The Road to War

[Xeric Mues]

With a lurch and grunt, Xeric returns to his senses. Using the back of his left hand, he wipes his eyes clear. The blood on his hand tells him what is in his eyes. Slowly turning his head, he surveys the woods around him. "You half-broke bastard!"Xeric mumbles when he spots Diamondust. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he manages to push himself back to his feet.
By moonlight, Xeric holds Diamondust to a gallop as he enters the gates of the Mues Compound. The lights of the newly manned barracks and guard towers cast an erie glow on the ground under Diamondust.
Pulling the horse to a stop, Xeric dismounts Diamondust. Out of the corner of his right eye, he sees a large blond man turn and run in his direction. Xeric quickly removes the cast of the track, that he made earlier, from his saddle bag. "Almearians."says Xeric as he hands the cast and Diamondust's reigns to Tybalt.
"How many are here?"he snaps.


"Twelve hundred with four thousand strong still to come."Tybalt replies softly.



"I want four hundred mounted and ready to ride when I return from the manor."Xeric says in a heavy voice. Turning towards the manor, he starts towards the front entrance with his usual stride. Allowing his boots to click on the finely mason brick, Xeric steps onto the porch. Moving through the open doors, me makes his way to the stairs, up them, and into his bedchamber. He quickly finds his short Hornbow, Xeric walks back down the stairs and back outside. He stops on the porch long enough to string the bow and continues towards Diamondust.
Making a quick head count, Xeric sees maybe one hundred and fifty mounted swordsmen and archers gathering around Diamondust. "Send the rest to follow our trail!"he yells towards the barracks hoping Tybalt will hear.
Xeric quickly mounts his horse, nudging Diamondust flanks with his heels, Xeric trots out of the gate with his armsmen close behind. The glow of the moon puts an uneasy feel to Xeric's surroundings. He hoped it was the moon, as he held the horse's pace to a trot. Ignoring the sound of so many hoof beats, Xeric tries to be aware of everything around him.
Holding his reigns in his left hand, Xeric guides Diamondust off the path they are on and towards his intended destination. The River Carenu. By the soft light of the dawn, Xeric notices the rails of the Rhydin-Almear bridge. "Halt! Hartha, set torches and burn the bridge. Karede you'll find a ford less than a mile upstream, take your men and set up ambush there. Neald the same to the south."Xeric says in his calmest most confident voice. With surprising speed, the men divid up and vanish into the woods as he instructed.
"Hartha set ambush here." Barks Xeric as he turns Diamondust away from the river. Allowing his horse to walk, he moves to a clearing well away from the shore. "Tybalt I hope you heard me."Xeric whispers to himself.
Near mid morning, Xeric hears the call of two Robins. He answers with the song of a Bluejay's song, Arinle rides into the clearing, with him are two hundred or so armsmen.
"You'll be my reserve, hold here. There are positions upstream, downstream, and in front. Be ready to charge in either direction."Xeric says before Arinle can speak. Turning back towards the river, he continues to watch and wait.