FreeHolds Adventure, Cycle 3 Part 4e

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There had been little rain through the night and a spectacular sunrise greeted them on what felt like a fateful day. Despite the rich colours of the glorious dawn most of his companions were focused on their kits and the pending mission. Mokha however took the time to appreciate the beauty.

Chance Delight came up beside him, they seemed calm, despite having been put in charge of one of the mission teams, “Beautiful, is it not?”

“Very much so. Of all the wondrous things the various races have created over the eons, nothing compares to a good sunrise. Another day starting, in which anything could happen, the possibilities seem limitless.”

“They always are. If we both make it through this I’m hoping we get a chance to play together.”

Mokha nodded, “With a name such as yours, I’d’ve been surprised if you were not a musician or performer. I look forward to the opportunity.”

Adwin came striding over, clapped his hands together and gathered everyone’s attention. “Okay folks, everyone knows the plan? If things go wrong this is our fallback position. Make sure you have some food and water with you. If all goes well, then we will gather outside TownHall. Everyone good?”

They nodded or voiced an affirmative response, some of them looked nervous. Gweth and the twins headed out to the south, Chance and their team went north, Mokha followed Adwin and the other two eastwards, leaving Del, Calathy and Tankard behind at the camp.

Their group moved quickly across the land while they were screened by the terrain. The approach to the cottage by the brook left them exposed to lookouts, though there did not seem to be any. Still, Mokha felt a bit of a thrill as they made it to the cottage. He followed Sefla inside, Adwin and Whyse took a couple moments outside to observe what they could see of the area. A few moments later they came in as well. Adwin, surprisingly calm looking, said, “So far, so good.”

Whyse took up a position at the door, which had been left ajar, where she could see outside. They were expecting a number of people to come down to the brook soon. For many days now one or two handfuls of people had been coming down this way to fish and gather food from along the brook. According to the twins they had not seen anyone use the cottage.

“This is where Tipper and I stayed last year. Seems like a lifetime ago.”

A while later Whyse shut the door quietly, in a low voice she said, “Looks like nine people coming this way, with fishing gear and baskets.”

As soundlessly as possible they settled down, Selfa and he sat side by side on the edge of the little bed, Adwin and Whyse sat with their backs against the door. They heard a bit of conversation, muted by distance they could not discern what had been said. They waited a long while, eventually the two at the door shifted and Adwin took a careful look after opening it a bit. Then he turned and pointed to Sefla and gave her a nod.

She stood and shed her clothing until she was nearly naked, Mokha noted a slight tremor in her hands, then, taking a wash cloth and bar of hard soap, she left the cottage. Mokha shifted over behind the open door, Whyse pressed up against him, ready to spring out if there was trouble. Adwin was on the opposite side of the door, waiting for the first catch of the day.

They clearly heard Sefla, “Oh, hello. I had not realized anyone was here.”

“What- oh, hello miss. Hadn’t realized anyone was using the cottage.”

“Oh, I hope it’s alright.”

“Well, yeah, I guess. Looks like you were going to take a bath?”

“I had intended to, but that will ruin your fishing.”

“Oh, I don’t mind… ah, I guess I could move along.”

“That’s alright. I’ll just go brush my hair out… Unless you wanted to help me.”

“Er, help?”

“Come on.” She said invitingly.

“Well, alright then.”

Sefla walked into the cottage, moving towards the back wall. The fellow whom she was talking to came in behind her and Adwin said, “Now.”

“Hey?” There was a thumping sound, Whyse pushed the door shut and stepped forward with her sabre drawn. Mokha saw that Adwin had the man pinned on the floor, his hand firmly over the fellow’s mouth. Mokha and Sefla tied and gagged the poor fellow as Adwin wrestled him around, Whyse menaced him with her blade.

“That worked well.” Adwin commented as he stood. The bound man was moved off to the side, everyone took a moment and then Sefla went back out.

The same trick worked twice more without difficulties, however they were pretty much out of places to stash the bound captives out of sight. So, Adwin donned some of the last captives clothing and the hat the fellow had been wearing, Sefla actually went into the water and started bathing, bringing some clothing with her to wash as well. Whyse stayed in the cottage with the captives and Mokha hid around the back.

Two more people were captured fairly easily, Adwin grabbed a man, pretending he was one of them and Sefla snagged one of the women gathering cattails by luring her with song and a pretty smile. The other four had ranged further from the cottage. Things were getting more risky. They all fell back to the cottage, securing the new captives and discussing their next step.

Sefla offered, “Two of the women are over near the big stone building, along the bank of the brook, they looked to be gathering grass… maybe?”

Whyse said, “One fellow headed across the brook as they arrived. That leaves one woman unaccounted for.”

