Your support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)
MacCloud
Super-Earth
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2021
- Location
- East Coast USA
Back log:
Days had turned into weeks as they travelled North to Ranulf's promised land. Roan had healed, she and he were still an uneasy couple. The differences between the Goliath and Levithan people were great and they had much to overcome. Not the least of it being Roan had been disguised as a male for all of her adult life. Rising to be the Goliath's Champion. Ranulf had defeated her when she was wounded, claimed her as his own, a prize slave. Than he had fallen in love with her and his life had never been the same. She made him crazy. The harder her pushed her the farther away she seemed to be. The thing was he was the Levithan Champion, as aggressive and strong willed as she. He just did not understand patience, other than in battle? Well or maybe when dealing with the camp followers and the women's circle. The thing was he loved her despite their differences. He had seen how noble, dedicated, loyal, intelligent, and feisty she was even when broken. He had already known of her cleverness and skills. She was like no other. Ranulf was truly smitten. They would be in his valley in another few days. The pursuit had not shown up as expected and everyone was feeling more relaxed.
Ranulf MaCloud knew much was going to change for his force. He had two troops of Cavalry, two troops of mounted Pikemen. The Pikemen rode to battle but fought afoot, a sort of defensive force. One troop of Scouts lead by Ryder Gawyn. Ryder was a bit more agile than Ranul;f in body as well as mind. Than he was not as aggressive either. He had fallen for Roan's handmaiden Lina. She was much different than the noble born Roan. Like Ryder, she was happy serving others. In particular Roan, whom she seemed to think of a daughter, sister, and friend. Ryder had met Lina as she was behaving as a thief moving through the city evading assassins. Ryder had not liked the odds and helped her out. They had almost instant chemistry. He hated to be away from her and often allowed her to ride on scouting missions with him. The one time he had not he had almost been slain. Lina had tended him much like she attended Roan. Forcefully nursing him back to the living. That was a hard time. Roan had been almost killed as Lina was tending Ryder and well, Ryder had sent her to Roan. He missed his Lina very much but maybe not as much as she had missed her man?
Thus Rivals had become lovers, in one case a rocky relationship, the other a mutual respect and bonding of souls. All this on the backdrop of a large force moving North to avoid more warfare. Ranulf had seen too much death for the sake of Kingdoms. It was one thing to kill to defend yourself or your people, quite another to make war for conquest. In the beginning he had believed in the cause of the Levithan horse lords. The Goliath sea King had raided his people treating them like savages. The Levithan had been scattered nomadic people, living off the land and moving as needs arised due to weather, food, or water supply. The Goliath had forced them to band together into a nation. That had caused the Goliath coastal city lords concern. They knew how fierce the Horse Lords could be. So they had invaded to crush the forming Kingdom before it was a threat. The Horse Lords were like the water of ocean, moving and shifting. Unpredictable! The war had not gone well for the Goliath till they had been pushed back to the mountains between the coast and the great plains. That was when the Horse lords and faulted and begun tasting defeat themselves.
Champions on both sides had emerged. Turning the tides of battle for their respective sides from defeat to victory time and time again. Fate took a hand as the Goliath king sent his Champion to shore up a weakness on the Northern border. A very good road lead into the heart of his kingdom and the fort there was a minor one. He feared the Horse Lords might well detect the flank route and by pass the balk of his army. He had been right. Even as Roan rode North with her host to shore up the defenses, Ranulf was requesting permission to take his own army there to outflank the Goliath's. The Levithan Prince had raised Ranulf to be champion but had grown jealous of his accomplishments. The Levithan King though saw the wisdom in the plan and agreed. So Ranulf arrived with a force larger than what Roan had near the same time. Ranulf had tried to sneak up on the fortress but had failed. A lone courier from an ambushed patrol had given warning to the Fort. They had sent out their cavalry thinking it was a raider force less than five hundred. They had a full thousand plus and were lead by roan herself. The local leaders of government and the garrison had insisted. Roan had suspected a trap but too late. Her force was decimated in an ambush. From that moment on the chess game had been in Ranulf's favor and he had taken the Fort despite a spirited defense.
Defeating the wounded Goliath Champion had brought many unexpected twists of fortune! His army wanted to enslave her, Her own people wanted to burn her at the stake for impersonating a man. Ranulf had put the city under one of his Captains, the commander of the 1ST Cavalry troop Braden Wulfe. An able commander and an excellent judge of people, he was a good administrator and had kept the city from imploding. Even despite that, factions within the city plotted to disrupt the rebuilding. They kidnapped Roan as she rode. Lina and Ryder had been searching and Ranulf himself had come to the rescue as well. The City had been rather quiet once that group if instigators had been all but wiped out. They had made a few more attempts but had not made out any better than the first time.
