Sauragia

Chapter 16

Back at Saurahall, anxieties ran high as everyone awaited the safe return of the Guard from its foray. Word had spread quickly of what was going on, and their arrival eagerly anticipated. The various parties of the Force that had gone out earlier slowly filtered back in throughout the day with nary a sign of the Guard. All throughout the afternoon and into the evening Astron stood atop the main gate, watching and waiting. He would gladly welcome the moment when Captain Torilis came marching back with his troops and resumed his command. And of course, Johnny. His dear, wonderful Johnny. Victorious or not, he did not care, so long as they came back. He had not given much heed to what Richard had said about something happening to them at the time, but now he began to wonder.

In the gathering dusk, Rob came up to join his friend on lookout duty. He cast his gaze over the road to the south, then turned to Astron.

“Well now, Captain sir,” spoke he. “Will you be joining your troops for supper this evening? Or will you be waiting out here ‘til sunrise?”

Astron barely turned his head to reply:

“They’re not my troops and you know it.”

“Whatever you say, old chap,” replied Rob blithely. “But what are you doing about tucker?”

“I think I will stay out here, actually. I don’t think I could bring myself to eat right now.”

“Oh, come on Astron. Whether or not they show up tonight depends nothing on your standing here. Come inside and eat, then you can return if you like.” Seeing his companion unmoving, he sighed. “Ah, well. Tell you what. I’ll pop down to the mess and have Willy make up two plates for us and bring ‘em up here, shall I?”

Astron smiled at his friend’s irrepressible spirit. “Do what you like, Rob.”

“All right, Captain old lad,” spoke Rob, descending the stairs, “but don’t expect it to still be hot by the time it gets here.”

“I won’t, Rob. And thank you.”

Rob was gone in an instant and back surprisingly fast with two food-bearing platters from the kitchen. His own plate was mysteriously piled a bit higher than Astron’s, but Astron did not mind. In truth he was glad of the company, even if it was a tad noisy. He found he did have something of an appetite after all, and finished almost as quickly as his companion. They then gazed out over the battlements to the field beyond and waited. Rob had not the least complaint about staying with his friend, though his eyelids began to droop heavily after a bit.

“Perhaps you’d better go back to bed,” suggested Astron.

“No, I’m stickin’ with you, old lad,” protested Rob. “I’m not that tired.” Almost immediately thereafter he was sleeping soundly with his back supported by the wall. Astron tried to stay awake, but the day’s excitement had taken its toll on him as well, and soon both sat slumbering beside the battlements.

It took the sunlight of the next day and a gentle nudge from a guard to waken the temporary Guard commander. He opened his eyes and shook his head, only to find a slight stiffness in his neck from the odd sleeping posture.

“What is it, Gerry?” asked Astron, looking up at the Alvarosaur standing beside him.

“Pardon me for waking you, Astron sir,” said the extremely young guard. “But the king wishes to know if you’ll be taking breakfast with him in the mess hall or out here on the ramparts.”

“I think I will join him, thank you,” said Astron, nudging Rob awake beside him. “Come on, Rob. I don’t think it could hurt to go in for a bite to eat this time. Tell us if you spot anything, all right Gerry?”

“You mean like that, sir?” spoke the guard, pointing across the field. A lone figure struggled on toward the gate. Astron could tell by his staggering gait that the dinosaur was injured, even from this distance.

“Quickly, we must go and help him!” said he with urgency. “Rob, run back to the king and tell him I’ll be a little longer. Don’t wait up for me.”

Rob nodded and hurried off to fulfill the order. Astron and Gerry opened the gate and, along with two others, ran out to receive the returning soldier.

Johnny had Saurahall in sight and trudged doggedly on. Between the ragged breaths he drew and the throbbing pain from his leg, which increased with every step, it was amazing that he had not passed out from exhaustion long before. But he could not give up. He had a job to do, and he did not want to disappoint. Thus, gritting his teeth, he carried on, his mind too weary to comprehend anything other than the task in front of him. He was in something of a daze when Astron and the others arrived to help him in.

“We’ve got you now, Johnny,” said Astron, trying not to cry at the sight of his friend’s injury. “You’re going to be all right, mate. Don’t lean too heavily on that leg now, and we’ll get you to the guard house.”

“Aww, thanks Astron,” replied Johnny, relieved to have some help at last. “Promised you I’d come back, didn’t I?”

“That you did, mate. That you did.”

“Oh, it was horrible, Astron, the way they ambushed us. All the others…”

“Best hold off ‘til we get back,” said Astron, though very curious himself to know what had happened. “Others will want to hear your story as well.”

So, they hauled the wounded dinosaur into the guard house just inside the main gate and lay him down on the table there. It was a wearisome and laborious process, but somehow it was accomplished. Astron directed the other soldiers to fetch someone with medical expertise and keep watch for any other stragglers who might be coming back.

“None of the others could have possibly escaped that,” said Johnny with a shake of his head, and he proceeded to tell of the whole ordeal from the outset to the ambush. His narrative was punctuated by the occasional grunt or grimace from the binding of his leg by a local physician. He let out an especially piercing yelp when the arrow was removed. Astron listened with intense interest and sadness to what had become of the guards, some of whom he had come to know quite well, all the while glancing at the hideous wound on those powerful legs. Would he ever be able to run again?

“That’s all there is to it,” concluded Johnny, his leg all bandaged up now. “I hated leaving those others like that, but in all the confusion I just did what the captain told me.” He paused and shook his head once in agitation. “I should be there with them now, killed, captured or otherwise, shouldn’t I Astron?”

“You did well in coming here, Johnny,” said Astron, patting him lightly on the shoulder. “You acted very bravely marching all night with an injury like that. And just think, we would have never known what became of you all if you hadn’t come back and told us, and we wouldn’t know what sort of enemy we were up against either. Many lives could be saved because of what you did, Johnny, your own included. You can be proud of that.” He gave a quick glance to make sure they were alone, then kissed him gently on the cheek. “Now rest up, mate, and get well as quick as you can, all right?”

“Yes, sir,” replied Johnny, lying back with a tired smile. “And thanks, Astron.”

Astron left the guard house in a rush and came speedily back to the mess hall, though eating was far from his mind. The king and Rob greeted him anxiously and urged him to sit down and tell them everything. He did not take a seat, but gave an abbreviated account of Johnny’s tale, during which Captain Humphreys came in, exhausted but ready to make his report. He sat down and listened to Astron’s story, at the end of which the king was perfectly still and silent for a whole minute before he spoke.

“So, the Captain of the Guard and twenty of our best are either dead or held captive by an invader with an army over twice the size of ours, and we must assume that this invader intends to come here as soon as possible.”

Astron nodded. “I’m afraid so, sir, and we haven’t time to grieve about it just now.”

“You are right, of course, Astron,” said the king. “Sensible like your father. Now, Captain Humphreys, as senior commander of Saurahall’s forces, what do you suggest we do now?”

“Begin preparations right away, sire, and bring all the settlers from nearby villages in here for shelter,” said the old soldier, rising from his seat. “Set an extra watch on the walltops and declare Cardolin in a state of war.” He paused. “As of this moment, Saurahall is essentially under siege.”