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Quill and Ink => Stories => Topic started by: DonaCatalina on February 26, 2009, 07:44:25 AM

Title: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on February 26, 2009, 07:44:25 AM
  Rob and Lucinda jarred along in the ill-sprung wagon while their older brother Daniel rode his bay horse alongside. The early morning drizzle had faded to a fine mist that chilled the early spring air. The oilcloth covering of the wagon kept the two siblings and their servants drier than their brother's felt hat and leather cape kept him. At the outset of their journey, Daniel had insisted that his almost twenty years entitled him to ride. Now he wondered if he would have been better off, and drier, in the wagon. Along this way, the trees were clustered so thickly that it was known as the Woodland Road. Unluckily Daniel had thought that the canopy of leaves would protect him from the rain. He comforted himself with the idea that his guards thought better of him for sharing their misery. He certainly had no other reason to ride in the rain. The five guardsmen who rode with the small caravan certainly provided all the protection that they needed. He glanced back at the second wagon that held their personal baggage as well as other supplies.

  Both he and the eighteen year old Rob had been summoned home for their parent's funeral. Lucinda had barely survived the fever that had carried off both father and mother during the winter. It was a blow that the oldest boy bore stoically. Being two years away from his majority meant that Daniel had inherited his father's title, but he and his brother and sister were now under the guardianship of their uncle. A decade had passed since they had last seen their father's younger brother. Daniel was the only one old enough to have a clear recollection of the man. There was nothing remarkable to remember about the man other than his resemblance to his brother, the baron. They had shared the same dark hair and green-hazel eyes. Daniel had inherited these same features, while the younger ones resembled their mother. Both had the same fine sandy blonde hair and pale blue eyes. In fact, so closely did they resemble each other that Rob and Lucinda often were mistaken to be twins.

  The manor house where their uncle lived was a five day journey by wagon. Just a few miles down the road waited the village of Goosemeade. Daniel had always wondered at the unprepossessing name, but none of them had ever laid eyes on the place. The castle in which they had been born had always been the center of activity for the barony. Spring fairs and autumn fairs had filled the village square with a panorama of color and music when viewed from the battlements. Not for the first time, Daniel wondered if the fairs would continue in their absence. Then a sense of shame niggled at his conscience that he should have been concerned about a fair while he still mourned his parents. A trickle of rain found its way down the back of Daniel's neck and distracted his thoughts. The men-at-arms who rode around him maintained a glum silence. There was a distinct possibility that they would be released from service by the children's uncle and guardian. For them, these changes might mean loss of home as well as loss of their master. A beam of sunlight pierced the clouds and painted a pool of gold on the sodden roadway. For a moment this lightened the hearts of the group.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Christina de Pond on February 26, 2009, 09:20:43 AM
Lucinda watched Rob for a few minutes her brother who was usually full of life was silent and Lucinda knew Rob was greiving deeply for thier parents. Just as well as she knew how much Daniel must be grieving too. Even if they were going to live with thier uncle Lucinda felt it was her job to take care of them. after all they were all the family she had left.
Lucinda wondered what thier uncle would be like would he be nice or vengefull? All Lucinda could get out of Daniel was that thier uncle had looked a lot like thier father which ment he resembled Daniel.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on February 28, 2009, 09:55:40 AM
Miles waited patiently for the small caravan to reach the ambush site. It had been a year since they had engaged in banditry, yet his men were as sharp and confident as ever. They seemed glad to be back in action. Miles was not. He had thought he was done with this life once he'd made enough to buy a holding. But the land had not been generous and barely supported himself and his men. None of them were natural farmers, nor was he himself. Nor had his father been. Except for luck, he had much in common with the youngsters he was about to disturb. He had been a motherless lordling whose dissolute father had died just as he was coming into manhood. Though a lord, his father had left him nothing but debts he could not pay and so he lost the estate. He'd had no relatives willing to take him in. His father had alienated all of them in one way or another. His only luck had been the guardsmen who had stuck by him. One had known the art of theiving from earlier in his life, and so the group had robbed nobles in various ways, most often by an ambush on this road. They had developed a reputation of stealth, speed and efficiency among the underhanded that disturbed Miles. He had always tried to excel in anything he tried but he'd never wanted to be known as a superior thief. On occasion someone had tried to hire them for some dirty deed and he had always turned them down. But this time the pay was higher and he saw the opportunity to give up this cursed land that seemed to bring him no good. His sister, Cressida, had developed the coughing sickness. This money would allow him to move to a southerly climate that he had heard was easier on consumptives. The contract was to kidnap the girl of this family and keep her unharmed until a ransom was paid. He didn't like it. He normally wouldn't have bothered such a small sad group. But the money would allow him to start a new life in a new place where he had no reputation--good or bad--and perhaps save his sister's life.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on March 01, 2009, 10:50:46 PM
Cressida  sat by  the  camp fire, waiting  for  Miles  and  the  others  to return.  He  did not   say  where he  and the others were going. He  did  not have  to. She knew  by  the look on their  faces  and  the  way  they rode  out of  camp, that they  there were off  to another  day of  theiving.  She  did not approve of  her brother's  doings, and  she  often felt  she  was  to blame.   She knew  he  was  trying  to make  enough  money  to take  care of  her.   Now  as  she  sat  alone  by  the  fire  she  could  not  help  thinking if   Miles  would  be  better off  if  she  was  not  alive,  but  then she  came  to her senses, and  realized  that Miles   needed  her in his  life.   She  began  to cough and  shiver.    The  rain and  dampness  were not helping her cough.  She  pulled  her  cloak,  and   the old  wool  horse blanket  around  here  and  huddled  against  the  tree, trying to keep  warm.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on March 02, 2009, 09:27:16 AM
Daniel happened to look forward just as Wat raised his hand to signal a stop. The Welshman had come into the old Baron's service a decade previously under sentence for poaching in the royal park. With no explanation given, he had remained in service even after his seven year sentence had ended. Daniel edged his horse up beside the silent man.

"You Excellency" Wat whispered "Listen and tell me what you hear."

For the briefest of moments Daniel started to look for his father before he realized that the armsman had meant him.

He whispered back to Wat "I hear nothing. What do you hear?"

The Welshman replied "I hear nothing and that is what bothers me. All day we have startled birds and small animals from our path. Here, something has already startled them."

With one smooth motion he pulled his bow from his shoulder and notched an arrow. Thoroughly alarmed, Daniel loosened his sword in the scabbard and looked around for signs of movement. The slight whistle of a passing arrow in the silent was the only warning he received before he ducked. Wat sped his arrow away and was rewarded when a man pitched headfirst from the brush. A horse screamed behind Daniel and as the rider-less beast careened past he saw the arrow embedded in its flank. An undulating scream came from the rear wagon when an arrow pierced the leather covering. Two of the other guards engaged three men who attempted to pull them from their horses. Using his horse, the Welshman tried to position Daniel behind him and against the front wagon. Daniel gritted his teeth and backed his mount away from Wat. Almost without thought he went into action as he had so many times on the training field. The shock of metal on bone went up his arm as he severed the limb of one attacker from the shoulder. A reverse and downward thrust enabled him to disembowel another. The arrows flew from Wat's bow in rapid succession. Then as suddenly as they had appeared, the attackers vanished.

Chest heaving, Daniel surveyed the carnage around him. One of their guards was down with his throat slit. It had been his mount that plunged down the road. The maids in the rear wagon had stilled their wailing. No sound came from the lead wagon. Daniel urged his horse around to the front. The driver lay across the seat, his head a bloody ruin. The sight of Rob's pale hair made Daniel's heart leap into his throat. His brother coughed and moaned when Daniel lifted his head. He had been stunned only. Then the terrible realization set in. Lucinda and her maid were missing.

Daniel whirled around and called out "Lucinda, Lucinda can you hear me?" Silence was the only answer.

Wat and another guard came up with a man between them. A trickle of blood between his eyes led from the spot on his head where he had been clubbed down.

In a voice as chill as a late winter wind Daniel demanded "Who are you and what has been done with my sister?"

The man blinked at Daniel as if he had trouble focusing. "My name is Miles" he answered "If you let me live I can help you get your sister back. I was driven to this by desperation only. I never wanted to be an outlaw".

Daniel looked the man over carefully. He glanced towards Wat, who gave him an almost imperceptible nod. As if he communed with an inner voice, Daniel sat motionless for several moments with his eyes shut.

Then with a sigh, Daniel looked again at Miles and said "you will come with us to my uncle's. We cannot mount a proper search encumbered by servants and baggage wagons. If you betray us, I will cut your throat myself. But if we get my sister back unharmed I will make sure you have your freedom and possibly more besides".

This last part made both Wat and Miles look at the boy Baron with an odd look. For the briefest second Daniel's voice had held an echo of his father's.


  It was a sad caravan that reached Ruthin Manor. The dead armsman and driver had been placed in the front wagon. Seven dead bandits were left along the road in their wake. In the aftermath of the attack, Daniel had given thanks to his father that he had insisted that his armsmen and sons had always been well trained. One of the other guards had been detailed to drive the wagon. Rob, head bandage and all now rode that horse.

  The noise of their arrival at the manor attracted the attention of the gate guards long before they were within shouting distance. By the time they had climbed the hill to the gate, a man on horseback flanked by four others rode out. When the two groups approached each other, Daniel saw that the lead man was a younger copy of his father.

This man dismounted and knelt in the dirt before Daniel. His companions followed suit.
"You Excellency" he said "We rejoice at your safe arrival even as I mourn my brother's passing".

  Tears sprang to Daniel's eyes but he forced them back as he commanded "Uncle Thomas, do not kneel before me. I have more sad news for you. Lucinda was abducted on the road. We captured one of the bandits, but I also need your help to find her".

The shock on Thomas's face was genuine and for a moment he was at a loss for words.

"C-come inside" he stammered "I must hear this whole tale. My heart tells me that my enemies and those of the young prince seek to strike at me through my niece. But I must know more".

Daniel interrupted him at this point "We also have dead to be buried. Have you a chapel?"

"Yes there is a chapel" Thomas answered. He waved one of his men forward. "Lew" he instructed "ride with the bodies to the chapel and send for a priest from Saint Martin's".

As the man rode off trailed by one wagon, Thomas remounted his horse and lead the remainder of the group towards the three storey house.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on March 02, 2009, 12:55:30 PM
Cressida  heard the sounds of horse's  hooves  approaching. She arosed  to greet  them, and pepare  some   warm tea  for  them  to drink.  As the  riders  grew  closer  she  counted  the  men  on horseback  like  she  always  did.    One,two, three, four, five , six...
Where were the  eight  others  ?    She hurried  towards  the  riders  as fast as her  weary legs  could  carry her.   The lead  rider a man, by  the  name of   Will, appraoch  her.
  "  Will, where are  the  others  ?"  she  asked him.
  "  No time  to talk now Cressida,"  he  told  her,"  We have  to break camp  and  get moving   fast, before  they  come  looking  for  us. "
   Cressida  could  sense  something had went terribly  wrong. As  the  other riders  approached  she  noticed   two  very   finely dressed  women  bounded  in ropes  riding with  them.
  " Will, what have  you  done  ?"  she    demanded.
  "  It was  suppose  to be a simple  ambush,"  shouts  Will,"  We had it all  planned out. Hurt  them, but  don't kill  them ."
   "  Killed  !" exclaimed  Cressida," Will, who  got  killed ?"   She looked  around  for   Miles.
   " NO ! No ! NO !  she  screamed  out in horror  and  colapsed   to  the  ground.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Christina de Pond on March 02, 2009, 06:58:39 PM
bound and gagged Lucinda and Faith sat on the back of two horses
Lucinda believed the men had made a mistake they hand tied and gagged them but they forgot to blindfold them. Lucinda's eyes were sharp and taking in everything.
she watched in horror as the girl feel to the group is sorrow and sobs whoever Miles was he ment something to the girl. Anyone with eyes could see that she was fragile and was not well.
Lucinda wondered if she talked to the girl if she might have compassion on them. Lucinda was already planning in her mind given half the oppertunity they would escape. Lucinda looked at poor Faith who looked very very frightened and pitied her friend. Faith had been with Lucinda since they both were very small children and become quiet close.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on March 04, 2009, 08:49:34 PM
After Daniel had filled in his uncle about the ambush, the prisoner was brought in for questioning.

"What were you hoping to accomplish by raiding my deceased brother's family?" Thomas asked.

"I intended to satisfy a contract to kidnap the girl and hold her without harm until ransom was settled."

"How much ransom?"

"I was not privvy to that information. I assume you will find out shortly. I was to receive 2000 pounds upon completion of my contract."

"I can match that," Daniel blurted out, halting when his uncle raised his hand.

"I will abide by any decision you make, my lord, but I would ask you to accept my counsel and deal cautiously with brigands. Do not count much on their honor. We have this man's life in our hands. Perhaps that would be enough of a reward now for the return of Lucinda."

"It would not," stated Miles. "That money is needed to start a new life in a southern country where the climate will give my ill sister ease. You believe there is no honor among thieves but I trust my mens' loyalty to me, as they have shown me nothing but loyalty. If they assume me dead, they will carry out the contract and take my sister south as a last duty to me. I have no doubt of it."

Daniel was moved by this speech and glanced at his uncle but the older man remained stoney.

"Who is your contract with?"

"We don't give names much in this business," said Miles. "The man who dealt with us called himself Badger. I doubt it had any bearing on his real name."

"He had an accent?"

"No, he spoke as straight as you and I, though with a rougher tongue."

"There were no others?"

"We dealt with Badger only."

Thomas sensed a restlessness in his nephew and decided to adjourn the interview, nodding to the guards to take the man away. The moment the door was closed, Daniel stepped before him.

"Dear uncle, I owe you much and appreciate your wise counsel. I know you suspect this is part of some complicated plot and want to expose an enemy and traitor, but I don't care about all that. I want my sister back home as quickly as possible by whatever means is most convenient. Lucinda is barely recovered. This man's sister is so ill he wants to take her south. What if Lucinda should come in contact with her? I have lost enough of my family to sickness." Daniel paused to control his emotions. "I will not tolerate any delays. I will give this man what he wants if he can take us to Lucinda and we see her safely home. That is all I care about. Will you aid me?"

"Yes, of course," assured Thomas, placing his hand on his young nephew's shoulder. "Of course. I never meant to imply otherwise. And I did not mean to delay. I was merely trying to fully understand what we were dealing with--and to keep the thief off balance. But he's not easily unsettled. After we have Lucinda out of harm's way, I may see if I can strike a separate bargain with him. Though it could be he knows as little as he claims. I and my men are at your disposal whenever you're ready."