During all these shenanigans Ranulf was preparing his plan to desert the war effort. Many years past before he was the Champion, he had been a scout for a unit hunting brigands and bandits. During one of those chases he had seen his valley. Warm in the winter and green. It had been a huge Dale enclosed by high jagged peaks. It was beautiful! He had vowed one day to settle there. Than the war, he had become the Champion of the Horse Lord's host and his life had been consumed. He had become tired of killing good and noble men though. Killing brigands was different, they hurt others for pleasure and profit. A soldier though fought for his home, family, and with pride. Ranulf had scouted North thinking of just leaving. He had his army to think of though. They were as his family after so many years. They looked to him for leadership. So he had brought his eight most trusted friends and Captain's into his thoughts. Five had agreed. The other three understood but would not leave the nation. They would remain and garrison the captured Northern fort. None would betray Ranulf. They were truly friends and all thought well of Ranulf. So it had happened. Word leaked as soon as they had captured the fort though. Those sort of things happened. The prince was furious and was said to be bringing a warhost North to both take advantage of the flanking breach and to hunt down Ranulf the traitor and hang him.
Roan however had put a kink in that situation, not on purpose but quite by accident. She had sent a large part of her remaining force South to warn her King of the fall of the fort. Those men had met the reinforcements sent to bolster the Keep's defenses. they had siege weapons for the towers to strengthen a known weakness. Thus the Prince had arrived as the Goliath's army had and they were busy fighting each other over the Fort. Ranulf knew nothing about that, but he had wondered why he had not been pursued! It was strange how the situation had developed as it had though. Both Champions hated by their own people and on the move together! It was an epic tale of forbidden Love.
------------------------------------------
It was another officers meeting on horseback! Ranulf had begun doing that again once Roan was healed. He knew she hated being in the tents after her recovery, and it had been the way he had done things before her. He felt he thought more clearly on the back of Stormy his warhorse than anywhere else. Present were Roan and Lina, All six of his Captains. That included a Goliath Captain of elite guards. Challes was loved like a brother by Roan and Lina. The column had more or less stumbled upon them thinking they were bandits. Now Challes and his men were Roan's personal guard and he was included among the rest of the Captains in the force. He and Braden Wulfe had sparred with wooden weapons, a time honored method of proving ones worth among the Horse folk. Challes had still been injured and Braden had won, but had learned to respect Challes. Once Braden had accepted him Challes would find others had as well. Through effort and hard work he and his men had become part of the column. So this was the command group.
Braden Wulfe was 6' but built like a boxer, He appeared huge being solid and squarely built. He was an organizer and planner. Ryder Gawyn was 6'2" almost as tall as Ranulf and built much like the Commander. Long limbs and lanky body. Still the Commander was fuller in the chest and broader of shoulder. Ranulf was 6'3" and was even stronger than he appeared. Which was something because he looked formidable as things were! They were men to lead, and others followed them without question. Ranulf sighed as he worried over many small problems. "I think we should send Ryder and his scouts on ahead and check out the valley. I was thinking of going along, Roan and Challes men can be my escort." He looked to Braden. That leaves the column under your command Braden. And all the headaches that ensue? Would you be well with that?"
Braden shook his head laughing. "Look Ranulf. I don't think anyone in the entire camp has not noticed how anxious you have been to ride on ahead and show Roan this valley of yours. I trust Challes and his men as much as any with your safety.. And Roan's. Ryder has good people to lead his camp as well. I think everyone has been expecting you to send him on ahead long before now. I think you would have as well if you were not worried about pursuit." One thing about the Levithan's was they spoke truth to power. There was no bowing or scraping the knee among these proud folk.
Ryder nodded "I think we can rest easy on being chased for now. We will be well within this 'Paradise' before any sizeable force could reach us now. I agree though, riding on ahead to scout is just being prudent." He reached over taking Lina's hand as he spoke. Since he had been wounded they were seldom far apart. Unless she was tending to Roan.
Ranulf smiled "it is settled than. Tomorrow morning I will ride on ahead." He laughed "I think Stormy is as ready for a long run as your Brimstone is Roan. I think a few days hard riding might burn some of that excess energy away. What say you?"
