A group of killers arrived in Woodhall a little after midnight. A sharp silhouette of mountains etched against the starry southern sky like an uneven row of teeth. Warm, dry wind fluttered the hem of Hellrien’s cloak.
There, across the road and a short distance to the south, lied the brigand farm. They had been riding for sixteen hours straight, but Hellrien wasn’t feeling tired.
Woodhall was a small but very idyllic hobbit village with it’s cosy homes and neatly paved streets, but they were not here to sample it’s hospitality. There were scoundrels lurking nearby, and they were on their way to put an end to their business.
After they had tied up their horses they continued their journey on foot towards a small hill overlooking the Stock Road.
”What happened to that scum's ear?” Taala asked with a smirk once they had climbed on the top of the hill. Just south of them was the Stock Road, and across the road another hill, blocking their view to the brigand farm. ”None of you kept it did you?”
Taraborn knelt in the shade of a tree, pointing to a smaller road that diverged from Stock Road behind the hill. ”That path led t' one o' the gates. The other is further along this road along t' the West. The other one is more open, easier to approach unseen and not channelled. Fer that reason, the distractin' force will take this gate, makin' as much noise as they can. They wan' t' think it's a bigger group it is. Last I were here, they 'ad a man on each gate, and one patrollin'. A couple stayed by a fire in the centre o' camp but they were jus' stragglers gettin' t' bed me thinks. Expect more, they may be worried 'bout us coming back.”
”They typical bandits, drink and fall asleep?” Taala asked. ”Or more organised?”
”Drink an' fall asleep”, said Tara.
”More typical, from what I saw”, Hellrien agreed.
”So most will be asleep, if not all”, Ealstan pondered.
”All except the watch I just explained”, said Tara.
”Not that many of us if we split up”, said Eroforth. ”And noise will wake the whole camp - that's four to one with just the fighters, and even a housewife with a kitchen knife can get in a lucky blow... maybe we should see how many we can pick off before an alarm's raised?”
”Ye may have a point. However this approach”, Tara pointed below them, ”is easily watched and any attackers could be easily seen along it. I don' want t' leave an opportunity fer any t' escape.”
”So what? You want us to charge in screaming at the top of our lungs?” Ealstan asked.
”If we had Taala and her bow on that hill, looking down?” Ero wondered. ”That's prevent escape. Might be a good place for Hellrien, too. And if we did have to withdraw, her arrows could cover us... keep them from following right on our heels.”
”I want ya t' attack them so they set the alarm off when ya hit them, not before”, said Tara.
”Even in this light, I reckon I could bring them down, mayhaps only wound some of them, but we could finish them off later”, Taala said.
”Could ye make out one o' us from a brigand at distance in this light?” Tara asked Taala.
”I'll be wherever you want me to be, as long it's something useful”, Hellrien cut in.
”Always useful to have someone watching an archer's back”, said Ero.
”Tell, I think I'd know Ero anywhere, but you have a point Tara, I think however from your attire and weaponry, I'd know my own men and women.” Taala looked up. ”Looks like a clear night.”
”I’m a decent shot, too”, Hellrien added, remembering the ’night time archery drills’ she had attended to in the Sworn Brotherhood headquarters, for what seemed like a lifetime ago.
”There, you have two archers at your disposal”, Taala offered.
”You know”, Ero mused, ”get two of us to go in, kill as many as we can by stealth, then raise a cry and draw the others down that path... two more waiting to ambush, close the trap. Taala and Hellrien shoot past that melee, keep any followers at bay... that's be most of their number dead before they can get organized... would that work?”
”I say yes”, said Hellrien, impatiently.
Tara shrugged. ”If ye think ye can tell us apart then sounds good. If I get an arrow in th' back though I'll be lookin' fer ya”, he smirked. ”That sounds better t' me. Could work. Though yer numbers seem off Ero, I count three o' us and two archers, not four?”
”Ah, right”, said Ero, who had instinctively imagined Taala with him in the battle. ”Well, one sneaks in... you'd be best at that Tara, and you know the layout. If we can take any guards on that path out without raising the alarm, that is.”
Taala chuckled. ”Tara, I'll nurse ya personally. Oh, and Ero's probably not counting Hellrien on account of her injury.”
”I said I was all right!” Hellrien snapped.
”I know Hellrien ... I know”, Taala said softly. ”So we wait atop the hill and take down any trying to leave? Do you want Hellrien and I to come in to the camp on a given signal?”
”Look”, Hellrien said, ”I'm not a total idiot. I'm not asking to run there all by my lonesome to challenge all of them... but I can still shoot a crossbow.”
Taala rested her hand on Hellriens shoulder. ”I know, we want to keep you safe, as well as ourselves, we know you have a part to play in this.”
”Sounds better”, Tara nodded. ”So I'll sneak up on the other entrance, Taala, I want ye to kill the guard before I get t' him. Then I can get into the camp without settin' off the alarm. From there, ye move back to Hellrien, over lookin' Ero and Ealstan. Once in, I'll kill those awake an' give a wave to the two other men. If we can keep the stealth up I say we go fer it.”
”If Tara thinks it'll work”, said Ero, ”I'm suggesting he sneak in, kill who he can, race back down the path when discovered. They'll think it's just him, those awake will pursue back down this closer path. Ealstan and I are waiting out of sight... we close the trap. Come at them from behind. You hold off any reinforcements with arrows, until we've dealt with those who've followed Tara. Should be more than half done in by then... those Tara sneaks up on, and those we trap along that path. Then it'll be hand-to-hand with the rest, but we'll not be so outnumbered. And we'll have the high ground.”
”A sound plan to me”, said Ealstan, nodding slowly. ”We can discuss what to do with the women and children when the fighting’s done.”
”Sounds good to me”, said Hellrien.
