Search Posts
I'm leaving for a week vacation with the family and without Internet. We return next Tuesday. Please DMPC as necessary. cheers
Gunthar makes a face like he swallowed something bitter, "That's not challenge that I am eager for. Reolus, you are far more eloquent and comfortable speaking at mass that I am and probably will every be."
Gunthar nods, smiles and looks at Reolus.
Gunthar tries to pay some but not too much attention to the daughter, "We wanted to know what you think the best way for the people of Minden to learn about the savagery of the rebels and how we protected you. How can we convince them to support us more than the rebels? What do you think?"
Gunthar goes to invite Father Augustus and the women to their house for the meal and discuss their tasks. He does know what to do with the daughter. His parents warned him of playing the protector and attracting girls. He must focusing on being a good knight not rutting. His thoughts swirls in his mind as he heads toward the church.
Gunthar stands and nods to the graf when he departs, "Thank you, sir. We won't let you down." He then goes to assess the leftovers of the meal. "We have some leftovers. Does anyone have any complaints if I invite Father Augustus to join us? We need him for all of this." He pauses for a few seconds, "Would anyone mind if I brought the women, too. They might have another good perspective for our tasks, too." He doesn't necessarily want the daughter, but they live around here and could help.
Gunthar wonders how his suggestion got so far off course. He does not know anything about conversion, as barely a Christian himself. After clearing his throat, "I was just suggesting that we could make it known to the people of Minden in a public way what the rebels are capable of and that we saved them. Without our soldiers here, innocent women would have died. Provide them a evidence that we are their protection and salvation. I don't know what's the best way. Maybe town criers?" Then, looking at Reolus, "And after a month, either the prisoners retell the people themselves as converted Christians or become spectacles with their punishment."
Been afk most of yesterday. will catch up this morning..
"The people of Minden to start with. They all have mothers and sisters."
Gunthar watches the politics between Reolus and the graf. "My lord, if they are here, we should let everyone know the rebels are capable of abducting and killing their mothers and sisters. And what happens to the rebels if we can find them."
Gunthar too had focused on his horses and gear. After his maintenance routine was finished, he cleans himself as much as possible and follows Lo.
"Wiebke, you belong with your family. I won't be in Minden often. Please stay with your mother while I go take care of some things." Gunthar leads his and Reolus's horse away toward their tent letting Reolus handle the women. Gunthar unloads the horses and brushes them while they feed.
Gunthar would suggest returning the women home is the first priority. They need to win the hearts and minds of the locals if they are to win the war. Brechthalt can take the troops to Minden if he can't wait.
Gunthar organizes the carts to carry the women and all useful material. When ready, he nods to Brechthalt, "Let's stop by their hof on the way to Minden." He wonders if they can get the body of the dead woman without going too much out of their way.
Gunthar orders the men to pack it up and stow it on the horses unless carts can be found. We can give the material to the families who lost their family. Then, fire the remainder of the camp.
Gunthar shrugs and goes to search the camp. He grabs the troops awaiting orders to increase his search speed.
After the cloaks arrive, Gunthar quietly disengages from Wiebke saying, "Leeta needs you, too right now. You two have survived a terrible ordeal that few will ever understand. I have my duties to attend, but we will travel together soon." Gunthar passes the men standing about awaiting further orders, he finally arrives at Brechthalt, "Do we need any of these supplies or should we just fire the camp? Have you found the leaders' tent while I've been comforting the survivors? Maybe they have maps or information about whom they may take orders."
I'm going camping until Sunday, so bot me
Gunthar shakes his head, "Reolus, Lo, remember they outnumber us, even without the spears we just killed. If they mass an attack on one of our half-strength forces, they would outnumber them more than two to one. Plus, if they have cavalry and archers that threaten them at the same time, we would not be able to protect both of them. Our spears are safer and more powerful as a unit. Let us take the risk of riding to the other side."
Gunthar replies, "Do our spears have a signal horn? The should call us if they need us when we're out of sight. If they oppose cavalry or archers, we would take them easier than our spears."
Gunthar only now notices Brechthalt's wound, "Sounds like a plan. Do we need a minute to bind those wounds?"
Gunthar returns to the knights and looks to Brechthalt, "That worked well enough. Shall we return and draw them into our ambush? Don't forget your bow, sir."
