Adventures of Jessa

50

"Jessa, what are you doing?" Nathan asks as he watches Jessa undo her boots.

"I've used Dhiren's gift to me just enough to break them in, but I haven't used them as they were meant to be used." Jessa says absently as she puts on the other boots that are at her side. "Go get that ass that is in charge of this caravan." Jessa refuses to even speak his name. During the time she's worked with Culeb she has become thoroughly disgusted with him. She more than hopes a little that he won't survive the day. Although he has proved himself to be a coward and is the one most likely to make it.

Nathan has long ago learned to do as Jessa tells him when it comes to caravans and instructions. He still doesn't understand Jessa's words about the other boots.

He finds and hauls the reluctant master to Jessa. Culeb is spouting threats at Nathan as he is unceremoniously hauled to the female guard. "What is the meaning of this?" He demands as he is deposited in front of Jessa.

Jessa stands up coolly from changing her boots to confront the sputtering human. "I am giving you instructions which you will follow if you have any desire to survive this day. There are more than one hundred bandits ready and waiting to take this caravan down. Unfortunately the caravan in front of us has already advanced into the death trap and there is no saving them.

"Shortly I will be going through the pass. I will then be going to the top of the cliff and taking down the archers that are waiting to rain death on all those that pass through.

"I will set a spell to show an illusion of the caravan moving forward. It will make the caravan look far stronger and greater than it truly is. You will stay in the end of the caravan if you wish to live." Jessa sneers as she says this. Any master worth his salt would be in the forefront of the caravan to fight to protect his investment. Culeb on the other hand has no trouble following those instructions.

"You will wait for my signal before you move forward. You will know when the illusion moves forward. I will endeavor to save as many of the guards as possible, but with the amount of archers lined at the top of the cliff, well, I doubt that many will make it."

Jessa says negligibly even as she arrays her weapons around her. Some of which Culeb hadn't seen her with before. His eyes bug out at seeing the obvious elven designs on the staff and bow and quiver that she puts on. Only then does he register that the clothes and boots that she's wearing are also elvish in make.

"Why do you have elvish weapons?" Weapons made by elves are in high demand and very expensive.

"They were gifts to me from the elven royal family. Make sure you pay attention to the illusion and head out when you are supposed to. If you fail to follow instructions I doubt that any of us, including you, will live to reach Castlerock." Jessa tells Culeb coldly.

"I'll make sure that we leave when we should, Jessa." Nathan says soothing the angry woman before him.

Jessa turns from looking coldly at the master and nods at Nathan, still too angry to speak. With that she fades into the shadows that still abound.

Nathan moves away from the caravan and takes out one of the papers and writes his message to Dhiren informing him that Jessa is entering the pass. As soon as he finishes the message it disappears and he can only hope that it goes to Dhiren as it was promised it would.

For hours Nathan watches for the illusion to move forward. The other guards as well as the animals become restless before the signal is given. By then the sun is high in the sky and most of the shadows are gone.

Nathan swallows heavily and closes his eyes giving one last prayer he gives the signal for them to move forward. He reminds the guards to hold shields over themselves and the animals they are walking next to.

As they enter the pass at first they don't see any signs of the bandits, then once the whole caravan is committed to the pass they see it. The caravan that went before them the day before is down. The animals as well as the people slaughtered and lying in their way.

Many of the guards gag and move over to lose their breakfast. The others hold steady and walk tensely awaiting the same rain of death that had befallen the previous caravan.

Slowly they make their way unmolested through the pass.

Nathan runs as he sees the end of the pass and goes to where he knows the path to the top lies. As he scrambles up the pass he prays that he isn't too late. The other guards scramble behind him as Culeb leads the animals to the flat land beyond. Once there he circles the animals and has them lie down with him inside the protective circle waiting for the outcome of the fighting he hears off to the side and slightly above him. He just hopes the trees are enough to protect him and his animals from the bandits.

Nathan stops abruptly as he reaches the top, rather amazed that he hadn't encountered any bandits or arrows as he shows himself against the rock face.

He stares at the scene of death even as he moves out of the way for the other guards to come to the top. He heads to where he hears sounds of swords fighting. He takes his sword out and finds some bandits to fight.

Soon he finds himself closer to Jessa. Close enough to see her surrounded by enemies. Then she is lost to sight as he gains his own group of enemies to fight. He hopes that the elves make it in time as he watches his inexperienced fellow guards fall to the enemy. Then he has no time to think as those that surround him come at him. He sends out one last prayer to Jethro.