”So I go with Tara, bring down the guard and the gate and return here, or mayhaps the hill opposite?” Taala asked.
”Where do I go?” Hellrien asked.
”On the hill across this road, both you and Taala”, said Tara. ”Good view o' the path t' the camp.”
Quietly the five sellswords slipped into the night. On the Stock Road Tara and Taala departed from the main group, while Hellrien, Ero and Ealstan climbed over a small wooden fence and climbed on top of the steep hill overlooking the narrow entrance to the farm. They crawled the last few feet to the ledge, trying to make as little sound as possible.
”Stupid”, Ero breathed when he saw the single guard on this gate. But many brigands aren’t tactical masterminds, and once the patroller went by, Ero gave Hellrien a nod. It was time to clear this guard out of the way so that he and Ealstan could get in place to set the trap.
Hellrien nocked her crossbow and exercised her right hand. She was beginning to feel anxious. Forcing herself to calm down she took an aim at the guard and pulled the trigger. The guard stopped and spun around, then slumped flaccidly face down on the road.
As the guard fell, Ero slid down the hillside, landing in a crouch. There was no motion from the corpse. Quickly he dragged it out of view under a bush before gesturing Ealstan down to join him. Ealstan followed on his trail, axe at the ready. Both men were ready to take out any lone patroller... and to come up behind a group that was going to pursue Tara, should everything go according to plan. Now they waited.
Meanwhile Taala and Tara had reached the other gate to the camp. Taraborn sneaked up to the gate and taking cover in the bushes, he crouched low behind the fence within the bush, keen eyes on the guard and a dagger in hand as he awaited for Taala's arrow.
Taala had found a good vantage point hidden in a bush across the road from the guard, who was leaning against the hedge picking at his teeth. Silently she nocked her arrow and drew her bow. The bodkin peeking out of the bush, she released it at pace and it took the guard in the throat.
”Glugggh!” the guard choked, reaching for his sword, then the arrow in his throat, hand fluttering. Finally he pitched forward, in terminal indecision.
”You takin' a crap, Gleb?” said a voice as another guard, who'd been out of view, was heading up the path their way. He was just passing Tara's hiding place when he saw the corpse.
”Crap!” he exclaimed, surprised into immobility for a fatal moment.
Taala immediately nocked another arrow when she heard the voice. A quick glance to where she knew Tara was waiting, she paused to see if he would take out the surprised guard. Taraborn leapt over the fence as the first guard fell and dropped into the bush just before the second guard spotted him. Tara’s hand clasped over his mouth as his dagger sliced his throat. The guard fell silently, blood welling through Tara's fingers. The night stillness settled again; no more brigands nearby. Behind Tara the path stretched toward the sleepy camp, dim in the faint moonlight.
Taala breathed out seeing the guard despatched. Glancing at the gate, she loped across the road and up the little slope, keeping low behind the ledge to see if any other guards were coming up that path.
Two guards were patrolling the edges of the yard ahead of Tara. They hadn’t noticed anything amiss and seemed more interested in their conversation than their duty.
Taala kept low to the ground as she crept along the top of the hill on her way back to Hellrien. From her vantage point she could see the path Taraborn was going to take. She paused, noting the two guards in the vicinity where Tara was heading. She crouched, an arrow ready, should he need backup.
Taraborn advanced slowly, crawling as he got closer. He waited for the guards to move past him before slipping in and ducking behind the gate. The two brigands on patrol continued into the courtyard. One other stood by the campfire. They exchanged a few words, then glanced nervously at the house.
”Boss said no loiterin'”, one mumbled. The others grumbled unhappy assent. Still, a flask was passed around and each took a sip before they moved on. The two that Tara followed moved around behind the house, continuing their patrol. The third one started up another path, towards where Ero and Ealstan were waiting. Other than this the courtyard was deserted, but there was a candle burning from one window of the house, and several other windows were open. Oddly, the main door seemed unguarded. At least at the moment.
Taraborn waited for the guards to disappear behind the house before he made a move on the other. Keeping low and quiet, he came up behind his target and sliced his throat before dragging him into a bush. From there, he waited for the two behind the house to reappear.
Time seemed to stretch. Finally the pair re-emerged. They moved towards the fire - maybe five paces from Tara - and hesitated. Then one picked up a flask that had been left behind.
”Here, we'll finish it up before Earl gets back around”, he told his companion. They were both facing away from Tara, looking toward where they expected the third guard to appear. They were too close for Taraborn to try and take them out separately. He patted down the body beside him, finding another dagger before he began to sneak out of the bush towards his targets with a blade in each hand. The daggers flashed in the air. One blade sunk into a brigand’s throat, who dropped his flask and staggered backwards. The other, sensing motion from the corner of his eye, turned toward Tara. It was a bad move, for it coincided with the swipe of the dagger in Tara's offhand. The guard had basically just cut his own throat.
There was some commotion from the other path, and a muffled shout. From the sound of it, Ero and Ealstan had just encountered - and despatched - another patroller. All was now still again. They were waiting for Tara to appear now, per the original plan... yet the area seemed deserted now. From atop the hill, above where Tara had clinically and cleanly despatched both guards at once, she had her bow ready to loose an arrow into either guard should they prove troublesome.
Suddenly the silence was broken.
”...the shit!”
A brigand, buttoning up his fly, had emerged from the side of the house. He took in the two bodies by the campfire and Tara kneeling over them. Before Tara or Taala could react he was already pounding on the front door.
”Intruders!” he screamed. ”To arms! To... aaaghh!” His cry was cut off as Taala's arrow took him in the back. But the alarm had been raised. Candles flared in the main building. Then came the shouts. Too many shouts. The door was flung open, and at least ten brigands in various stages of dress or undress poured out, all waving swords, eyes fixed on Tara.