Adwin, after a moments reflection said, “Okay, Whyse, stay here and keep an eye on these guys. We’ll sneak along the bank looking for the two not near TownHall. There’s a small falls and a nice pool west of here, we saw it coming in earlier.”

Whyse nodded, “I saw it.”

Mokha followed the other two as they crept along the bank, he thought things had been going well so far and wondered if he should be enjoying himself so much. He spotted the missing man, up on the rocks above the falls, he was gazing to the southeast. Mokha ducked low but the other two continued forward, apparently not having seen him. He snatched a small stone and tossed it at Sefla, it hit her shoulder and fell into the shallows with a distinctive sounding plunk. At least they had stopped.

The man on the falls could clearly be heard, “Looks like something’s burning to the southeast. Maybe a yat of so from the village.” Which meant Gweth and the twins had been able to get a fire burning, if things were going as planned with them, they would now be heading around to the northeast of Aramy, where they hoped to find a few locals who would be able to help them.

A woman’s voice spoke, “Did you hear that?”

“What?”

“Over there in the rushes, something splashed.”

“Likely a frog. I’d be more concerned about that smoke.”

“Things are too wet to burn, it’s just someone’s cook fire.”

“I’m surprised folks still come this way.”

There was a momentary silence, “Yeah. I can’t see anyone else. Jat might be catching a snooze, but I should be able to see some of the others.”

It sounded like the woman was moving through the water towards their position, she would spot them in a moment. Sure enough, “Jat? What are you doing creeping up on us? Wait you’re not-”

Adwin stood up and grabbed the woman who screamed and lashed out. Sefla splashed towards the other side of the brook, shouting to Mokha, “I’ll go up on this side, you take the other!”

They were definitely making too much noise. Mokha stood in time to see Adwin get a knee firmly planted in his groin, his friend doubled over and took the same knee to his face, the woman staggered back, “You’re not Jat! Who are you people?”

The man at the top of the falls stood in stunned surprise, Sefla made it to the far bank, the woman stumbled back a couple more steps from Adwin and drew a knife. Adwin floundered around in the shallows, blood running from his nose. The guy shouted down at them. “Hey!”

Mokha stood and waved his arms in a big circle, “Hello.”

Adwin stumbled to his feet with a high pitched wheeze, the woman took another step back and Sefla darted around the pool near the base of the falls.

Mokha had no hope of reaching the falls before Sefla and Adwin looked like he was having difficulties. He took a doubled up length of cord in either hand, snapped it taut and moved up to where Adwin was. The woman eyed the two of them cautiously. Mokha gave the woman a nod, “You could just surrender?”

“Not happening fancy-pants. Take another step and I’ll gut you.”

“Alright then.” He took another step towards her. She lunged at him, leading with the knife, Mokha flipped the rope over her extended arm and stepped to the side as her momentum carried her past. He kept moving and yanked hard on the rope. The woman went heals over head and came down hard in the shallow water next to Adwin. She had dropped her knife. Adwin more or less fell on top of her and they flailed together in the water. There was a masculine shout of surprise from behind him and a large splash.

Mokha glanced towards the falls, there was no sign of Sefla, nor the man she had moved to confront. Concerned, he started moving in that direction until he heard Adwin’s strangled plea, “A little help?!”

Mokha turned back, Adwin was having difficulties. The woman had rolled him over and was trying to throttle him, while he had one hand pushing up against her neck. He had no leverage. Mokha sighed, walked back to them, flipped the cord over the woman’s head and pulled her back. She flailed wildly, one of her feet connected with Adwin’s head as he sat up. Mokha dragged her back another pace and tightened the cord. The woman grabbed at the rope, her other hand clawing at Mokha’s forearm. He took the scratches and kept strangling her, she tried to get her feet under her to stand, Mokha dragged her back again, into deeper water.

Adwin stood up, staggered over to them and walloped the woman in the face, she sagged. Mokha kept the cord tight, glanced towards the falls, still no sign of Sefla, that was not good. Adwin grabbed the woman’s legs, she was no longer struggling. Mokha released one end of the cord and pulled it away, as quickly as he could he bound the woman’s legs, then, taking another length of cord, did the same to her arms. Adwin dragged her to the bank.

Mokha started towards the falls again. Where was Sefla?

Adwin shouted for him, “Mokha!” Seriously Adwin, this was not the time to stop pulling your weight. Mokha stopped and glanced back. Adwin was standing over the woman they had subdued, but was pointing in the direction of the cottage. The other two women they had been looking for were standing there looking at them, they were just this side of the cottage. At that moment they turned and started running towards the village. Whatever. “You deal with it Adwin. I need to help Sefla.”

Mokha went to the falls and started up the rocks, “Sefla!”

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