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Child of the 7th Age · 07-01-2003, 12:41 PM

Pio's post - The troops deployed

Halfred fished for the red handkerchief in his back pocket, and wiped across his sweaty brow. He and the others had hammered out a plan for the proposed ransom. The ruffians had demanded a meeting just a little north of the Bywater Pool. There was a large outcropping of fieldstone there, in a small clearing. Low lying brush ringed the clearing on its eastern and southern edges. In the west, and extending north, a short distance from the clearing over a scrub grass terrain, was a dense copse of ash trees. It was here that the Shiriff and his men would hide while Frodo would come up from the Great East Road and enter the clearing from the south.

‘We’ll walk in quietly,’ said Halfred pointing to the crude map he’d drawn. Filibert, Milo and Hugo were by his side, while Sam, Maura, and Hob ringed the other three sides of the table that held the map.

The three Boffin brothers, Minto, Moro, and Milo crowded in, saying they would offer their help, too. Halfred looked up at their offer and welcomed them. 'Glad to have the Westfarthings finest bowmen, lads!' he said, motioning them in closer.

‘We should space ourselves out, like we do on the bird hunts,’ joined in Hob. ‘And watch closely that they haven’t left any of their band hiding in the woods,’ added Maura. ‘Good thinking,’ said Halfred, as he pointed to the ‘X’ where Frodo had been instructed to stop in the ransom note. ‘But If I were them, I would have my men here in these bushy areas. They’re closer to the center of the clearing than the trees – it would be easier to jump out and grab the victim from there.’

‘Right then,’ he said, noting how each of the men had their knives at hand, and the deputies carried long sharp-ended staves as well. ‘Let’s mount up on the ponies Sam and the others have lent us and make for the trees. Keep close, no talking.’

A half hour later and they were on the western edges of the stands of trees. The Hobbits dismounted and fanned out, keeping each other in sight as they entered in under the darkness of the trees. Silently they approached the trees standing closest to the clearing. It was empty, no sign of the kidnappers. Frodo would be due in the next quarter hour.

Hidden in the shadows, the men waited quietly for Halfred to give the signal.

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Child's post:

Frodo had dutifully waited for Halfred to finish planning before heading off on his own. Afraid that he might be frisked, he'd decided not to carry any weapons, since these would only offer a convenient excuse for the ruffians to slay him on the spot. He'd slipped his sword to Maura right before the band's departure, asking him to keep it safe in the hopes that they would have a chance to ride out later to rescue the children.

As Halfred had requested, he lagged behind another quarter hour on the Great East Road, then headed north through the low lying brush that bordered the eastern side of the pond. Arriving at the place specified in the ransom note, he'd peered out in all directions but could see no sign of any activity. Frodo squatted down in the grass and waited for something to happen; then he stood up, cupping his hand to his ear. From some distance to his left, he could detect the sound of muffled footsteps, a rustling in the bushes that suggested someone far too loud and clumsy to be a Hobbit.

Mithadan's Post:

Ferny, Ratty and Mithadan hid themselves in a dark stand of trees about three miles from the spot where Frodo was to meet them. Their hiding place had been chosen carefully. It was well away from any road and the nearest farmhouse, still some ways away, was abandoned. No one saw them at all as they waited for the appointed time until the sound of horses approached from the north. Ferny waited tensely until the shadows approaching across the overgrown fields resolved themselves into full-sized horse bearing Men, not ponies carrying Hobbits.

So as they set out for the Bywater Pool, they numbered six Men. Four carried cudgels in their hands and long knives in their belts. Ferny wore an old sword in a scabbard and carried a club as well. He and Ratty bracketed Mithadan between them as they rode. Ferny laid his plans as they went. The four newcomers would fan out just above the low hill in which the Hobbit Holes were located. They would look out for any trouble and be prepared to rush in if need be. He, Ratty and Mithadan would seize Frodo and carry him off to the horses under the eye of their guards who would form up behind them.

