Interlude: Warning King Aled

Post by **TetNak** » Fri Jan 22, 2016 9:11 pm

"Are you sure we should?" Dewyr asks, but follows Amlaib anyway.

Amlaib leads the others under a thick grove of trees. You can smell the Wild Hunter and the prisoners. The prince hears the crying of babies and muffled talk of men and woman. Everyone once in a while he hears a loud yell, scream, or angry bark.

Olligarchy · Post by **Olligarchy** » Fri Jan 22, 2016 9:18 pm

Doing his best to hide his own dread, Amlaib nods,"Your father asked for confirmation and we shall deliver it." Hedging his way through the hedges with the experienced hands of a hunter he slowly pulls up to the edge of the grove, hoping to get a good look at the people to gauge their well-being and the strength of the Hunts host.

Post by **TetNak** » Fri Jan 22, 2016 9:25 pm

Amlaib peeks through the brush, and although everything is fairly close up, he takes a few minutes to get an overall bearing of what's going on around him.

There are fifty or so prisoners and a similar amount of warriors. The warriors all wear masks of varying types, concealing their identities. Some are wounded, she notes, but their strength in force looks very much intact.

There are a couple wagons and plenty of horses, mostly stolen from Hyllr, she assumes. In the wagons are provisions, also stolen from her people. The prisoners are without exception women or children. There appears not child older than four or five. Babes cry and their mothers attempt to sooth them, but all the adults are silent in fear. Amlaib recognizes most, if not all of them, as his people.

Olligarchy · Post by **Olligarchy** » Fri Jan 22, 2016 9:35 pm

Looking to Dewyr, Amblaib raises his right hand and raises all five fingers and then makes a fist, signalling fifty as he takes stock of the Hunt in this guise. They were outnumbered, but not so badly if the hird of Caer Myrd would join them... a surprise attack tonight might well be enough to tilt the odds to an easy victory, allowing for the Corieltauvi to survive as a people.

Taking a while longer to track the way the Hunt moves, Amblaib eventually falls back with the lot and looks to the Brigantes with him.

"Your thoughts?"

Post by **TetNak** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 3:34 pm

Dewyr sighs, "No doubt what you say is true. I do not believe Saxons would take so many prisoners. They would not be dressed as this either." He frowns, "This will go hard on father. He is not quick to act, you must realize. The safety of our home is at stake, and they do not appear to know there is a town nearby." He looks Amblaib in the eyes, "I will tell him the truth of both these things and he will decide, Prince."

Olligarchy · Post by **Olligarchy** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 4:12 pm

For a long moment Amblaïb considers his options, but then in a slow nod he moves over to Nuallan and whispers to him just outside of Dewyr's range, ordering for him to stay behind and should Amblaïb himself not return in a timely fashion for him to draw the attention of the Hunt and make for Caer Myrd with the horde hot on his heels. Knowing full and well his old friend would not embrace this choice whole-heartedly, Amblaïb locks gazes with him and grasps his neck firmly, but gently.

"For me."

Swallowing, he turns back to face the Brigantes youth with his best smile.

"Of course, we all do what we must. Lead on to your father then, Prince."

Post by **TetNak** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 4:16 pm

Nuallan frowns and eventually simply nods. "Be careful," he says as Amblaib leaves him.

When the Prince returns it is clear the old king hasn't been idle. The warriors are ready, walking along the wall, circling Caer Myrd, and guarding the entrances. They allow Dewyr and Amblaib to pass as they march back to the king's hall. Aled looks up at Dewyr and smiles, obviously worried about his offspring. "His words are true. I believe it to be the Wild Hunt. But I also think they will walk by us and leave us alone, for now."

Olligarchy · Post by **Olligarchy** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 4:24 pm

Amblaïb nods, only confirming the Princes words.

"For tonight. But as we spoketh... what of the morrow?"

Post by **TetNak** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 4:26 pm

"I am of a mind to let them pass by," King Aled says, "Their numbers will only lower through war. The Darkwoods shall keep us as they always do."

Olligarchy · Post by **Olligarchy** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 4:32 pm

"Have my words passed on by these halls as they do through the woodlands?" Amblaïb practically snaps. His temper was finally becoming riled and the frustration, fear and troubles of the loss of his kin were beginning to show their toll as he did his best not to insult the king and his misbegotten ilk, but said men would prefer to thrust their faces into the sand, still... he does his best to moderate his tone, even if not very successfully.

"You may well allow them to pass tonight, but what of the morrow? I know I have no right to demand anything of you, King Aled... but remember what the Romans taught our peoples in the centuries past. To ignore a greater enemy out of fear or self-gain today means they shall only strike at you on the morrow in greater strength, and any friends you may have had in the past will choose the same path as you did before.... so I ask you King Aled to make the wise choice, the choice that I... as the King of Corieltauvi would have made yesterday: the choice to strike today lest you find the enemy at your door when they are ready and you are not. If you were to aid the Corieltauvi this night, you would gain an ally for all the nights to come, and should an enemy come to your door we would rally to your aid as surely as you did on this night."

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