It was in the death of night.. Thick and dark were the large clouds that blotted out the star- and moonlight. A single dog dared to break the silence with a few barks somewhere away and the drunken mumble of men that were leaving now with giggling girls under their arms. Boots were pounding upon the planks that shaped the roads between the houses and halls.. Habuk was looking through a gap in the wall, blinking as shadows passed by ere the pale fading moonlight illuminated the view he had from this jail. They had been trapped now for days, none of the men could really remember. It stank of old straw, puke and sweat inside. Faint reminders of the rich feasting they had done in the hall of the chieftain. They had learned little since the warriors of his household had stowed them away for later.
Habuk himself was about to go to sleep until a voice beckoned him.. "Psst.. anyone awake in there?",.. the voice of a girl! Habuk jumped up and tried to see her, he spoke up, "Yes here!" A girl she was indeed, with her pale speckled face appeared a thin finger, she held it before her mouth to shush him, "I have brought a few apples.. not much, but it will have to do.. and I need to speak with you soon.", she seemed to insist. Habuk smiled bitterly, "I am going nowhere.. Who are you? Why give these-" "Shhh..", she looked over her shoulder, "Not now.. the guard will wake up soon. Tomorrow evening. Now eat up and sleep until the sun lowers again. Before then nothing shall happen... I hope." She lifted her dress up and made way as swift as a shadow.. Suddenly he recieved a nudge, it was Chauck.., "Give me one of those and tell me we are getting out of here.."
The day passed on again, the Eagles did not have an easy time to catch sleep. The shouting of the markets outside and the bleak sunlight made sure of it. The guards laid down the daily portion of water and bread. Belligerent cursing went around them, they ate, but it was reluctantly.
Night again, the sun had lowered and the guards outside were being replaced. When a broad man dressed in a hauberk of leather scales opened the door all of Habuk's men were looking up at him. He did not seem moved at all, a tad nervous perhaps for as far could be seen in the dark beneath his large red beard, "Hurry daughter.", he commanded and the girl from the other night entered again with fear on her features.. and a pot that smelled of honey.
"It is all I could get without notice.", she said as she opened the lid. All remained sitting in place until Habuk allowed them to move. No sense in fighting amongst eachother this time, it would only expose.. Whatever this was. She took out a spoon and sank it's head in the golden liquid and held it near the mouth of one of them. This was Kvatla, a fierce fighter with a short fuse at the best of times, his eyes twitched and were confused a moment.. "Come on then.. eat it.", the girl demanded. Doubtfully his lips widened and she pushed the spoon down, "Next one..., you all must be starving...." "All this to feed us like children?", Chauck wondered aloud, with not a little amusement in his voice. "Are you all ready to escape?", she suddenly asked. All were taken by surprise and the next man she crawled near too, Hrogur, grabbed her wrist before looking her in the eyes, "Yes." She pulled her arm free and scooped up honey for him then while all around heads were nodding and voices echoed Hrogur's. Habuk spoke again, "We do not leave without our steeds." "You will not have to." A moment of silence. "We can not overcome the guard." "Neither should that be a problem.. I think, but you will fight them if you must." "If we must.", Habuk answered. "Papa, they are ready.", she said and the guard came back. "These are not yours, not all of them atleast, but they will do if you can handle them." He laid down a large leather bag, filled up with long-knives and axes. Much to Chauck's surprise he had found the long-knife he had found in the burned down village before. "To the eastern side of the wall we will go. Some of my men are awaiting there ready to drop you lot down with ropes. Be quiet and be quick, I do not know what will happen if we get caught, but I can tell you that you will wish you had choked on that boar you were shoving down so easily last week." The man seemed a bit disgruntled about it for some reason. Then he turned his head with gloom upon his mind towards his daughter, "Are you still here? Hurry back to your mother and lock the door!" She ran without a word and it was at this time some of the Eagles grabbed the guardsman, "What is the meaning of this?", Chauck asked. The guard looked at him, leaning his head away from the sharp end of the axe near his throat, "Not all of us are willing to live under rule of a filthy orc-son." Chauck set his teeth on eachother, "I do not believe that is all.." The man stared him in the eye, "I am no liar and could let you lot be toys for that band of Svertlings coming to visit here tomorrow.".. "Why wouldn't you?", Chauck hissed at him quietly as the axe went closer to the man's skin.. "Because then my daughter may become a toy to them aswell." Habuk stepped by and judged the man there and then to live or die..
The hall was quiet, one would hear a mouse walk. There were plenty the men had learned over the course of their imprisonment. Habuk whispered in the man's ear, "Very well then. Lead us on and speak of these Dark men, but if this is a cruel jest then it shall be at the expense of many that dwell within these walls."
They paced through the dark streets, all of Habuk and his men, with the guard at the head, "My name is Haroldr.", he said while they moved onwards in a crouch. He drew his cloak close around him as if it would ward something off. Habuk tried to look past a corner.. Only chickens on the road it seemed. They were greeted by the singing and cheering of carousing men and women, a beerhall. Their hearts thudded in their throats as they snuck by the open door.
"The thane has gone mad with a want for gold.. You only found one of the nearest villages that he had bands of orcs and easterlings burn to the ground." .. Habuk frowned, "And what good are dead neighbours to him?" Haroldr seemed to be disgusted, "He believes his legacy will outlast his lifetime if he makes sure his halfwit heir is the only one in the nearest miles around to rule until a grandson is born to follow up in his line. The old fool.." He rose a hand.. a door swung open wildly and a man cried out..
