The Sterling Prophecy Book I Part 11

Sterling's coat of arms.

Commander March reined up outside his camp, as Sir Evans came thundering out with a troop of two hundred men.   Sir Evans was thin and lanky, but had a determined air about him.  With close cropped blonde hair, he had light green eyes that seemed to have a constant nervousness about him yet he was still comfortable enough to give his leader a report.

"Sir, we heard of a possible raid we could make.  There is a raid passing just north of us, on it's way from Ecler to Mosen.  There are only twenty-five men guarding it.  We can easily take it by force if we act quick enough."

"Thank you, Evans.  Well- Oh! Meet our guests! (For at that moment Lydia had coughed very loudly)  This is Jason Sterling (at this Evans just looked even more nervous), and this is Abraham, and finally this young Lady here is Miss Lydia.  And you can't forget this beast of a dog, Frodo.

"But yes, we need to move quickly.  with my thirty men, and your two hundred, we're in a good position to make this raid succesful.  We need to go.  NOW.  Get the men-"

But he was interrupted one again, this time by Jason, "Sir, if you would grant me one boon."

"Of course, anything you want.  As long as it is in my power to give." Eric said good naturedly.

"It is but a simple one.  That you keep Miss Lydia here in safety, at your camp."  Lydia started at the mention of her name and glared at Jason.

Eric's grinned, "Why of course.  Miss, this way if you please."

When Lydia opened her mouth to object, Ab snapped, "Oh come on, Lydia.  We need to move fast, and have no time for your little quarrels."

Tears welled up in Lydia's eyes, but she resolutely shut her mouth and wield the horse around and galloped back to the camp with one of the aides-de-camp hurrying to keep up.  Jason turned around to Abraham, "Was that necessary?"  He demanded.

When Ab only looked away, Jason shook his head and told Commander March they were ready to ride.  With that, the troop filed out of the beautiful valley and left the safety of the camp behind them and rode swiftly to the place where they aimed to have the ambush.

They finally reached the place only a few minutes before the caravan was passing through them.  The place was an ideal place to ambush, the road wound through a ravine, with high rocks on either side of them.  The rocks and tall boulders on either side gave shelter to the archers.

"Hurry, Evans.  Take half of the men with you, and position yourself along the opposite side of the ravine as you deem fit.  Go!  Hurry.  We only have a few minutes if our scouts are telling the truth.  You two will stay and fight by my side if you are wanting."  Eric said, glancing back at Jason and Ab.

"We would be honored, sir."  Jason said bowing his head.  Abraham followed suit.  Eric smiled and accepted the bow with a gracious air.

But before Evan and his men could cross the road and climb up the opposite side, there was a shout just issuing from the mouth of the ravine.  A body of some two hundred horse men charged Evan's company, who had been caught unawares.  Before he could pull his troop into a defensive position, the enemies horsemen came crashing into the mass of confusion.  Commander March held his troops, "Wait.  They haven't noticed us.  If we wait just a little longer, we can turn this betrayal into  a victory for Alepp."

Then Jason thought it through, that is exactly what it was.  They had been given false information.  There was no caravan coming, and this definitely wasn't just "25 men".  But before he could surmise who did it, there was a shout from Eric and the remaining company of natives swept down upon the unsuspecting pirates who were very much immersed in their work of destruction.  Jason urged his horse forward with Abraham at his side, and Frodo just trailing them.  The trio were magnificent, although Jason and Abraham had never learned to fight on the back of a horse, they still did terrible work to their enemies.  The pirates fell back from their onslaught.

Once Evans saw his leader charging from the heights, he rallied his discouraged troops and they threw themselves back into the fight with even greater fierceness then Eric and his men.  The two companies were fighting as one, yet with the fierceness of two hundred.  Before they knew it, the pirates were in full retreat.  But before they could celebrate their victory, they heard a piercing scream.  Jason swerved around and squinted up the hillside from where they had just descended.

A few of the pirates had retreated up the hill after the defeat, and they seemed to be struggling with a rider.  But before they could ride to his aid.  The rider was ripped from the saddle, and thrown into a place behind a pirate, and dragged back over the crest of the hill.  The rider let out one last scream, "JASON!"  Before she was quickly silenced with a swift blow to the head.

Abraham grabbed Jason's arm, "Oh my goodness!  Jas, that's Lydia!"