The Lady’s Quest – 2

The Emerald Heights Patrol

The first day of the week was typically a slow day, the village of Thunderwind was no exception. There was a simple explanation in Urd’s mind, people were reluctant to get dirty the day after bath day, especially if they had been lucky in love the night before. Urd was using the day to inventory and examine the party’s gear and supplies. Urd was always mindful of how hard traveling was on equipment and how quickly supplies were consumed.

Abi gasped as she opened the medicine chest. “It’s nearly empty.” she said, “We weren’t in any fights or skirmishes, how can this be?”

“Just think of all of the cuts, scrapes, bruises, and burns the ten of us have had on the trail over the last month, it adds up.” replied Urd.

“I can go look for medicinal herbs,” Abi said shutting the lid on the small chest.

“Good, take Brynhild with you, what you can’t find, purchase from the apothecary.” Urd said.

It was after mid-day when Urd finished the inventory. She sent Ljufa and Sigvald to the market to purchase what they needed to repair or replace equipment. Leaving Finnur and Swein to watch the mules and gear, Urd left to meet with Lady Greenholme.

Lady Greenholme was seated at one of the tables in the common room of the inn. Ulfrik sat to her right and Biorn Marsson was on her left. There were few other people in the room, a serving girl had just started a fire in the room’s fireplace. As the serving girl stood and turned to leave the room, Urd realized it was Molly, the Dwarven girl from the Mead Hall. Leaving the room, Molly smiled and gave Urd a slight nod.

Lady Greenholme also smiled at Urd. “Damn,” Urd thought, “Ulfrik must’ve told Lady Greenholme everything from last night.”

“Please be seated, Urd Snorrissdottir, Ulfrik Olvirsson has informed us of what you learned last night.” said Lady Greenholme.

She was speaking formally in front of her two retainers as Urd took the seat opposite of Lady Greenholme. “Thank you, my lady, we strive to aid you in any way we can.” said Urd.

“Hmmfph,” grunted Biorn Marsson, “Doesn’t seem like much to me.”

“We’ve only been here a day. With more time, we can learn what the people of this village know about raiders” Ulfrik replied.

“Time? Time is too valuable to squander on local peasants trying to find what no longer exists.” Marsson sneered.

“If we press these people too hard, they might decide not to help us” said Ulfrik.

“Gentlemen, there’s no need run roughshod over these people, tell me what we should know and I will get it for you” said Lady Greenholme.

The two huscarls looked puzzled, so Urd asked, “How will you do this Lady Greenholme?”

Beaming a large smile, Lady Greenholme answered, “By serving tea.”

A freezing rain fell the next day, but that did not deter the village elders and their spouses from arriving at the White Goose Inn for tea with a noble lady. Chief among them was Knut Ulfgrimsson, Jarl Lyengar’s retainer who commanded the garrison. Urd had not been invited, the soiree was for those of a higher social class. She didn’t mind as long as there was a chance Ulfrik and Lady Greenholme could find anything of use to aid their quest.

Urd and the rest of the band were out of the rain in the inn’s stable. Ljufa and Swein were playing a board game of Nine Men while Abi and Brynhild were engaged in a wrestling match to the amusement of Finnur and Sigvald. Urd sat in front of the stable’s open door reflecting on Lady Greenholme’s quest.

Two months ago, Urd and Ljufa entered the frontier settlement of Spittleton. Spittleton began as a joke, but over time it became an important supply hub on the frontier. Urd and Ljufa were there to purchase traps and supplies to see them through the coming winter when they met Thorkel Bjornsson, the sword master. He was more than a sword master, a friend of Urd’s father and the one who not only taught her sword craft, but also the use of axe and spear. He was in Spittleton to call in a favor.

“A student I admire greatly,” Thorkel began, “an effective and benevolent administrator of the King’s interest, Lady Greenholme, has received permission from the King to relinquish her estates for a one year quest into the Northern Lands.”

“Why would she do something so foolish?” Urd asked. “Longer than anyone can remember, warbands have come from the north to plunder and pillage.”

Thorkel replied, “Aye, lass, they come to steal wealth, livestock, food, and people. Six years ago, one such band struck Greenholme, killing Lord Greenholme, severely wounding Lady Greenholme, and taking their three-year-old son captive. I did not realize when she hired me to teach her use of the sword, she intended to search the north for her son.”

Puzzled, Urd asked, “So she wants to spend a year chasing ghosts, what is that to you or me?”

“One of her retainers fancies himself a suitor, outwardly he feigns support for the endeavor and has offered to lead the expedition, but I fear he doesn’t want the boy found” replied Thorkel.

“He may be right, after six years the boy may never be found” said Urd.

“But if he is alive, you can find him, you’re the only one I know who has freed captives taken by raiders” said Thorkel.

