“Looks like the sissy is going to bed,” he spat. “What’s wrong Traven? Is our company not good enough for you?”
Traven didn’t know what to say, but luckily Rodham saved him.
“Leave the boy alone Drake. Come on Traven. You can take the first watch along with me.”
Traven followed Rodham to the wagons under Drake’s glare. He did not understand why Drake disliked him so much. The noise around the campfire once again resumed, but Traven couldn’t make out what was now being said.
“Don’t let Drake bother you. He’s just jealous that Meritza’s paying more attention to you than him. He’s used to being the center of attention because of his skill with the sword.”
Rodham then explained to Traven what was expected of him while he was on watch and sent him to the second wagon on the left. Traven climbed to the top of it and stared out at the shadowed landscape. It was hard to see very much with the moon only being a sliver, but after keeping his eyes shut for a slow count of ten and opening them again he could make the landscape out dimly. Rodham had told him this would let his eyes adjust quicker to the dark, and he had been right. He also told him not to look back at the fire or else his eyes would have to adjust all over again. Traven kept a sharp look out on the countryside before him but soon began to get bored, and he let his thoughts wander. So if Meritza really actually liked him, what was he going to do about it? Maybe he would pick her some flowers the next morning. He strained his eyes to see if he could see the outline of any flowers but did not see anything but the grass of the plains. Well, he would just have to keep a look out for any flowers along the road tomorrow.
He was just about to slip back into his thoughts when he thought he saw something move on the horizon. He figured his mind was just playing tricks on him but strained to see if there really was anything on the horizon. He noticed the stone against his chest beginning to get warmer as he struggled to see what was on the horizon, but he didn’t let it bother him. He was about to look away when he caught sight of movement once again. Then he saw more movement and more movement from several different spots on the horizon. It was not his mind playing tricks on him. There were definitely things moving towards them from the horizon and not just a few. As he watched, he noticed more and more dark blotches of movement slowly making their way towards the caravan. His heart started to beat rapidly as he quickly jumped from the wagon he was on and ran over to Rodham.
“There are people out there, and they’re headed this way,” Traven managed to get out. “Lots of them Rodham. What are we going to do? What are we going to do?”
“Calm down. Traven, calm down! What are you talking about? I haven’t seen anything.”
Traven quickly scampered up the wagon next to Rodham and pointed towards where the people were approaching them from. He could now clearly see that there were definitely a lot of them. Rodham stared where he was pointing for a few seconds and then shook his head.
“I don’t see anything. Maybe you should go to bed.”
“I’m telling the truth Rodham, and I am not seeing things that aren’t there. There really are people out there. We have to do something.”
“Traven, I have a good set of eyes. I have won many tournaments with my crossbow. If there were thieves out there, I’d be able to see them. Now, why don’t you just go and get some sleep. I can keep a look out by myself until our watch is over.”
“I am not seeing things,” Traven practically screeched. He could now make out that it was a very large group of men with weapons making their way towards the camp. “Just look one more time,” he pleaded desperately. “Please!”
“All right. One more time, but then you have to go to bed.” Rodham stared out into the darkness once again where Traven was pointing. “I still don’t see anything. I’m sorry but I think that you . . . wait. There is something moving out there.” He turned and looked strangely at Traven and then glanced back out. “It’s still too far away for me to tell what it is, but I’ll take your word for it. Run and tell Drake what’s happening. I’m going to stay here and watch for another minute. It looks like we’re going to find out just how good of guards we really are. Now hurry! We don’t have much time.”
Traven leapt from the wagon and ran as fast as he could towards the blinding light of the fire. This did not feel like the kind of adventure he had hoped for, not at all.
9
Traven burst into the ring of guards sitting around the fire and turned to Drake. He tried to tell him what was going on, but nothing came out. He tried again but only managed to get out a squeak as he wildly pointed in the direction that the men were coming from.
“What’s your problem now sissy,” taunted Drake. “Did you see a ghost or something?”
Traven finally was able to get out that there were a bunch of men heading for the camp. Drake immediately grew serious.
“How many? How far are they?”
“We don’t know yet,” Traven managed. He should have paid more attention and counted them when he saw them. It had looked like there were more than fifty though. “Rodham’s still trying to get a good look at them.”
Drake shouted a few orders to the other guards as he jumped up and ran for where Rodham was. Several of the guards began to extinguish the fire while the others went to retrieve weapons and wake Meritza. Traven had no idea what he was supposed to be doing, so he headed back towards where Rodham and now Drake were. They were both staring off into the darkness when he arrived.
“They’re definitely going to attack us, but they’re moving in really slowly,” Drake stated as he stared off into the darkness.
“I don’t think they know they’ve been spotted. I don’t know if I would have even noticed if Traven hadn’t pointed them out to me.”
Drake turned and gave Traven a strange look before turning back to the countryside. Traven climbed up on the wagon with the other two men. He could now see that there were far over fifty men. They had spread out to come at the camp from every direction but the river and were creeping along the ground cautiously as they got closer and closer. Traven could now see the almost nonexistent moonlight glinting off the already drawn weapons of their attackers. He had at first thought that the odds would be about two to one, but now he realized with despair it would be more like four to one. He was pretty sure that all together there were around a hundred men and told Drake and Rodham.
