South of Windstorm

[Manassieur]

There was a languid coolness to the air, a frailty poised with both spirit and tension as men wrestled as much with expectation and dreams of glory as they did with the labor at hand.

On the shoreline, Mannisieur sat in his chair. It was high-backed, crafted from solid wood, and covered in stitched hide sewn by the finest tailors in his home city. The chair had been brought along aboard the Orage, kept in his private study until they set foot upon English soil. He hadn't sat in the chair once throughout the journey - the chair was a strategem to him, a pure channel of God's intricate wording that once sat in would guide the thoughts of a master tactician as to how a battle could be won.

That's what Manassieur believed.

He did not tell of this belief to any of his commandants though. The only mention of the chair to Officers was to bring it down from the ship, and that it was worth more than their lives. They had laughed then, believing it a casual joke. It was not.

The five other ships from the fleet had also sailed in and anchored just off the mainland. There were at least a thousand men tracing the shoreline already; the force in total capped almost 3000 men but he could not be sure ((ooc i.e. need to confirm this with the invasion force and ws))

It was as Vinzelles had predicted; there was little military activity south of their border. Like the serpent beneath the apple tree, he had slithered in within touch of the branches. And like the serpent, he would let other hands pluck the fruit while he waited for it to fall into his lap, where venomed fangs waited to suckle on godless flesh.

"Scouts have confirmed an arrangement of villages and settlements scattered around the region, Capitan. Our forces shall bring ashore provisions and necessary equipment to establish a base of operations within the next few days."

Mannisieur looked to his offsider from his shade beneath a canvas canopy, stretched out between adjacent trunks. The artificial shadow obscured his face, hiding his eyes which had in fact been closed. He did not hear one word the officer said, and so was merely content to just nod and gesture for the man to be on his way.

As the soldier left, he pursed his lips together and stroked at his chin. The number of rings upon his thin fingers numbered an extraordinarily dense amount, looking as if the gathered jewellery weighed as much as a gauntlet itself.

He lowered his hand to his side and gripped the hilt of his rapier. Pulling it from its scabbard, he raised it up in front of his face. In the gleaming silver surface, he could see the blue tinges of his eyes staring back at him. Blades fascinated him immensely; the shape, the sharpness, the sleekness and the swiftness of skill that turned them into the deadly objects of warfare that placed another's life into the hands of the weilder. It made a man a God.

Lowering the sword, he fumbled around with his free hand for his wine bottle. Finally managing to clasp it firmly around the neck, he brought it up quickly, splashing some of the liquid onto his chest, but soon the warm nectar began to spill down his throat. In truth, he didn't mind waiting. Carrier pidgeon, enemy soldier or a white flag of surrender would come soon enough.

Another officer came towards his makeshift oasis.

"Capitan, we have just received word. Captain Vinzelles has sailed directly into Windstorm and now communes with the enemy."

Manassieur kicked his feet up onto a table and ran the flat of his blade along his forehead. "So it begins. Who is the enemy now, no?"

With that final cryptic response leaving the young officer adopting a bemused expression, Manassieur simply laid back in his chair and closed his eyes. He breathed in the air of this foreign land, seeing the mountains that beckoned him, the glory that would nuzzle him, and hearing only the words of God in his ears.

[Sinold Bragasson]

(OOC: Great post! Manassier is a real hard arse eh? just one thing... the number of men he commands is closer to 400 than to 3000!

[Mannassieur]

((argh, stupid extra 0, where did that come from? thanks sinny =P))

[Dream Loxley]

(( *Shudders*...hmmm nasty man indeed Could you please say roughly how far south you are? Many thanks. Oh and... we have cliffs, hills and dales..... no mountains to climb. ))

[Admin]

((hmmmm 400 french.... Dorian and Lan ..fair fight I think... Grins))

[A Frank Officer]

(The Frankian expedition forces landed on the small cape between what is nowadays known as St. Austell Bay and Fowey harbour. Towards WS it's approximately 20 miles, or a good day's march)

[Ranger Godfrey]

*There were just the four of them.....including the lad Jorgen. Little crouched down...his face contorted then and he grimaced...his knees protested at having his large frame any other way than upright. Jorgen stared in front of him...peering from behind the bushes that began the many miles of forests upon the cliffs. They had tavelled the last hour by foot, having left their mounts in a secure location with several more Rangers.