“We were lucky, and even luckier we outnumbered the raiders” replied Urd.

Thorkel sighed, “Even if you don’t find the boy, you can help her find closure. She needs you, no, I need you to do this.”

Urd’s reminiscing was interrupted when Ulfrik and another man entered the stable. “Urd Snorrissdottir, this is Knut Ulfgrimsson, commander of the outpost, he has a proposition for us.” said Ulfrik.

The rain was letting up as Urd entered the mead hall with the two men. Biorn Marsson was already seated at a table, he slouched in the chair, his body sending messages of contempt and annoyance. Knut Ulfgrimsson called for pints as they sat.

“The tea with Lady Greenholme was informative, but finding a child after six years borders on madness. I think I may have a way to show her how this quest is impossible. We send out patrols on a regular basis to scout for threats to Thunderwind. North of the village are the Emerald Heights, a series of hills and small mountains.” said Knut pausing when the drinks arrived. His eyes widened as he watched the Dwarven serving girl lean into Urd as she placed the pints on the table.

Urd felt her cheeks blush, “By Freyja,” she thought, “was there anyone in Thunderwind who didn’t know she’d shared a kiss with Molly Gemcutter?”

Knut cleared his throat and continued, “It help us if you patrol the area directly north of Thunderwind keeping the Elivagar river on your left and its east fork on your right, by late afternoon you should reach the top of a small mountain called ‘the Guardian’, from there you can see much of the northern plains. There you will see how vast the lands are that she must search.”

“And if she comes to her senses, we can return to Greenholme.” added Biorn Marsson.

Ulfrik asked, “Can we leave at first light tomorrow?”

“There’s time enough left today to procure provisions for a patrol of two to three days. Yes, we can travel at dawn.” replied Urd.

She left the men to their drink, she had to get the band ready for travel. Yet, Urd could only wonder why the huscarls were so quick to deem the journey a failure.

The morning was cold and the mud from the previous day’s rain made it feel even colder. Urd made a mental note to spend time at midday to dry feet and boots. On a more cheerful note, one of the packs on a pack mule smelled of fresh bread. The village was just beginning to stir when Urd and Ljufa led the party into the countryside. They traveled through rolling farmland of fields and meadows. Many of the fields lay fallow anticipating the coming winter, in others farmers and field hands were gathering the last of the harvest.

Just before the noon hour, they halted at the farm of Leif Sigurdsson and his wife, Helga. The ground was much drier, though a chill lingered. After removing their boots, the party cheerfully sat around a fire warming their feet and cleaning their footwear. The Sirgurdsson children hovered over the party, especially Ulfrik, asking dozens of questions.

With the end of the noon hour behind them, the party entered what the farmers called the “badlands”, hilly rocky land unsuitable for the plow. The land ascended from one hill to the next. Well into the afternoon, when the shadows were long, they met shepherds on the side of Mount Guardian. Sigrid Thorsdottir and her husband, Erik Bjornsson, were moving their flocks off of the mountain to graze in the fallow fields near Thunderwind. Abi Grunnar was delighted, she had been a goatherd as a young girl.

The climb up Mount Guardian was not difficult and they reached the summit as the sun was setting. The two huscarls, Lady Greenholme’s retainers, wanted time alone with the lady, so Urd sent the rest of the party back down away from the mountain top to find a place to camp. Almost immediately, Biorn Marsson assailed Lady Greenholme. He was loud and his words sharp, cutting deep as he accused the Lady of abandoning her duties to her subjects and her king for a nonsensical hopeless quest. Ulfrik didn’t say a word, he neither supported Marsson nor did he defend Lady Greenholme. He just remained silent. When Biorn Marsson finished his tirade, the two men left her standing alone.

Urd quietly stepped to Lady Greenholme’s side, tears ran down the woman’s face, “Look out there, they said, the expanse goes forever. There is no way we can search all of that for a lost child.” she said between sobs. “They said I’m being foolish and selfish for a hopeless cause.” Before Urd could reply, she pointed to the plains below, “What is that, and over there, too?” she asked.

Urd answered, “It is smoke, night is beginning down there. People are starting their evening fires. The smoke could be from camps, farmhouses, or even a small hamlet.”

“My son could be sitting at one of those fires.” she said.

Urd responded “Maybe –“.

“And maybe not.” interrupted Lady Greenholme, “The only way to find out is to go there. There are about a dozen plumes of smoke, we don’t have to search all of the land, we only have to go where the people are.”

Urd smiled, “Yes, Lady Greenholme, it is not my place to say this, but I think it is too early to give up hope on finding your son.”

“Una,” she said. “my name is Una Isulfdottir, call me Una when we are alone. I think Thorkel Bjornsson was right in that I can trust you.”

