"There has to be another way out of here!"
Shouted an unfamiliar Guard that Kyle had never seen before.
"Keep your voice down, unless you want those soldiers to hear us." Whispered Kyle
"Right, sorry. There’s gotta be another way outta here." Whispered a nervous Highever Guard.
"Ugh...I don't know. Isn't there some way we can get through all this debris."
"Not unless you want to cook yourself."
"Well it's either that, or we rush those Howe scum looting the room behind us."
"Do you think they found that secret passage?"
"Doubt it. If we rush in we can take them by surprise, you in?"
"What about the Teryn, does he live?"
"If he is he would want us to survive, he would want us to cut down those men and get to safety."
"All right I got your back."
The two guards of the Cousland Castle drew their swords and unslung their shields from behind their backs. They approached the door that had been left ajar, cautiously knowing that the slightest sound could betray them. Kyle leaned up against the frame of the door with his yew buckler and steel sword at the ready. In one quick motion he lifted his scale armored boot and kicked the door open, causing a Howe soldier to stumble. Kyle gave out a thunderous war cry and cut down the first soldier to the right of him. In a flash Kyle's companion was at his heels and sliced the dazed Howe soldier from the top pf his neck to the small of his back. As the blood hit the ground the other two Howe soldiers turned just in time to bring their blades to bare against the cold steel of the men of Highever. But the men had been taken by surprise and were quickly losing ground in the spacious room; before they knew it their backs against the wall and they had no room left to swing their swords. In a flash Kyle knocked the first Howe soldier's sword away with the edge of his shield; knowing his end was coming the stunned soldier raised his shield to try and postpone his imminent doom. Kyle hacked and slashed until his sword had splintered his enemy's shield and cut his throat. He looked to his left and saw that his fellow guard had also finished with his opponent as he withdrew his sword from the man's abdomen. Without speaking the two removed a large carpet that adorned the floor of the room, it was stained with blood, but Kyle could still make out the depiction of a large battle raging in the streets of a town. Once the carpet had been rolled up and positioned against the door the two men opened a large metal hatch that led down into a foul smelling cellar. As the two men descended the stairs, Kyle couldn't help but think about how fortunate he was to have discovered this passage not but a few nights ago while he was chasing a hot piece of elf tail into the very room above. He also couldn't stop thinking about the elf's body lying in the corner of the room above, slain and looted. The two men made their way down the dark tunnel, Kyle leading the way with his hand against the wall. The only sound was their breathing as they neared the exit, which was only a loose fitting rock covering a hole in the ceiling that had collapsed. Kyle pulled himself through, took a look around, saw no one, and signaled the other guard to follow him. The two men took in their surroundings; they were about three hundred yards from the castle. In front of the castle Howe's army had set up a perimeter. Kyle had no doubt that there would be sentries on the roads leading out of Highever. He didn't have a plan; all he knew was that his best bet was to move through the wooded areas avoiding the roads.
Chapter 2: Through the Woods
"For the love of Andraste, slow down man." Said the Highever guard that had escaped with Kyle.
"Ya, alright. We'll camp here tonight. Let’s gather up some firewood."
"Right."
Kyle took in his surroundings and gathered his bearings as he collected dry branches of the cold ground. He thought about the nights events, they had barely made it out of Castle Cousland when they were spotted by two of Howe's men stationed on the roads. They had been forced to cross a road to get into the Highever woods that was when the sentries spotted them. Fortunately a farmer happened to be standing with the men when they saw him. The farmer, upon hearing the commotion going on at the castle came to inquire about it with the two men stationed at the road. The farmer had no idea they were Howe's men until they turned their backs to him and flashed their heraldry. Just as they raised their bows to fire, the farmer unslung his crossbow, killed the first sentry, and distracted the second to give Kyle and the Highever guard a chance to escape. Kyle was thankful for the courageous farmer that had saved their lives.
Two minutes later the men returned to their campsite and got a small fire going. It was nighttime and they built the fire against a rock face away from the nearest road. The two sat on opposite sides of the fire, looking everywhere, but at each other. After what seemed like an eternity to Kyle, his companion finally broke the silence.
"Do you think they will be looking for us?' For a moment Kyle didn't say anything. He just pondered the Question.
"If that farmer got both of those men probably not. But if he didn't, then they probably will be looking, but closer to the roads."
"Well that’s good. Do you think anyone else made it out of the castle alive?" Responded the guard.
"I pray to the maker that someone did, The Teryn's son Aeden is a capable lad. If anyone did it was definitely him."
"I think so too. Say, what's your name anyway? I don't recall seeing you in the castle."
"The name is Kyle O'Connor, and I think we were on different guard shifts. I don't know your name either." said Kyle.
"The names Robert Bryce. Dam glad to meet ya."
"Haha! You sound like an optimist! Maybe you should have stayed behind and rallied a defense!"
"Ha!! I sure would like to, so I can put a sword through that bastard Howe."
"Ya, me too. Since we escaped I've been thinking about something." Said Kyle.
"What is it?" Asked Bryce.
"Well. I was on guard duty in the throne room a few nights ago, and I just happened to overhear the Teryn planning his strategy with his eldest son."
"Yes, and then what happned?"
"As you know the Teryn's son, Fergus, is leading our main force to Ostagar. While the Teryn was supposed to guide Howe's men there; a day behind his son--"
"Supposed to." Interrupted Bryce.
"Anyway, the Teryn wasn't going to go with Howe alone. He had hired a platoon of Ash warrior mercenaries that were supposed to arrive a little after Howe's men were supposed too. The Teryn even sent a few soldiers to rendezvous with them." Explained Kyle.
"I know what you’re thinking and if we’re going to catch them we need to leave right now."
"What are we waiting for then."
Modifié par tuckar, 19 avril 2010 - 03:00 .
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