Days had turned into weeks as they travelled North to Ranulf's promised land. Roan had healed, she and he were still an uneasy couple. The differences between the Goliath and Levithan people were great and they had much to overcome. Not the least of it being Roan had been disguised as a male for all of her adult life. Rising to be the Goliath's Champion. Ranulf had defeated her when she was wounded, claimed her as his own, a prize slave. Than he had fallen in love with her and his life had never been the same. She made him crazy. The harder her pushed her the farther away she seemed to be. The thing was he was the Levithan Champion, as aggressive and strong willed as she. He just did not understand patience, other than in battle? Well or maybe when dealing with the camp followers and the women's circle. The thing was he loved her despite their differences. He had seen how noble, dedicated, loyal, intelligent, and feisty she was even when broken. He had already known of her cleverness and skills. She was like no other. Ranulf was truly smitten. They would be in his valley in another few days. The pursuit had not shown up as expected and everyone was feeling more relaxed.
Ranulf MaCloud knew much was going to change for his force. He had two troops of Cavalry, two troops of mounted Pikemen. The Pikemen rode to battle but fought afoot, a sort of defensive force. One troop of Scouts lead by Ryder Gawyn. Ryder was a bit more agile than Ranul;f in body as well as mind. Than he was not as aggressive either. He had fallen for Roan's handmaiden Lina. She was much different than the noble born Roan. Like Ryder, she was happy serving others. In particular Roan, whom she seemed to think of a daughter, sister, and friend. Ryder had met Lina as she was behaving as a thief moving through the city evading assassins. Ryder had not liked the odds and helped her out. They had almost instant chemistry. He hated to be away from her and often allowed her to ride on scouting missions with him. The one time he had not he had almost been slain. Lina had tended him much like she attended Roan. Forcefully nursing him back to the living. That was a hard time. Roan had been almost killed as Lina was tending Ryder and well, Ryder had sent her to Roan. He missed his Lina very much but maybe not as much as she had missed her man?
Thus Rivals had become lovers, in one case a rocky relationship, the other a mutual respect and bonding of souls. All this on the backdrop of a large force moving North to avoid more warfare. Ranulf had seen too much death for the sake of Kingdoms. It was one thing to kill to defend yourself or your people, quite another to make war for conquest. In the beginning he had believed in the cause of the Levithan horse lords. The Goliath sea King had raided his people treating them like savages. The Levithan had been scattered nomadic people, living off the land and moving as needs arised due to weather, food, or water supply. The Goliath had forced them to band together into a nation. That had caused the Goliath coastal city lords concern. They knew how fierce the Horse Lords could be. So they had invaded to crush the forming Kingdom before it was a threat. The Horse Lords were like the water of ocean, moving and shifting. Unpredictable! The war had not gone well for the Goliath till they had been pushed back to the mountains between the coast and the great plains. That was when the Horse lords and faulted and begun tasting defeat themselves.
Champions on both sides had emerged. Turning the tides of battle for their respective sides from defeat to victory time and time again. Fate took a hand as the Goliath king sent his Champion to shore up a weakness on the Northern border. A very good road lead into the heart of his kingdom and the fort there was a minor one. He feared the Horse Lords might well detect the flank route and by pass the balk of his army. He had been right. Even as Roan rode North with her host to shore up the defenses, Ranulf was requesting permission to take his own army there to outflank the Goliath's. The Levithan Prince had raised Ranulf to be champion but had grown jealous of his accomplishments. The Levithan King though saw the wisdom in the plan and agreed. So Ranulf arrived with a force larger than what Roan had near the same time. Ranulf had tried to sneak up on the fortress but had failed. A lone courier from an ambushed patrol had given warning to the Fort. They had sent out their cavalry thinking it was a raider force less than five hundred. They had a full thousand plus and were lead by roan herself. The local leaders of government and the garrison had insisted. Roan had suspected a trap but too late. Her force was decimated in an ambush. From that moment on the chess game had been in Ranulf's favor and he had taken the Fort despite a spirited defense.
Defeating the wounded Goliath Champion had brought many unexpected twists of fortune! His army wanted to enslave her, Her own people wanted to burn her at the stake for impersonating a man. Ranulf had put the city under one of his Captains, the commander of the 1ST Cavalry troop Braden Wulfe. An able commander and an excellent judge of people, he was a good administrator and had kept the city from imploding. Even despite that, factions within the city plotted to disrupt the rebuilding. They kidnapped Roan as she rode. Lina and Ryder had been searching and Ranulf himself had come to the rescue as well. The City had been rather quiet once that group if instigators had been all but wiped out. They had made a few more attempts but had not made out any better than the first time.