Suddenly pointing, she said, “Look, you can see light there!”

“It’s a tower at the base of those hills,” said Urd, “that’s definitely somewhere we should search.”

Urd and Lady Greenholme used the last rays of light to note places they should search to find her son or his whereabouts. Ljufa interrupted them, “Ladies, camp is made and supper will soon be ready.”

Urd looked up and pointed to the early evening stars, “The sky is clear, it’s going to be cold tonight and tomorrow as well.”

The rose-colored eastern sky was cloudless when the party broke camp and began their descent of Mount Guardian. The sun was risen when they met another band breaking camp at the mountain’s foot. This band seemed surprised.

“Greetings, spent the night on the mountain, did you?” their leader asked.

“Yes, we did and it was a chilly one.” answered Biorn Marsson.

Urd counted twelve men, more than her party. Three of the men were well armored carrying kite shields which were in fashion. She also noticed they were readying their weapons.

“We collect tolls and other taxes on the lord’s road.” continued the leader.

“Road? You mean the road that runs through the village?” asked Marsson.

The leader laughed, “No, mate, I mean the one you are standing on.”

Urd signalled Ljufa and Abi who were at the rear of their group. Nodding, Ljufa, Abi, Swein and Finnur quietly moved to the left, leaving Brynhild to hold the pack mules.

“This is absurd, I demand you allow Lady Greenholme to pass undisturbed.” snapped Marsson.

Urd saw the “tax collectors” were moving into their own battle formation, archers on the flank, a reserve group and the main body ready to charge or form a shield wall.

“A Lady? Well of course nobility doesn’t pay the toll, only the rest of you.” said the leader.

“Marsson, you idiot, they’re thieves. Attack!” cried Ulfrik. Both sides rushed one another.

Ljufa shot an archer, her arrow lodging in his hip as he stumbled back, allowing Abi, Swein, and Finnur to rush the other archer. Rushed, the archer’s arrow flew wide.

When the two main groups collided, Urd knocked the cocky leader prone. As he tried to stand, Urd’s axe bit deep into his collar bone next to his neck. He slumped back to the ground. Ulfrik swung his Dane axe in a great arc bringing down a spearman. Biorn Marsson was not as lucky, a spearman knocked him down and pinned him to the ground. Lady Greenholme battled one of the armored huscarls, who forced her back out of the fray. Sigvald killed the spearman opposite of him.

On the flank, Abi cut down the archer. Seeing this, the wounded archer fled.

Ljufa stepped forward and loosed an arrow at the huscarl leading the reserve. The arrow caught in the huscarl’s mail, but startled him enough to step away from the others. Abi, Swein, and Finnur plunged into the reserve.

The hucarl who had driven back Lady Greenholme, turned his attention to Ulfrik. He stepped in close to the big man robbing him of the ability to swing the Dane axe. Ulfrik could only use the handle of the axe to parry the huscarl’s sword blows for a short time before he was struck down. Urd used much the same tactic, using her shield to force the warrior’s spear high so she could step in take his life with her axe. Standing next to Urd, Sigvald dispatched another spearman.

Meanwhile, the enemy’s reserve could render no aid. Abi, Swein, and Finnur cut them down.

Lady Greenholme regained her composure and charged back into the fray, but the warriors had had enough and fled the field.

Though the battle had lasted only a few minutes, Urd was spent for the day. She was covered in blood, thankfully none of it was hers. Sigvald and Finnur saw to the enemy wounded. Those that could rise were allowed to leave, the one man who cold not, was quietly dispatched. Four men lay dead, none from Lady Greenholme’s party.

Abi was consoling Swein, it had been his first battle and he was in shock. Brynhild, Ljufa and Lady Greenholme were attending the two wounded huscarls.

“What do we do now?” Brynhild asked.

“We build a fire, clean up and rest.” Urd answered. She knelt next to Ulfrik and quietly said, “Hey big guy, when they get that close you’re supposed to drop the axe and draw your sword.”

Ulfrik said, “He was on me before I could, he was too fast.”

“I’ll say, you should’ve seen him run when Lady Greenholme charged in.” said Urd.

Ulfrik chuckled, “Please, don’t make me laugh, it hurts.”

“Should we bury the dead?” Sigvald asked.

“No,” answered Urd, “let the ravens feast.”

Notes

Unlike the first campaign turn, the second turn had a lot of preparation steps before getting to the main encounter. Searching for herbs, shopping, purchasing bandages, etc., all had to be written in.

The encounter rolled up was Ride Patrol. The WHAT equivalent is the Explore encounter. Ulfrik will miss the next two campaign turns, while Biorn Marsson will miss three.

As always, your comments and suggestions are appreciated.

If you missed the previous campaign turn, you can find it here:

• The Lady’s Quest 1 – Into Deirodia