"Now then. I can't stand to linger in comfort when Lucy may be thrown in a pile of leaves somewhere bound and gagged. I feel I have already wasted too much time."
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on March 05, 2009, 09:28:22 AM
  Thomas was as good as his word. He supplied Daniel with spare mounts for him and his surviving guards. For additional guards he detailed ten of his own men to go with Daniel.

  The two of them spoke alone in Thomas's study the morning that Daniel meant to set out.
"I cannot in good conscience allow your brother Robert to go with you" Thomas said sternly "If the king knew that I was risking one his barons needlessly as well as his closest heir, it would be my head."

  Daniel nodded solemnly and replied "I understand, though I fear that Rob will not. Please keep him safe for me." His uncle clapped him on the shoulder and replied "You may depend on that." After a pause he handed Daniel a roll of leather. As he took it, the young man's eyes opened wide in surprise at its weight. "Gold" Thomas explained "keep it close and hidden. Only use it as a last resort." Daniel nodded and tucked the roll away into his waistband. With his throat full of unsaid words, he left the room and went out the front door.

  Gathered out front were the fifteen men who would accompany Daniel. There was as yet only enough light to show the distant manor walls as dark outlines. Each man, including Miles, had a spare mount that also held his share of their provisions. Daniel's horse awaited him alongside a dark reddish bay horse. Rob stood in front of the group with a downcast expression. Moved by his brother's sorrow, Daniel came and stood in front of him.

"We must ride hard and fast to find Luci" Daniel explained "You must remain safe here to be the baron if anything happens to me." Rob dropped his eyes and mumbled "I know. But I wish I were going anyway."

  Daniel turned away and mounted his horse. "We will be back as soon as we can with Lucinda" he called as he spurred his horse towards the gate. The group was soon lost to sight in the early morning gloom.

  Outside the manor's gates Wat motioned to Daniel. "There is a lesser used road from here that will take us about to the spot where they would have left the road and headed south." With a thoughtful look Daniel responded "If that will save us some time, then I say we take it." Wat moved into the lead to find the fork in the road that they wanted. Miles was herded into the center of the group by the other guardsmen. Daniel twisted back in his saddle spoke to him "Remember what I said earlier. Regardless of my uncle's wishes in the matter, I will reward you handsomely if we get my sister back unhurt. If she is otherwise, I will not rest until I have hunted down you and ever last one of your friends." For a moment Daniel's cold expression made him seem much older than his actual years. Rarely had Miles seen such implacable determination even in his hard life.

  Not far from the ambush site, Wat picked up the first signs of the brigand's trail. The stink from the abandoned bodies made everyone's eyes water. Already the forest creatures had begun to disperse the remains until they were unrecognizable. For Miles' part, he tried not to think about the fact that the ravaged bodies had once been his companions. Kicking at the remains of a fire" Wat said "They were very rushed your Excellency. They did not even linger to hide the traces of their camp." He walked a little further and examined the marks of hooves among the leaf covered ground. Wat remounted his horse and explained "By the looks of these tracks none of the horses were double mounted. They will have made good time for at least the first day and night."

  Daniel clinched his fists on the reins. "Curse the lost time; but we are equipped to travel faster for longer then they."  He spurred his horse after Wat in the direction that the kidnappers had taken his sister.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on March 06, 2009, 03:26:14 PM
A group of  riders rides  fast and  hard  thur  the  evning hours  despite  a few  protests  from the  women    with  them.
" Quiet,"  shouts  one of the  lead  rider,"  Or i will permanently silence  you  right  now ."

" That is  enough Luke,"  says   Will,"  and  remember  with Miles  gone  I  am  in charge ."

  "  Who said  you were in charge ?"  snaps   Luke.

   " Enough  the both of  you,"  shouts Cressida," Miles has not even been dead  for  very long,  and  here you two are arguing.How  do  you think, this  would  make him feel ?  Have  you  do decency  in your  bones ?"      She  begins  to  cough  hard.

   " Excuse  me,  Will  is   it ?  Your  woman  friend  is  very ill," says  Lucinda,"  This  rain and  dampness  is  doing  her  no  good.  May  I  suggest  we   find  a  warm  place  to  stop  for  the  night  ."

      " There is  an old  abandon cabin up ahead  that use  to belong to  a fur trader,"  says  one of  the  riders  who was  familiar  with the  area.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Christina de Pond on March 12, 2009, 08:52:34 AM
the group followed Jason to the fur trader's abandoned abode
Luke stoked a fire and brought Cresinda to it even if Miles was gone it was the least he could do was look after Cresinda. Luke also brought Lucinda and Faith to the fire and had men guard them.
Even if this had been Miles' scheme he would see it out and that ment taking care of his captives to bring full randsom the man who hired them wanted an also to ensure full payment.
Luke knew someone would need to take Cresinda southward in her brothers absence Luke figured it might as well be him he could stand for a bigger pie of the pie knowing that most of it would pay for Cresinda living contently for the rest of her life
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on March 16, 2009, 02:32:36 PM
Cresinda saw the  way Luke  looked  at her, and it made  her feel very uneasy.  She  never did like  the  man. He  was very rude  and had  a very short temper.  She  tried  to listen  in tothe  coversation that Luke  was  having  with Will.
   " If we get captured, we  will all end up going  to  prison  for  kidnapping  and  murder.  What good  will that  do Cresinda ?  Give  me  my share  of  the  money  and  the  money  meant  for  Cresinda  and  let  me  take  her down  south  where she  will be  safe ,"  says Luke.

    "  I  don't have  the  money," snaps Will,"  And  if  I  did, what makes  you think I would  give  it  to  you.  Since  when have  you  cared about Cresinda? You are always  ordering  her around.You have  always  been out  for  yourself  and  no one  else.  How  do i  know  you won't take  Cresinda's  share of  the  money  and  dump  her  somewhere . "

     "  I  said  I want  my  money,"  demands  Luke.

       " And I'm teling you I  don't have  it,"  shouts  Will back.

While  the  two men are arguing  Cresinda  takes  the oppurtunity  to walk over to Lucinda  and  talk  to her.  She  hands  her a  mug  of  water  to drink.
     "  I  thought you  might  be  thirsty,"  says  Cresinda.
   
      "  Thankyou,"  replies Lucinda, appecting  the  mug of  water.

   " I  can't talk long,"  whispers Cresinda,"  but  if  we wait  for  the  others to fall asleep, I am willing  to help you escape,  but  you  must take  me  with  you. 

     " What are you telling them?"  shouts Luke, walking up behind  Cresinda  and   grabbing her arm so hard  that  she  cries out in  pain.

     " You are  hurting  me,"  cries  Cresinda.

    " What were  you telling  them ?"  shouts  Luke  at  her.

     "  Nothing,"  replies  Cresinda,"  I was  just offering  them something  to drink ."

      "  Are  you lieing  to me  ?" shouts  Luke

         "  No  Luke,"  says  Cresinda  nervously
     
         "  I'll teach you to disrepect me,"  shouts  Luke  slapping her across the  face.  Cresinda  drops  to the  floor   sobbing.   Luke  goes  to grab her, but Lucinda manges  to stick  out  her  rope  tied  legs  and  trips  him.

          "  Why  you !"  shouts  Luke, pulling himself  on his  feet,"  I'll teach you a lesson  in manners  too  girl ."

         
     Will had  entered back into the cabin, and  spotting Luke,  he  grabs him  from behind,  and   slams him against the  wall. He pulls out  a dagger and  points  it at Luke's  throat  and  says  to him,
   "  You  no good  scum.  Give  me  one  reason  why  I  don't  kill  you  right  now. If you ever lay a  hand  on Cresinda again  I'll   rip your  throat  out ."
             He calls  to a  couple of  the  other men in the  party and  says,"  If it were up to me, I would  make  this  snake  leave  our  party, but  i don't  trust him. He  would  probaly  turn  us  all  in.  Take  him  outside  and  tie  him   up  to  a  tree  out  there."

      "  But  I'll freeze  out  there,"  protests  Luke.

         "  You should  have  thought of  that before you  threaten   the  ladies  here ,"  replies Will.
  Will  bends  down next  to Cresinda  who is  sitting on the  floor   shaking.
   "  It's alright Cresinda, I  won't let him harm  you  again  ."

      "  I  wish  Miles  was  here,"  cries  Cresinda.

          "  I  do  too,"  says  Will  holding  the  sobbing  Cresinda in  his  arms . He  turns  towards Lucinda and  Faith  and   asks  them  if  they are alright.

           "  No, we are not alright,"  remarks  Lucinda,"  We are tied up, and  hungry, and  being held  hostage   by  a bunch of savages."

          " Savage am  I ?" laughs Will,"  That is  kind of  harsh words  for the  man, who  just saved  your  life."

        "  Fine," replies  Lucinda,"  If you want to prove  you  are not  a svage,  then  let  me  and  my  maid  go  ."

         "  I  am  afraid  I  can't  do that," replies  Will.

      "  Then you  are  no  better  then that  other  man"    says  Lucinda

     "  Will, why  don't  you  let  thm  go,"  begs  Cresinda.

       "  You  Know  we  can't  do  that," remarks  Will,"  You  know  we  need  the  money.  How  are we suppose  to get you well gain ?"

        "  If  it is  money  you need  I  can  talk  to  my  uncle ,"  says  Lucinda.

         " No," replies Will,"  We will stick  to our plans."
         

         

     
     


 
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on March 18, 2009, 01:46:16 PM
  When the light was too dim to see any their quarry's trail, Wat insisted that Daniel call a halt. "Your Excellency" the Welshman explained "It will do your sister no good if we over run their tracks in the dark" Daniel winced at the usage of what he still considered his father's title.

"It will be a cold camp here" Daniel answered in a voice filled with resignation "But you are right and we have no choice."

When he dismounted the others followed his example. With his saddle for a backrest, Daniel sat down in the shelter of budding oak. All the wood was too damp to burn, so their evening meal was cold meat and bread. The forest sounds returned to normal around them as the men settled in for the night. Dark came early under the heavily clouded skies. The temperature of the air fell across the landscape like an icy wave. It was not long before Daniel noticed that small animal sounds had fallen silent again. The snap of a twig turned his head sharply to the left. Wat crouched near his side with a finger held up for quiet.

"Something follows us in the dark." He whispered urgently to Daniel. Almost wraithlike in his movements he moved back silently. Daniel rose to follow him with slow measured steps. Both men froze at the sound of rustling in the brush. Quick as a snake Wat plunged his arm into the brush up to his shoulder. He pulled forth a flailing form in dark clothes and a dark woolen cap. In its struggle to be free, the cap came loose. Even in the darkness Daniel recognized the flash of gold from his brother's hair.

"Rob!" Daniel exclaimed "What do they devil do you mean by following us in the dark? You could have been killed any one of ten ways!"

Wat released the boy and he tumbled unceremoniously to the ground. Rob's expression turned sullen as he got to his feet. "I didn't though. I brought my own horse too. She's tied to a tree a little ways back."
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Christina de Pond on March 21, 2009, 11:44:12 AM
" you did what? your suposed to have stayed at uncles castle?"
" And what wait like a girl or a child" spat Rob
" It's not a matter of making you sit at home like a child or a girl you need to recoperate and get well"
"I need to help find Lucinda"
Daniel was about to try to reason with Rob again when Wat intervened
" Sir might i have a word or two with you?"
" Rob stay put I'm not done with you"
Daniel followed Wat out of Rob's hearing range
"Sir i don't mean to trouble you but he's come this far on sheer determination it would disgrace him now if we sent him home and well plus you would have to send men we can't afford to lose with him. Let him ride with us if a major incident should arise I will keep a close eye on him"
" Your right He has lost both his parents and now to lose his only sister for him to sit still would be maddening. I'll go tell him now that he is to come with us."
" Very Good sir"
Daniel returned to Rob
" Get up go get the horse and be quick"
" Your not sending me home?"
" NO it would take too many men that i can't afford to give up"
before Daniel had said More Rob had up and bolted to his horse thankfull Daniel had no choice but to bring him along
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on March 24, 2009, 08:32:52 PM
Through the fog of sleep, Miles heard the crazy string of songs from a mockingbird. It was not insistent but it was annoying enough to nudge him into consciousness--and then into realizing it was Peter, one of his men, probably on his way to or from telling their intermediary that they had captured their quarry. Apparently he had found this group and investigated, finding Miles. The mockingbird was the "confusion" call, indicating one needed clarification in a situation. Miles couldn't very well whistle back. He couldn't imagine Peter could see him through the cover of trees. The call didn't sound that close. All the same, Miles shifted a bit to expose his hands to the glow of the fire and held his hands in the "change of plans" signal. His hands were tied behind his back so it was an improvised version of the signal. He had little hope that it could even be seen. But that was the last he heard of the mockingbird.


Peter rode up on his crew of fellow bandits at noon the next day as they were traveling toward the point where they would hand over their captives. He had ridden his horse to the point of exhaustion and "traded" it for another in the night. His new steed was heaving as he pulled up and jumped off. "Everyone! Cressida! Will!" he called out. "I've seen Miles! He's alive! He's being held captive by our hostages' relatives. He signaled to me a change of plans."

"What change?" asked Will.

"I didn't sit down and talk with him!" said Peter in exasperation. "He gave me the hand signal. That's all."
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on March 25, 2009, 04:29:41 PM
Wat approached  the  half  asleep Daniel and  said  to him in  a low  voice,
" Sir, I am sorry  to disturb you, but i have  a feeling  we  were being  followed ."

  "How so ? "  asked  Daniel.

"  I kept hearing  what  sounded  like a bird,  a Mockingbird  to  be  exact.   I remember  hearing  them one  time  when  i  visted an  aunt of  mind  down   south.  Well, it   seemed  odd  to be  that  a  Mockingbird  would  be   this  far  north."

"  Your  suspicions   do  make  sense ,"  aggreed  Daniels,"  Bring   the  man, Miles  here. See if  we  can  get  him  to  talk  ."

   Wat returned  a few  minutes  later  with  Miles, his  hands   still tied  up.

" Master Miles,"  says  Daniel,"  My friend  here, Master  Wat, has   a  feeling  we  are  being  followed.  You  would  not  know  anything  about  this  now  would  you ?"

  "  I  know  nothing  of  what  you  implie ,"  lies  Miles,"  I  was  in  a deep  slumber   until  i was  awaken  by  your  friend   sir ."

   "   I  heard a  Mockingbird  call,"    replies  Wat    ,"  And  we  all know  that  Mockingbirds  live  down  south,  and  that  you  have   spent  time   down  south."

