Bertran and his men

[Austi_Scot]

Everard woke early, it was still dark, and the fur skins on the floor and those that he used to cover himself were keeping him warm. He got up and went outside his tent, his stead was still tied to the tree. He untied the horse and lead it down to the river as he lightly slapped its neck and stroked its head, talking as they walked. The old dog followed along closely.

"Quinn, how was your night?" Everard paused and listened for a few seconds. He heard something and thought he knew what was going on. "You didn´t make a noise last night. Nothing to bark about huh?" As they approached the river Everard spoke quietly to the stead. "You stand here and get your morning drink my friend. Don´t run, but make a little noise after Quinn and I get off a bit. I want the men to know where to find you. We´ll come out and surprise them."

As Everard hid in the trees a large group of men approached from downstream. When they came upon his stead Everard suddenly knelt down by Quinn. "You go out there and bark like a mean dog Quinn. Do it quick so as to scare them." Quinn leaped from behind the tree and came at a full run towards the men, barking and growling like a fierce wild dog. Most of the men jumped into the river up to their waist, only one man stood on the edge of the water and faced the beast.

At that moment Everard stepped out and started laughing with such a loud guffaw the men in the water dunked themselves without even thinking. The one on the beach held up a large staff he was holding as if to defend himself.

Everard laughed even louder. "Quinn, hold yourself back now." "So where is Albyn" Everard looked around.

"You know my brother Albyn? Eldest Son of Gervase?" the one brave man said.

"Who might you be?" Everard suddenly realized this wasn´t the same group of men who had been with Albyn.

"I´m Bertran, second born of Gervase, younger brother of Albyn." came the reply.

"What are doing here? Looking for your older brother?" Everard didn´t intend to say much. "I can tell you there´s only Quinn and me and my stead here." Everard motioned with his hand towards the forest as if to say to someone, `Stay back.´

"No Sire, we´re not llucination. We are searching for one called Everard." Bertran said in a confident, somewhat challenging voice.

"And why might ye be looking for this Everard"

"As a young lad I and my brothers each promised our father that we would gather a band of three hundred men to serve the Great Everard and learn from him how to be Knights. I pray you now Sire, if you know where to find Everard please tell us and we´ll be on our way."


"You and your brothers? How many sons did Gervase have?"

"Albyn is the oldest, I am the second, the others are Clement, Etienne, and Frederick. I know not where any of my brothers are Sire. You appear to know of Albyn, how is it that you have knowledge of him?"

"Good thing your father stopped having children before he ran out of letters."

"My father Gervase also has seven daughters. He is now in his old age and well cared for by his children," Bertran paused, "at least by some of his children." he added in a lower voice.

"I´m Everard!" he jumped towards Bertran with a quick lunge and stopped. "I´m going to tell you the same thing I told your elder brother. Get your men out there into the plains and hills of Hallucination and everyone of you get a horse. Don´t you dare come back to my camp again unless every man has a horse."

Everard turned and patted his stead on the rear as he turned back towards his camp. "Quinn - this way." As he went he could see the men getting out of the river.

OOC) Others are welcome to join in this story. Post in the genre of the story from this point on please. only post in charater in this thread, take OOC into another thread please.