Sauragia

Chapter 14

Obsidian, son of Edward the Slayer, stood watch on the road leading west. He had been posted here by his father to keep an eye out for the returning scouts sent out earlier. Personally, he hated the job, but dared not defy the king’s will. He had received several good thrashings for such back talk before, and did not care for another. So he stood here waiting, bored but content.

Obsidian was eight summers old, and had spent his entire short life on the march. He had extremely dark, almost black scales, which had a peculiar sheen to them, hence his name. His father was dark, but not that dark, so he assumed he got it from his long-dead mother, whoever she was. At any rate, he had led a harder life than some. As the chieftain’s son, and an undersized one at that, he had been forced to toughen up early on, lest he be bullied and dominated by others. And without a kindly mother’s influence, he had become a very cold and cruel young dinosaur like his father so that no other young un dared challenge him in a fight.

He looked on with permanently furrowed brows until his ear slits picked up the sound of the returning party. He leaned casually against a nearby rowan trunk, toying with the handle of the dagger he had tucked in his belt as he waited for them to come bounding down the road, which they shortly did. The five strode up in quick succession and Obsidian stepped out in front of them.

“So, what did you find out?” he asked, claws on hips.

“Oh, hi there little Ob…” the first one started, but was stopped by Obsidian’s withering gaze. Looking away, he corrected himself, “Obsidian, sir.”

“We got something your father’s gonna’ be pleasantly surprised about, sir,” said another, likewise frightened of the youngster’s reaction to being called little. “We got Saurahallers coming this way. A bunch of ‘em.”

“Is that all?” said Obsidian, spitting on the ground first.

“Aye, but they’re armed,” said the first one again. “And coming down this road.”

Obsidian paused to think about it for a second, holding the scouts in a terrified suspense. Then he smiled and nodded.

“All right then,” said he. “Let’s go tell my father, shall we?”

Without awaiting consent, he turned toward their encampment and hurried off, motioning for the rest to follow.

By daylight the village of Greenley was little more than a desolate pile of smoking rubble. King Edward and his lot made their camp just outside the destroyed settlement. The warlord lounged beneath the shade of an oak tree examining a sparkling bejewelled necklace as his raiders sifted through the rubble for any remaining treasures. Truly, for such a small settlement, this place had quite a few worthwhile objects. Everything ever said about Cardolin and its wealth was most certainly true. And this was merely a minor trading post. He could just imagine the good things awaiting them at Saurahall. He had settled down to doing just that when Obsidian and the scouts emerged from the brush beside him.

He casually set aside his trinket as he asked, “What word?”

“The scouts say there’s a band of Saurahallers coming this way,” said Obsidian.

“Saurahallers?” repeated Edward, rising with interest. “How many?”

“A goodly number, lord,” replied one of the scouts. “A score, I’d say.”

“Is that all?” said the king, getting excited. “Twenty Saurahallers? I knew they weren’t a militaristic lot, but I didn’t think them as foolish as this.”

“What are you gonna’ do to ‘em, dad?” asked Obsidian excitedly. Then, at a stern reproving glance from Edward, “Orders, lord?”

“Gather up my captains and bring them to me, then take down all but ten of the tents,” replied the Slayer. “It seems Saurahall has sent us a welcoming party. I think it only courteous that we receive them, don’t you?” He achieved then that signature smile that sent chills down the spine. His present company cast about similar grins at the thought of what was to come, then went off to carry out their master’s orders. Edward turned his thoughts instantly to how exactly he would “receive” the unit of guards coming his way—and liked very much the ideas that came to him.

Alistair Robbins, the second most senior officer of the Defence Force, mopped his brow with a clean kerchief as he waited for his rearmost troops to catch up. It was definitely summer. The sun was very near reaching its zenith for the day, and it was good and hot. It did not help that the trees around them cut off the lovely breeze that was blowing. There was naught to be done about that, though they had had to slow their marching pace somewhat. Even Alvarosaurs could only take so much warmth.

He watched his ten soldiers form back into a column before speaking.

“Right,” he said in a high, nasal voice. “Let’s carry on toward the west, my friends. There’s not much more we can do in this area. Move out!”

Together the small party of soldiers marched steadily northwestward. Upon leaving Saurahall, the Force had broken into several smaller groups in order to spread the word faster. Alistair and his unit had taken the route directly through the Elderwood Forest to warn the settlements along the river, while others had gone to the south and west. It was hard to believe it had actually come to this. Cardolin had not been invaded by anyone in living memory. There had been a few minor wars, yes, but those had all taken place far from the kingdom’s borders. This time the threat was immediate, and the idea of enemies coming for them and their homeland made the small patrols uneasy.

Thus, with his ear slits especially attuned to any unusual sounds, Alistair picked up something from ahead. They were nearing a point where the road they were on converged with the one branching off to the northwest, and to their left was a big hill that limited their field of vision.

“Stop!” he said in a loud whisper, holding up his claw as a signal.

“What is it sir?” asked one of his troops quietly.

“Listen! Do you hear that?”

They listened. Faintly they could hear a shuffling of hind claws and the clatter of weaponry in the trees to their left. Instantly their minds turned to pondering the possibilities, and claws were placed near weapons. Only one of the soldiers dared to speak up.

“They’re prob’ly ours, eh, sir?” said one Alvarosaurus.

“Most likely,” Alistair answered back. “But we must make sure. See if you can climb up that hill and take a peek over. I think they’re coming down the other road.”

The Alvarosaur nodded and ascended with great agility. He kept low and peered through the low-hanging branches and bushes for a moment, then clambered back down.

“Yep, they’re ours all right, sir,” he reported. “Shall we go on ahead and meet ‘em?”

“Certainly,” replied the relieved Alistair. “Forward!”

The patrol continued to the crossroad, then halted again to wait for the other group. As the other patrol neared the road fork, the distinct commanding voice of Captain Humphreys rang out.

“Hold up!” he ordered, and his column stopped marching. Walking up from the rear of his troops, the stern-faced commander approached his subordinate and they met at a convergence point midway between the two units.

“Well well, Alistair, fancy meeting you here, old boy. I take it your sweep is going well?”

“Quite well, Captain. We just passed a couple of settlements near the river, and gave them the news. We were about to hit some of the northern settlements too, though I take it that’s where your lot were headed.”

The captain nodded. “Indeed. Elsie’s troops went on the main road ahead of us, but I was hoping to reach a few of the more remote settlements before dark, and maybe make it back to Saurahall by tomorrow morning some time.” He paused. “Has anyone gone on to contact Allington yet?”

“Hansen’s unit split off from ours to head up that way. It will take them a day or two, but I imagine they’ll catch any other settlements along the way.”

“Very good. Very good,” said Humphreys approvingly. “That Skaarosaur is a reliable fellow. I’m sure he’ll get the job done. Just as we should be doing, come to think of it.”

“Well, I suppose we’ll join you, Captain, seeing as we’re going the same direction. There is safety in numbers, after all.”

“Right. You just beat us here, so you can take the lead and we’ll form up on your rear.”

“Very good, sir,” said Alistair with a salute, then they both returned to their units. Alistair moved his out on the road curving northward, and Captain Humphreys moved his out quickly behind. As he marched along beside his troops deeper into the Elderwood Forest, the veteran warrior wondered how his friend Captain Torilis was doing just now. If Richard’s march was anything like theirs, then he would be having a cakewalk indeed.