Brian Pratt - Shades of the past

They ride on until close to dark before setting up camp. With this many, it takes some doing to get everyone in their proper position. Illan was most adamant that each of the groups set their tents together in the same area. But as the journey has progressed, so has the ease with which everyone finds their place. It’s almost reached the point of becoming routine.

In the hour before they stopped, they passed one of those traveler’s stopovers with an inn. Though most were hoping for the comfort of a bed, it was decided to pass it by. James doesn’t want to let on, but he’s afraid one might talk while among other people. He would like to minimize their contact until the battle is joined. Less chance of a spy or rumor alerting the enemy of their intentions.

A quick meal and then right to sleep, with sentries posted. James, Illan and Delia are no longer part of the sentry routine, they have plenty of others for that role. Mainly it’s been the recruits with the old timers here and there keeping an eye on them.

Early the next morning before the sun has even crested the horizon, they’re preparing to get underway. By the time the sun shows itself, they are already a mile further down the road.

“Should reach Pyrtlin by this evening if we keep a brisk pace,” Illan announces during one of their breaks to rest the horses.

James nods that he heard while watching Delia working with her slingers. During most of their breaks she cycles through them, working with two or three at a time. Right now she has Devin, Orry and Terrance. Devin and Orry have taken to the sling with skill and are continuously improving both their marksmanship and their range. Terrance on the other hand struggles with just getting the bolt to go in the right direction.

“Again,” Delia says after all three of their stones find their marks. Two hit dead center the tree a hundred feet away while the third flew wide by a good two yards.

As Terrance sets the next stone in the pocket of his sling, Delia comes over and says, “Stay loose. Never take your eye off the target, not even for an instant.” Taking hold of one of his legs, she moves it away from the other. “Keep yourself balanced at all times,” she explains to him. “If you become unbalanced while you twirl your sling, the shot will not fly true.”

“Yes ma’am,” Terrance says as he grits his teeth and takes hold of his sling. Terrance, a younger son of a farmer had been excited when he became part of the new recruits at The Ranch last year. Oh sure, there was a lot he didn’t care for, such as the incessant drills and Illan yelling at you when you didn’t do it perfectly. But he feels like he’s found his place in the world. Farm life had always been pure drudgery to him, unlike his other two brothers who were able to find satisfaction in tending the crops.

Placing his feet just as Delia instructs him, he takes sight of the tree they’re currently using for a target. He takes a deep breath to relax and then starts twirling the sling over his head. All the others have managed to achieve the whining noise when the sling reaches a certain speed. Try as he might, he just can’t seem to get it.

“Just relax and let it go when the time is right, not before,” Delia says behind him.

He lets the sling twirl another second before sensing the time was right and releases the stone. The sling opens up and the stone flies rapidly toward the tree. He holds his breath as he watches the stone arc through the air only to fly a foot to the right of his intended target.

“Damn!” he curses under his breath.

Delia pats him on the back and says, “Better. You keep yourself balanced at all times and keep practicing and you’ll get it.” When he turns to look at her, she adds, “Four more tries then we’ve got to go.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he says and then reaches down for another stone.

Delia turns to the two others and says, “Four more.”

“We heard,” Devin replies.

Leaving her trainees to their practice, she walks over to where Illan and James are standing, watching her.

“How are they doing?” Illan asks as she approaches.

“Better,” she says. “I just wish we had more time to practice.”

Thunk! Thunk!..Poof!

At the sound of the stones hitting the target, they turn to watch just as Terrance lets fly. His stone again flies wide, this time by a good four feet.

Delia sighs, “He’s simply not getting it.”

“He’ll be good enough for what I want him to do,” James assures her.

“I hope so,” she says. “In an actual battle it might be better to have him watch the horses.”

“We’ll see,” Illan says. “He definitely has the determination.”

They watch the next pass, and again he misses the target, this time by only a narrow margin. He turns to see them watching and James gives him a thumb’s up. Grinning, he bends over to pick up another stone.

When they began their practices on the road, they complained about not using the slugs in their belts. Delia had explained that she wanted them used to different sizes and weights. “What are you going to do in the heat of battle when all your slugs are used up?” she asked them. After that there was no more complaining.

“Time to go,” Illan says after the slingers have sent their final volley toward the tree. Out of the four tries, Terrance had managed to strike the tree once.

“Alright!” Delia hollers to her slingers. “Time to go!”

It takes but a minute for everyone to return to the saddle and begin heading down the road. The rest of that day, with the sun shining overhead in a cloudless sky, they make good time and reach Pyrtlin before nightfall.

Finding a suitable spot outside of town, they set up camp. Once all is settled in for the night, James turns to Delia and says, “Take a couple of your slingers and see about buying some rations.”

“Not a problem,” she says. Raising her voice, she hollers, “Moyil, Jace and Caleb, bring your packs, we’re going into town.”

Devin comes to James and says, “Your tent is all set up.”

“Thanks Devin,” he replies.

Delia picks up her own pack as well as several others and with the boys in tow, heads into town. Being a trader, she is the logical choice for this particular duty.

As she heads into town, James walks over to his tent. “You lyin’ piece of horse dung!” Scar’s voice reaches him from where the fighters are bivouacked. He glances over to where his voice came from and sees him standing with hands on hips facing Uther. He pauses a moment to see what’s going on.

“I ain’t lyin’!” Uther insists. “We really were asked by the High Lord of Jearinan to go on a hunting trip with him. You see, it was after we had rescued his daughter from…”

James shakes his head and continues on to his tent. Will that ever end? He has no clue where Jearinan is or if there is even a high lord. Someday he’s going to investigate some of their outrageous claims, just to see if they are in fact true.

As he enters his tent, their bickering continues. At least it’s good natured, neither takes the insults and accusations of the other seriously. James assumes it’s just part of the fun. Inside he finds his cot already put together but not much else. The first night Devin was assigned as his helper, he had practically unpacked everything he brought with him. It took almost two hours before everything was repacked securely. From that point on, he told Devin to only put up the tent and cot, that if he wanted something more, he would get it himself.

Lying down on his cot, he passes the time until dinner has been prepared by thinking of what lies ahead. He seems to have ample time to do nothing but think lately. Since he’s the one in charge of this expedition, no one is letting him do anything. He supposes they would even delegate someone to wipe his butt if he let them. Well, perhaps not that but he’s been removed from cooking detail, sentry duty and all the other daily little chores which must be done. All he has to do is get on his horse in the morning and off at night.