They rode slowly up to the far side of the hill and tied off their horses in a stand of birch trees. From there, they walked slowly up the incline. Again, Ferny and Ratty bracketed Mithadan, though their eyes looked around them rather than at their companion. As they crested the hill, the guard spread out to stand where they could see down to the pool. They made no attempt to conceal themselves, trusting in the dark for cover.

Then Ferny and his companions descended down towards the pool through the underbrush. They could make out a single figure standing beside the water. Mithadan looked about and noted a number of places where archers or other friends might be concealed. When he caught a hint of movement to his left out of the corner of his eye, he smiled humorlessly. Then, mustering his skills in Osanwe, he reached out to Frodo. Ferny is coming. I am with him. You are not alone? There are others here to help us? The response came quickly. Thank you Mithadan. I am not alone. Mithadan loosened his sword in its sheath as the three Men approached the Hobbit...

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Pio's post - Halfred

Halfred kept his eye on the spot where Frodo stood in the clearing. The night was quiet. The frogs at the Pool were normally in full voice at this time of night, but now were silent, their senses picking up on the presence of the Hobbits. He strained his eyes to see any sign of movement into the clearing. Nothing yet!

The three Boffin brothers approached the Shiriff, bows at ready, arrows knocked. 'We're going north a short ways,' Milo whispered the Halfred. We'll fan out just behind the small rise north of the pool. Minto and Moro and cover from the north, while I move to those trees on the eastern side. I should have a good shot at any in the clearing. I can see this stand from there, and I'll wait 'til I see you move from the cover of the trees.'

Halfred motioned them on and had just slumped back against the tree’s bark, cudgel in hand when he heard the sound of muffled footsteps and the movement of something moving through the low lying bushes - approaching from the thicket on the clearing’s eastern rim.

‘This is it, lads,’ he whispered to the two Hobbits nearest him. He raised his cudgel high, preparing to drop it at an opportune moment, as the signal to attack . . .

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[ July 14, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

