”This is molten metal”, Ingrandor explained to Hellrien. ”It can burn everything it touches. We lay it on the ground and cover it with tarps. They won't see it and run over it.”
”Sounds like a good idea”, Hellrien responded, sensing the ominous tone of her own voice. Deep lines had returned around her mouth, and her eyes appeared distant and expressionless. Ingrandor turned to foreman Rosethorn.
”Let's pour this next to the bridge”, he said. ”If one or two get burnt the others will change way, this way we force them to come where we want them. Rose, bring some long nails, the longest you'll find, the tarp must be higher than this or it will get burnt.”
”Alright, will do”, Rose said, her hot eyes staring blindly at Ingrandor as he laid down the helmet and secured his shield properly on his back. He picked up the pot and started walking towards the bridge slowly to avoid spilling any of the burning hot metal.
”Hellrien, make sure they don't surprise us instead”, he said coolly as he poured the liquid metal in front of the bridge where the ground was low so the metal wouldn’t stream downhill. When he was ready he smirked: ”Let's help them burn a face. I will go get some rope.”
Ingrandor ran to pick up a coil of rope from the wall of one of the barracks. Hellrien could sense the smell of molten iron right away. The wind had risen again. Quickly she crossed the yard and walked to the side of a windmill where she could keep an eye on both the Greenway and the rolling fields south of them. The glow of fire had died by now, but there was no movement in the horizon at least yet.
Ingrandor tied one end of the rope to a tree next to the bridge. When Rose came back with tarp and nails he drove one nail to the ground and tied the other end of the rope to it, so that anyone tripping on the rope would fall face down in the molten metal. Then he nailed down the rest of the nails, four in total, around the puddle of molten metal. Carefully he secured the tarp some inches over the metal to keep it from burning but also to cover it.
”That'll force them to come from this way”, Ingrandor explained to Rosethorn. ”Now this part.”
Ingrandor walked over to Rose. ”Rose, you will have one job. You'll stay hidden up there on the scaffold. I broke the steps on one side. So they can get on from the other.” He pointed at the scaffold and the wooden staircase.
”Alright, Ingrandor, as you say.”
”Rosethorn and I will put the other pot on the scaffold above the stone stairs. Should they come up, give it a push. Leave the rest to us.”
Ingrandor beckoned Rosethorn to the other pot with molten metal. He took a good look at the skeleton of the house before picking up the pot and turning to Rosethorn.
”You don't mind me cutting a board or two, huh? Just to help them with the destruction.” Ingrandor winked and started slashing against the wood, making several places easier to collapse should someone touch them. Rosethorn nodded soberly, trying to help out wherever he could. Then he and Ingrandor carried the other pot up on the scaffold and placed it so that it would be easy for Rose to push it over. Then Ingrandor shooed Rosethorn away. Hellrien looked back at them and smiled a cold smile.
”One of us will try to draw them this way. Once our person passes, drop it on their heads and fry them. Now, I suggest you two hide. Ooh wait!” Ingrandor grabbed a black tarp, ran up again and gave it to Rose. ”Hide under this. Now, I suggest you two stay hidden. I will welcome them. I will try to drive them under that skeleton of a building to make some of it drop on them as I made sure it will. Whoever stays here fighting them will lead them towards Rose to give them some taste of liquid steel. I will join you shortly if the building doesn't fall on me.”
Ingrandor laughed at that. ”Where do you need me, Ingrandor?” Hellrien asked.
”You could stay in the house with Rose, but on the second floor. That way they can come at you from two directions. If they come from here.”
Ingrandor pointed at the stone stairs. ”Run out from the other stairs and Rose will drop the liquid, if they come from that side Rose will drop it and you come out from here. Whatever you do, don't use these long stairs, I have broken some.”
Ingrandor nodded at them and went to retrieve his helmet. Hellrien wiped her sweaty palms imperceptibly on her cloak as she climbed on the plinth and settled down on her belly with a bow and arrow ready should she need it. Ingrandor put the helmet on and unstrapped his mace, punched his helmet with in and growled. Then he took his shield from his back and walked to the side closer to the windmill and stood there waiting.
As minutes turned to hours Hellrien started to think that Ingrandor’s plan might not work after all, if they were coming at all. How long would it take for a pot of molten metal to cool down? Hellrien was no blacksmith, but she suspected the metal was probably not quite liquid anymore. Why weren’t they coming?
White rooster started crowing on a pile of manure. The edge of the sun peeked behind the sharp ridges at the eastern horizon.
Hellrien’s mind was going through different scenarios. The fire had been put out a long time ago. When the villains had decided on attacking the farm tonight their own farm hadn’t been burned down yet. Naturally they would have immediately realized who was behind the fire, so they might have changed their plan afterwards. Hellrien tried to put herself in their shoes. What would she do in Crampbark’s position?