Gunthar looks to Brechthalt, "Should we interrogate the last one?" He rides toward the last one. If Brechthalt says yes, Gunthar says in Saxon, "surrender!" He readies to stick him if the Saxon does not surrender. If Brechthalt says no, Gunthar sticks him.
Gunthar wheels and pursues the fleeing Saxons. With his shield and lance, he guides Sigi to charge the one on the left end. They would pay for their crimes now.
Gunthar wheels and drawing his lance before charging the Saxon on the end. He continues past getting ready to wheel and charge again. At the last moment, Sigi steps in hole pushing his target away.
Did Brechthalt drop his bow? Stowing my bow (and wanting to Ride-by charge) were the reasons I retreated to draw my lance. Bot me until late Sunday. thanks
Gunthar is at 360 lb on his light horse. Couldn't afford a heavy one
Gunthar will continue withdrawing and holster his bow. He then draws his lance and wheels to charge.
Gunthar looks to Brechthalt to coordinate.
Gunthar draws and fires another arrow.
Gunthar draws and fires another arrow.
Gunthar draws and fires another arrow.
Gunthar follows the routine that his father had drilled into him to avoid the anxiety of his first battle: breakfast, armor, weapons, Sigi, gear, all at their time in their place. When he mounts Sigi and rides next to Brechthalt, he is as ready as he will ever be. He stows his lance in its holster and readies his bow double-checking the draw to his quiver for the third time.
Gunthar rolls over to sleep. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Gunthar sips as long as the lord and passes it along. Then, he goes through the Christian motions with Reolus.
"We need to revenge the women and signal to these pagans that they've gone too far."
Gunthar nods at the lord agreeing with his plan.
Jumping in with his advice, Gunthar offers, "We have at least three advantages: first, we can choose the time of battle. Second, we have our bows to hurt them from range, and lastly four mounted knights." He pauses, "So do we want to hit them before dawn with stealth and bows? If their guards pursue, we draw them into an ambush with our spears. We keep the horses out of sight to let the battle set up for the shield walls, then we flank them with the horses to break them." He looks at the older knights.
I'm traveling today out of the country and returning Monday. My Internet will be intermittent at best. Bot me as necessary. cheers
Gunthar continues to maintain his mother's advice that it's better to look like a fool than open your mouth and prove it, so he maintains his silence around Brechthalt. He nods at the lord's invitations and helps set up the tent after he has seen to his horse Sigi.
Gunthar breaks his fast with welcome anxiety in his belly. His emotions teeter between the potential success and potential failure. Success wipes out the rebels and of brings revenge on his cousin's killers. Failure finds him too young and inexperienced for the purpose. "Good morning, m'lord." Gunthar nods and defers to his companions.
Leveled in Scout. Only choices were skills.
After warm and full in the relative privacy of their tent, Gunthar says to his two companions, "That was odd. Ordering 20 spears to attack a camp of 30. I didn't know we were so outnumbered."
Gunthar bows and says, "M'lords." He withdraws to wherever directed thinking, 20 spears versus 30? Should be fun.
Gunthar follows his companions to the graf's house. After his companions speak, Gunthar takes his turn after a pregnant pause after Reolus, "M'lords, we have ridden hard and have traveled rough these several past days. Please let me elaborate. Father August requested us to find his young ward who was late to return from visiting his nearby family. We found him at his family's hof dead in the way Lo and Reolus explained. Returning, we found that the Sachsens had recently raided another hof that had offered us hospitality. Besides killing and stealing, they kidnapped several women. We immediately pursued them into the moor. When we caught them, they had arrived at an encampment about a long day's ride from here. We counted 30 bastards. Since there were too many to take ourselves, we rode as fast as we could to you to get reinforcements. If we return quickly, it's an opportunity to catch them by surprise and destroy them. Hopefully, we can save the women who have survived, because we already found one frozen to death along the trail in the moor. She needs a proper burial when we can." When he stops speaking, he slowly realizes that that was the most words that he has spoken since his departure from home. To the graf, no less.
As soon as they reach Minden, Gunthar digs deep into his practiced reserves to steady himself with a strong appearance and finds the watch officer. "We've found the rebels. Camped a long day's ride from here. My friends are frozen and bone weary, so share the news with Graf Theodoric. Then, please tell Father August that we've returned."
|