The breeze rustled through the trees....Oaks, Beech and Chestnut gave a dense covering to the lands....and the sounds of the leaves dancing may have helped to disguise thier journey through the forest. The high placement of cliffs gave a good view down to the coves and headland....they were still near on a mile from the scene that unfolded before them, but their eyes saw all they needed to.

Little placed his hand upon Godfrey's shoulder...mainly to ease his way to standing, then he touched Jorgen's arm as a signal to move away again. Todd had stood behind them...his eyes searching the trees and never once glancing to where his fellow men looked. They would tell him soon enough, but for now he watched their backs, as was his teaching.

Godfrey stood .......nodding to his comrade.....he had seen enough and moved back along the track. He notched an arrow and aimed far off into the dense woodland. As he let loose the flight, he knew it would land near enough to where another Ranger was hiding. He too would repeat the action and finally the group who waited with the horses would make ready to welcome their men and set off back to the Castle.

Only when Little felt sure of his own mind did he speak in hushed tones.*

"Did ye see how many......aye...theys nae 'ere jist fer a picnic ......'an tha one in tha big chair......pompous arse but 'e would slit ya throat as soon as looks at ya ah wager. Best git word ta Robin an' tha Castle."

*The four then broke into a steady run.............*

[Ranger Will]

He was waiting impatiently for word from his friends and was pacing back and forth in the clearing when he stopped and listened intently. The whistling arrow dropped from the sky slowly, its force spent, and he ran the 20 feet or so and picked it up studying the small hole within the head . Marvelous thing that, he thought to himself, then notching it to his bowstring he turned and sent the arrow forwards again.

As he listened to its song as it left his bow and headed towards its's destnation, he reminded himself to give either Todd, Little or Godfrey a good ribbing about being off target by at least ten feet. Laughing to himself...he waited for his friends to arrive.

[Ranger Nicholas]

Precisely on the point. As usual, when Will was shooting his arrows. Seemed Little, Todd and Godfrey had discovered something. Good…. he hoped. At least discovering something was better than not discovering anything at all. Notching the arrow, Nicholas sent the projectile off to its next station, making ready to get to the prearranged meeting point.

As he began to run, his mind turned towards those in the castle again, and one in particular. Would Sadhbh be safe? And all the others? Well, he would help make sure they were, his feet carrrying Nicholas along the forest floor with speed and sureness as any creature born within the embrace of the forest.

[Ranger Godfery]

*He could hear Little's laboured breathing... too much ale and good cooking he chuckled to himself. He slowed his pace just slightly....enough to allow his friend to keep up lest he would feel inferior. Jorgen was in front now...his young legs sprinting with ease as he glanced back and forth several times.

Todd raised his hand to acknowledge he had spotted Will and amid some breath catching and panting...the group gathered together. Each man checking his horse over and taking a drink of water from their bags.

Little regained some discipline in his legs and vowed to lessen his pipe intake and of course some of the ale... but only by one or two jugs. His friends and comrades had chuckled at that as they spoke between themselves of what news they now had.

A more serious tone was found as they spoke of plans and how to make ready for any forthcoming battle. Never would they underestimate any enemy, and always did they expect far more than at first they anticipated. The group looked to Gerrad who seemed to be pondering over the news as he ran a hand through his hair and scratched his head.*

[Ranger Gerrad]

*Gerrad mulled over the numbers, he did not write anything down but memorised what his fellow Rangers had told him. He stood suddenly looking to each man present and spoke to them as a whole.*

"Good work lads.......ah shall ride now to Robin and keep the lad with me. Now.......there be much ta be done whilst I am gone."

*As he continued, the men huddled closer, nods were exchanged....voices raised slightly as one man after another chipped in with another idea. There were a few chuckles and more heartier laughs as the plan became more solid, eventually they all stood up and moved towards their horses. Jorgen had tended them well....and of course heard nothing. Gerrad looked at his face full on..his eyes and gestures showing the lad to mount up and follow him. He had turned them and waved farewell to Little and the others, his heart still beating at a fast pace from the excitement.

