[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.He lostsight of the Shochene before they were a hundred yards out into thetwilight gloom, and thereafter opened his ears to listen for any sign oftrouble.He heard only the wind in Alloway, nightbirds, the movements of thehorses, the voices of sheep and goats on the slopes.Far away, on the edgeof his hearing, a hammer rang, steel on steel.Someone was fixing horse-shoes.The stars glittered through gaps in the overcast, and the moon rose asthey waited.He might have expected to see the gypsy scouts come back in,but they stepped like wraiths out of the tree shadows, and Hauer s voicetook him by surprise.He was still catching his breath. The bastards are well settled in atWestarven.The steadings between here and there are empty.Not burned,251 but looted for anything of value, with not a man, a woman, an animal, tobe seen.We were close enough to their camp to watch the blacksmithworking.they have a number of captives for labor, and a lot of very goodhorses. And Stefan? Rogan prompted. Or his company? With the captives, Hauer said carefully. I d swear it s him, with agroup of four others.They re in a sheep pen beside the horse yards, underguard. He frowned. I don t think he s been recognized. It was a stroke of luck. Then we should be able to steal them out ofthere and slip back into Alloway before the Alscod in realize we were everhere, Rogan mused.He gave Hauer a nod. You and your archers, pickyour own roost, the best vantage point for shooting.Wait till we re clearand then they re yours.You know Bardolf on sight? The Shochene were eager to move. He s been described to us in greatdetail, Hauer assured Rogan. He ll be the only old badger with a big, fatgut and a golden circlet on his head, among two cohorts of warriors and abevy of assorted concubines and whores. You have him, Rogan said grimly as he turned to the company. Getthe horses back into the forest.Set a lookout to watch for us.We ll becoming back around the base of Halstock Hill, on the east side.We ll comeright to you, and leave the Shochene to take Bardolf, and whatever captainsare down there. And the captives who aren t in the pens? Bartok asked cynically. Will have to stay where they are. Rogan slackened the whip-swordin its scabbard and the dirks in their sheaths. There s two cohorts inWestarven? Then we re outnumbered, ten to one.Over stretching, headded bitterly, will get the whole company of us killed.We came here forStefan Halloran.Now we know where they are, and how many, we cansend a couple of cohorts from the Northwinds right across Rickland Bridgein broad daylight, and see what Bardolf s brave heroes make of a stand-upfight.Now, move! He had known the Halstock area for many years, and the othersformed up behind him, let him pick the way around the base of the hill.Onthe other side were sheep trails, a stand of trees, gorse and brambles, andthe creek, winding on through the lowest part of the valley.They saw the lights of Westarven at once, and Rogan stopped towatch, where they had an unobstructed view.The captives were in the oldsheep pens, to the east of the steading.The barns and shearing shed hadbeen turned over to stables and accommodations.Two big pavilions wereraised on the flats beside the barn and the cottage itself.The tavern build-ing was standing, issuing lamplight and hearth smoke, and men movedfreely between all structures.For some time Rogan simply counted heads.He saw more than twentymen at any one time, but some of them were already drunk.They were252 complacent of their position here.It was Owen who growled, Give the fools another hour, they ll be bedded down with theirwhores and their ale. You recognize any of them? Rogan wondered. I know a few from Galshorros, Owen told him, and no, there s noneamong this company who would stand against Bardolf. Rogan cast a glance over the faces behind him, picked out the archersand beckoned them forward. Get yourselves into any perch where youcan see the pens.You ll wait for my signal, and then drop the guards.Cleanly.No yelling, no cursing.If even one of them raises the alarm, wecould all be dead.The guards on those pens must go down, dead beforethey fall.When they re down, hold your places till you see us safely away,and then join us.Go. Good archers were also good skirmishers.These men moved likeghosts through the shadows, and in ten minutes they would have been inthe trees, up on the hillside, with the captives in plain sight and theguards.Still Rogan waited, grimly counting heads and courting patience.The ale was flowing freely in Westarven [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl matkasanepid.xlx.pl
