The Surprise Siege - Ranger's Apprentice

Message Recieved

The emergency dispatch from the nearest fief arrived within half an hour of the Genovesan's attack. They marched in up the main road through Wensley village, boasting glittering suits of armor and shiny leather protective clothing. They all carried bows or swords, and they were accompanied by none other than Gilan, who had been in the neighboring fief. Halt and Alyss stood waiting just outside Wensley, waiting with the small, scraggly group of soldiers they pulled from the surrounding village. Gilan stepped up, wordlessly embraced Halt, and hugged Alyss. "So, care to tell me what's going on here? I don't see Will out here with you... or Pauline, the Baron, Lady Sandra, Sir Rodney... Where are they?"

Halt pointed solemnly towards the castle, which stood eerily silent and still in the cool breeze. No soldiers moved along the ramparts, no villagers and servants came in and out, no nobles came riding in from their afternoon ride. Everything was still and silent as everyone waited with baited breath for the perfect time to strike the castle and take it back... without harming any of the remaining Araluens still trapped or captured inside.

"Oh..." Gilan said in a hushed tone. "Will and Pauline and... they're all still in there?"

Halt nodded. "They didn't have enough warning to get out in time."

Gilan pursed his lips. "Has Will or anyone still in there contacted you in any way since the castle was taken? Or do you think they've all been captured?"       

"No, and I couldn't say for sure, they could have not even gotten my message..." Halt trailed off thoughtfully. Gilan looked questioningly at Alyss.

"When Halt saw the riders coming, he sent me to tell a soldier to go tell Will. We don't know for sure if the soldier even made it there alive. They came so suddenly and took the castle so quickly we don't know anything for certain yet," Alyss said.

Gilan's eyebrows lowered into a frown. "Knowing Will, he probably avoided capture. What was he doing right before you left?"

Halt replied, "That's what I was thinking. Last I saw him, he was doing the last of the reports with the Baron. Then he was going to get Pauline and they were going to ride on Tug over to Jenny's diner. When I left he was just finishing up in the main office, and Pauline was on the floor above finishing up a report with George. "

"Now we have to predict what happened in there and what Will would have done so that we can make a plan, right? Isn't that the sort of thing you Rangers do?" Alyss said.
Halt and Gilan gave her puzzled looks. "We don't do that specifically, it's all just common sense and knowing Will. So you can help us," Halt said.

Gilan nodded in agreement. "So we know he was in the office. He probably finished up a few moments later. Then -"

"He would have gone to get Pauline," Alyss interrupted Gilan.

"Yes. But which floor would they have been on when the portcullises started closing? I know from experience that when the emergency portcullises close, they are very loud and create loud booming echoes throughout the whole castle. It would have been impossible to miss and Will would have recognized the sound." Halt stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"I don't think we can figure this out without more information..." Alyss said anxiously.

Just then a loud commotion happened outside the tent among the large camp of soldiers. Gilan peeked outside the tent and Halt, who had been looking at a floor plan of Redmont, looked up from the maps. Then Gilan suddenly stepped aside as a man stumbled into the tent. It was a soldier from Redmont Castle. He was dripping wet, sweaty, and exhausted, his uniform was disheveled and torn, and a large gash on his arm oozed blood. All in all he was an exhausted wreck, and Alyss wondered why he didn't go to the medical tent. But before anyone could say anything, the poor soldier cried out, "Ranger Halt! Lady Alyss! I have - a - a message - "