"Ambush!" Eston shouted drawing his sword and drawing closer to Sen, along with other riders to form a line. He was ready for orders, tense and prepared for the attack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darkness fell across the hall, torches were lit, and tables cleared and moved to the side of hall. The fire was left to embers and the men at arms shooed from the hall.
The Hall was quiet as the dead, with the servants asleep and the two massive dogs draped over themselves by the hearth of great hall all seemed to be normal. But not to Deawen, she paced the hall, stopping at her children's rooms, feeling the cold emptiness, her own bed was too large and empty for her. Eventually she settled on low divan by the hearth in the great hall.
She was just about to drift into sweet darkness when she heard the faint sounds of activity. She stirred but did not rise, then the sounds grew louder, horses thundered up the hill. Thinking it was a messenger Deawen rose and waited for the knock. Shouting, a scream and then the alarm bell went off, madly. Deawen was already down the hall to her room, she threw open the cabinet door drew her sword from it's scabbard and then ran down the corridor calling for her men at arms. Pounding at the great doors announced thier intruders. Deawen stroad into the hall sword beared and ready.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

Morwen sat near Deawen in order to hear the news as it came in. All things considered, it looked very grim. Many of the attrocities that came in were similar to the tactics used by the Wildmen during the War of the Ring. "Lady Deawen, I ask your permission to sleep in the hall tonight," she said formally. She raised her eyebrows to add, "In case you need backup." The assent was passed silently, and Morwen went to her own hall to prepare things to take with her. She decided to leave the heaviest bits hidden away in oilskins down the well. Just her specialties: leather armour, bow, hatchet, short sword. The weight of her old tools brought a familiar sense of nervousness and excitement to the base of her skull.
***
Morwen awoke to the pounding that sounded throughout the hall. She strapped on her blade and axe, carrying the bow ready. One of the men at arms noticed her and motioned for her to come out and join them. She shook her head and held up the bow. He nodded and spread the message that she was there, but was to be ignored. Certain that she would not be given away, she hid in the shadows of the hall watching Deawen advance silently.

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Reasons I love England #217:
I saw "whilst" on a traffic sign

The pounding was insistant and forceful. Shouts accompanied a few screams and clashes of swords. Deawen stood tall and braced her nerves for what ever came through that door. It was an old feeling, but a powerful one, to feel the pull of battle. She gave a salute to Morwen then Deawen nodded her head and a few men at arms opened the great doors. They crashed open and unfimilar soldiers poured in. There was only twenty of them but enough for a good fight. Deawen stood by the hearth halfway down the hall.
"Who dares lay seige to my husbands hall?" Deawen challenged when the invaders pooled at the entrance. She could tell they expected a hall empty save for the distraught servants and maybe a frightened wife left alone while her husband answered the call to fight. What they didn't expect became Deawen's advantage. The Housecarls shifted waiting for the order to surge forward. The invaders shifted as thier appearent leader came forward. He was a bold man, carrying himself as if he was the greatest warrior middle earth had ever seen. He stroad up to Deawen keeping her locked in his gaze. Deawen returned the challenge. " Where is your husband?" he asked smoothly, not wasting any time. Deawen scowled. " I am lady of this hall, I govern in my husbands absence." she responded, He snorted " Where is your husband?" he asked more forcibly. Deawen laughed "Words of force fall on deft ears.." Anger flashed through him and he struck her. The housecarls shifted forward at the insult. " Where is your husband?!" he shouted, Deawen turned back to him raised her chin defiantly then without warning she brought her hand up in a fist and punched him straight in the nose. He tumbled backwards cursing the entire time scrambling to his feet. Deawen held her sword up
and felt the pride rise up in her again. " Clear them out!" Deawen shouted and the housecarls surged forward.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

Goldleaf leapt back into the saddle, joining the Rohirrim in the line. She wielded her sword fiercely, looking for their attackers. She wondered what they would see when the attackers came into view. Men of Rohan, probably. What a strange situation, to put men of the same country against each other - for what cause? Goldleaf had grown used to killing orcs many years ago, but she had never plunged her blade into the flesh of another human. But if they were the enemy, then they had to be dealt with as no better than orcs.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

(( Hi evryone, I'm back! Sorry about not posting anything for quite a while, but I've been very busy with school work and once I get home I'm to exhausted to do anything involving brain power.
I've been trying to find a good way to reintroduce Thalabor to the story for quite some time. I felt it would be unimaginative to just say he followed Sen and Goldleaf silently to the point of the attack.
My next post will show you the reason for Thalabor's absence from Sen's side and it might be a bit long, but in the end he will either return to Westfold Hall or get involved in the mission he had taken on earlier, to protect Lord Sen.))

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[Awaiting a new signature banner by me]
My former names on AU:
Callondhaer, Duilantion

( It is good to have you back, I was worried that we were losing people, a common act it seems, in the end it is always the same three that remain, Sen, Morwen and myself. For the simple reason that we are all friends outside the rp. But it is good to have you back!)

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

Morwen knocked an arrow and aimed at the arrogant soldier's head. Her self control was as thin as the bowstring when she saw him strike Deawen. Thankfully it proved just as strong, keeping her from doing anything impulsive. The battle began and she let fly at the soldiers immediately at the door. She was able to get two of them before the two groups converged and all the clear shots had vanished. She smiled to herself as the familiar rush came back. She jumped from the shadow and yelled, drawing her sword and axe and joining in.

