Leonitus
09-10-07, 02:34 PM
Outside the castle, Leonitus was provided a splendid mount on which he was to continue his journey. The captain informed him of Equus’ instructions as to their accompanying him along the shore in search of his lost comrades and their misfortunes. The squad of cataphracts followed the leaders in columns of two through the gate, across the bridge, and out onto the road, then turned south toward the sea. “Whence come the prevalent winds in Valeria?” Leonitus asked the captain. With this the captain drew rein and looked to the western sky, then to the east. “I suppose one should take note of such things, not being a sea faring man, I’ve never thought twice about it. Although it seems the weather comes from the north more than not.”
“Yes, that would explain our traveling south upon leaving the castle.” Leonitus eyed the captain with growing curiosity. They continued southerly to the coast and found no sign of the wayfarers, Leonitus turned to the west and headed up the shoreline in further search. The captain hailed him and offered correction, “The fishermen would have alerted us if they had been sighted along the coast in that direction, perhaps we should continue eastward.” Leonitus paid no attention and held his course. If his countrymen had floundered, it would not have been on the other side of the island. They had been trained in the arts of concealment and elusion. Perhaps they were hidden among the rocks and forests along the eastern coast. If they had come ashore along here, he would see evidence of it.
After several hours of combing the beach, he spied a life boat hidden in the undergrowth 40 yards from the shore. “I see evidence of arrival has escaped your informative fisher folk. Perhaps they were fishing when they beached.” The captain had nothing to offer this time, he just sat atop his mount and stared at the small craft in the bushes. Leonitus inspected the area and found tracks leading into the woods in a northerly direction and promptly followed. The squad of cataphracts began to mumble and complain amongst themselves and Leonitus kept an eye on their progress. After 200 yards or so he topped a ridge to spy a compound surrounded by an 18 ft. wall of wood. It looked much like a fortress or prison to him, and he inquired of the captain as to it’s purpose. “What manner of installation is this my good captain? Perhaps a fish market?”
“Seize the outlander and contain him!” cried the captain. Leonitus jumped into the trees and bolted through the forest for cover with his bow in hand. At first the squad were confused to the direction he had leapt, and this short span of time gave him the edge he needed to elude the Valerians. In no time he had gained ground on them and climbed a large oak tree to perch on a limb and observe their clamor. The clumsy cataphracts were baffled as to his concealment and noisily thrashed the undergrowth in a quarter mile radius in search for him, to no avail. After an hour and a half the captain gave up the search and headed back to report to his king. He obviously did not relish the idea of reporting his folly, the repercussions would surely be fierce. Now that his ‘escort’ had gone, he was free to investigate the compound and it’s purpose.
He moved quietly nearer until he could hear voices from over the wall and they were strangely unlike those he had heard in the palace. The undergrowth around the compound was fairly thick and made moving while concealed quite simple. Half way around Leonitus discovered an entrance of large wooden gates bordered by twin towers with battlements at their top. He cowered in his cover and wondered just what the compound was for. It must be a prison of some sort, but why would it be hidden here in the forest, unless the prisoners were not to be discovered by any travelers. He decided that this warranted further investigation so he made his way back around from whence he’d come until he found a water outlet under the wall.
“This must be the sewage release, but it flows constantly, so it must be fed from some tributary further around.” he thought to himself. He continued around the fortress until he found the brook that ran under the wall and into the compound. He then assessed the opening for size and found he might just squeeze through. After concentrated effort he had gained entry, unnoticed, into the fortress and found himself inside a springhouse holding tank. It was uncovered so he could see the roof in the dim light and slowly crept out of the tank and onto the floor. He could hear voices in the distance, but thought he was undetected so far so he began exploring the room for a doorway leading to anything that might help him discover the purpose of this place. He found a trough, much like those his father had dug for irrigation at home, leading out from under the opposite wall and thought perhaps he might be able to slide through on his belly to the other side.
He gained entry to the next room quite easily and found himself in a kitchen area behind a large cook stove that was very warm so he eased himself on to a better position beyond. The cook was nowhere to be seen so he had the luck of the gods with him. He then proceeded to the doorway that led to a dining chamber with a large table and chairs for about thirty with still no one present. Leonitus thought “The gods are with me, it looks like the garrison is small, perhaps I can find the unfortunate inmates incarcerated here.” He had to survey the grounds to ascertain the location of the cells, and do it unobserved. The ceiling in here was naught but open beams and rafters so he sprang to the top of the table and jumped up to grab the beam and climbed up into the rafters to make his way to the end of the building. It was a gabled roof and the end had a vented opening to allow airflow to ventilate the room. Through this he could see the yard quite well and beyond to the only other building in the compound. The barracks and cells would be there.