.He lostsight of the Shochene before they were a hundred yards out into thetwilight gloom, and thereafter opened his ears to listen for any sign oftrouble.He heard only the wind in Alloway, nightbirds, the movements of thehorses, the voices of sheep and goats on the slopes.Far away, on the edgeof his hearing, a hammer rang, steel on steel.Someone was fixing horse-shoes.The stars glittered through gaps in the overcast, and the moon rose asthey waited.He might have expected to see the gypsy scouts come back in,but they stepped like wraiths out of the tree shadows, and Hauer s voicetook him by surprise.He was still catching his breath. The bastards are well settled in atWestarven.The steadings between here and there are empty.Not burned,251 but looted for anything of value, with not a man, a woman, an animal, tobe seen.We were close enough to their camp to watch the blacksmithworking.they have a number of captives for labor, and a lot of very goodhorses. And Stefan? Rogan prompted. Or his company? With the captives, Hauer said carefully. I d swear it s him, with agroup of four others.They re in a sheep pen beside the horse yards, underguard. He frowned. I don t think he s been recognized. It was a stroke of luck. Then we should be able to steal them out ofthere and slip back into Alloway before the Alscod in realize we were everhere, Rogan mused.He gave Hauer a nod. You and your archers, pickyour own roost, the best vantage point for shooting.Wait till we re clearand then they re yours.You know Bardolf on sight? The Shochene were eager to move. He s been described to us in greatdetail, Hauer assured Rogan. He ll be the only old badger with a big, fatgut and a golden circlet on his head, among two cohorts of warriors and abevy of assorted concubines and whores. You have him, Rogan said grimly as he turned to the company. Getthe horses back into the forest.Set a lookout to watch for us.We ll becoming back around the base of Halstock Hill, on the east side.We ll comeright to you, and leave the Shochene to take Bardolf, and whatever captainsare down there. And the captives who aren t in the pens? Bartok asked cynically. Will have to stay where they are. Rogan slackened the whip-swordin its scabbard and the dirks in their sheaths. There s two cohorts inWestarven? Then we re outnumbered, ten to one.Over stretching, headded bitterly, will get the whole company of us killed.We came here forStefan Halloran.Now we know where they are, and how many, we cansend a couple of cohorts from the Northwinds right across Rickland Bridgein broad daylight, and see what Bardolf s brave heroes make of a stand-upfight.Now, move! He had known the Halstock area for many years, and the othersformed up behind him, let him pick the way around the base of the hill.Onthe other side were sheep trails, a stand of trees, gorse and brambles, andthe creek, winding on through the lowest part of the valley.They saw the lights of Westarven at once, and Rogan stopped towatch, where they had an unobstructed view.The captives were in the oldsheep pens, to the east of the steading.The barns and shearing shed hadbeen turned over to stables and accommodations.Two big pavilions wereraised on the flats beside the barn and the cottage itself.The tavern build-ing was standing, issuing lamplight and hearth smoke, and men movedfreely between all structures.For some time Rogan simply counted heads.He saw more than twentymen at any one time, but some of them were already drunk.They were252 complacent of their position here.It was Owen who growled, Give the fools another hour, they ll be bedded down with theirwhores and their ale. You recognize any of them? Rogan wondered. I know a few from Galshorros, Owen told him, and no, there s noneamong this company who would stand against Bardolf. Rogan cast a glance over the faces behind him, picked out the archersand beckoned them forward. Get yourselves into any perch where youcan see the pens.You ll wait for my signal, and then drop the guards.Cleanly.No yelling, no cursing.If even one of them raises the alarm, wecould all be dead.The guards on those pens must go down, dead beforethey fall.When they re down, hold your places till you see us safely away,and then join us.Go. Good archers were also good skirmishers.These men moved likeghosts through the shadows, and in ten minutes they would have been inthe trees, up on the hillside, with the captives in plain sight and theguards.Still Rogan waited, grimly counting heads and courting patience.The ale was flowing freely in Westarven [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]