Everlight Family/Elios/Pomatim

From BattleMaster Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

On the Road from Pomatim

Far behind the dusty plume stirred up by dozens of infantry boots and wagons trailed a burly, sandy-haired knight. His armour was carelessly unstrapped, hanging from one shoulder, a helm poking out from the saddlebag behind him, and both he and the brown mare he rode were coated with sandy-grey dust.


“Eugh,” the man groaned as he wiped the back of one dusty-gloved hand across his sweaty face. The dust and sweat felt like paint. He’d been painted road-coloured in the heat of the Pomatim plains afternoon. Longingly he thought of the cool breezes rolling down out of the northern sea into Wailing Wood, and blustering cloudy rain-showers; days rarely got so stifling as this.


A rumbling sound began behind Elios. He turned and shielded his eyes to look down the road. Another rolling plume was rising, approaching quickly. His brow creased. Pursuit?


He whistled to Captain Horst as he urged his horse off the road, into the long grass, and wheeled her around to face back the way they had come. The Skirmishers stopped behind him and got into defensive formation about 40 yards distant, his captain standing rigidly in full combat gear at their head.


All was silent except the buzz and hum of insects in the grass while twoscore sets of eyes squinted into the rippling haze of heat and dust. Several minutes passed. The rumbling grew louder: it must be a mounted crew.


Banners materialized out of the haze, two abreast above the approaching company. Elios leaned forward, squinting hard.


Blue and white, blue and black. The former charged with a sun in its splendor, brightly gold and clear against its field.


Elios sank back in his saddle, letting out a long breath, and waved a hand for Horst to call at-ease. It was the Thalmarkan cavalry, led by Aeravon and the new judge, Sol. He gave Stout a little nudge and walked back up on the road to greet the approaching nobles.


“Oi! Aeravon!” he called with a cheeky salute. He turned to the lady second, offering a casual half-bow from the saddle. “Lady Judge.”