The sun climbed gradually higher up on the eastern sky. The retina of Hellrien’s eyes recorded an image of a moving spot far in the rolling fields.
Ingrandor drew his mace and made his way closer to the approaching spot, idly, swinging the mace around his hand, eyes fixed on the horizon. Hellrien started to feel a little worried.
The distant figure was moving slowly, but kept approaching all the time. Now they could all see it was a single horseman. Hellrien started to have a bad feeling, a hunch of what was coming.
Ingrandor clearly wasn’t comfortable either, throwing glances around him every now and then. Rosethorn was groping at his sledgehammer already.
Now everyone could see the rider was holding something in front of him on the saddle. Something with a yellowish top. Hellrien’s sharp vision discerned a glimpse of blond hair of a girl.
The burly man on a gray stallion was soon clearly visible to all. He was covered in soot all over, and the slouch of his black hat was flapping in the wind. He was now only twenty yards away from Ingrandor. In front of him on the saddle there sat the same small girl with ponytails they had met at Quince’s farm, and he was holding on to her with his left hand. In his right hand Crampbark was holding a sword and it’s blade was pressed against the girl’s throat.
Crampbark stopped.
”That’s a small prey for a man like you”, Ingrandor snarled.
”That’s Sissi!” Rose suddenly screamed, jumping up from her hiding place. ”But how? She was asleep in the house when...?”
Ingrandor lowered his head, letting the shield drop.
”I see the whole congregation is here”, Crampbark bellowed.
It was deathly silent.
”Do you all hear me well?” Crampbark shouted. ”This here is the Quincy girl. She's alive... so far. But I'm aching to slice someone's throat, so that may not be for long.”
Crampbark’s horse took a few sidesteps. Hellrien estimated the distance to be about sixty yards. Attempting to shoot from this distance would have been clearly hazardous.
”We will give her up on one condition!” Crampbark howled.
Ingrandor took off his helmet and hung the mace to his belt. Slowly he started to walk towards the man, helmet in his left hand and his right hand lifted up. He nodded to Crampbark to go on.
”The Thornley woman must sign the trade contract to sell this farm and worksite”, Crampbark demanded. ”I'm feeling generous, so I'm offering one silver coin. I will drop the paper here on the ground, and the two mercenaries must bring it back to us, signed, tomorrow morning. They must come alone, or we will kill the girl. Do we have a deal?”
Hellrien turned her head quickly. She saw Rose and her long, black skirt fluttering in the wind.
”I can sign anything. I can bring the damn paper to you myself!”
Ingrandor kept walking slowly towards Crampbark, who’s attention was now distracted by Rose.
”Shut your mouth, girl! Either the sellswords bring the contract, or nobody will! And then the girl dies. Do we have a deal?”
Ingrandor looked up at the man as he approached.
”Say, I don't see me making any profit in this. Do I make any if I join you? These ones are lost already?”
”You and your girlfriend have already cost us more in profits you could ever pay back. It's too late to change sides now.”
”Alright then.” Ingrandor nodded with an exaggerated sigh, lifted both hands up in a long shrug and started to slowly turn around clockwise on his heels. Once he had turned around completely he started to lower his arms and quickly made another turn, throwing the helmet straight at the man’s face. Crampbark yelped in surprise and instinctively lifted his hands to cover his face, dropping the girl from the saddle. Ingrandor sprinted towards the man, drawing a dagger from his belt and slashed it across the horse’s knee. The horse neighed in pain and fell down, dropping Crampbark off the saddle too. He rolled over and got back up on his knees like a cat, surprisingly agile for someone with his build, still holding the sword. Ingrandor pulled the girl up on her feet and shoved her behind him.
”Run!” he yelled and pulled out his mace. Mace in right hand and dagger in left he approached his opponent.
Hellrien tried to get an aim of Crampbark, but with the long distance and Ingrandor in the way decided to discard her bow instead, got up on her feet, pulled out her swords and leaped down the stairs.
Crampbark grimaced and swung his sword at Ingrandor, who stepped forward and made a roll under the blade, stopping right behind his opponent but a little too close to take a swing with his mace. He tried to slash against his right side with the dagger instead and then took a step back to be able to use the mace. Crampbark swirled around and managed to get away from the blade, thrusting the sword towards Ingrandor’s chest. Ingrandor instinctively turned his body to the right and the sword passed by in front of him. Using the momentum, Ingrandor sent his left hand toward’s the man’s right side again. This time the blade sunk into Crampbark’s flesh. The big man fell on his knees, growling like an animal. Ingrandor sent a knee to his face and Crampbark fell on his back, his pupils rolling up on their sockets.
Hellrien arrived at the scene then, a little too late to make a difference. Ingrandor pushed the sword away with his foot and walked behind the man to take a look at the construction site and to make sure everyone was safe.
”Are you alright, Ingrandor?” Hellrien asked.
”I'm fine. I just warmed up.”