_________________
Reasons I love England #217:
I saw "whilst" on a traffic sign

Deawen followed after the leader, walking calmly as a goddess of vengence. She had learned that if you kill the leader of the enemy the attacks fall apart for a time. She blocked attacks and made a few of her own, but was most concerned with killing the leader or taking him captive.
The housecarls were nearly instoppable as they hacked and bashed the enemy back through the great doors. Both parties paused at the doors. The enemy facing the Housecarls, both sides bristleing with weapons.
three housecarls slipped from the rear of the line and left through a side door.
" You haven't seen the last of us!" the leader spat in a last minute bravado. Deawen laughed slightly " Then I will be expecting you." Deawen said with humor. The Housecarls moved in step pushing the invaders out the door. A few shouts and screams told Deawen that her housecarls managed to sneak around the invaders and cut off escape.
Deawen found Morwen and motioned her back towards the rear of the hall.
"Let the housecarls do their job, we should stay here and defend the hall if need be." she said with her old self coming through.
After awhile a housecarl came in and gave the numbers.
"The enemy escaped, not as many as they came with but enough." he reported Deawen frowned but said nothing. " How many killed?" she asked. "Five villagers and two housecarls." Deawen nodded " See that they are buried with honor.Burn the attackers." THe housecarl nodded and left the hall.
Deawen turned to Morwen " Well that was a nice wake up call."

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

*Sen shouted for the men to get to their horses; they were a lot better on horseback than he. Now that he was dismounted, he was on familiar ground; he had always fought standing, and always preferred to trust his own two feet, even though he had been married and in the realm of the horse lords for many a year. He would manage until he could mount again. He reached back instinctively for his swords, but they were not there; those swords had been put away forever... Instead, he found his bow, which he drew. Darting into the smouldering ruins of the hall, he crouched, the smoke aiding in his concealment. It was a good tactic; the others, more used to fighting on horseback, will draw the raiders out. Sen would fire upon them, breaking their charge, and the others could run them to the ground... Or at least that was how the plan was supposed to go. A soft hiss of metal on metal caused Sen to spin and fire blindly, his would-be assassin gurgling as the arrow traveled two feet from Sen's bow to his throat. He had been out of this too long; he sould have seen him sooner... The charge came, though, and Sen notched another arrow; he could feel the old muscle memory coming back to him... The scent of battle brought a smile to his face...*

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"True Evil cannot be reckoned with. Only Defeated." - Sen L I Starfire

(Banner thanks to Imlosiel the Lost! )

Eston led the charge without second thought, Though like Sen he preferred to be fighting outside the saddle he was an adept rider. The chestnut geldling reared foward, it's massive hooves flailing in the air. Eston felt the flesh spliting and bone crushing feel as his sword came down upon an enemy. Blood sprayed both rider and horse. The sickening smell of fear and blood was enough to make an untried soldier faint, but Eston had seen battle before and learned to harden his heart and swallow the pity he might feel. THe tatic of being on horseback was simple scatter the ememy ranks turn and attack from behind. Though these soldiers were not in ranks it was still good to scatter them a bit.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

Goldleaf's horse surged forward in the charge. It looked like a spray of white seam foam amid the other horses; Goldleaf's blade struck down upon the nearest target, and the familiar scent of battle filled the air. Screams echoed in her ears, she clung on to the horse with one hand and wielded the mighty Gondorian blade in the other. Everything was familiar but the sensation of fighting on horseback; she had never been part of a cavalry charge. But it was easy to get used to it, and she would not risk falling off. Her sword plunged into another enemy, soaking the metal in blood.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Morwen followed her. "Yes, I haven't been awoken so rudely since Tuesday." She chuckled to herself. "Seriously though, what are we going to do when they come in greater numbers?"

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Reasons I love England #217:
I saw "whilst" on a traffic sign

Deawen sat down with a heavy sigh. " We take what comes. All in stride I suppose." she paused in thought. " Sen Left us with fifty men at arms... it will have to do."

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

(bump)
Soon the hall flooded with tales of the attack. Deawen listened to many distraught wives in hopes of waylaying fears and instiling hope into the again war torn families.
After she had seen two dozen she called it a day and began overseeing the defences of the village.
She had a table set out with a sketch of the village laid upon it.
" Morwen, what if we heightened the wall here?" Deawen asked pointing to the northern wall that already existed. " Then extend it here?".

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

At the gates two riders were calling to the guards inside to open the gates.
"I am a messenger of the Warden of Isengard and I have a message to deliver to the master of the Hall in this village.
We need your help! This man have been injured and needs the safety of your village to rest and get treated."
The man on the 2nd horse groaned and looked up to see the dark walls ahead. He rested his head on his horse and whispered:
"Lagordal...we're safe again."*

*=Thalabor is the 2nd man.

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[Awaiting a new signature banner by me]
My former names on AU:
Callondhaer, Duilantion

After last night the sentries at the gate were wary. They opened the gate only when someone from the Westfolde Hall confirmed the entry. The two riders were allowed to to enter the village.
The warden of the hall met them at the base of the stone steps that led up to the Hall.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home