07-01-2003, 12:41 PM	#39
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Pio's post - The troops deployed Halfred fished for the red handkerchief in his back pocket, and wiped across his sweaty brow. He and the others had hammered out a plan for the proposed ransom. The ruffians had demanded a meeting just a little north of the Bywater Pool. There was a large outcropping of fieldstone there, in a small clearing. Low lying brush ringed the clearing on its eastern and southern edges. In the west, and extending north, a short distance from the clearing over a scrub grass terrain, was a dense copse of ash trees. It was here that the Shiriff and his men would hide while Frodo would come up from the Great East Road and enter the clearing from the south. ‘We’ll walk in quietly,’ said Halfred pointing to the crude map he’d drawn. Filibert, Milo and Hugo were by his side, while Sam, Maura, and Hob ringed the other three sides of the table that held the map. The three Boffin brothers, Minto, Moro, and Milo crowded in, saying they would offer their help, too. Halfred looked up at their offer and welcomed them. 'Glad to have the Westfarthings finest bowmen, lads!' he said, motioning them in closer. ‘We should space ourselves out, like we do on the bird hunts,’ joined in Hob. ‘And watch closely that they haven’t left any of their band hiding in the woods,’ added Maura. ‘Good thinking,’ said Halfred, as he pointed to the ‘X’ where Frodo had been instructed to stop in the ransom note. ‘But If I were them, I would have my men here in these bushy areas. They’re closer to the center of the clearing than the trees – it would be easier to jump out and grab the victim from there.’ ‘Right then,’ he said, noting how each of the men had their knives at hand, and the deputies carried long sharp-ended staves as well. ‘Let’s mount up on the ponies Sam and the others have lent us and make for the trees. Keep close, no talking.’ A half hour later and they were on the western edges of the stands of trees. The Hobbits dismounted and fanned out, keeping each other in sight as they entered in under the darkness of the trees. Silently they approached the trees standing closest to the clearing. It was empty, no sign of the kidnappers. Frodo would be due in the next quarter hour. Hidden in the shadows, the men waited quietly for Halfred to give the signal. _____________________________________________ Child's post: Frodo had dutifully waited for Halfred to finish planning before heading off on his own. Afraid that he might be frisked, he'd decided not to carry any weapons, since these would only offer a convenient excuse for the ruffians to slay him on the spot. He'd slipped his sword to Maura right before the band's departure, asking him to keep it safe in the hopes that they would have a chance to ride out later to rescue the children. As Halfred had requested, he lagged behind another quarter hour on the Great East Road, then headed north through the low lying brush that bordered the eastern side of the pond. Arriving at the place specified in the ransom note, he'd peered out in all directions but could see no sign of any activity. Frodo squatted down in the grass and waited for something to happen; then he stood up, cupping his hand to his ear. From some distance to his left, he could detect the sound of muffled footsteps, a rustling in the bushes that suggested someone far too loud and clumsy to be a Hobbit. Mithadan's Post: Ferny, Ratty and Mithadan hid themselves in a dark stand of trees about three miles from the spot where Frodo was to meet them. Their hiding place had been chosen carefully. It was well away from any road and the nearest farmhouse, still some ways away, was abandoned. No one saw them at all as they waited for the appointed time until the sound of horses approached from the north. Ferny waited tensely until the shadows approaching across the overgrown fields resolved themselves into full-sized horse bearing Men, not ponies carrying Hobbits. So as they set out for the Bywater Pool, they numbered six Men. Four carried cudgels in their hands and long knives in their belts. Ferny wore an old sword in a scabbard and carried a club as well. He and Ratty bracketed Mithadan between them as they rode. Ferny laid his plans as they went. The four newcomers would fan out just above the low hill in which the Hobbit Holes were located. They would look out for any trouble and be prepared to rush in if need be. He, Ratty and Mithadan would seize Frodo and carry him off to the horses under the eye of their guards who would form up behind them. They rode slowly up to the far side of the hill and tied off their horses in a stand of birch trees. From there, they walked slowly up the incline. Again, Ferny and Ratty bracketed Mithadan, though their eyes looked around them rather than at their companion. As they crested the hill, the guard spread out to stand where they could see down to the pool. They made no attempt to conceal themselves, trusting in the dark for cover. Then Ferny and his companions descended down towards the pool through the underbrush. They could make out a single figure standing beside the water. Mithadan looked about and noted a number of places where archers or other friends might be concealed. When he caught a hint of movement to his left out of the corner of his eye, he smiled humorlessly. Then, mustering his skills in Osanwe, he reached out to Frodo. Ferny is coming. I am with him. You are not alone? There are others here to help us? The response came quickly. Thank you Mithadan. I am not alone. Mithadan loosened his sword in its sheath as the three Men approached the Hobbit... _____________________________________________ Pio's post - Halfred Halfred kept his eye on the spot where Frodo stood in the clearing. The night was quiet. The frogs at the Pool were normally in full voice at this time of night, but now were silent, their senses picking up on the presence of the Hobbits. He strained his eyes to see any sign of movement into the clearing. Nothing yet! The three Boffin brothers approached the Shiriff, bows at ready, arrows knocked. 'We're going north a short ways,' Milo whispered the Halfred. We'll fan out just behind the small rise north of the pool. Minto and Moro and cover from the north, while I move to those trees on the eastern side. I should have a good shot at any in the clearing. I can see this stand from there, and I'll wait 'til I see you move from the cover of the trees.' Halfred motioned them on and had just slumped back against the tree’s bark, cudgel in hand when he heard the sound of muffled footsteps and the movement of something moving through the low lying bushes - approaching from the thicket on the clearing’s eastern rim. ‘This is it, lads,’ he whispered to the two Hobbits nearest him. He raised his cudgel high, preparing to drop it at an opportune moment, as the signal to attack . . . _____________________________________ [ July 14, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ] __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.