I didn’t have time to mope around about my dead friends and the dead friends of my friends. Look at Kralnik, he brought two dwarves with him, one of whom he had known since he was a boy, and now they’re both dead. Poor little guy.

Instead of standing around waiting for the people Venzik sent off hunting for information I decided to climb back up the stairs and check out the view myself. As I reached the last step the men on the wall began cheering. I was embarrassed by the attention but knew the men needed it. You have to know you have a strong, capable leader during these tough times. I raised my hand to wave sedately at the men, no, at my men, the survivors of the Battle of Tarn. Sure, history will say that I, Lord Dirk S’Vig, Ansdron’s spymaster, was the hero of the day and saved Tarn, but I know it took all of us to do it.

My vision of the future popped when I realized none of the guards, and others, manning the wall were looking in my direction. They were all lined up with their backs to me, looking out beyond Tarn. I joined them and saw the Ansdron Calvary moving along the road at a good pace, kicking up dust as they came. I didn’t cheer because they were too late, we’d saved ourselves, those of us that survived. Of course, if the calvary had arrived earlier a lot more of us would be alive but it’s also true that if Lord Tarin had stationed the entire army at Tarn, instead of Ansdron, the town would have been completely safe. Extremely crowded, but safe. And Ansdron would have been completely destroyed. I guess I’m just saying we all make choices.

I headed back down the stairs to tell everybody about the calvary but about a dozen men beat me to it, shouting down from the wall. The relief we all felt was immediate. Venzik kept some men on guard in front of the ruined gates in case any drants tried to come in there seeking shelter from the calvary, and there were men standing guard on the wall, but everyone else started handling the aftermath of the battle. A fire was built for the drant bodies. An inn was converted into a healing center. Food was cooked and shared, as was drink. Nothing like surviving to work up a thirst. Everyone knew there was no staying in Tarn without gates, so we all worked together in preparation of abandoning the town. They would all be going to Ansdron until the drant war was over and they could, perhaps, rebuild Tarn. I figured the place would be completely destroyed by the time anyone returned to rebuild it. Probably only the town walls would remain. If the drants didn’t finish off the abandoned town some awful people would come and clean it out and either group would probably burn down whatever they didn’t take.

When word came that the last of the drants outside the walls had been hunted down and killed I hurried back to the gate so I could greet Captain Klote and his men. I arrived before they did so I stationed myself about ten feet inside the gates which meant the archers were another fifteen feet or so behind me. Venzik, my father, Delik Slin, Sir Aryoss, Vone, and Kralnik stood directly behind me in a line.

Captain Klote rode in, looking tired, beat up and dirty. The men following him seemed to be in a similar state. They were battered and blood spattered, and more than a few were injured.

Captain Klote raised a hand a few feet short of our group and brought the column of heavy cavalry to a halt, with most of them still outside the gate. He slowly dismounted and waited a moment, holding on to his saddle, to steady himself. He handed his reins to the calvaryman who rode forward to accept them. Then he turned and walked toward us with a slight, but obviously noticeable, limp, offering a crisp salute as he came nearer. “Captain Klote reporting, my lord. I apologize for not getting here sooner.”

I saluted him back and then gave him a head bow, as well. He smiled grimly. “It has been a very long day since we parted ways, my lord.”

I nodded. “For all of us, I believe.” I gestured behind him at his men. “You are more than welcome, Captain. Please have your men come inside and we’ll see to getting them, and their mounts, fed and cared for.” I waited while he gave a few orders. “Why don’t you come to the Buxom Lass inn with me, and my command staff?”