      "  I  have  never  spent  time  down  south  sir,"  remarks  Miles  back,"  I  only  stated that I  wish  to  go  south,  to take  my    dear  sister  who is  very  ill,  to  a  warmer  climate.     Which my  the  way,  while  we are standing here  arguing  my  sister  is  growing  weaker."

    "  You  forget   sir, that  my  sister is  involved  too,"replies Daniels,"   I  suggest you  co-operate   with  us.  What  about    then  man  Badger  who  paid  you  ?   Could  he  have  sent  men  to  follow   us ?"

    "  I  don't know,"    says   Miles  growing impatient, then he  stops  and  thinks     and  says.."   You know, if  you  untie  me,  I  could  draw  you a map  of  where  his  men  may  be  hiding  out."

"  I  am  not  that    stupid  sir,"  remarks  Daniel,"   You will remain  tied  up until  i  get  my  sister  back."


Meanwhile  back at  the  bandit  hideout,  Cressida  can't belive  what  she  just heard Peter  say.
  "  Peter, are  you  certain ?  Is  my  brother  really  alive  ?"

     "  I saw  him   with  my  own  two  eyes   ?"  answers  Peter.

     "  Then we  must not  head  south,"  replies   Cressida,"  That  is  what  Miles  means  by change of  plans. He  does  not want us  to  head south.  If  i know  my  brother  he  wants  us  to  stay  put  until  he    makes  his  escape  and   comes  and  finds us."

  "   I'm  not  so  sure,"says  Will.

  "   Think  whatever  you want  to  think,"  remarks  Cressida  back,"  All i  know  , is  that  my  brother  is  still alive, and  for  that  i  am  very grateful  for,  and  that he is  going to  find  us,  and  then   everything  will be  alright.   Miles  will  make  sure  of  it.  He  always  takes  care  of  things. he  has  never  let  me   down."
   
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on March 27, 2009, 08:51:40 AM
In their haste to be away from the half-ruined cabin, the outlaws bundled Luci and her maid onto horses with no breakfast. Lucinda's hand ached horribly from the strain of being tied to the saddle horn. She was sure that her maid felt the same. Luke and Will rode in front of the group. Cressida, Peter and the mute Angus trailed at the rear. The cough from Cressida that so alarmed Lucinda the previous day lessened as the morning air gradually warmed.

After they forwarded a shallow creek Will reined his horse to a stop.

"We need to circle back now" he said to Luke "If we can sneak up behind them we may be able to free Miles."

With a sneer Luke replied "You know how many men they have and you think we can take them with just the few of us here?"

Exasperated Will replied "And you should know that Miles would stand a better chance of getting our money from this Badger. Miles is the one he's had dealings with before."

Lucinda watched this argument with interest. The weak link in their plan was the loss of Miles. He had been the front man and mastermind of the whole enterprise. If she could play on their differences, she might delay them long enough for a rescue to be effected.

"You will all swing from a gallows unless you release us soon" Luci commented to Cressida "Let me speak to my family and we can work out someway for you to move south."

"Shut up you!" Luke snarled at her "We'll get our money and be long gone before anyone catches up with us."

Will moved his horse between Luke and Lucinda. "We are wasting time here arguing" he hissed angrily "Every minute those men get closer to us. We have to do something to get them off our trail or we'll never be able to meet up with Badger."

A beast like snarl revealed Luke's yellow teeth. "All right then" he finally agreed "We will do it your way Will. We need to hide the women somewhere and leave the mute with them for a guard."

With a jerk he turned his horse's head to the left and followed the creek they had crossed earlier. Will shook he head and motioned for them all to follow Luke.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on April 06, 2009, 07:59:49 PM
Cressida had always known Miles was a natural leader, but she hadn't realized how quickly their band would deteriorate without him. She wasn't sure what to think of some of the men anymore and she knew with certainty, ill though she was, that she was going to have to reach down inside herself and find the fortitude to take action herself. It seemed at every turn things were not going as they should.

As soon as they had been stashed in a copse and the others were beyond hearing, she turned to Angus, looked him directly in the eye and asked, "Are you loyal to me?"

He gave a quick nod without hesitation, much to her relief. And now to see if he would trust her judgement.

"I want no more bloodshed. We must reach Miles and Lucinda's family before the others. Are you with me?"

Again a curt nod and a glint of understanding in Angus's eyes. He turned gather the horses. Cressida turned to Lucinda and Faith.

"I don't think this attack from the rear is at all what Miles meant when he signaled a change of plans. I'm hoping we can meet your family's guard before any more violence breaks out. Then perhaps we can all walk away and seek peace hereafter."

"I can only hope it turns out as you intend," Luci replied as Angus helped her and Faith onto their horse.

"My illness is the cause of this cursed kidnapping. Maybe I can put an end to it."

They rode off hard, guessing at the most direct line to the party they were trying to meet, praying their shorter route would bear them more quickly to their goal.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on April 07, 2009, 05:44:56 PM
Cressida  and  the  others     rounded  a bend in the  road.  Suddenly  a  man  leaped out  at  them  grabbing  the  reins  of  Cressida's  horse.  Cressida     tried  to  fight  him off  , but  he  drew    a  sword  on  her.He  whistled  and  three other men  that  had  been hiding  in the  woods  came  running  out  to  confront  the  others.
 
"  Thought  you  go  and   sneak  off   did  you  ?"  grinned Luke,"  You  should  know  better  then  that.  Why  i  have  been  following  you since  you left .  Now  , don't  you  even think of  calling  out  for  help.   I  have  you surrounded ."

   
"  Luke  ! How  did  you get  away ?"  demands  Cressida. She  recognises  the  other  men  with  Luke. "  What  did  you  do  to Will and  the  others  ?Why  are  you  doing  this  ? How  did  you  get  those  other  two  to follow  you ?"

"  So  many  questions . Now  don't you  be  worrying  your  pretty  little  head  about  all that  ,"  grins   Luke.He pulls   Cressida   down off   of  her horse  .  With  a knife  pointed at her throat he  leads her off  into the  woods.    Another  man  stands  waiting  with  the horses.   
   
"  Tie  her  hands   and  feet up,"  Luke  orders  the  man,"  and  gag  her  too."

The  man  fellows  Luke's  orders. Cressida  turns  to  the  man  and  says ,"  Why  are  you  doing this ?   Why are you taking orders  from him?   I  thought you were better then  this ."

"   Quiet!"  orders  Luke," Soon it will be  just  me  and  you   my  lovely,  and i  will  make  you  my  wife."

"  You  don't  love  me,"  hisses  Cressida.

"  True,"  smiles  Luke,"  But  your  dear  brother  does, and  I  am  sure  he  would  pay    a  nice  sum  of  gold  to  get  you  back. "

"  You  know  Miles  does  not  have  any  money ,"  Cressida  shouts.


Cressida  tries  to fight  , but she  is  too weak,  and  Luke  is  too strong.     Once  she  is  tied  up and  gagged  he  picks  her up  and  tosses  her over   the  saddle  of  the  horse.   He  tosses  the  man a  small  gold  coin.

"    You  and  the  fellows   do whatever  you want  to  the  others,"  he  tells  the  man and  mounts   the  horse . He  keeps  one  hand  on Cressida  and  taking  the  reins  in  the  other hand  goes galloping off

     
   

 

   
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on April 08, 2009, 11:45:04 AM
Daniel left the man called Miles to the watchful eyes of the armsmen, along with his brother Rob. Miles took it in better humor than Rob did. Wat rode next to him as they continued to follow the trail left by their quarry. The small sounds of animals that scurried through the bush followed them through the gray, dew soaked dawn. From the marks in the damp sod Daniel could tell that the bandits had made no effort to hide their numbers. Unless they scorned the size of the search party, these outlaws were not the brightest men by all appearances. It occurred to Daniel that Miles was the more intelligent of the bandits. Capturing him at the outset could prove to have been a bit of luck. Daniel reined in his horse when the ever present chirping of birds fell silent around them. Barely a heartbeat later Wat held up his hand to halt the others. The slender Welshman slid from his saddle and crept silently ahead until he was barely visible through the foliage. The armsmen spread out around Daniel as tense seconds crept by. Even Rob slipped up beside his brother without drawing his censure. Just when Daniel decided to go after Wat, his tall form reappeared. As he walked up to Daniel his face was hard and closed.

"You should see this" he told Daniel as he remounted and led the way.

The rest fell in behind as the guided their horses through the brush. The smell of iron and manure made the young Baron wrinkle his nose unexpectedly. A pair of brown clad legs was Daniel's next warning of the sight that awaited him. Sprawled behind a tree was the body of a dark haired man. His faded yellow shirt was graced by a rust brown bib. Then Daniel's stomach lurched when he saw that the bib was actually blood that had soaked into the shirt from the man's ravaged throat. A retching sound made Daniel look away from the horrific sight. His brother Rob and Miles had both voided their breakfast onto the ground.

Wat's voice broke over the noise of the pair's illness. "Did you know this man?" he asked in an icy voice.

Miles took a drink from his water bag and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Yes I knew him" he choked out "His name was Peter."

"Wat" Daniel called out urgently "We have to hurry. If these brigands continue to fall out among themselves; my sister's life will be in greater danger."

His eyes locked onto the corpse before he turned away with a shudder. "We cannot spare the time to bury this man now" Daniel ordered "We leave him as he lies." Rob looked in shock from Wat to his brother and back again. Only Wat's eyes showed his dismay that Daniel's heart should have become so hardened. When the riders pushed on, only Miles turned back for a last salute to his late friend.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on April 16, 2009, 09:51:43 AM
Angus refrained from interfering with Cressida's abduction because he didn't think he could take on 4 men, especially when galvanized by Luke's leadership, and he was fearful of Cressida getting wounded. But 3 men who had little sense of purpose he had no doubt he could defeat or evade. He had grown up being the target of bullies so 3-1 was not unfamiliar odds for him. He was clear on his priorities: set Lucinda and her maid free to ride on, as Cressida would wish, and then ride on himself to free Cressida from the degenerate Luke, as Miles would wish and as his own heart bid him do.

In the lull of indecision at Luke's retreat, Angus gave a quick nod to Lucinda without looking at her and lunged at the man nearest him.

Lucinda felt Faith lunge from behind her and saw a knitting needle sink into the shouldher of the man holding the reins of their horse. As he gasped and spun to defend himself from further assault, Lucinda gave their steed a fierce kick. It lunged and wheeled, throwing the man off balance and as he fell, the reins were released.  They were free and she set the horse to running into the woods though she didn't know which way led to safety.

Angus had one man down before the girls made their escape. The second he was able to close in swordplay and then punch hard enough to put him out. When he turned to Bailey, the man who'd been holding the girls' horse, the man held up his hands in surrender. So Angus cast his gaze quickly over the available horse, chose the one that looked least worn out, leapt up and was off on the trail of Luke and Cressida.




In the hands of such a savage of Luke, Cressida gave in to despair. Miles had no money to ransom her and he was a captive himself so he could not rescue her. She was not strong enough to defend herself. She gave no thought to preserving her life but would give it up to escape the fate Luke had planned for her. Her perch on the saddle was tenuous. Luke was counting on her fear of falling from a running horse to keep her in place. Instead, she decided to topple herself over the side. She flung her legs up; Luke attempted to catch her; the weight being flung around on the exhausted horse's back caused it to stumble, trip, and go down.  When it arose, heaving, legs shaking, the two humans lay prone and still on the forest floor.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on April 18, 2009, 06:59:36 PM
Lucinda  suddenly reined in the horse, and started heading back in the  direction they had  come  from.

"  What are you doing ?" shouts Faith at her,"  You are heading  back towards  those men that held us  captive. We nedd to go the other direction."

"  I know,"  replies Lucinda," but i can't stop thinking about the girl called Cressida. She was so weak and ill  and  defenseless. I  can't continue  on  without knowing  what happn  to her.   We have  to go back  and  help her ."
 
" They are probably far ahead of  us  by now," says Faith,"  We are better off  trying to find  your brother."

  "  I  don't even  know  where my uncle's home  is ,"responds Lucinda,"No we are most likely closer to Cressida  then my uncle's home.  If we  ride  fast  we maybe able  to find  them."

" We don't even know  what direction they went,"  protests Faith,"  iT will be getting dark and  we are two women out in the woods with no weapons  on us. What if  someone  approaches  us ?"

"  My mind is  made  up,"  says Lucinda,"  I keep seeing that poor woman's  face in  my  mind.  I  have to help  her."

"  You always  were stubborn,"  sighs  Faith.

**********************************************************************************

Angus sees a riderless horse  standing in the  road. He  dismounts  his  own horse , leading it by the  reins and approaches  the  riderless horse. The horse has been ridden hard  and is  covered in sweat and a thin white lather.  He pets  the horse on the  neck, calming it down  and  then grabs  the  reins.
  He leads both horse's down the  road aways  when he  spots two figures laying  motionless in the grass.He ties  the horses up to a nearby tree and  approaches  the  figures.  He approaches  the  first figure. A  woman layng face down. He  recognises  the hair  color and the  clothing she  is  wearing.
He rolls  the woman over . She moans  and lets out a gasp. she tries to sit up, but is in a great deal of pain.  It hurts  to breath.

" Angus," Cressida  says  to him," I need your help."

She looks over at the the motionless figure of  Luke  next to  her.

" Angus is he  dead?" she  asks.  No, she  could not be that lucky. 

" Angus grab his   weapons," Cressida  instructs him.

Angus approaches Luke. He grabs Lukes dagger and  sword,then he feels a firm grip on his   wrist.

" Just what do you think you are doing?" growls  Luke. 

Angus points  the  sword at Luke.

" Like  you know how  to us that,"  laughs Luke. He tries  to move,but the pain in his leg overcomes him.He can seea bone jutting out.
"  I  broke  my leg !"  He looks over at Cressida  and  snarls," You! This all your fault. That foolish stunt you pulled on the horse, you could have killed us.If only i could  stand up,  i would  throw  you back on  a horse  and get out of  here."He  tries  to stand, but the pain in his leg is too strong.
" Darn you woman, you will pay  for  this."

Cressida tries to sit up. Her  ribs hurt  and  she gasps in  pain.

" Angus," she cries out," You need  to go find  help."

Angus  shakes his head, refusing to leave Cressida  with  Luke.

" Angus, please, ,"  gasps Cressida  in  pain.

Angus heads for one of the tied up horses, unties it , mounts  and  rides off.  He rides for several miles when  he sees a horse appraoching fast  .Two women are mounted on  it. He  recognises  the  women and  signals  to them.
 
" It is Cressida's friend Angus," cries out Faith.    The  women approach  Angus. Lucinda tells him they are looking for Cressida  and  Luke.  Angus  points  down the  road  beckoning  them to follow  him.
Lucinda  and  Faith follow behind  him, and he leads  them to where Cressida  and  Luke  lay.

