks. It also appears that they are on foot, making their progress slow." She pointed in the direction of the large bonfire. "That is where they lie now; ready to proceed further inland than before. Your orders..." A moment passed before she answered that portion. "...Your orders are to drive them back to the shores, by any means neccessary, and to check for any survivors."

There was a thought through her mind that she should go toward where the raiders were camped and try to discuss a peace agreement, but doubted her men would care for that option; that presented great danger indeed. This provided a safer alternative for the moment, and Gwendolyn hoped that the task could be accomplished without bloodshed, though such seemed impossible. Gods, forgive me...I am not strong enough to do this alone.