They all ducked and held their breathe until they heard a satisfied moaning and the trickling of fluid unto stone. Hogur snuck behind the man, he slammed the man in the head with the backside of his axe! For a moment the man turned around lazily clutching his head, accusingly he pointed at him, "You- hmpf.. you prisoned the.. escape..", then he fell on his back in the puddle that he had produced himself. With a gesture Haroldr continued, "Where these marauders come from.. I do not know. Perhaps from the great wood south of here. What I do know is that he has hosted them here a few times. Another band of them is said to be camped near the new stables outside of the village."
It all seemed to have gone well untill Haroldr made them stop once more, "I forgot to say this.. your ponies are no longer in the town." "What?!", Chauck groaned. "What is the meaning of this Haroldr?", Habuk demanded. "They were offered as a gift to the svertlings and being kept in these stables just beyond the gate at old Inge's farm. One of my men will accompany you there until you get them, I only ask not to hurt that old hag." "Fine! Now let us-"
"HALT!!", marching figures appeared further down the street with a single man raising his arm, "What is the meaning of this nightly sneaking? Haroldr , that you? Answer me!" Habuk heard the man curse quietly before he stood to his full height raising both hands, "Nothing wrong here Minaz, just bringing this drunken bunch back to their mothers!" "My backside Haroldr!!", the leader of the patrol came closer, he was a broad fat figure with a mean look in his eyes and a black scrawny beard. His breathe stank of salted fish with such a power that even Habuk could smell it behind Haroldr. The man's eyes widened as he saw whom Haroldr had taken with him, "Bema has finally taken your wits then you traitor!! Men get them, quickly!!" It was at that very moment the patrol grabbed for their weapons! The Eagles took up their weaponry and prepared to sell themselves dearly as Habuk had promised Haroldr, until something unexpected happened. Half of the guards fell upon the other half! It could hardly be called a fight, men were sent to their afterlives within moments by those they thought comrades. Minaz turned around with panic in his wide eyes, "You madmen, what has gotten into you all?" "Just cleaning the filth from the streets old friend!", then with a lunge Haroldr killed his fellow guardsman there and then, the man could do nothing but look in surprise while his last breathe was yet gurgling out of him.
"We must go, this will get worse before it get's better.. You boys with me!" They ran through the streets like a warband, keeping the pace with weapons at the ready. They only got half a street further before people were screaming and horns were blown.. "That does it!", Haroldr grunted at himself while sweat began to pour down his craggy features!, "I hope your boys can fight Woodman!!"
The entire village was in uproar, from all sides now screaming and the clatter of swords could be heard! Chauk looked around with wild eyes, "By all the Spirits, have they all fallen upon eachother?" "I hope so, most of these fools will now atleast die by the hand that will not despoil their bodies afterwards!" The Eagles were not so sure what to think of this, but then there was no more time for thoughts.. "With me boys!!", Haroldr yelled out and going forward in a triangular formation they stormed effectively in a line of warriors that had their backs at them, "With me Habukôm!!" It was all chaos now, men hacked at one another and desperately trying to recognise friend from foe in the dim torchlight! From many cries could be heard that mistakes were made often enough.
Chauck kicked one of the townguards away from Hrogur, but it had been too late for him as he was laid low. He spat a foul curse, trying to scream out over the battle, "With me Eagles, with me!!" Trying to break through the lines and hoping not to be struck by unfortunate swings was all they could do!
'I am sorry Mon!!", Haroldr yelled as he clove in a man's neck, Habuk himself had bloodened his axe somewhere, but could not recall how or where! He did not realised he himself had a cut over his chest, "How far yet?!!"
"There!!", Haroldr cried, he pointed towards the wall where thick ropes lay near a ladder, "Get up there and good luck Habuk! Kill those marauders if you can and if not, tell the story of what you have seen here today!!" .. "It will not be a pleasant one..!!" A man fell amidst them, clutching his bleeding stomach, "This is war son, now go and get your lot along!!"
With a final push those of the Habukôm that had lived managed to get through, "Do we leave them there?", a heavily breathing Kvatla murmered as he looked back at the battle..
Chauck slapped his shoulder to stir him, that is all the answer he got.. They climbed up the ladder and there they got spooked as five men with blooded swords and torches in hand stood near a few dead men. Relief came, "It is them.", one uttered, "Get up, I am Fregar and will bring you to your ponies." Habuk was helped up the ladder as stars of pain blinked before his eyes. He noted that this man was younger and had a certain nobility about him, he was also clean shaven, strange, .. "We accept your guidance but let us go with haste!"
Fregar then asked as they tightened the ropes, "How goes the battle?"... "I do not know, men dying all over, but Haroldr yet lives if that offers comfort." It seemed to do so, the four companions of Fregar kept still. "Will they not join?" , Habuk asked. Fregar replied, "They will once they are sure none will cut the ropes while we are still descending from them." .. "Fair enough!"
And then with the falling of night and leaving a screaming and roaring village behind Habuk and his Eagles rushed into the farmlands with the man named Fregar.
Chauck cursed, "Where are our ponies?"
"Right there!", Fregar seemed to smile as ahead he could see a wooden structure with tents around them. The harsh commands of an easterling could be heard..