" Cressida," cries Lucinda dismounting her horse and running towards Cressida.

"  I can't breath,"  says  Cressida,"  It hurts too bad."

" We are going  to help you,"  comforts Lucinda.

" What about me,"  snaps  Luke,"  I could use  some attention here."

" You sir, can lay  there  and  suffer   for what you have  done  to Cressida as  far  as I am concern," replies Lucinda.

" What I  did to her,"  snarls  Luke," It is thanks  to her, that we are both laying like  this ."

" I know better  then to belive  one  word  you say sir ,"  replies  Lucinda turning her attention back to Cressida. Cressida  lets out a moan.

" We are going to have to make some type of litter  to transport her in," says Faith.  She  walks over  to Angus  and tries  to explain to him  what  she  needs  him to do.  Angus nods his head  and  sets off gathering branches  to make  a litter.

Cressida starts  to cough real hard  and has  ahard time stopping.

" I wish I had  some  water,"  she  gasps.

"I have a  small flask of  whiskey  in my pocket she  can have a  sip of,"  says  Luke. Luke pulls out the flask.
" Here take it ," he instructs Lucinda. Lucinda reaches out for it. Luke grabs Lucinda arm and pulls her ontop of him. She struggles to get back up, but Luke grabs her around  the neck and puts a  choke  hold  on her.

" Let her go," demands Faith.

" I'lll give  the orders around here," shouts Luke  ," Get my horse and  my sword  and dagger otherwise  your  friend here has breathed her last breath."














Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on April 20, 2009, 04:15:22 PM
Very slowly Lucinda tenses up every muscle in her body as she felt her consciousness fading. Then as hard as she could she kicked blindly at Luke's broken leg. His inhuman howl of pain pierced her eardrums, but she retained enough of her senses to quickly roll away from him.

"You bloody harridan" Luke hissed at Lucinda through his sobs of pain.

Lucinda got up from her hands and knees with Faith's help. She got a clear view of Luke's leg and felt sick when she saw that his limb was now barely held together by the torn skin. She turned her head from the bloody sight to see Angus gesturing wildly towards Cressida. Lucinda knelt beside the ill woman and saw that she had lost consciousness.

Lucinda's voice held only a slight quaver when she said "Angus, we have to get her on a litter and look for a road right now."

Luke continued his tirade of curses and shouts ignored by the rest. As Cressida was moved onto the makeshift litter his curses gradually turned to pleas.

"I'll die if you leave me here!" he screeched at his former captives.


The horse that the litter was tied to shied at the unfamiliar conveyance, but Angus held tight to the reins. Using only his hand he had insisted that Luci and Faith mount the other two horses.

Lucinda pointed to a river that was just visible downhill from where they were.

"If we follow that river it's likely that we will come to a road soon enough" she stated flatly. Her tone brooked no disagreement. Not that either of her companions had a better idea to put forward. So with Angus walking beside the impromptu draft animal, they started towards the river. Luke's broken pleas soon fell behind them and out of hearing range.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on April 23, 2009, 11:23:26 AM
As Miles turned from his salute to poor Peter, he noticed a bit of cloth wagging in the bushes. "Hold!" he called out. "Another! Alive!"

Both the commanding tone and curiosity caused the rear of the companyto come to a halt.

"I see nothing," said the man nearest Miles, following his gaze.

"There above the hedge," said Miles, unable to gesture.

"I see it!" cried out Rob from midway in the group. "A grey cloth bobbing." He pointed and moved to dismount.

"Everyone!" bellowed Daniel, "on your guard! This could be a trap!"

"M'lord, my instincts tell me he called it true," said Wat. "Let me go to the man to see if he can tell us anything."

"As you wish, Wat, but I'll have no useless delays."

Daniel and the others stayed mounted while Wat and two of his choice helped Miles from his mount and walked cautiously through the thicket to find a pale man lying prone, his clothes saturated with blood.

"Thank the gods," the man whispered when he saw Miles.

At Wat's inquiring glance, Miles said, "My second."  Miles dropped to his knees to better hear Will and save him the effort of speaking any louder than he had to. "What happened, Will?"

"Luke. He wants Cressida to wife."

"What?!" exclaimed Miles, turning pale himself.

"We left the women at Bright Spot along Willow Brook."

"Alone?"

"With Angus."

Miles felt a shade of relief.

"Luke went back with 3 men for Cressida."

"And the girls?"

"He had no thought for them. Off his rocker, Miles. Totally gone."

"And you?"

"Ride on. But if I've got any juice in me when you pass back, I'd appreciate you corking a few holes."

"No others?" asked Wat, "just this Luke and 3 men?"

"As I know," said Will.

"Time!" came Daniel's impatient call behind them.

"Peace to you," said Miles. "I'll return if I can." The guards were lifting him.

"You can lead us to the place? This Bright Spot?"

"Yes, it's not far from here and I'm as interested in speed as your young Baron."




Both Wat and Miles were experienced trackers. It was but a couple of hours later that they came upon the prone, unconscious body of Luke. It was a huge relief to Miles to see Luke broken and alone. He assumed that if Cressida was not with him that she must have gotten away on her own power.  Luke had dragged himself a short distance before passing out to no obvious end.  Daniel ordered Luke's hands bound and roused him for questioning. Though clearly in a weakened state, he was determined to be vile so long as he could draw breath.

"What happened here?" demanded Daniel.

But Luke's eyes were drawn to Miles standing nearby. "Cressida's a soiled woman now," he said with a sneer.

Miles felt his pulse quicken, but calmed himself. Nothing that they'd seen led him to believe that. All had been battle and haste. "Answer the man," was all he said.

"Bandits have taken all the pretties away--broke in on my pleasure." He fixed his eyes on Daniel. "Yours was a little fiesty but--"

He never finished his sentence as Daniel's sword came down on his throat. He raised his sword again.

"Stay your passions, man," said Miles. "He's a liar."

Wat appeared out of nowhere and placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "He's dead and the world a better place for it, m'lord, but no need to go further. Come see what we've found."

Daniel lowered his sword but as he turned he grabbed Miles by the throat. "I should kill you, too."

"The ransom was to help my own sister," rasped out Miles.

"And the women await our help," coaxed Wat.

Still glaring at Miles, Daniel growled, "mind how you address me in the future," before releasing him and following Wat.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on April 28, 2009, 02:23:47 PM
Lucinda,and Faith  on horseback , and Angus  head   down the  road  with  the draft horse  dragging the  litter carrying Cressida.  They are several miles  down the  road   when  they see  a figure laying by  the  side of  the road.  He  calls  to them.

" It is the man they called Will,"  shouts Lucinda , dismounting  her horse and running towards him.

" Thankyou for  stopping,"  replies Will in a weak voice,"  I  thought I would  be left to die  alone  out here."

"  What happen ?"  asks  Lucinda.

"  It is  a long story, " gasps Will. He  sees a figure  in the litter  and  asks  about it.

"  It's Cressida,"  replies Lucinda," She tried  to escape  from Luke."

"  If he  did  anything to hurt her,"  gasps Will, anger in his  voice.

" Easy Will," says  Lucinda,"  You  need  your  strength ."

" Will, is  that  Will ?"  coughs  Cressida.

" Yes  dear," replies  Faith.

"  Did you see Miles   and  your  brother Daniel?" Will asks Lucinda,"  They were just here a short  time ago."

"  And  they left you here,"  coughs  Cressida in  pain.

"  I  would only slow  them down ," says Will,"  They were  determined to  find  all  you  women ."

"  Daniel was here  !"  exclaims Lucinda,"  How  did  we  miss  them ? "

"  They must have taken a different road ,"  replies Will.

" We were  so  close ,"  sighs  Lucinda  in dismay. She looks  at  Angus  and  then  says  to him, "  Angus  , you nedd  to ride  ahead  and see if you can  find   the man called  Miles  and  my  brother Daniel ."

Angus  nods his head. He  mounts   the  horse  Lucinda  had  been riding  and  heads  down  the  road.

Lucinda  starts  to rip  one of  the underskirts  she is wearing.

"  We  will use  these strips  to try  and  stop  your  bleeding,"  she  says to Will,"  I don't know  what else  i can  do."

Cressida  starts  coughing harder.

" Take  care of her,"  says Will,"  That is  all  I  ask."

" I will," assures  Lucinda," But let me try  to help  you too."


Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on April 30, 2009, 08:52:35 AM
The sound of pounding hoof beats caused Daniel to draw his sword almost before he realized it. His brother Rob reined his horse around drew out his small dagger. Daniel had but a heartbeat to spare for the sight of his brother's white, determined face before a rider burst through the trees. The pale haired rider hauled his horse to a skidding stop. An aborted movement by Miles drew a flicker of attention from Daniel. While his horse stood blowing, the newcomer gestured frantically at the men.

Miles cleared his throat and nervously ventured "Your Excellency, I know this man, his name is Angus. And I think he should be paid attention to."

Daniel tensed at these words but did not lower his sword. Several of the guardsmen moved around behind the man so that he was completely encircled.

"Well, what do you have to tell us?" Daniel spat out.

Miles broke in "I am afraid he is a mute, milord."

Daniel shot a glance down at his brother before he responded "Very well, do you know where my sister is?"

Angus nodded vigorously and pointed in the direction from which he had come.

"Can you lead us to her?" Daniel asked in a voice that was like the slow melting of snow.

After Angus nodded again, Daniel waved away the guardsmen and urged his horse forward. Miles nodded to Angus as Wat led his horse forward.

The hour it took for them to find the women seemed to stretch out into eternity for Daniel and Rob. The sight of their sister's golden hair sent relief though them in a flood. Then he noticed her bloody hands as she knelt between two prone figures.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on May 02, 2009, 12:24:24 PM
In alarm, Daniel leapt from his horse and ran to his sister where she stood next to Will. "Are you hurt?!"

"No, I'm fine," she said with a weary smile.

Taking that as affirmation that he could do her no harm, Daniel gave Lucinda a strong but brief hug. Rob, who had been beside his brother, then stepped in with a longer embrace, which Luci returned.

"We're so glad to see you," Rob said. "And Faith, too," he said with a nod and smile to the maid standing on the other side of the prone Will looking relieved.

"But what are you doing?" asked Daniel spreading his arms to encompass the scene they'd rode up on.

"I'm unharmed but others were not so fortunate. I was trying to help as best I could."

"So these were other captives? I thought this man was one of the bandits."

"He was," said Luci, "and Cressida was an ill woman among them."

"So we've been tearing all over this wood searching for you while you've been nurse-maiding the very people who kidnapped you and killed a number of our guard?!" he asked in annoyance.

Luci drew herself up and bristled back at him. "There's more to this than what appears on the surface."

"Can we just go home," broke in Rob, "or to Uncle Thomas's," he corrected, "and sort it all out there?"




When the riders had pulled up Miles was both relieved and dismayed to see a pale Cressida laid out on a primitive cot. Managing to dismount without aid, he strode over to her as quickly as he could without causing alarm and knelt beside her.

"Miles," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

"I'm here."  He noted her short fast breaths. "What's wrong?"

"My ribs."

"Broken?"

She nodded.

He immediately understood the implications for her. Coughing would be excruciating. He felt men fumbling with the knots binding his hands. "Do any among you carry laudanum?" he asked.

"I expect," came the answer. "Finney, go ask Wat about some laudanum for the woman." The man cursed then and pulled a knife to saw at Miles' bonds. Shortly, they fell away.

Miles took one of Cressida's hands and caressed her hair. "We'll have some comfort for you soon."

Tears were streaming down Cressida's face. "It's all gone bad, Miles."

"Shh," he said. "There's still hope. Who brought you here?"

"Angus and Luci. The girl came back for me, Miles, when she was free. She thought I was in danger and came to help." It was too much talking for her. She began to cough with the last word and moaned in pain.

"Shh," said Miles, trying to soothe. "I'm sorry. I'll ask no more questions."

The laudanum arrived. Miles watched with relief as Cressida closed her eyes and her face relaxed.

"So this is the beloved sister for whose benefit so much chaos has been wrought?" came Daniel's sarcastic voice from above.

Miles clenched his jaw and mastered his desire to lash out at the lordling before he rose and turned to face him.

"Yes, m'lord," he said simply and then noticed the young lady standing beside Rob looking down at Cressida with concern. "But may the poor judgement of brothers never tarnish the virtue of their sisters," he said to Daniel before turning to Lucinda with a bow. "M'lady, would you be the kind soul who looked after my sister when you yourself were in danger?"

"Yes, I guess I am," said Lucinda, "though I never seemed in quite as much danger as she." Faith gave a contrary huff behind her.

Miles went down on his knee before Lucinda with a bowed head. "Then I pledge to you my sword, should I ever hold one again, and my services so long as I am able-bodied. My loyalty to you shall be second only to my loyalty to Cressida."

"This is outrageous!" burst out Daniel. "Lucinda, you can't possibly accept the pledge of a scoundrel, a bandit for godssake!"

Lucinda had been flabbergasted by Miles' actions and words. The thought that someone would ever do such a thing had never entered her mind and she didn't know what to make of it or how to respond. But her anger at Daniel bossing her around, as he so often did, brought back her resolve to act independently as she thought right.

"Look at me," she commanded Miles. His dark eyes met hers earnestly and then she saw his great sadness, that he believed he would lose Cressida and needed a second purpose to cling to. "I accept your pledge," she said quietly, "but I hope your first duty will yet be a long one."

"This is ridiculous," insisted Daniel in disgust. "You're not of legal age to accept such pledges."

"Is such a pledge ever legal?" speculated Rob, innocently trying to grasp the consequences of what had just occurred. "Isn't it just between two people?"

"It matters not, my young lords," said Wat behind them in an effort to defuse the tension. "His first duty is still to his sister who is in need of his aid while Lucinda is currently guarded by many, so his pledge is of no import at the moment. May we prepare to move on, my lord Daniel?"
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on May 04, 2009, 03:57:00 PM
 "  Very well,"  replies  Daniel to Wat.  He turns  and  points  to  Will, Miles ,Luke and  Cressida  and  says  "  But I want  those  four  placed under arrest.   You are  to ride  ahead  and  fetch  the  local  sheriff ."

"  You  can't  do  that ,"  protests  Lucinda,"  Luke, yes, he  is  evil, but  those  two other men  saved my  life   and  the  woman is gravely ill.  She  will die  if  you have her arrested ."

