THE EAR ARCHER Part 1 (Completed) #wattys2022

SPIRIT

It was going to be a two day journey, It explained how Yart and his company were constantly ahead of everyone else. They knew the secret passage through the mountains. This was the route Gob and one hundred and eleven others were using to climb down.
Yart had promised there would be sufficient horses for everyone when they reached the foot of the mountain. The way it sounded, Yart had planned this every step of the way.

No horses, no means of transport, it was going to take Dalian and the rest of the company two days to get to the only other safe haven in Xan, "the palace ".

Meanwhile back in the military headquarters, Hawk under orders from unnamed had issued a room to each man.
Seizing the opportunity, unnamed used the military resources present in the military headquarters to further train his men, making them even better fighters.

Dalian and her twelve thousand peasants made their way through the night, for two days Dalian had carried more than four children simultaneously.
Twelve thousand people staggered up the Rocky plains of Har buarn where the outlines of barn - esga the great stone gate of the palace could be seen.
Even with the palace in sight, the walk down to its gate was well beyond two days.

Yart and his one hundred and ninety eight reached the military headquarters. As usual, the huge gate was closed. The problem was no gate keeper which was abnormal.

Yart highlighted and tried to push open the smaller version of the copper gate. That made the difference. The gate was always closed not locked. Even with his direct orders to kufiriko that all gates be locked this gate was to be exempted.

Yart knew something was amiss. Just then, a company of archers circled the top of the gate firing at Yart and his company.
Yart caught the two arrows directed at him while the rest of his men with mesmerizing agility got off their horses. All arrows hit air.

"Withdraw" Yart ordered calmly as the reality of the situation dawned on him.
A hairy disfigured but well muscled man carrying an axe stepped up the gate wall.
Gob who was still in shock of the entire turn of events looked up at the man.
He recognized him. He was the robber who knocked him out the first day he set foot on Xan's soil.
But surely, he was better looking then.

Yart and his company backed away and more surprisingly Hawk didn't have his men attack. Each solider saddled his horse and followed Yart.
"unnamed" the disfigured commander
Unnamed spun around to see Hawk.
" is it done? " unnamed asked as confidently as someone who welded the lighting of the gods.
"exactly as you requested"

Yart and his company trotted In the afternoon sun, despite his indecipherable countenance he was worried. The safety of everyone most especially his daughter worried him.
He was fairly certain whoever led these bandits had everyone killed. But he didn't want to believe that. He couldn't.
He was so occupied in his thoughts he didn't notice everyone else wasn't moving.
Yart stopped his horse, turned around to. See what was going on.
All one hundred and twelve men had their heads raised and their mouths agape.
Yart followed the direction of their eyes. He shrieked when he saw what he saw
Half a mile from the military headquarters, a metal spear rooted to the ground had Kufiriko's head, or what was left of it impaled at its tip.

Commander Paul rode beside Yart
"and? "
"we do it rat style, we sneak in"