The soft glow of the candles positioned along the wall was the only lighting the small group of travelers had as they made their way down the passageway towards the main gated entrance of the keep. The leader of the group lifted his balled fist into the air to signal the group to quickly halt and listen to their surroundings. Once assured they were indeed the only souls in the walkway, he motioned the group of four men dressed in ragged clothing and who carried a foul odor, forward.
Royce, a young soldier having only joined the ranks of the Earl one summer earlier, was the soldier on duty. What he lacked in age he more than made up for in experience on the battlefield and in build, he was a strong lad of 17 and had seen as much warring as almost anyone in the barracks where he was housed. The small stool in the guard tower did not make for a very comfortable seat for the largely built soldier, causing him to stand for most of his time in the small makeshift fort. A glimpse to the right out his little window assured him all was quiet and a glance towards the left appeared to be quiet as well, to the untrained soldier. However, Royce had been doing guard duty for the last sennight and new well enough the shadows of the trees nearby to know that the small shadow he saw along the outer wall was not a moving brush, but rather a living person.
Not one to sound an alarm at any slight movement, Royce instead motioned to the guard who was entertaining himself below the fort. “Ian, put your arse back in your pants and get up here!” his hushed voice boomed down the ladder to the young soldier below who was enjoying the company of an even younger lass. A few moments later a grumbled Ian climbed up into the fort and demanded to know why he was interrupted.
“The sweet lass was just about to let me have my way, and you go and offend her!” Ian cuffed Royce with his fist.
“Aye, I’m sure you were just about to get your way,” Royce couldn’t help but laugh. “I think it was your stench that offended the gentle lady,” the sarcasm was not lost on Ian and he looked as though he were to biff his friend once more, but Royce put his hand in the air to still him. “Nay, we don’t have time for banter. There is a small group of men creeping along side the wall. I’ll go check it out, you stay here.” Royce patted Ian’s shoulder as he stepped past him and began his descent down the ladder.
“Why do you get to have them? I could use the exercise,” Ian complained, looking down through the opening of the fort at Royce on the ladder.
“Aye, you could. And you could use that club of yours to take them out,” Royce pointed upward at his friend who instantly turned red in the face and quickly adjusted his clothing.
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