  "  I'm sorry,"    snaps  Daniel ,"  But  the  law  is  the law. "

  "  What happen  to you  ?"  Lucinda   shouts  angerly  at him,"  What happen   to the  loving  and  caring  older  brother  I  knew?  "

  "  Enough  sister!"   Daniel  growls  back   starting to walk  away.

  "   Don't you walk  away   from me !"  Lucinda  yells  back,"   Look at you Daniel.  You make  me  right now  ashamed  to call you  my  brother.    I thank  the  Lord  our  dead  mother  and  father  are not  alive  to see    this.   It would  break  mother's  heart to     see  you act  like  this.  This  people  are no  diiferent  then  the  rest of us.   Sure  they may  not be  rich, and  wear  fancy  clothes, and  have  a fancy  title  before    their  name,  but  they  are  human beings   just  like  the  rest of us  and  deserve  to be treated like  human  beings ."

"  Mount up,"  shouts  Daniel  to the  others.

"  Daniel,"  pleads  Lucinda. Rob  walks  up  to her  and  says  to her,"  Leave him  be  Lucinda . Now is not  the  time or  the place  . Lets  help  the  others."
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on May 04, 2009, 05:17:39 PM
Daniel spurred his horse viciously towards the road. He had spent the last few days in a fog of terror that he would lose his only sister. Now he had her back but he did not know how to let go of his anger at anyone involved in her abduction. From the look on her face, as well as Rob's, he knew he had hurt his siblings deeply. Half the guards had followed him automatically without waiting for their prisoners.  Once his horse climbed the embankment, Daniel reined in his horse in the middle of the road. The guards held back as their master paced his horse back and forth across the lane.

Lucinda held her mount to the same pace as the litter, so it was some time before she joined her brother on the road. She sidled her horse beside his as the others made their way laboriously up the slope and onto the road. Without warning she swung her gloves and struck Daniel full in the face. The force of the blow was not painful in itself but the shock of Luci's action shook him to the core. Daniel grasped her wrist before she could repeat the blow. The inferno of rage that had burned through him earlier threatened to return. Then he saw the tear tracks through the dirt on her face. The expression on her face was exactly the same as it had been the morning of their mother's death. For long moments Daniel maintained his bone-crushing grip on her wrist. His whole body shook with the effort he spent in controlling his emotions. His eyes closed when he heard a soft whimper from her lips. Ever so slowly he relaxed his fingers.

"Master Wat" he called with his eyes still closed.

"I am here your Excellency" the Welshman answered.

With only the slightest hold on his sister's arm Daniel continued "Is there not a monastery on the river near here?"

"There was the last time that I was through here milord"  was Wat's answer.

Daniel opened his eyes and looked directly at Luci. Brown eyes locked with blue as he said "Then that is the place we will take the wounded. After they are seen to; we will unravel the mystery that surrounds the architect of this fiasco."

Bright tears welled up in Luci's eyes that threatened to overwhelm her trembling smile.

"Thank you brother" Lucinda whispered through her tears "I knew you were a better man."

She turned then and smiled at Miles who rode beside Cressida's litter. It was as if the sun shone a bright ray upon him. The former outlaw's heart raced and almost caused him to lose his balance as he considered the multiple meanings behind that smile.

Under Wat's direction, the odd cavalcade turned towards the monastery and village that was a few miles away. The bells that tolled the noon hour were audible long before the walls came into sight. Built on a knoll amidst tilled fields, the warm golden stone of the buildings were a welcome sight to them all.

Rob was the first to reach the gate and he rang the bell vigorously until one of he monks pulled open the ponderous wooden gate. The sight of the two litters caused him to motion the party forward without a word being spoken.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on May 05, 2009, 09:42:14 PM
As the weary troup gathered in the tidy courtyard, two robed figures swept out of a side gallery and headed for the wounded. A lean, brisk man in his sixties bowed to no on in particular and introduced himself. "Father Randall. And this is Brother Jeremy," he indicated his younger companion, a man of barely 30 with a kind expression. "We are healers and pleased to be of service."

"I'm grateful for any help you can lend," said Miles. "Will here has suffered several stab wounds and lost much blood. Cressida, my sister, has fallen from a horse and broken her ribs."

Father Randall knelt beside Will, while Brother Jeremy laid a hand on Cressida's forehead. "It's more than the ribs that ails her, isn't it?" he asked with calm concentration.

"She suffers from consumption," replied Miles. "We've given her laudanum to stave off the cough."

Brother Jeremy nodded. "Poor thing," he said softly. "We'll keep her as quiet as possible."

The words and the monk's gentle manner touched Miles so that he struggled with his emotions. He knew she would survive her present injuries but he feared the consumption would gain a stronger hold in the meantime. He had hoped to give her one more taste of a life without care as in their younger days but he never seemed able to provide that respite.

A hand squeezed his arm. "She'll have a good rest here," said Lucinda as though reading his thoughts.

Suddenly Father Randall began barking orders, calling others out of the buildings to carry litters, ordering Brother Jeremy to prepare needles and sutures, ordering still others to bring boiled water and towels to the infirmery.

This burst of commands and activity jarred Miles out of his thoughts. Looking around, he saw that most of the men had dismounted and that Daniel was engaged in conversation with a portly, jowly man of middle age with an officious manner.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on May 06, 2009, 03:00:20 PM
The portly,jowly middle  aged man that Daniel was talking to, just happened  to be  the  town's  sheriff.    Daniel  points  to  Miles, Will   and  shouts,
"  Those  are  the  two   right  there  sheriff.   I  want  them arrested  ."

   Miles hears him say  this  and  turns  around  in anger  at  Daniel and  says,"   Why you no good 
b a s--rd  !  (edited  for  younger viewers ) .     You promised you would   not have us  arrested.  You gave  your  word  to your  sister ."

  "  I  promised no such  thing  sir ,"  replies  Daniel , raising his voice  back  at  Miles ,"  I  only   said  that i would  see that  the  injured   were  cared  for.    You are still going to  prison  ."

" No you can't  do  this !" shouts  Lucinda.  She  turns  to Father Randall and  says,"  Is  this  not a place of God?   Then these men,  with  the  exception of  maybe  one ,  have  the  right  to sanctuary  here ."

" Stay out of  this  sister ," orders  Daniel,"  you do not understand  the  law  ."

"  No  maybe i  don't understand  ,"  says   Lucinda,  feelings of hurt  and  anger  ringing out in her voice ,"    But  i  do  know  I  hate   you.  I  will never speak  to you  again."
    She   storms  off.

    Daniel starts  to  go after her, but  Rob  stops  him  and  says  to him,"  Have  you  not  hurt  her enough  for  one  day  ?"

     "  Out of  my way  Robert,"  shouts   Daniel,"  I need to talk  to her  .I need to explain  to her why."

        "  No !"  replies  Rob , bluntly,"    You will have  to get pass me  first ."

       Daniel  swings a fist at Robert, and  the  two  get into a big  brawl.

" Break it up  you two," orders  Wat    pulling the  two apart.

    "  I'm sorry   Robert ," Daniel says  to him," I  don't know  what is  wrong  with me  lately. I  can't  think straight.  I'm letting my emotions   get the  best  of  me. First mother and  father  dying suddenly, and  now  this  whole  situation, almost losing Lucinda.  I  was out of  line.  I  appologise ."

"  I'm not the one  you need  to appologise  to,"   says  Robert.

"  I know,"  sighs  Daniel,"  Hopefully she  will speak  to me , and let  me  explain."
Daniel  turns   to the  sheriff  and  says,"  Sir, i was letting  my emotions  get  the  best of  me.   I  did  keep a promise  to  my sister. A  promise  I  will not  go  back on.  Release  those  two  men ."

Daniel  walks  over to Miles  and   says ,
"  I  know  you did  what  you had  to  do  for   the  well being of your  sister," replies Daniel," I  too have  a  sister  I  care deeply  for.    Hopefully she  will forgive  me     for  my outburst  here ."

"  I think she  will," smiles  Miles,"  She  is  a good  woman  ."

"  Sir,  do you have an interest in  my sister ?' asks  Daniel.

" If i  did  , would  it meet  you approval  ?' asks    Miles.

" Your a good  man  sir ,"  says   Daniel   walking off  to  find  his  sister.

"  You did not answer my question ,"  Miles   shouts  after  him.

"  I  know,"  Daniel  shouts  back  with  a  smile.   Daniel finds his Lucinda  sitting by a fountain  crying.
"  Lucinda," he  says  to her, his heart breaking at the sight of his sister in tears, knowing that he was  the cause of  her dismay.

  " I don't want to speak to you Daniel,"  she informs  him.

   " I know  you are upset with me,"  replies  Daniel.

    "  I am not a  child anymore Daniel,"  says Lucinda,"  I know  what it means  to make  a promise  and  to keep it.  You made a  promise, you gave us your  word. Those  people  not  only save  my life , they are  my friends. "

      " I know ,"  Daniel says  to her  sitting down beside  her.

    "  Then why  did you have  them arrested?"  she  cries.

   "  I was not thinking straight," explains  Daniel,"  First  we lost mother and  father  then we almost lost you.   Not only that, but i saw that poor  woman Cressida  suffering in pain.  I  just  felt angry. I wanted  justice.  I  wanted  to protect you and make  evrything  right again.  I  wanted  to bring  mother and  father  back."

   " Daniel," says Lucinda  reaching out for  her brothers  hand ,"  I miss mother and  father too, but  Miles  and  Will arrested  is not going  to  help anything ."

  " I know," answers Daniel," That is why I  told  the sheriff to release  them ."

   "  Oh Daniel, thankyou ," cries Lucinda. Her tears  change  from tears of  sadness to tears  of  joy. She hugs her brother.

   " You are not angry  with me  anymore  then ?' asks Daniel.

     " No," assures Lucinda,"  I understand  now . Thankyou  for telling me how you feel. You know Daniel , we are family. You can talk  to me  any  time."

       " When  did you go from  being a liitle  girl  to a grown woman ?" laughs Daniel  giving his  sister another hug.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on May 07, 2009, 09:40:37 AM
The Monastery had lavish accommodations for visitors. This came as a surprise to Daniel until the Abbott informed him that the queen stayed there regularly on the way to her favorite shrine. Since the Royal Lady was not expected for another half-year, Luci and her maid were housed in grand style. Will and the ailing Cressida were sequestered in the infirmary. The King's chambers were given over to Daniel and Rob, while the rest of the men were housed with the monks. The young baron knew that only hope of a large reward held Miles to their cause. But his devotion to his sister was apparent. In order to impose on the Abbott's hospitality as little as possible, Daniel had instructed Wat to prepare for an early departure. But tonight, they would dine at the monastery's table.

It seemed as if as much effort went into this meal as it would have for the queen herself.
The three siblings were seated at the high table with the Abbott and his Chancellor.  The first course was hundreds of tiny quail eggs boiled in their shells. This was followed by suckling pig roasted in goat's milk. Twice Lucinda tried to engage the good Abbott in conversation, but soon gave it up as wasted effort. The worthy gentleman politely answered each of her questions, though it was his dinner that truly held his attention. By the time the last course of apples baked with almonds was served, all of those present were filled to bursting.

Daniel stood up from the table and picked up a bottle of the monastery's excellent wine. A small gesture of his hand alerted Wat to his intentions.

"Good Abbott Waller" Daniel started "I wish to express my thanks for this excellent repast. You have shown my family much honor by your generosity and the efforts of your monks. I hope I have done justice to the magnificence of your table. I will excuse myself now for a bit of a rest." He hated this kind of flowery language but he knew it would please the older man. The bag of silver pennies had also helped sweeten the monks' demeanor towards their unplanned guests.


By the time Daniel made it to the front door Wat and Miles were already waiting with four of the men-at-arms. The gravel walks of the monastery garden were a welcome change from the stifling heat of the dining chamber. Holding his silver cup aloft, Daniel poured himself a generous measure of wine before he passed the bottle to Miles.

"Since we appear to be allies for the nonce" he said to the erstwhile outlaw "it seemed appropriate that we drink to the success of our venture."

With a wry grin, Miles filled his cup and passed the bottle along. While the wine made the rounds of the men Daniel held up his cup once more and examined it closely.

He chuckled before he commented "Milord Abbott has the service of an excellent silversmith. My father owned no plate this fine."

He turned to face Miles where he stood next to the faithful Welshman. "The path ahead will be difficult and dangerous. But I swear that if you hold faith with me, I will hold faith with you." With his eyes fixed on Miles he tipped a drop of wine to the ground before he drained his glass. The older man swallowed hard before he mumbled "I also so swear." After all the men had drained their glasses, Miles turned to go back inside.

In the hallway he almost ran into Lucinda as she came from the dining room.

"Your pardon my lady" he said in surprise. His eyes flickered briefly as Faith came up behind her mistress. "I was wondering" he began in a choked voice "If you would do me the honor of a walk in the garden before you retire?"

A smile brightened Lucinda's face briefly before Faith nudged her arm. For long moments she looked at Miles as her smile slowly faded. His heart sank deeper with each passing moment. Then she said quietly "I would be happy to walk in the garden. But I think you should know that I have been betrothed to another man since I was seven years old. My marriage was only delayed by my parents' deaths. Once my year of mourning is finished, I will go south to be wed."

Miles faked a jaunty smile that he did not really feel. Inwardly he chastised himself for the delusion he had allowed. The girl's beauty had struck him through and he had let himself forget that she was a noblewoman.

"Well then" he managed to say "A walk in the garden after dinner is a simple thing after all."

Daniel saw them as they turned towards a torch lit path. He couldn't quite decide what he thought about seeing the two of them together and followed by Faith. He made his way to the bedchamber where Rob was already asleep. The long day and longer dinner had been too much for the boy. Briefly Daniel envied his brother the peaceful sleep that he enjoyed. The boots were hefted into the corner before the young baron collapsed onto the bed himself.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on May 12, 2009, 11:19:20 AM
Dusk was falling so the threesome did not venture far into the gardens, whose plantings had turned into dark, textured shapes, some neatly defined, some with ragged edges. Bright flowers were reduced to lighter shades of grey holding out as night descended.

It had been a long, trying day even for the young and hardy. Miles felt it himself and saw it in Lucinda despite her proper bearing.

"Under other circumstances, I would enjoy a long stroll to learn more about the young woman who would go to such lengthes to help my sister. But I will defer that conversation to another day as I expect sleep is the best medicine for all of us tonight," began Miles.

"I just wanted you to know, though my earlier oath may have seemed rash, I meant it. Should any threat of harm come to you or should there come a time when your brothers cannot intervene on your behalf, I will gladly come to your aid as you did for Cressida. I hope you will feel free to call on me should need arise."

Lucinda wasn't sure how to respond. His attention was both flattering and embarrassing. "I am honored, but truly, it was nothing. I don't need anything in return."