”Did you kill him?”
Ingrandor smiled and picked up his helmet. Then he looked at the horse and shook his head ruefully. ”I’m sorry for this.” The horse roared miserably in pain, but Hellrien could see it was only a flesh wound. With proper care the stallion would be able to walk and run again, given that the wound didn’t get infected. Ingrandor looked up at Hellrien.
”I just made sure he stays there. He's fine. I just got him with the dagger.”
”What do you want to do with him?”
”Tie him up and take him to the Dawnhall. We better not keep him here. If they want him they can come to our grounds.”
Ingrandor took the man’s sword and put it through his belt, next to the mace. Then he searched the unconscious criminal to see if he had any hidden weapons on him. He found plenty of knives and daggers in his belts and boots.
”What about the others?” Hellrien asked. ”Seyton, Toadflax, the rest? They're still out there somewhere, and they still want the farm.”
”That's true”, Ingrandor said while pulling out the knives and throwing them on a pile away from the man. ”Then I suggest we find another place nearby and hide him there.”
”Rosethorn”, he shouted, ”bring a rope, we got a fish!”
”But I am sorry for the horse”, he said to Hellrien in a quieter voice. ”I hope the girl's alright too.”
Rosethorn started running towards them with a coil of rope. The girl had run to Rose, who had picked her up and rocked her gently on her lap. Ingrandor took the rope and tied Crampbark’s hands with it, first individually, then together. Finally he tied the remaining end around the man’s neck.
”Alright”, he said. ”Let's find a place for our friend. Can you take his knives? The horse I damaged. But I had to...”
Ingrandor leaned over and grabbed the man’s right leg, then started dragging him towards the site. Hellrien picked up the knives and went to help Ingrandor with Crampbark. Rosethorn tended to the horse.
Ingrandor tied the man’s legs to a lamp post, using a coil of rope from nearby. He looked at Hellrien and nodded, then looked around for the girl. She was still on Rose’s lap, who was sitting on the stone stairs. Ingrandor walked to them and knelt in front of her. He brought up his hand to stroke her hair.
”I am sorry for making you fall of the horse”, he said softly and smiled at her. ”I wanted to take you away from the bad man. You are very very brave.”
The girl tried to peek over her shoulder, attempting a shy smile in response, but didn’t say anything.
”Her brother is still sleeping”, Rose said. ”Sissi told us she wandered off the house after I had left. To go look at the flames...”
”I see. I saw a minor chance and I took the risk. I don't trust them. I'm glad I succeeded.”
”Me too”, Rose smiled. ”Thank you, Ingrandor.”
”There’s no need”, he smiled back, got up on his feet and returned to Hellrien. ”Your thoughts?”
”We need to take care of this one and the rest, otherwise it will never stop. Any thoughts on how to do that? They should have lots of coin too, besides.”
”For now let's keep him secure. They will come to get him. Since everyone left it will be safer now”, Ingrandor said and looked at Rose, the little girl and Rosethorn, who was walking the limping and scared horse to the construction site. ”These two should go too. You've done what you could. There is no need to risk your lives anymore. Now we can try and play the negotiation hand. One of us can visit them to negotiate about him and the farms. Only to see how many they are and how armed they are.”
”Are you sure they have such loyalty for their 'friend'?” Hellrien asked, looking at Crampbark skeptically. ”Oh well, they will want the farm though, that's for sure.”
”I am not but we can send a message. If they accept one of us goes and takes a look. If not, we'll do something else.”
”What kind of message?”
”Tell them we want to negotiate for this one, if they want him back. If not, I'll end him.”
”So you're thinking what he tried to do with us, but reversed? Ride out there with him as a prisoner?”
”Yes but first send them a message to arrange a meeting. If we ride in there we'll be outnumbered and they can take him back easily. If they refuse we simply...”
”So how do we send the message?”
”I think we can sleep on it. It's been a long night.”
”I think they will kill anyone we send there”, Hellrien pressed on.
”Yes, I'll go if they want to. Find neutral ground.”
”Long day and long morning, that's true”, said Hellrien. ”We might all need some rest, but is Rose's house safe for that?”
”Yes. I'll hide this man somewhere and we can use one of the workers if they return on watch.”
”You mean Rosethorn. All the other workers bailed”, Hellrien pointed out.
”They may return with heads low after this”, Ingrandor said, turning to the couple regretfully.
”Not very soon I think. Not before it's safe here again.”
Ingrandor nodded and turned back to Hellrien. ”There is no one to keep watch then.”
”We can take turns, if we all need to sleep a bit for the rest of the day.”
”You go first. I will stay then. This fight warmed me up nicely.”
”Alright. Let's lay low today and make plans later.”
”Yes. Go ahead. I'll just get some coffee. From somewhere.” Ingrandor looked around to see if there was any way to do it on the construction site. Hellrien nodded and followed Rose and the foreman to the farm.