During all these shenanigans Ranulf was preparing his plan to desert the war effort. Many years past before he was the Champion, he had been a scout for a unit hunting brigands and bandits. During one of those chases he had seen his valley. Warm in the winter and green. It had been a huge Dale enclosed by high jagged peaks. It was beautiful! He had vowed one day to settle there. Than the war, he had become the Champion of the Horse Lord's host and his life had been consumed. He had become tired of killing good and noble men though. Killing brigands was different, they hurt others for pleasure and profit. A soldier though fought for his home, family, and with pride. Ranulf had scouted North thinking of just leaving. He had his army to think of though. They were as his family after so many years. They looked to him for leadership. So he had brought his eight most trusted friends and Captain's into his thoughts. Five had agreed. The other three understood but would not leave the nation. They would remain and garrison the captured Northern fort. None would betray Ranulf. They were truly friends and all thought well of Ranulf. So it had happened. Word leaked as soon as they had captured the fort though. Those sort of things happened. The prince was furious and was said to be bringing a warhost North to both take advantage of the flanking breach and to hunt down Ranulf the traitor and hang him.
Roan however had put a kink in that situation, not on purpose but quite by accident. She had sent a large part of her remaining force South to warn her King of the fall of the fort. Those men had met the reinforcements sent to bolster the Keep's defenses. they had siege weapons for the towers to strengthen a known weakness. Thus the Prince had arrived as the Goliath's army had and they were busy fighting each other over the Fort. Ranulf knew nothing about that, but he had wondered why he had not been pursued! It was strange how the situation had developed as it had though. Both Champions hated by their own people and on the move together! It was an epic tale of forbidden Love.
------------------------------------------
It was another officers meeting on horseback! Ranulf had begun doing that again once Roan was healed. He knew she hated being in the tents after her recovery, and it had been the way he had done things before her. He felt he thought more clearly on the back of Stormy his warhorse than anywhere else. Present were Roan and Lina, All six of his Captains. That included a Goliath Captain of elite guards. Challes was loved like a brother by Roan and Lina. The column had more or less stumbled upon them thinking they were bandits. Now Challes and his men were Roan's personal guard and he was included among the rest of the Captains in the force. He and Braden Wulfe had sparred with wooden weapons, a time honored method of proving ones worth among the Horse folk. Challes had still been injured and Braden had won, but had learned to respect Challes. Once Braden had accepted him Challes would find others had as well. Through effort and hard work he and his men had become part of the column. So this was the command group.
Braden Wulfe was 6' but built like a boxer, He appeared huge being solid and squarely built. He was an organizer and planner. Ryder Gawyn was 6'2" almost as tall as Ranulf and built much like the Commander. Long limbs and lanky body. Still the Commander was fuller in the chest and broader of shoulder. Ranulf was 6'3" and was even stronger than he appeared. Which was something because he looked formidable as things were! They were men to lead, and others followed them without question. Ranulf sighed as he worried over many small problems. "I think we should send Ryder and his scouts on ahead and check out the valley. I was thinking of going along, Roan and Challes men can be my escort." He looked to Braden. That leaves the column under your command Braden. And all the headaches that ensue? Would you be well with that?"
Braden shook his head laughing. "Look Ranulf. I don't think anyone in the entire camp has not noticed how anxious you have been to ride on ahead and show Roan this valley of yours. I trust Challes and his men as much as any with your safety.. And Roan's. Ryder has good people to lead his camp as well. I think everyone has been expecting you to send him on ahead long before now. I think you would have as well if you were not worried about pursuit." One thing about the Levithan's was they spoke truth to power. There was no bowing or scraping the knee among these proud folk.
Ryder nodded "I think we can rest easy on being chased for now. We will be well within this 'Paradise' before any sizeable force could reach us now. I agree though, riding on ahead to scout is just being prudent." He reached over taking Lina's hand as he spoke. Since he had been wounded they were seldom far apart. Unless she was tending to Roan.
Ranulf smiled "it is settled than. Tomorrow morning I will ride on ahead." He laughed "I think Stormy is as ready for a long run as your Brimstone is Roan. I think a few days hard riding might burn some of that excess energy away. What say you?"