"I may not seem so now, behind the heavy walls of the monastery, but know that you can call on me."

"Soon enough she will be married with an entire household looking after her," Faith interrupted indignantly.

"And what is the temperament of your betrothed, if I may be so bold?" Miles asked Lucinda.

"He seems pleasant enough," reflected Lucinda. "His father is a little scary--gruff--but Colin does not seem to take after him."

Miles nodded. "I'm glad to hear it. Perhaps you'll never need my service. Just know I have your welfare in mind and will do what I can for you."

"Your concern is appreciated," said Lucinda, "and I won't forget you--or Cressida."

"And now it is best if we retire indoors," asserted Faith.

Miles got the distinct impression that Faith did not approve of him and wondered how he might reassure her.

"You are right," he conceded and turned back for the halls. "It's a good thing Lucinda has you looking out for her."

"Indeed," said Lucinda with a touch of mirth, "she is quite handy with knitting needles in close quarters."

"Oh?" prompted Miles, genuinely curious. Luci held forth with evident pride on Faith's stabbing one of the bandits with a needle at a critical moment.

"And do you carry your concealed weapons on you now, Mistress Faith?" inquired Miles.

"None of your business," snapped Faith.

"Oh, Faith, don't be so prickly," chided Lucinda and then giggled at her pun.

"No, it's an excellent answer," said Miles, "One should never reveal such things and you should beware telling the tale too often. You may need that surprise another day.

"We have reached our parting. Thank you for sharing your company with me this evening." Miles bowed. "I hope you will grant me the pleasure again soon."

"The pleasure has been mine," replied Luci with a curtsy and a blush. "I look forward to walking with you again soon."

Faith, Miles noticed, remained on her guard, giving only the barest dip of a curtsy and not lowering her eyes. Giving Faith a little training, he though to himself as he headed for his pallet, might be the best way to discharge his vow of protection.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on May 13, 2009, 03:47:04 PM
Daniel layed in his  bed, unable  to sleep.   He  decided  to  get up and   walk  around  for  a  bit.   As  he  headed   downstairs  to  the  courtyard  he  passed  by  the infirmary.He could  hear  someone  coughing and  crying out  for help.  He  entered  the  room,   to find that he, Will,  who was  sound  asleep,  and  Cressida  were  the  only ones there.   Daniel  walked over to the table  next  to Cressida's  bed  and  grabbing  the pitcher  and  mug pours  her   some  water  to drink.

  " Thankyou,"  replies  Cressida, sipping  the glass of water.

   "  Where is  everyone  ?'  inquires  Daniel,"   You  should  not  be  left  alone  ."

    "   Faith and  Lucinda  were here earlier  but then they  went to bed,"  Cressida  answers,"  There was  a monk  in here earlier sitting with us, but I  do not know  where  he  went off  to ."

"   This  room is  very  stuffy ,"   Daniel says  to her,"  We  should  open  some  of   these  windows.  My mother use  to  say  fresh  air  was  good  for  what  ails  you ."  He  wipes  away a  tear  as he  thinks of  his  mother  and  walks  over  to the   windows .  He  spots  a  small garden  just outside  with a  bench .

"  I have  a better idea,"  says   Daniel,"  It is  a  warm night out.   Come  let me  help you up."    Daniel holds his hands  out to Cressida  and  helps  her stand  up.    He grabs  a blanket  and  wraps it around  her,  and  then  taking her in his  arms  he picks her up and  carries  her outside  to  the  garden.

  "  Should  we be  doing  this  ?"  asks  Cressida,"  I  am sick.   Will, you not get in trouble  for  taking  me  outside  ?"

   " Let me  worry about  that,"   Daniel     replies,"  Besides  like  I already  said,  the  warm  air  will  be  good  for  you."     He  helps   Cressida  sit  down  on  a  bench.  The  moon  and  stars  are out  and  they reflect  in the  small garden pond  next  to the  bench.Cressida  looks like a  delicate  angel sitting   on the  bench.   Daniel  finds himself  awestruck.

  "  Oh  Daniel, thankyou  for  bringing me  out here,"  cries  Cressida,"  It is  breathtaking.  Like  a   small fairy land.   It reminds  me  of  the  small garden  my  mother had   when i was a  child. she use  to  sit  and  read  to me  in the  garden."

   "  I  don't have   a book  to read  to you,"  says  Daniel,'but  i could  tell you a  story  my  mother  use  to tell  me."

   "  I  would  like  that,"  answers  Cressida  smiling  at  him.   Daniel sits  down  next  to her  and  begin  to recite  to her   the  story  his  mother use  to  tell him when he  was  a  child.

"  What are  you doing ?"  shouts  a voice.

Daniel  turns  to  see  Miles  standing   there looking angry.

"   What is  my  sister   doing  out of  bed  ?"   shouts   MIles.

  "   I   found  her in   her bed  coughing like  crazy  and  no one  there  to help  here,"  Daniel  snaps   back  at  Miles.

   "  Please  Miles,"  begs  Cressida ,"  Daniel  was  only  trying  to help  me."

  "  By  taking you out of  bed  where  you belong  ,"  growls   Miles.

   " If  you  would  stop  shouting  for a minute  and  look at  your  sister,"   Daniel  tells  Miles,"   you would  notice  that she is  not  coughing at  all  right  now.    The  warm   moist  air  tonight is  doing  her  some  good , as  i knew  it  would ."

"  It is true   Miles,"     Cressida  tells  me,"   I have  barely coughed  since  i came  out here. Please let me  stay out here a bit  longer.  It is  so beautiful out here, and  it reminds  me of  the garden mother had. "

"  Yes, you can  stay,"  smiles  Miles.  He  pulls Daniel    aside  and  says  to him,"  I'm  not sure  what you  did, but  thankyou.  This  is  the  first  time  i have  seen Cressida happy  in  a long  time."

 

Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on May 18, 2009, 09:48:23 AM
The dawn came much too early for Lucinda. In spite of, or perhaps because of her exhaustion she had not slept well. Even the luxuriously appointed bed in the Queen's chamber had not kept her from tossing and turning through the night. She yawned her way through the early Mass, and earned herself some reproachful looks from Faith. Daniel and Rob had fidgeted through the entire sermon, though not from the same reasons as Lucinda had. Rob's normal demeanor was to fidget, while Daniel's problem seemed to be simple impatience. After Mass was over, the only benefit that Lucinda realized from Daniel's hurry was a short breakfast.

The poor Abbott had looked forward to providing his guests with a breakfast as lavish and the previous night's dinner. When the young nobleman had insisted on a simple meal of breads and cold meats, the Abbott's crestfallen expression almost made Lucinda laugh. But he had recovered his good humor while the horses were prepared. The young woman suspected that the Abbott and his Chancellor would enjoy the extravagant breakfast in spite of his guests' absence. As the final preparations were finished, Cressida was brought out into the courtyard and seated on a cushioned chair. Will followed her out of the infirmary and surprised Luci when he mounted a horse, irregardless of the sling holding his right arm. Then her attention turned to Miles, who walked over and looked down at Cressida.

"We won't be apart for long, sister" he said to her. With a jerk of his head towards Daniel he continued "The Baron there has promised that as soon as you are well enough to travel, the monks will send you to his uncle's manor house, someplace called 'the Vyneyards'. He said he paid the Abbott a goodly amount of silver for your care and the expenses of your journey."

A fat clear drop rolled down Cressida's cheek. In a choked voice she responded "I am sorry that I have been such a burden to you my whole life. Now we are doubly in debt to these people only because you have tried to take care of me. I would rather that you were free to go and seek your own life unburdened by my troubles."

Swiftly Miles dropped to his knee beside the bench. "Never say something like that" he told her in a low and urgent voice "We are the only family that either of us has left. I will serve these people and repay my debt. The girl at least has promised to help us find a better life. She is yet young with a soft heart and I do not think she will let her brother renege on that promise."

Cressida nodded and wiped away her tear. "Then I will be happy for your sake and hope that we can be reunited soon."

Luci ducked behind her horse's neck as her heart pounded in her chest at what she had accidently overheard. The man was undeniably loyal to his sister, and for the sister's sake would remain loyal to Daniel and herself. His handsome face had seemed so pleasant and honest to Lucinda. But in spite of her instinctive liking, she now wondered if he would turn against her if he saw an advantage for his sister. She looked over to see Faith as she was helped onto a horse. There was no help there. If Lucinda tried to discuss her confused feeling about Miles, Faith was sure to bring up Lord Colin. That was a subject she hadn't thought about consciously in years. Growing up it had simply been one of the facts of her world that one day she would be married to Baron Worley's heir, much the same way she had grown up knowing she had blue eyes. She had not connected Miles's overtures with anything other than friendship until Faith had nudged her. Since then she had not been able to think of much else. Colin had been a quiet boy the few times that they had seen each other. But now the young woman wondered if that had only been in contrast to his large boisterous father.

Her thoughts were momentarily broken when one of the guardsmen helped her onto her horse. If Faith wondered at Luci's silence she made no comment. As soon as the riders passed outside the monastery's gates, Lucinda returned to her introspection. A memory of one autumn rose in her mind. Her parents had taken her and Rob to visit Baron Worley and renew their acquaintance. The baron and his son had been out hunting when they had arrived, but the servants had made them comfortable with warm drinks in the great hall. A thunderous crash had heralded the return of the good baron, though he was preceded by a pack of riotous greyhounds. Between his shouts and the barking dogs, it seemed the hall was barely able to contain him. Lord Colin who came in last had been almost silent in comparison. There was really nothing else about the visit had been memorable to Lucinda.
While she tried to remember anything else about her betrothed she heard someone call her name. She surfaced from her thoughts as if from deep water and looked around quizzically.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on May 20, 2009, 09:49:10 PM
"You seem a bit distracted, sister," said Rob as he moved his horse up beside hers. He looked a bit dreamy himself--and fresher than anyone else in the party. He seemed to have been the only one to get a solid night's sleep.

"Yes, I guess I am," said Luci, dodging revealing her exact thoughts. "The last week seems more like a month in length--or maybe two months. So much has changed in so few days."

Rob nodded. "You know, I was thinking, it might be nice to take a visit to see that fellow you're betrothed to once this kidnapping business is settled."

Luci started and hissed to her brother, "How did you know I was considering that?"

Rob smiled. "I didn't. I only knew I was thinking about it."

They both chuckled. They were close and such synchronicity of thought was not uncommon between them.

Then Luci knit her brows. "But isn't this kidnapping business already settled?"

"No," said Rob. "Daniel is determined to expose the person who wanted you kidnapped and I doubt he'll let you out of Uncle Thomas's manor until the blackguard is brought to justice."
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on May 23, 2009, 05:29:07 PM
Lucinda  sat back  in the  saddle  and  looked ahead   at her  two brothers  who were  riding ahead of  her. Two very  fine  handsome, and  kind hearted   gentlemen  they were, but  yet  they were as   different  as  night and  day.      Even though  they were  brother and  sister    she   felt  there was  a  slight  distance between  Daniel and her.  Daniel was  the  quiet  type and  had  a hard  time  expressing  his  feelings,  which  made  it hard  to sometimes   read  her  brother.   The  bursts  of  emotion he  showed  the last few  days     were a  part of  Daniel  she  had  never  seen  before.
    "   The  recent deaths  of  our  mother and  father  have  changed  Daniel,"  Lucinda    thought to herself,"  then again  they have  changed  all  of  us  siblings."

Lucinda looked  at her brother Robert.  Robert   the  adventurer.  He  was  the   dreamer  of  the  family.  He had inherited  his  mother's  gift of  song  and  story  telling.   She  and  Robert  were  very  close.
   "  Robert  would  you  sing  for me  ?"  he  asked  him.

  Robert  glanced  back at his  sister  and  smiled  and  began  to  sing a  song  that his  mother use  to  sing.   

Daniel heard his  brother  singing.  His  voice  was  so  much  like  mother's  except in a more  masculine  way.  Daniel's  heart started  to  ache  as  he   heard  the  words  of  the  song his  mother use  to  sing.  He  decided  to  ride  up  ahead  of  the  others.

Daniel  thought  he  saw  movement in the  woods. He stopped his horse  for  a mooment and  looked  around. He saw  nothing.     He shrugged his  shoulders  and urged his horse  on.

Lucinda  was too focused  on her brother Robert's  singing.   She  did not notice  until the last  second the arrow  come  flying  thru  the  air towards her  , just missing  her.

"  Ambush,"  shouted  Miles,"  Get  the  women  and  horses  off   the  road  quickly."   Lucinda    tried  to urge  her horse  forward, but he  was  too  frighten.   Miles   took  notice  and   galloped  towards  her grabbing     the  bridle  of   her horse  and  leading  into  the  woods.  Faith  followed  behind  them.

"  Stay here,out of  sight,"  he  instructed  Lucinda  and   Faith.

"  You have  come  to  my rescue  once again  sir,"  Lucinda    says  to him, " I  am much obliged ."

"  I  am  just  returning kindness  with kindness,"   replies  Miles,"  plus  i  would  not  wish  to see  either ofyou fall into harms  way. Now  please stay here and  keep  low."

Lucinda  smiles at him and  nods her head  as   he  rides off.

"  Do i have  to remind  you that you are betrothed  to another  man ?"     says  Faith  shaking her head in  disapproval.

"  The  man  just  saved our lives  Faith,"  Lucinda protests.

" Yes, he  has a  strange  way  of  showing up   whenever  there is   trouble  ," Faith comments  back.

"   Faith, what are  you  implying ?"   Lucinda  demands.

" I just  don't  tust  the  man," mutters  Faith.

Lucinda  urges  her horse  forward a hair.

"  Where  do  you think you are going ?" Faith questions  her.

"  I just want  to get a better look  thru the  trees,"  says  Lucinda,"  so i can see what is happening  to the  others.  All i can hear is  alot of  shouting  and horse  hooves ."

" You  stay  right  where you are  young lady,"   orders  Faith,"  I'm not  going  to  be  the one  to answer  to  your  brothers  if  anything happens  to  you  again."

Lucinda peered  thru  the bushes  and  watched as her brothers  and  the   rest of  the  men in their  party  skirmished  with  the  small mob of  men on horseback ,who  were armed  with bows  and  arrows  and  swords

Daniel held  a  sword up  to  the  neck of one of  the  ambushers. 

"  Please  sir," begged  the  man,"  I am just a poor  farmer. My wife  and kids  go hungry.  You and  your  party  looked like  people of  wealth, so my friends  and I here decided  that we would stage  this  ambush  and  rob  you.  We meant you  no harm."

