Climbing in Calradia: Part Eight

Forest bandits ambushed the group as they made their way through the Crescent Forest, announcing their presence by hurling a stone from the treelines. The carriage driver was hit, struck in the head by a fast-moving rock, and he yelled out in pain. The cry alerted the others and both Brigid and the watchmen bought up their crossbows, scanning the forest around them. The scattered rays sunlight coming through the forest canopy cast great shadows and Louis wheeled his horse round in circles.
"Did any of you see where that stone came from?"
Brigid and two of the watchmen shook their heads but the other watchman, a hunter's son called Toban, pointed with his crossbow at a gap between two gnarled trees.
"It came from there."
Louis grunted as he rode towards the trees, his sword drawn, and Brigid anxiously turned in her saddle, remembering what happened the last time bandits attacked.

Approaching the trees Toban had pointed out Louis slowed his warhorse to give himself time to adjust to the dim light. Dismounting the cavalryman stepped forward to investigate the nearer tree. He found a small pile of stones at the tree's base, scattering them with a contemptuous sweep of his blade, and cast his eye over his surroundings before continuing towards the second tree. He hadn't bothered to look skyward though and the other Knights watched as a wiry figure dropped from the higher branches to force Louis into the ground. Louis rose with a pained shout, throwing the figure off him, and turned, his sword lashing out to cut the figure's head from its shoulders. Louis' execution of the figure was a catalyst for the bandit warband to emerge from the forest. At least a dozen raced for the carriage, two being shot and another pair falling to Brigid's sabre as she rode them down. The remaining eight encircled the carriage, three of them pulling Franz from his seat, and a fourth bandit went to open the carriage door, falling back a second later with a slim dagger embedded in his throat. Franz' killers rose with bloody axes in hand, his dying screams still seeming to echo around the battlefield, and turned their attention to the carriage, axes falling to splinter the wood and provoke a round of female screams.

Louis finally returned to the fight, slashing open the back of the bandit threatening Toban, while Brigid had turned to begin her charge against the bandits attacking the carriage. She barrelled into them, sabre lashing out to cut down one and her courser's weight knocking a second to the ground. The four surviving bandits, unwilling to give up even though they were hopelessly outmatched, redoubled their efforts on breaking into the carriage, the last of Franz' killers growling as he managed to wrench a significant section of a door from the frame. He staggered as a servant girl was forced at him, taking a couple of steps back in an attempt to steady himself, before leering at the young woman. Glancing around the dwindling battlefield he shook his head when he looked for his fellow bandits, tightening the grip he had on the servant girl, and turned to sprint back into the trees, the woman's screams trailing behind him.

Brigid slowed her horse as she watched the bandit disappear with his captive, debating whether or not to chase after him. The sounds of another woman's screams made her turn though, albeit reluctantly, and she took in the sight of her fellow Knights battle an equal number of bandits. Louis was letting his war horse move on its own, herding the bandits towards Toban and the other watchman. He was a quiet man from a village south of Praven who went by the name of Henri and was proving capable enough with the sword he was wielding, a well-timed strike almost removing a bandit's forearm. The scream had come from the woman looking out over the fighting, her clothing suggesting that she was Lady Nelda, and Brigid spurred her horse to action. The injured bandit turned to run when he heard her approach, pitching forward onto his face as Henri took advantage of his distracted nature and thrust his sword through him. Next to him Toban hurriedly stepped backwards to avoid the bandit dodging Brigid and bought his blade up just in time to catch the bandit's falling axe. With a shove he threw the bandit back, readying himself to follow, when Louis turned in his saddle as he rode past, the strike to the back of the neck almost taking the bandit's head off.

The final bandit, noticing that he was all alone, turned to flee and managed to get halfway towards the trees before being skewered by both Louis and Brigid. Groaning in pain as they withdrew their blades, and coughing up a wad of blood, he continued staggering forward before finally, unnoticed by the Knights, collapsing and dying just after reaching the treeline. His death wasn't noticed as Louis and Brigid had returned to the carriage, dismounting and tending to their fellows. The driver was still stunned and Toban was assigned to look after him while Henri and Louis quickly dug a grave for Franz, collecting his weapons and armour before shovelling dirt over him. Brigid had cautiously ventured towards the carriage, told to calm Lady Nelda, and stepped up into the cabin. The noblewoman shied away from the warrior-woman and Brigid sighed as she sat on the bench opposite Nelda, glancing out through the ruined door before focusing on the other woman.
"It's over now. They're all dead, we're still alive, and you'll be with your husband before you know it."