Diaries of a Dwarven Rifleman

It was well after suppertime when Taarven entered the great hall. Engvyr and Deandra were sitting by the hearth, heads together and talking quietly. Ynghilda sat puffing her pipe and talking with several of her people. They all looked up as he entered. Deandra detached herself from Engvyr and disappeared into the kitchens while one of the dwarves vacated his seat for the newcomer.

They caught each other up on the events of the day and Deandra returned with a bowl of soup and a half-loaf of black bread for the Ranger. There was always soup or stew on the fire these days, with people coming and going at all hours.

“We took a pretty good chunk out of them yesterday,” Taarven said, “And we learned a few things. The Baasgarta follow a leader named 'The Dreamer' who is planning on invading. Fella I talked to seemed mighty confident, too.”

Ynghilda said, “I think it's time to pull in the folk along the northern border. We can send parties out with guards to work the fields in rotation. Might save some lives.”

“I don't know, Yng. The numbers that they have been hitting us with it might take more guards than we can spare to dissuade them,” Taarven observed.

“Well, we have to do something,” she replied tartly, “looks as if we might need a good stock of food with what's coming.”

Taarven nodded agreement but he was keenly aware that moat or not, the palisade would never stand up to a serious siege, and in truth it had never been meant to. Against a real military force it was more likely to be a death-trap than a refuge.

“Then we need to get what crops we can brought in here for safe-keeping,” Taarven said, “We can set up a tent camp south of the palisade for when the great hall fills up. If they hit us in too large of numbers we will need to evacuate, not try to make a stand here.”

Ynghilda nodded reluctantly and said, “We'll need to coordinate with the army. I'll get together with the Major and we can work out plans for different contingencies.”

Over the next few days Taarven and Engvyr continued to patrol, alerting people to the threat. Several times they came across signs of trolls moving south. Despite his natural optimism there was no way for him to see that as a good thing.

“Gotta say, these Army boys do know how to camp out,” Taarven said as they trotted past on their ponies, occasionally returning waves from the soldiers. They weren't patrolling this time, and Engvyr and Taarven hadn't brought any remounts or a pack-beast. They were going to head into Baasgarta territory and needed to keep a low profile.

The heavy infantry were nothing if not efficient. By the end of the first day that the soldiers had arrived after the Midsummer Feast, they had set up a camp for each of the five companies in the battalion. The encampments were placed in a shallow arc to the north of Makepeace Stead, spaced to provide supporting fire for each other. The earthen berms that the soldiers had thrown up around each area were more of an obstacle than a barrier, but when covered with sharpened stakes and backed by soldiers with slug-guns and pikes, they were more formidable than the fifteen-foot palisade. Neat rows of tents filled the center of each earthwork, with latrines and other utilities arranged along their southern sides. The center camp was enlarged to accommodate the command staff.

Taarven smiled to himself as he remembered telling Ynghilda what they intended this morning. She'd looked at him worriedly then poked him gently in the nose.

“You watch out for yourself, Taarven Redbeard. Truth be told I've kinda' gotten used to having you around.”

“Fact of the matter is I kinda' like being around. After all this is sorted out I was thinkin' I might take some leave and hang around a bit more.”

She smiled at him and said, “I'd like that.”

He'd taken her hand briefly; eye's locked on hers for a moment before joining Engvyr in the stables to saddle-up.

They rode west until they reached the tree line and then began to work their way north. It was possible that the goblins had some of their people watching the valley so they stayed off the trails and under cover as much as they could. Finally the rangers moved into the mountains north of the valley.

“Into the belly of the beast,” Engvyr commented quietly.

“Sorta' hoping not to get swallowed, my own self,” Taarven replied. “Let's do this.”

They urged their ponies deeper into the mountains and the unknown.

Chapter Seventeen