" Do you think me  a fool  sir ?" Daniel  replied ," Look  at  the  way  you and  your  friends  are dressed  and   the  weapons  you carry, and  the horses  you  ride.  You are not poor  farmers.   You are  theives ,  highwaymen who prey   upon the  wealthy  and  innoccent travelers.  I will spare you and  your  men  lives this  time, but if you ever  try to harm  any of  my family again  you will not be  so lucky."


The  theives gather  their  weapons  and  wounded  and  ride off.

"  You let  them go !"  exclaimed  Miles walking up  to Daniel,"  Do you think that was  a smart  move  ?"

"  Strange  question  coming  from someone  who  is  also  a   theif ,"  replies  Daniel,"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  go  join  them.  Or  maybe  you knew  about  this  ambush ."

"  How  would  I have  known about  the  ambush?"  retorts   Daniel ,"   I  have had no contact  with  anyone other  then   the people  you see  around  us .  I  would  not put your family in harm's  way  ."

"  Need  I remind  you that  you kidnapped  my  sister ?"  Daniel  growls  at him.

" Will you two  stop arguing ," says Robert  walking up  to the two of  them.

"  I'm sorry,"  says  Daniel  turning  to  Miles,"  It is  just that once again,my  sister and  brother were put  in harms  way.   They are all i have  left,  and  I  will do  anything  to protect  them. "

"  I understand," replies  Miles  patting Daniel  on the  shoulder,"  Come  lets us  check on the  women  and   getting  moving  before  darkness  sets  in   on us. "

Will walks upto Miles  after Daniel walks  away  and  says  to him ," You know one of  the theives  was Luke's  brother Jed . How  come  you did not mention  this to Daniel ?"

" Because the poor lad ha  enough  to deal with right now,"  replies Miles,"  He is  still dealing with  the  pain of losing  his parents  and  he is  also  trying  to  protect  the only family  he  has left, plus  get use to his  new role  as  lord of  the manor.  I feel sorry for him, he has  a lot of  weight on his  shoulders  right  now."

"  Aye," agrees Will," Why  do you think Jed and  his gang were around here?  There is no way  they could have  known about Luke's  death  this  soon ."

" I think," answers Miles," that Luke  told his brother about  the ransom  and kidnapping plans. While Luke  may have planned to steal  the ransom  and  make off with   Cressida, I think Jed  also had plans of his own  for  the ransom.   I  think Jed has had men  staked out on some of  the roads  around here just waiting  for us  to  come  by ."

"And by the look on your face," replies Will," You do not think we  have  seen   the last of  them   do you ?"

" I  don't know ,"  sighs  Miles,"  so keep close to the  women  ."




Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on May 28, 2009, 08:08:15 AM
The outer gatehouse of the Vyneyards was an unexpectedly welcome sight for Robert. When he had been on the spot previously, he had been worried sick about his sister as well as nervous about going to live with an uncle he barely knew. But after the past several days he was pleasantly surprised to find, that for now at least, his Uncle Thomas's manor house meant safety. Rob was no coward by any means, but he felt as if his world had taken an insane turn lately. If he had his way, he would be going back east to finish his squire's training. He missed the friends he had made among the other boy's in the Earl's household.

  He reined in his horse until his sister caught up with him. "Luci!" he called out to her "Are you daydreaming again?" Her obvious distraction struck him as funny so he laughed in spite of the thunderous look that she gave him.

"I suppose I am a little tired" she answered him "So my thoughts were wandering a bit. Did you ask me something that I missed?"

Robert moved his horse a little closer as they continued to walk along. "Not in truth. I was thinking about going back to the Earl's when I realized that you were very quiet. You haven't been your usual self since we left the monastery."

Lucinda looked as if she would reply when they were interrupted by the watchmen on the gate.

"Hallo your Excellency!" one man called down "Your number has grown since you left us. Is that your good lady sister who returns with you?"

"Yes this is she" Daniel shouted back at him "As well as a wayward brother. Send word to my uncle that we've returned."

"I am sorry Sir" the guard replied "But the master has been recalled to Court. He is not here but a messenger will be sent to him straightaway."

As the gates were opened Rob moved closer to Daniel. "Who is this wayward brother you mentioned. As far as I know, I am the only brother you have."

In response Daniel turned a strange look on his younger sibling. Then he suddenly burst out in laughter when the wry humor finally registered. The playful slap to the back on the head that he gave Robert was returned by a mock blow to the shoulder. Both of them still laughed when they spurred their horses into a trot towards the house.

In his heart Rob was glad that they would have a day or two before their uncle returned and Daniel would be intent on planning his vengeance.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Tremayne on May 31, 2009, 02:12:53 PM
The mystery of Luke's brother Jed's attac on their group plagues Miles so that he could not rest even within safe comfortable surroundings. He and will shared a simple room. Miles lay on his back staring at the ceiling and listening to Will's shifting and grunting as the older man vainly attempted to find a resful position that didn't irritate one injury or another.

Miles didn't consider Jed particularly dangerous but his attack had Miles wondering if there was more afoot that would make finding the identity of the original contractor for the kidnapping more difficult, if not impossible.  He had assumed their contract for the kidnapping was singular, not one in a line-up. This was one of few contract jobs he had ever done and he had never failed so he didn't know what sort of back-up plans contractors engaged in. By all accounts, Luke had not been connected with their contact, Badger, or he wouldn't have let Lucinda free and tried to get the money from Miles himself by abducting Cressida. Luke and his brother had always been rivals. Though he may well have bragged to Jed about the job, he wouldn't have partnered up with him. But for all Miles knew, Jed may have been hired to take up the job after someone reported to their contractor that Miles' gang had fallen apart and Lucinda rescued. And even if Jed had found Luke's body, there was little likelihood of the attack being revenge. Jed would more likely have seen it as a victory to have outlasted his brother or an opportunity to fill his shoes. Suddenly it occurred to Miles that perhaps Jed was trying to free Miles and Will so they could join forces. But then he dismissed it. That did not seem the nature of the ambush. It was aimed at the nobles. So was it random or were they backup kidnappers? Had the disintegration of their band and the rescue of Lucinda gotten out so quickly? Peter had most likely been on his return journey informing Badger of the successful kidnapping when he stopped to question Miles with the mocking bird call. According to the contract, it would be assumed they were keeping Lucinda safe while a note for ransom was delivered, which should have arrived either yesterday or this very day. If the letter arrived, it may not indicate anything since the contractor may have learned of Lucinda's rescue after it was sent. But if the letter never arrived, then they would know for certain that the contractor knew the plan had failed. And there was no way to know whether he would give up the endeavor entirely or hire someone else.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on June 07, 2009, 02:27:48 PM
Lucinda  rose  early  the  next morning, dressed  and   made her  way to the  kitchen, where she  asked  one  of  the  cooks  to  prepare  a  picnic  basket   for  three.      She  then  had   notes  sent  to both  Daniel  and  Robert  asking  them  to  meet her in the  stables.   She  then asked  one  of  the  servants  to go out  to  the  stables  and   tell the  groomsmen that  she  wished  for  three of  the  best  riding horses  to be  saddled  up.

  Faith  entered  the  kitchen, a  mixed look of  disapproval  and  relief   on her face. "  There   you  are,"  she  said  to  Lucinda,"  I  have been looking all over  for  you. Scared  me  half  to death  , you  did,  when  I  woke  and   did  not  find  you  in  your  bed.What are you doing up  so early ?"

"  I  thought  i  would  spend  the  day  with my brothers before  uncle  arrives  back..  Just  the  Daniel, Robert  and  I,  riding, and having  a picnic, just like  we use  to  do, before..before..... "      Lucinda fought  to  hide  back  the  tears.   Faith  took her,  in her arms  and  hugged her.

" Oh Faith,  I  do miss  them  so.   The  stories father use  to tell, the  songs  mother use  to  sing.   The  smell of  the  perfume  she use  to wear.    I........  "     She  heard Daniel's    and  Robert's  voices  in the  distance,   and grabbing a  handkerchief   from her pocket  she  quickly dabbed  away her tears .She could not  let  her  brothers see her  crying.
   "   Look at  me,  carrying on like  this,"   she  said   forcing  a laugh out of her,"   I  best  get  to the  stables."

 
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on June 10, 2009, 10:31:40 AM
A Court page handed his message to Lord Thomas, but did not wait for a reply as his instructions had not included that bit. The puzzled expression that the nobleman wore quickly turned into surprise, though it was followed quickly by a more worried mien.
He had not expected his nephew to actually find the kidnapped girl; much less rescue her and get her to the Vyneyards safely. He spared a brief moment of regret for the gold he had expended in his quest for information about the abduction. But he shrugged off the expense with the hope that it might still bear fruit.

Regardless of his friendship with the young prince, Lord Thomas standing at Court only entitled him to two attendants. After a thoughtful moment, he turned to the one on duty and ordered "Go find Rupert and tell him to make preparations for us to leave, probably not before morning." He waved the scrap of parchment in front of the man and continued "I will have to explain to his Highness that I have yet another family crisis to manage. Be sure to tell Rupert that everyone at the town house needs to be brought along."

The man bowed curtly and started off before Thomas shouted at his retreating back "Wait Richard! On second thought, we'll leave two or three behind in the event of further messages. Between the two of you, you should be able to decide whom we shall bring along and whom we shall leave." Richard nodded in acknowledgement of his new instructions and walked quickly away.

Thomas sighed as he watched his man vanish down the long corridor. The prince would be unhappy if he missed the hunt planned for tomorrow. Perhaps a way could be found to sweeten his mood later. As he walked towards the Prince's public chambers, Thomas considered the possibility of inviting his Royal master and friend north. The forests around his late brother's castle had always boasted fine boar hunting. The prospect of a plan lightened the nobleman's mood by the time he reached the outer receiving room.


Meanwhile at the Vyneyards manor house, Daniel was making good use of his uncle's master at arms. Miles had thought that he was pretty good with most weapons until coming up against this man. The short wiry man who everyone referred to as Master Den was quick as a snake. Three times in a row he had disarmed Miles before it was Daniel's turn to spar. He should have known something was up when the wily Welshman who followed Daniel everywhere had declined a bout with Master Den. That day had seen all of them drilling with swords, knives and bows. Miles had even been surprised at Daniel's level of skill. That the younger man had some extensive training was apparent, but his natural skill with a sword made Miles give him a second and a third consideration. Time and more training might turn the young baron into a formidable weapon.

By the time Master Den called a halt, every man on the training ground was tired sweaty and dirty. The manor house boasted a cold pool and a steam room. Miles still viewed the nobility with a jaundiced eye, but as they headed for a bath, Miles was in complete agreement with Daniel.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on June 14, 2009, 02:50:51 PM
While Daniel, Miles, and Robert were off practicing their skills  with the  sword, Lucinda sat in her  room  moping about.

" What are you sulking about ?" Faith  asks her," Why yesterday you were up early planning a picnic, and now you are sulking. What has happen to change  your mood ?"

" I'm bored  to tears !" exclaims Lucinda,"This may be  a grand manor house, but other then the serving maids   there are no other women here   to talk to besides you ."

" I'm not sure how  to interpret that comment," replies Faith feeling slightly hurt.

" Oh, Faith, I mean you no resentment, I just mean  , this house  seems  dull and  stuffy.  The majority of the maids  and  servants  are  elders, and  they hardly speak to me, unless i speak to them first. I wonder when is the last time  anyone had  any  fun in this place. "

Lucinda  pauses  for  a few minutes, then a  smile comes onto her face  and  she  turns  to Faith and  exclaims "  That's It !"

" What are you talking about ?' inquires Faith.

"we shall throw a party here at the manor, no not a party a grand  ball, yes, a grand  ball,  and invite  all the  local neighbors. that way i can meet  some of   the local  women who live  around  here."

"You are forgetting this is your uncle's home  and you are a guest here," implies  Faith.

" But dear Faith," replies Lucinda, If  i am to live here, then surely I should not be  denied  one  small ball, should  I ?"

Faith lets out a sigh and  shakes her head, knowing that there will be no arguing with Lucinda, forshe knows  that when Lucinda  makes up her mind  to do something there is  no  stopping her.


Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on June 18, 2009, 09:00:05 AM
Lord Thomas was tired, sore and irritable when he finally reached the gates of his home. The last two days had been spent in the saddle from dawn to dusk in order to arrive as quickly as possible. This whole issue of his niece and nephews seemed to be spiraling out of control.

As he painfully slid down from the saddle he noticed and inordinate amount of activity in the great hall. He stopped the first servant who passed and asked "Where are my nephews?" Wide-eyed, the girl curtsied and replied "My Lord, I believe they are both in the armory yard with Master Den."

Lord Thomas swore and stalked into the house. It seemed to him that the successful conclusion of his adventure had given his young baron an inflated opinion of his abilities. He hoped without hope that Daniel had been satisfied with the return of his sister. Anything like an attempt at vengeance was likely to end in disaster.

True enough, Thomas found both his nephews at the practice ring. Though the man who he saw sparring with Master Den was the one that Thomas vaguely remembered as the captured outlaw. This certainly needed to be explained. Every man present went still as Lord Thomas stalked up to the ring.

"Your Excellency" he addressed Daniel formally "Would you mind telling me why you are training a known outlaw in armed combat?"

Daniel replied just as formally "My Lord Uncle, I have taken these three men into my service in reward for their assistance in liberating my sister. I admit that I took liberties in employing your arms master, and I ask pardon for that. Angus is the man in the ring now, Miles and Will stand over there next to Robert."

"I see" Thomas acquiesced "And what exactly is going on in my house?"

This time Daniel blushed and exposed his youth. "Again my lord, I ask pardon" he said in a quieter voice "Lucinda wanted a ball and would not be gainsaid."

At this, Thomas allowed himself a small smile. "A ball may be just the right move" he told his nephew "As long as you can keep those three ruffians out of sight, and we act as if this little adventure never happened. It pays to keep your opponents guessing."

Lord Thomas headed back to the house savoring the prospect of a long hot bath. Daniel jumped and ran after him. "Are we not going to seek out the man behind my sister's abduction?" the young baron asked angrily.  Thomas stopped and made sure no one was in earshot. "My dear nephew" he replied "All in good time. I have spent a goodly amount of coin in the hopes of gathering information. Let us give those seeds time to sprout." The nobleman continued on his way leaving Daniel dumbstruck behind him.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on June 24, 2009, 11:08:10 PM
 Miles approached Daniel and  said  to him," Did I overhear you and Lord Thomas correctly? Did he agree to the ball your sister is planning?"

"You sir  should not listen in to a private coversation," replied Daniel,"but yes, you did hear correctly. He did agree to the ball."