“I don’t think there are that many out there,” Rodham said, still straining to see what he could. “There are more than us definitely, but we have the element of surprise. It won’t be an easy battle by any means, but we can scare them away easy enough.”
Soon everyone in the camp had gathered behind the wagon and were looking up expectantly at Drake, waiting for orders. Traven had expected Meritza to be giving the orders but now realized exactly how it all worked. Drake was the head guard and deferred to Meritza in what she wanted, but when it came to fighting, he had control of the caravan and everyone obeyed him, even Meritza.
When everyone had gathered, Drake turned around to give orders. Traven watched with awe as Drake quickly told everyone of the situation and laid out his plan. If it worked how Drake said it would, many of the thieves would not even reach the camp. Hopefully this would deter the rest. If it didn’t, the guards would be ready for the rest of the thieves. In the camp, there were twenty-seven people including Traven, and everyone was assigned to do something. Two of the wagon drivers were women, and they were assigned to keep the horses under control in the center of the camp. The other three drivers were outfitted with bows along with five of the guards. They, along with Rodham, would make up the initial attack. When the thieves were close enough, all nine of them would begin to pick off the thieves. Rodham was positioned on the front wagon with two other bowmen. The wagons to either side were also topped by three bowmen.
Drake hoped that if the bowmen were able to kill enough of the thieves, the rest would scatter and run when his second wave of attack started. Two groups of four mounted guards would sweep out of the camp from either side of the lead wagon to fight from their steeds. Drake himself would lead the right group. The guards on their horses should be able to easily cut down the thieves on foot. Four of the other guards would stay at camp to plug up the four holes in between the five wagons and protect the camp. Meritza and a guard would guard the wagon that met the river on the left of the camp. Traven and another guard would protect the last wagon on the right side of the camp. They would protect the camp from being attacked from the flank if any of the thieves managed to make their way to the sides of the camp.
“Does everyone understand how this is going to work?” Drake asked, looking everyone over with an obvious pause on Traven. Traven along with everyone else nodded their heads in acknowledgment. “Make sure you all fulfill your assignments, and we should be able to not only repel the attack but help clean up these vermin. No one try and be a hero. I want as little injuries as possible. Now get to your places. Good luck. Fight with courage, die with honor!”
Everyone saluted by placing their right fists over their hearts. Traven quickly copied the salute and hurried to the back of the camp with Meritza and the two other guards.
“Sorry you have to be a part of this Traven. This isn’t going to be pretty,” Meritza said as they reached the back of the camp. She was fully dressed and alert despite just having woken up. She had a long bladed knife in each of her hands and another stuck behind her sash. “Be careful Traven. This isn’t a game. Thieves don’t care who they kill. Don’t take any foolish chances.”
Traven was startled as she reached up and he felt her lips brush against his cheek. She gave him another smile and headed off quickly for her post with one of the guards. Traven watched her graceful departure before turning.
“You are one lucky guy,” the guard remaining with him said as they headed to their post at the far right of the camp. “I’ve never seen her show more concern for anyone but Drake.”
Traven’s blush was lost in the excitement that he felt at the whole situation. When they reached the small wagon at the far right of camp, he could already see a guard positioned off to their left between the wagons. He glanced across the camp to where Meritza was. He would do as Drake asked and hold his position, but if Meritza was endangered, he would drop everything to save her. Meritza must be kept safe at all costs, even if it meant giving his life. He did not know if he could bear her loss. With that last thought on his mind, he turned and stared off into the night. If anyone tried to flank the camp, he would see them.
* * * * *
Rodham crouched on the top of the lead wagon, flanked by the other two best archers in the caravan. In the dark of the night there was no sound at all. Soon the silence would be broken with screams of death. Silence or turmoil meant nothing to him. In each hand he held a crossbow. They were extensions of himself. Ready for the onslaught, Rodham kept a watch on the approaching thieves. They were already beginning to climb the rise. He realized now that Traven had not been exaggerating. There had to be a hundred men closing in on the camp. He had never seen such a large group of thieves in all of his days as a caravan guard. He would not have his life ended by a bunch of scoundrels. They would feel the bite of his barbed bolts. They would feel the fury of the elite guards of Meritza’s caravan. The thieves would learn their mistake soon enough. For many, it would be the last mistake they ever made. The bandits had now reached the top of the rise. It was time to give the signal.
The tranquil silence of the night was suddenly pierced by Rodham’s high, shrill whistle. Immediately, he fired his bolts along with eight other arrows. Ten thieves suddenly dropped to the ground, never to rise again. Rodham immediately loaded two more bolts and let them fly. Blood curdling screams filled the night air as ten more thieves soon joined their dead comrades. Another ten dropped as the rest of the confused thieves finally realized what was happening. With the realization, the thieves suddenly surged forward with furious shouts in a mad rush for the caravan. The bowmen continued to rain death upon the approaching horde and another twenty had been silenced forever by the time the thieves crushed into the caravan. Rodham grinned as mounted guards dove into the fight from either side of him. However, the thieves did not retreat. Their startled faces contorted with rage. To Rodham’s great amazement, many turned on the horsemen with uncontrollable rage. He began to pick the crazed thieves off just as the wagon next to him suddenly burst into flame. The night was immediately bathed in orange light that showed the carnage taking place all around the camp. These were definitely not normal bandits.