The Chronicles of Tenroha

Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-two

Matáo had just returned from Flatfish Bay. He was tired, but he knew that time was running out. Master Kranthem informed him that the next one of the prison camps lay half a day's march from a Sentinel Tree. Matáo decided to attack this one at night because it was so close to the tree. This time he brought Sam Twiggy, Thom and Master Kranthem only.

Thom had already scouted it while they were in Flatfish Bay. This encampment was much smaller. There were only a total of a dozen guards and the smiths were forced to work night and day. Thom reported that there were only about five hundred smiths imprisoned there that he could see. There were others located in a mine that he was unable to investigate. The name of the town was Iron Forge.

It was bigger than Echo and located near a small mountain that was rich with iron ore. There were fifty forges that worked night and day. Matáo suspected that it may have been one of the first towns that was taken by Claremont and his forces. This prison had three watch towers and it was surrounded by a pike wall like Flatfish Bay. It had a gate that led to the mines in the mountain and another that opened to the king's road.

Thom also noted that the gate to the mine was never closed because ore was constantly being brought into the town day and night. The main gate leading to the road opened twice a day. A fully loaded wagon left every morning and returned empty before nightfall. Matáo's plan for this attack was to enter with the empty wagon.

They emerged from the tree and made their way to a spot that Thom had found to ambush the wagon on its return trip. They hoped that they were not late, but after about a half an hour, the wagon came into view. It was empty except for the driver and one other man with a bow. Twiggy shot an arrow at the bowman sitting next to the driver, killing him, while Sam shot the driver in the leg.

Matáo leapt from a tree and grabbed the reins and pulled the wagon to a stop. He questioned the driver before tying him up and placing him in the back of the wagon. He learned that since the loss of Oaken Meadow, everything was being delivered to a storehouse near a dwarven settlement in the Crescent Mountains where it is traded at the market.

The other two climbed in the back as Matáo drove the wagon forward. Before sunset they arrived at the gate. It opened when they neared it. Twiggy shot the guard before he sounded an alarm. The group shot every guard they saw as the wagon made its way through the town. The horses had made this trip countless times and Matáo let them lead the way.

The wagon came to a stop beside one of the forges. Matáo found Mr. Porter, the blacksmith from Echo among the other smiths. He ran to him and wrapped his arms around him. "Is anyone else here?" asked Matáo. "John is here. He's in the mines, but no one else," replied Mr. Porter. Matáo was filled with hope. The father of Jonah and the twins' was here. With Mr. Porter's help he urged the smiths to take up their weapons and turn on the guards. There were only four remaining in the camp, but the smiths informed Matáo that there were another twenty at the mines. He and Sam crept through the town and eliminated the remaining guards.

Matáo told the smiths about their rescue of the first camp and they agreed to help so they could see their families again. A fresh load of ore arrived and Twiggy took out the driver who was wearing crimson clothing. Matáo and the others, along with nearly fifty smiths carrying hammers and newly forged swords, made their way to the mines.

Matáo spotted a guard on a nearby cliff. Sam shot him with his bow and the guard fell to the ground below. The sound that it made caused another guard to investigate. Twiggy shot him as well. The road leading to the mines was windy and had sides like a canyon. Matáo would stop and peek around every corner that they came to before continuing forward.