  " I have  to be  honest ,"  Miles tells Daniel,"  I feel  abit uneasy  about  this  ball  ."

   "  Afraid, you will embarrass  yourself  because  you can't dance  ," teases Daniel,"  Well you don't have  to worry about that, because   Lord Thoma  does not want you anywhere near him."


     " Oh, i know how  to dance  my friend," replies  Miles," No, I  am concern about everyone's  safety, especially your  sister's.  Her abducter is  still out there, and  could use   the ball as   an oppurtunity  to  strike  again."
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on June 29, 2009, 03:48:17 PM
  The evening of the Ball arrived and everything seemed to be going smoothly. Even Prince Edward had decided to attend. Of course that meant evryone within a hundred miles found an excuse to attend, whether they were invited or not.

Lucinda was rapturously happy to see some many guests. Most of the unmarried men assumed that this Ball was a chance for Lord Thomas to show off his niece, and possibly arrange a more advantageous marriage. For exactly that reason Baron Worley and his eldest son Colin were also in attendance.

Colin approached Luci as soon as they arrived "I assume you will save the first and last dance for me."
His manner bother pleased and flustered Lucinda. She liked the idea that he might be jealous, but she did not like his possesive manner. Perhaps Colin resembled his father more than she had thought.
Judging that she had hesitated just long enough, she replied "Of course, we are still officially engaged. It would be poor manners for me to dance the last dance with anyone else."

Robert over heard this exchange from the seat he had found in a corner. He knew how to dance well, but at his age he was unlikely to dance with anyone besides his sister. He had heard the tension in Colin's voice, perhaps more than Luci had. When Luci turned to greet more of the arriving guests, Colin went on into the ballroom. Something made Robert get up and follow him. When Colin crossed the room, Rob almost lost him in the crowd. Light reflected off something to the left and drew his eye. Rob turned towards it and saw that one of the tall mullioned windows opened; then Colin stepped out through it.

Rob peered through to make sure no one was watching, then stepped through himself. He saw Colin and another tall man standing under the trees not far off. As he froze in place he caught the tail end of a conversation.

"I didn't have a choice. If my father says I'm going with him, then I go with him." Colin's voice said.
"It would be better if you kept your distance from this business." the unknown man commented.
"Do you think I don't know that?" Colin asked angrily "I'll just act normally and we'll get through this ball and then go home."

The silhouette of the other man nodded before he pulled a hood up on his head.
"There will be a message at the usual place within two days" was the last thing he said before he disappeared into the trees.

Rob knew he had to tell Daniel about this, but he also knew that he couldn't let Colin see him. As Luci's betrothed walked back towards the open window, Rob shrank back into the hedge. The older man passed by without seeing Robert.

When the window closed, Rob let out a ragged breath and went to find Daniel.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on July 07, 2009, 10:57:19 AM
Daniel  was  preoccupied  dancing  with a pretty  burnette  when Robert  came  rushing in and nearly bumped  right  into them.
 "  You will excuse my brother mi  lady,"  said  Daniel   to the  his  female  danc e partner,"  But  I  am afraid  we  found  him living  under a  rock  and  even   though, we  tried   to turn him  inot  a civilize  human being, as you can see  our efforts  have  failed  ."

"  Very funny !"  remarks  Robert,"  I  will get you back  dear brother. But enough  with  the jokes, i need  to talk  to  you  right away.  "

"  Women  problems  little brother?"  teases  Daniel.

"   This  is  serious,"  replies  Robert," It has  to  do  with a  certain recent incident ."

" Well you excuse  please mi lady,"  Daniel says  to the  pretty burnette,   and  walks  out of  the  room  with  Robert. They go  down  the hall and into the libary.  Daniel  closes  the  door behind  them.

"  This  better me  important  dear  brother,"  daniel informs  Robert.

"  It is," replies  Robert  and  he  tells Daniel  what he  witnessed outside.

" Are  you sure it was Colin ?"   aks  Daniel.

"  Yes," answers  Robert,"  I  got a good look at his  face  ?"

"  Did  he  see  you  ?"

"  No ."

"  Did you  get a look at the other man ?'  asks  Daniel.

" Yes,"answers  Robert,"  I  did not  recognise  the  man  though  a s anyone   we know  or  have  met,  but if i was  to see him again, i know  i would  recognise  him in  a minute.  He had   two   long scars on  the left side of his face."

" Did   you say  two  long scars  ?"   asks  Daniel.

"  Yes, why ?"  asks  Robert.

"  I  remember once when i was just a  small boy   I  walked into  the libary  of  our home to  find  father talking  to  a  strange  man  who had  came  to  call upon  father.   Father and  the  man were arguing.    I started to walk back out of  the room  when i   bumped  into  a table. I  remeber  the  amn  turning around  and  looking at  me.   There was  a sinister look in his  eyes  and he had two very  long nasty  scars  on his  face.   It  gave  me  nightmares  for  a long  time after that  ."

"  Could  it  be  the  same  man ?'  asks  Robert.

"  I  don't know,"  replies    Daniel.

"  What  did he  want  with father ?"  aks  Robert.

"  I  don't  know.  Our father was an important    man, i am sure  he  made  a few  enemies  along  the  way.  I  do know  though,  is that we are not  to leave Colin  alone  with Lucinda   until we investigate  this  more."

"  Then we best  get  back   to the  ball   and  find  our  sister,"  suggests  Robert.



Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on July 07, 2009, 11:51:18 AM
Not content to hide in the servant's quarters, Miles spent his evening stalking the manor grounds. Upon seeing one of the guests step out of the ballroom, he faded back into an ornamental hedge. His heart gave a leap when he saw young Rob follow the man out. But when Rob hid himself, the former outlaw relaxed slightly. Only to become tense once more when he learned the young man was Lucinda's fiancé.

  In horror he listened to Colin's conversation with the shadowy figure. A man with two long scars down his face out to be pretty memorable, but he was no one that Miles had ever seen. As furtively as he had ever managed in his life, he followed the cloaked figure. Colin had returned to the ballroom, but the other man was an unknown link that he felt impelled to discover. Another man with two horses waited at a side gate in the manor wall.

  When the cloaked man approached him, Miles was just close enough that he heard "Did he tell you why he was here? Will he keep quiet?" The other who had spoken to Colin answered "It was his father's idea to come to the ball. But he'll keep quiet. He knows that if the master ever called in his gambling debts that he and his father would be ruined."

  If they said anything more as they rode away, Miles was too far away to hear. Knowing he had to talk to someone about this, he made straight for the room where Wat was sleeping.

  A pale light under the door told Miles that the Welshman was still awake. His soft knock was answered quickly. Speaking softly he related everything that he had heard in the garden. "Young Robert was also hidden in the garden" Miles explained "But I don't think he heard all of this." Wat pulled on his boots and jacket before he replied "Unless I miss my guess, Lord Robert is telling his brother every thing he heard at this very minute." He pulled the door open but then stopped abruptly and turned back to Miles. "We have to keep this from Lady Lucinda" Wat said tersely "If her betrothed is involved, she might go right to him and demand an explanation." Nodding soberly Miles voiced the other man's fears "And then we would lose our best chance of discovering the kidnapper and his real motives."
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on July 26, 2009, 11:41:16 AM
 Colin found his father , and the two of them stepped outside to talk.  Colin looked around  to make  sure no one had  followed  them.  Then he informed his father about his  encounter in  the garden  earlier.
  " We must move up your marriage  to Lady Lucinda right away," Colin's father responded," The sooner you two are married, and she  is  carrying  you child  the better.  Then we  can lay claim to her inheritence ."

 " But i do not love her father," protests Colin,"  I am in love with  Isabella ."

" The laundry wench ," exclaims his father,"  You must forget  her ."

" I  cannot father,"  replies Colin,"  she is  carrying  my child  ."


" Leave matters  to me," Replied the older man,"
the child may not be  yours ."  
 The old man  did not wish  to tell his  son, that the laundry maid had a  fondess  for  men, and that he, himself  had bedded her several times, and that it could be very well his  child  she  was carrying.  Yes, he  would take  care of matters himself, for  he  would not have  any brats  running a round, especially  when he  and  his  son  would  soon be rubbing elbows  with nobility again.                      

 "You must marry Lucinda. We must seek claim  to her title  and  money. Besides  she is  afine looking woman. What man  would not want  to take  her  to his  bed. Why i have  amind  to marry her myself  just so i can bed..." the old man started to say but was interrupted by a  woman who came walking up towrds  them.

"There you are" the  woman said  to the older man witha smile," I have been  waiting  for  you inside. "
The older man pulled her closed and kissed her passionately infront of his  son, and  then patted her on the behind, and informed her that he  would be inside  shortly. She blushed  and hurried away.


Miles saw the young woman hurry back inside. No it can.t be, but yes, it is her. He walked up to the  young woman  and  said," Faith, tell me  what your connections  are  to the man outside."


"Why sir" Faith said blushing," I am a woman, and i have my needs
. I am not as young as  some of  the other girls here.The gentleman finds me attractive  and he satifies me , and i satisfy him."

"or is he just using you Faith to get close  to Lucinda" Miles  thought  to himself.

" How long have you two been seeing each other ?" asks Miles," Does Lucinda know.?"

"We meta few years back before Lucinda  was betrothed to Colin.  Matter of fact, it was  thru me, that  she  met Colin," replies Faith," Yes, Lucinda knows. She can't understand  what i see  in him, but then gain Lucinda  is still young and innoccent , need i say anymore sir. Besides I have always been loyal  to Lucinda  and  would  never hurt her in any way.  I would stake my own life  for hers."

"Oh Faith, if only you knew what you have gotten yourself  and Lucinda maybe into," Miles  sighed  to  himself.
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: DonaCatalina on July 30, 2009, 09:36:36 AM
  Something about Colin's manner made a warning bell go off in Daniel's head. He retreated to the punch table to keep an eye on his sister's betrothed. Soon enough Rob found him there.

"Daniel" He pleaded with his brother "You've got to come outside for a moment so I can tell you something."

Reluctantly, Daniel followed his brother outside through the main doors. He would rather have kept an eye on Colin, but the urgency in Rob's voice was real. The two brothers walked out of hearing range of the house. But before Rob could say anything Wat appeared out of the shadows.

"Your excellency" he greeted the younger man "Miles and I need to talk to the two of you alone. Whatever Master Rob may have told you is not the complete story."

With a raised eyebrow, Daniel replied "My brother has not actually had the chance to tell me anything."

Miles Materialized at the welshman's elbow. Almost in a whisper he said "Your sister's fiance provided information to her kidnappers."

Daniel blinked in surprise at this revelation. "Whatever for?" he asked in exasperation "Her dowry portion is larger than he could hope for from any other eligible girls."

"Milord" Miles answered "It appears that his gambling debts have grown large enough that his father might consider disowning them. I daresay he saw no harm in passing a little information in return for some debt forgiveness."

"God's blood" Daniel swore "What are we going to do?"

After a quick look towards the house, Wat suggested "Milord, I suggest that we track Lord Colin's movements as well as the man who he talked with here tonight."

"How do you mean to accomplish that?" Daniel asked dubiously.

The welshman looked over at the youngest of them. "Master Rob will have to stay here and keep Lucinda from becoming suspicious, which will be no easy task."

These last words were spoken as Rob started to fidget in protest.

"We'll leave before light to go hunting" Wat continued "Angus and Will can follow Lord Colin easily enough and he won't know them by sight. You, Miles and I will take as few guards with us as possible and follow the other. The damp ground will give us tracks to follow for some distance."

Licking his dry lips, Daniel ordered "Master Wat, you give the orders and I will be ready before dawn."

Last of all he turned to his brother and added "Rob, I have to leave you to take care of Lucinda and keep her from getting suspicious. You know how impulsive she can be. She'll run right to Colin and demand an explanation."

"Alright" Rob agreed "I hate to be the one left at home all the time. But I'll do it this time."

Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Lady Amy of York on August 13, 2009, 03:44:55 PM
Faith enterd Lucinda's  bedchamber  and  said  to her,"  You owe  me dear  friend.   What i had  to put up  with,  with  that  foul,  sinister  man."

" faith,"  replies Lucinda," remember he  is  Colin's  father.  Please  watch  what you say about him."


"  I  don't care," retorts  Faith,"  He is  a horrible  excuse  for   a  man."

"  Well,"  replies  Lucinda,"  tell me,  did you  find out  anything  ?    Why  are he  and  Colin  acting  so  strange  around  me ?"

"  Unfortunately,  i  found  out  nothing,"  sighs  Faith,"  But  we  may  have a  small  problem."

" What is  that ?'  Lucinda  asks.

"  The  man  that is  called  Miles,"  replies Faith,"  he  caught me  being  friendly  with Colin's  father.  he  question  me  about  it.  I  told him , that colin's  father and  I  were  lovers, and  that i was  responsible  for  introducing  you  to  Colin."


"  You  told him  what  !"  shrieks  Lucinda  at Faith.

"  I  can't help  it," Faith replied,"  The  man  got  the  best of  me.  He  caught me  with  my  guard  down.  I  had  to  think  quick, and  that was  the  best i  could  come  up  with."

"  Do you  think he  belived  you ?"  I  ask her.

"  I'm not  sure,"  sighs  Faith.


"  Oh  Faith,  if  he went  to  Daniel   and  told  him."

"  It  could  explain  why  Daniel,  Miles,  and  a few  other  men  rode  off  this  morning  before  dawn.Your  brother Robert was  left  behind  to watch  over  things  here."


"  There is  something  going on here  behind  our  backs  Faith,"  says  Lucinda,"  That  Daniel  and  the  others  are  not  telling us  about.  I  think it is  time  I  had a talk  with  my brother  Robert.  He  was  never  able  to lie  to  me,  so i should  be  able  to get  the  answers  we  are  looking  for."
Title: Re: New Interactive story - The Woodland Road
Post by: Don_Juan_deCordoba on January 18, 2010, 10:23:11 AM
Daniel tried to emulate Wat's silence as they followed the tril left by the two men's horses. Only a short distance from the outer wall, the pair had left the woods and returned to the road. Luckily for Wat, the damp weather had left the road soft. The recent hoofprints stood out fresh and sharp. "Look here" Wat pointed out to Miles and Daniel "One of the horses has a broken hoof and has been fitted with a barred shoe. That will make at least one of them very easy to follow." Daniel filed away this little tidbit of information gladly. Anyhting that made his task easier was welcome.

  By the time dawn came creeping through the thick forest canopy, Wat had followed their quarry to a ramshackle inn with an equally ramshackle stable. While Daniel and Miles kept out of sight inside the treeline, Wat crept into the stable to see if the horse with the broken hoof was inside.