Thornley’s worksite appeared dead when the sellswords reached it’s dusty yard in the small hours of the night. Stars twinkled above their heads. It was cold, but the air was clean and fresh like sparkling wine. Hellrien drew a beep and satisfied breath. Finally they had taken the offensive – just the two of them! Not that they really were alone. They had the whole workforce of Thornley’s farm behind them. To big extent they had foreman Rosethorn to thank for it, he seemed like a decent bloke. Rosethorn had understood that the farm still had a future. The fire, still shimmering in the southern horizon, had crushed Crampbark’s plans in one fell swoop. Toadflax could hardly manage to finance another set of ’this-side-ups’, considering how much he had already invested in them. And what could they do now that the workers had two trained professional mercenaries of The Bloody Dawn to lead them into armed resistance? Acts of terror could create either fear or unity. It was clear to Hellrien that the latter had now been born.
Hellrien trotted slowly across the yard. Ingrandor looked around and swung his right leg around the horse’s saddle while pushing up with his left. He got on the ground and looked around again.
”Wake up”, he shouted, ”we have to talk to you!”
Hellrien got off the saddle. The door to one of the workers’ barracks opened, and foreman Rosethorn appeared to the door. Hellrien watched him from the cover of the slouch of her hat. The foreman was wearing leather trousers, black vest and gray tunic. There was a heavy hammer hanging from the tool belt he had wrapped around his loins.
Rosethorn walked towards the two mercenaries, stopped halfway and slowly turned to look behind him. His gaze was directed southwards, past the workers’ barracks and towards the shimmering in the souther horizon. His face appeared stern and gray.
”That’s trouble”, Ingrandor explained. ”Do you have anyone that can fight?”
”I see the boys at Dogwood's farm have been playing with fire”, Rosethorn pondered. ”They should be more careful.”
Hellrien took note of the sharp but calm tone of his voice.
”This farm is next”, Ingrandor said impatiently. ”Does anyone here fight? Or have some knowledge of how to wield a blade?”
Hellrien met the foreman’s gray eyes and took note of the clarity of his gaze. He smiled with the whole width of his strong, brown teeth. His gaze appeared enthusiastic.
”Fight? Did you burn the whole farm? Kill any of them? Of course we will fight, just tell us what to do.”
”Just the windmill with lots of strange equipment. Looked expensive”, Hellrien said.
”We did it to stall them”, Ingrandor added, ”they intend to come this way. You need to be warned and be prepared. Ambush them if we can.”
A crowd was beginning to form in front of the barracks. The men were flailing and cheering, and some of them were swinging their tools in the air. Then Hellrien’s gaze spotted a tall, slender figure approaching the worksite from the north. It was Rose – Rose Thornley.
”Don't cheer yet”, said Ingrandor. ”The fire is to give you all some time to either flee or prepare to fight. They'll come this way once the fire is out.”
Ingrandor took out his helmet and held it between his body and his right hand, his eyes travelling on the crowd as he inspected the workers, one by one.
”Let us carry our weight in this, please!” Rosethorn pleaded. ”Take charge, tell us what to do!”
Ingrandor tapped the top of his helmet and turned to look at Hellrien, then looked around. ”It's open from all sides. We don't know where they will come from but we could let them come in while we wait from a distance. Once they're in and start destroying we attack and take them by surprise”, he said.
”Do you have experience in this?”, Hellrien asked Ingrandor. ”I've been mostly a scout. Perhaps you are better at assigning our posts and tasks.”
”I was in the army. Let me see.”
Ingrandor looked at everyone outside and counted fifteen workers, Rosethorn included, seven of them women. And Rose Thornley. They had the numerical advantage, but Hellrien was concerned with the thinly veiled scared look in the eyes of too many of them. There were too many potential weak links that might break the spirit of the whole group. Ingrandor scratched his chin and started pacing here and there, inspecting the worksite before starting to give orders.
”Let's see”, he said and tapped the helmet again. ”You're not fighters. I will suggest the women go to Thornley's farm while there is time. All of them. Hellrien and five of you will go on the other side of the site. Rosethorn, me and one more will hide behind the trees to my right. We'll wait. Once they come and start scattering Hellrien's group will come first attack. Once they turn to face the numerous group my side will do the same but more quietly. If we take out as many as we can when they are busy fighting or attacking the bulk it will make it easier to make them think that they are outnumbered. I don't suppose you have bows?”
Ingrandor looked at Rosethorn inquisitively. The foreman shook his head.
”None of us can use such things.”
”Then we'll do as said, find your favorite tool. One that you can use like an extension of your arm.”
Rosethorn nodded grimly. ”Alright, sir.”
”And remember this!” Ingrandor shouted to the whole group. ”Whoever is coming here is coming to take what is yours. They are coming to kill you and kill your wives. They are coming to destroy what you are making. And once they do, they will find others to do it too. There is no shame or wrong to kill them. They have done it, they'll do it again. And you're not alone.”
Hellrien watched the crowd as Ingrandor talked. Some of them looked like a bunch of children about to start a new and exciting game, while others looked like they would be reduced into muddle-headed puddles of sweat and panic if somebody even sneezed. Hellrien didn’t like either look. She wished their nerves would hold up.
”Find your tools”, Ingrandor added in a calm tone, ”find something to wear that can take a few hits and get in position. I will try to set some traps. If! If you believe you can't do it, or hesitate, just walk away but if you charge go to the end. We depend on each other. If one backs out during the fight things can go wrong.”