It was clear within their minds...... they would move the people from their homes....send them up to Windstorm and place the notices around the villages. Perhaps even dig a few graves to make it look convincing. If they spread some grain about it would attracts rats....then..finally when all was in place, they would stay within the empty villages and await further instructions.

They knew from the amount of men they saw upon the beach that some would already have patrolled those homes nearer to the cove, so they would concentrate on the farms and villages further north towards Summersville....at least that was the plan, and it may work if the foreign blighters could read the words PLAGUE.*

[Robin of Loxley]

* He had just saddled His steed .........when Gerrad and Jorgen rode into the stables.............He listened intently as Gerrad told Him of the Franks gathered pon the shores nae only 20 miles away.........and then listened with amazement as Gerrad told him what Rangers Little, Todd and Godfrey and himself had planned to do..........

"The Plague?? Gerrad have ye lost thy mind ??"........then as he thought further..........it seemed like a good plan......very ingenious.........mayhaps it would slow the Frankish force down a little.............

"Gerrad...take three score of Rangers and get them to help ye and guide the Villager's to other village's...........and get Nicholas to send word to our allies that it is but a ruse and to nae be fearful".......He chuckled then and slapped Gerrad on the back............well done Gerrad...............Aelrick would be proud of ye all........... as i am"

He turned and headed back to the Great hall to speak with His King about the news of the Frankish force.......

[Chevallier Josserand]

Chevallier Josserand de Nanteuil looked wearily towards the tent where Lord manassier sat and pondered his next moves while the common soldiers and commanders dug in and began to erect a respectable camp.

Like many other nobles, Josserand had received the one or other favour from Vinzelles de Sennis –gold, markets rights, slaves, land in his case. Now had been the time when the councilor had asked for a return on the favours he had given, it was the reason Josserand was here. Personally, he had nothing against the English although they smelled, from his experience. However, when they began to conspire with the Vikings… that was something he agreed needed to be stopped.

His son could have gone in his stead, but Josserand could not bear the look of his mother when he would tell her the only son left to them would die far away from home. He had taken up the burden given to him and now he was here… like so many.

He looked with disdain towards Mannasier, wondering how such a man could have been given such a command as this. He was a butcher! What did de Sennis want with him here? Clearly, the objective was to bring back these men and women into the christain family of kingdoms, free from the Viking?

He spit onto the ground and averted his eyes from where he knew the jackal sat in his oh so precious chair. He had other work to do, and well he would do it. He owed de Sennis that much, even if he didn’t owe anything to the man calling himself his commander right now.

[Ranger Gerrad]

*He had greeted his leader with a polite nod and a firm grasp upon his arm. Perhaps his plan was a folly or nae...only time would tell. He was glad Robin saw such as a possibility for anything was better than this confounded waiting. Without dismounting, he nodded again and caught Jorgen's gaze with a gesture of his hand as he pulled his steed towards the gates.

Time would tell..... but for now he rode with the lad to the northern forests to gather enough Rangers and supplies. There was much to be done...and mayhaps not so long a time left to fulfill it all.*

[Jorgen]

*He lifted a hand to wipe the sweat from his brow...it was hot...dusty and hot. His hair clung to his face and his head itched. As he pushed the spade into the earth once more..he thought of what had been going on but still for the life of him he did not understand. The size of the hole he was digging with several others looked near big enough for a body, but only logs were being dragged into it and the soil piled high on top again.

He shook his head....a madness perhaps..... his face screwed up as he looked over at Gerrad. Something they ate or drank even. Still it was exciting to him and he had gone to the clearing and helped to gather tools and weapons. The ride back to the south of the Castle was at a hurried pace, and he felt the tinge of anticipation within the group of men who now toiled together. There were 2 cart loads of supplies hidden inside one of the barns, but still he could not fathom the reasons why.

He did get upset when some of the people there had gone...many women had looked very upset and had cried tears as they collected their belongings. He had given a little girl part of his bread ration and she had smiled at him then. Her eyes had been red from crying and his heart had beat very fast to see her so forlorn. He hoped he had cheered her, but soon enough he had gone back to work and left the others to do the sad work.

He did not need to know where they were going...the people who's homes he was now working around.....he was content for now...but by the Gods this was hard work.*