“Yes, that would explain our traveling south upon leaving the castle.” Leonitus eyed the captain with growing curiosity. They continued southerly to the coast and found no sign of the wayfarers, Leonitus turned to the west and headed up the shoreline in further search. The captain hailed him and offered correction, “The fishermen would have alerted us if they had been sighted along the coast in that direction, perhaps we should continue eastward.” Leonitus paid no attention and held his course. If his countrymen had floundered, it would not have been on the other side of the island. They had been trained in the arts of concealment and elusion. Perhaps they were hidden among the rocks and forests along the eastern coast. If they had come ashore along here, he would see evidence of it.
After several hours of combing the beach, he spied a life boat hidden in the undergrowth 40 yards from the shore. “I see evidence of arrival has escaped your informative fisher folk. Perhaps they were fishing when they beached.” The captain had nothing to offer this time, he just sat atop his mount and stared at the small craft in the bushes. Leonitus inspected the area and found tracks leading into the woods in a northerly direction and promptly followed. The squad of cataphracts began to mumble and complain amongst themselves and Leonitus kept an eye on their progress. After 200 yards or so he topped a ridge to spy a compound surrounded by an 18 ft. wall of wood. It looked much like a fortress or prison to him, and he inquired of the captain as to it’s purpose. “What manner of installation is this my good captain? Perhaps a fish market?”
“Seize the outlander and contain him!” cried the captain. Leonitus jumped into the trees and bolted through the forest for cover with his bow in hand. At first the squad were confused to the direction he had leapt, and this short span of time gave him the edge he needed to elude the Valerians. In no time he had gained ground on them and climbed a large oak tree to perch on a limb and observe their clamor. The clumsy cataphracts were baffled as to his concealment and noisily thrashed the undergrowth in a quarter mile radius in search for him, to no avail. After an hour and a half the captain gave up the search and headed back to report to his king. He obviously did not relish the idea of reporting his folly, the repercussions would surely be fierce. Now that his ‘escort’ had gone, he was free to investigate the compound and it’s purpose.
He moved quietly nearer until he could hear voices from over the wall and they were strangely unlike those he had heard in the palace. The undergrowth around the compound was fairly thick and made moving while concealed quite simple. Half way around Leonitus discovered an entrance of large wooden gates bordered by twin towers with battlements at their top. He cowered in his cover and wondered just what the compound was for. It must be a prison of some sort, but why would it be hidden here in the forest, unless the prisoners were not to be discovered by any travelers. He decided that this warranted further investigation so he made his way back around from whence he’d come until he found a water outlet under the wall.
“This must be the sewage release, but it flows constantly, so it must be fed from some tributary further around.” he thought to himself. He continued around the fortress until he found the brook that ran under the wall and into the compound. He then assessed the opening for size and found he might just squeeze through. After concentrated effort he had gained entry, unnoticed, into the fortress and found himself inside a springhouse holding tank. It was uncovered so he could see the roof in the dim light and slowly crept out of the tank and onto the floor. He could hear voices in the distance, but thought he was undetected so far so he began exploring the room for a doorway leading to anything that might help him discover the purpose of this place. He found a trough, much like those his father had dug for irrigation at home, leading out from under the opposite wall and thought perhaps he might be able to slide through on his belly to the other side.
He gained entry to the next room quite easily and found himself in a kitchen area behind a large cook stove that was very warm so he eased himself on to a better position beyond. The cook was nowhere to be seen so he had the luck of the gods with him. He then proceeded to the doorway that led to a dining chamber with a large table and chairs for about thirty with still no one present. Leonitus thought “The gods are with me, it looks like the garrison is small, perhaps I can find the unfortunate inmates incarcerated here.” He had to survey the grounds to ascertain the location of the cells, and do it unobserved. The ceiling in here was naught but open beams and rafters so he sprang to the top of the table and jumped up to grab the beam and climbed up into the rafters to make his way to the end of the building. It was a gabled roof and the end had a vented opening to allow airflow to ventilate the room. Through this he could see the yard quite well and beyond to the only other building in the compound. The barracks and cells would be there.