Chapter 2: Ten Years Later....
The Kingdom of Callmont was in trouble. The Barbarians from the North had joined forces with the rival Kingdom of Gelicasa and where about to invade Callmont. Thanks to spies in the other country King Celmont the Third knew it would take about a month before the plans to invade could be carried out, and would have time to prepare His troops. Callmont was a large Kingdom but against two armies...
The King knew he had do do something desperate before the Kingdom was in too deep.
Even against two foes the Kingdom of Callmont would be more likely to win but the King wasn't ready to risk that. "Gordon, come here." the King said to his personal advisor who had been taught from when he was young to be the Kings confidant and advisor for most situations. "What if we got a small group to go behind enemy lines and pick off the leaders?" "It certainly would be a gamble Sire, but if strategically utilized it could be essential to winning this war." Gordon replied "Although it would require a unit with extremely talented skills to pull it off I'm sure." "Really?" Said King Celmont I've heard of some skilled people from reports from the outer villages." Gordon raised his eyebrows "You mean the criminals we've been getting reports about." He asked incredulously "Exactly." Said King Celmont "If memory serves me correctly there's an Assassin which one of our nobles has hired to dispose of the man who killed his son, correct?" He asked "And he must be good to have attracted the eyes of a nobleman." Gordon nodded "Yes, your Majesty you are correct."
"Then there's the bandit that routed the force of fifty soldiers we sent to round up him and his men, were there any survivors?" "Yes, Sire." Gordon replied, "Two men by the names of James and Roland Sire."
"And how did they describe the leader?" Gordon shrugged, "Built like an ox your Majesty, he killed four guards with a swing of his war axe." "Interesting." Said the King with a glint in his eye "And what of our archer? The one with remarkable accuracy?" "No one knows Sire, last He was seen was a week ago when he shot and killed two crooks in a small village know as Hill's Summit." Gordon replied "Where did they get shot?" "Through the arm and into the heart, the witness was a young woman the men were trying to rob she swears she saw a man with sandy brown hair with a longbow in a tree one hundred meters away." "Those are them." Said the King he smiled. "Those are the ones I want to do the job." "But Sire!" Gordon said with confusion. "Gordon, I want a team that risks their life on a daily basis, not a noble brat that practices swordplay and archery but has never been in a tight spot before." The King said with conviction. "I understand Sire." Gordon said "But how do you intend to catch an assassin that have never been caught? Or a man strong enough to kill four guards in one swing of an war axe? How about an archer with sandy brown hair and accuracy so precise to hit two grown men in the arm at a place it would go through,
and pierce the their hearts from a hundred meters away, all while perched in a tree? "The King smiled, "Why a trap of course Gordon, an irresistible mark for the assassin, a carriage full of gold for the bandit, and a chance to stop a murder for the our mysterious archer." "Go get a parchment and quill Gordon I need to write something down." "Right away Sire ." Gordon said as he rushed off to do his lordships will.
The King started thinking about how he could get the traps to catch his prey. When Gordon got back he had it all planned. "Here Sire." Gordon said and the King started writing a list of things to be prepared for the trap. He wrote: Arrange for a trusted friend to meet the assassin and hire him to kill a nobleman inside the castle walls, arrange it on a particular night so the night-watch can be lessened in the area where he will go through. For the Bandit spread a rumor that a cart with all the taxes from the outer villages will be escorted by seventy-five soldiers in a caravan, but place another seventy-five soldiers in the wagons and make them archers. Make sure the caravan has specially made collapsible canvas covering it so the archers can take it down in an instant.
In the archers case spread a rumor in the last town he was spotted in, that an assassin is out to get a kind old nobleman inside the castle walls. This way we can catch two birds with one stone only in this case an assassin and an archer. Appoint my most skilled commander over operations. Signed King Celmont the Third "Gordon, take this to my brother Johnathan, the one that takes care of criminals , and make sure he follows them to the letter." "Yes Sire." Gordon replied
Gordon then took the parchment to Sir Jonathan, who eyed it with interest. Our King sure can be sly eh Gordon?" "He can be strategic if need be Sir Jonathan ." Gordon replied "That's why he got the crown I suppose, Father did like sly people. I suppose it's because he was himself. Still Celmont deserves it he cares for the people..... although I'm sure I could've been just as good... if not a better king as well." Gordon's face darkened, "That's bordering on treason Sir Jonathan." He said quietly, Sir Jonathan waved him off. "I meant nothing by it of course, my brother is the King and he earned it. Try to relax Gordon." Gordon's expression changed and he said "Yes, yes of course I'm sure you didn't Sir Jonathan, well I must get back to his Majesty now. Oh and the King told me to tell you to follow the instructions to the letter." Sir Jonathan waved him off of course, of course."He replied.
As the door heavy oak door shut he cursed, how he hated his brother and that stupid advisor of his, he wondered what all these orders were for. Knowing his brother they were for a hidden motive, he knew his brother didn't trust him fully, he never had, he was too smart for that. He silently swore as he had done many times before, one day he would get them both, when they least expected it.
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