The Flashes. Chapter 9.

Chapter 9

Dunstan closed and secured the gate and the women climbed up onto a hidden ledge and went through a tight tunnel ten feet long leading to a small cavern. Elfwine gathered up weapons and tools in a bag and threw it up to Osbert. Osbert tied the bag to his foot and set off down the tunnel. Elfwine and Dunstan filled three more bags with goods and clothes.

         Dunstan was the next up and Elfwine passed the bags to Dunstan who tied his bag and joined the others.

         “Let’s go,” Elfwine said.

         Baldwin was still at the gate looking out at the pirates. “Why are we hiding?“ Baldwin said. “With your archery skills you could take half of them out, and that would only leave about eight. Not impossible for the four of us.”

         “Not that simple, Baldwin. They are not fools and if I didn’t get to them before they landed they would run at us, but not in a straight line. I might get them as they got close, but probably only about four of them before we were in range of their pistols.”

         “Then we could weave about as well.”

         “Then I would hit even less. They would be on us. A warrior, an archer, an old man, and a young boy.”

         “We would have a chance,” Baldwin said. “We might beat them.”

         “And if we don’t, and if the women can’t get the boulder in place, and if they find the tunnel.”

         “If, if, if!”

         “Just get up on the ledge and go down the tunnel. There is more at stake here than your pride and ego.”

         “I’m new here and I’ll do as you bid," Baldwin said. "But I’m not happy."

         Elfwine followed Baldwin up to the ledge and through the tunnel, pulling their bags behind them. Matilda had taken a lamp and it lit up the sphere-shaped cavern. The wine pouches and all the spare tools utensils and other items were stored in there. When they were all in the cavern they pushed a large boulder in place blocking the tunnel entrance.

         It was not long before they heard loud voices and the smashing of the gate. Shouting and laughing, the pirates took anything of use to them and smashed things for the fun of it. They were there a while searching for valuables but everything of value had been taken into the cavern. They stole vegetables from the plot and any chickens they could catch. Then it went quiet.

         “I think they have gone,” Dunstan said.

         They rolled the boulder back, but Dunstan stood over the entrance ready with his sword in case anyone tried to get in.

         “I’ll take a look,” Elfwine said.

         “I’ll come with you,” Baldwin said. “There are enough hands here to move the boulder back."

         Elfwine gave a nod and they set off through the tunnel. They lay on the ledge at the top for a while, looking and listening, but all was quiet.

         Baldwin looked at the devastation in the cave. Clothes and other items strewn about the floor, the table broken, and smashed pottery lying amongst some spoiled leftover food. “What a mess,” he said.

         Elfwine climbed down, drew his sword and Baldwin followed. They moved slowly towards the cave entrance and looked out. One boat was a good way out and the other was just leaving the beach.

         “If they decide to come back from that boat we can possibly take the eight of them,” Baldwin said.

         Elfwine laughed. “They won’t come back. They have what they want.”

         “And what is that?" Baldwin asked.”

         “Fresh food, Baldwin. But I think now they know they can get supplies here, they might come back another time.”

         "They wouldn't be able to come back if we'd have killed them all," Baldwin said.

         "So now it's your turn to use that if word," Elfwine said. "He saw the second boat heading for the ship. “I’ll go and get the others.” He looked at the mess around the cave. “We have a lot of work to do.”

* * * * *

         Time passed. The women were tending to the crops, chickens and geese. The birds had started to recover their numbers after the pirates found the way through the cave and took some of them. This small bay was inaccessible from the sea due to the treacherous rocks. The sheer cliff face also made it inaccessible from the land. The only way in was through the cave from the large bay and even that was cut off when the tide was in.

         However, on this day the tide was out and Baldwin, Dunstan, Elfwine, and Osbert were collecting winkles, cockles and mussels on the shore of the larger bay. When they had filled the small baskets they gathered edible seaweed in the bigger basket. They occasionally checked out to sea in case the pirates were returning and landward in case some of the Mossley townsfolk were coming to take their seafood. They would only allow them to take small amounts for their own use. They were not happy about it but at least the smaller bay was exclusively theirs. They also had to look out in case of a raid by the raiders known as The Vialians. Even though the raiders never needed to venture past the town.

         When the baskets were full the men returned to the cave and sat by the fire with the rest of the group enjoying some re-heated broth. "Your broth is excellent, Matilda, even on the second day," Baldwin said.

         "No one can argue with that," Dunstan said. "I think it is even better the second day. But the tide is coming in fast and you better get going before you get cut off."

         Baldwin and Elfwine took up the produce baskets and set off for the five-mile trek to the town. When they left the cave the waves were lapping their ankles as they crossed to higher ground. Elfwine, an expert archer, also took his bow and arrows, and Baldwin took his sword. Then they each had a dagger which they kept with them at all times.

         Dunstan, the elder of the group, stood watch at the cave entrance for a while before closing up the pole gate. Osbert went through to the small bay to help his sister, Erica and the other womenfolk, but their tasks were done and the eggs collected. Osbert sat on a rock with his sister as the other two women returned to their home in the cave.

         “What do you think Baldwin and Elfwine will get from the market?” Erica asked. “We could do with a goat, I keep telling Baldwin, but he won’t listen.”

         “It would take a lot more produce to get a goat."

         "They could take some extra coins from the chest in the bolt hole," Erica said.

         "Anyway if we had a goat and the pirates return they would be sure to slaughter and steal it.”

         “Not if we took it with us into the bolt hole.”

         “Don’t be silly,” Osbert said. “It is a struggle enough for us all to crawl through the tight tunnel. You’d never get a goat through. Anyway, one goat is not enough. We would need at least two to breed.”

         “Osbert, do you think those pirates will return?”

         “There is nothing here for them except food. If they need food as they are passing then they will return.”

         Erica thought of the bolt hole tunnel leading off the cave to the small cavern. “I was so frightened listening to those pirates yelling and laughing as they smashed and looted our home. What if they found the tunnel and moved the boulder? We would all be killed.”

         “It takes a few of us to get the bolder in front of the cavern entrance. One man cramped in the tunnel would struggle to shift it, no matter how strong he was and the gap would be enough to run a sword through. Come on, let’s get inside. We have chores to do.”

         They got to the cave and Matilda had already built up the fire, giving them light and somewhere to cook a meal for when the men returned from Mossley.

         Osbert sat deep in thought. Despite what he said to Erica, he was deeply troubled about the pirate raid. "I have a bad feeling," he said. "I think I'll go and check the bay for intruders."

The Flashes. Chapter 10  (18+) Raiders at Mossley #2253064 by Bruce.