Page 165: Beyond the Eagle's Reach
Beyond the Eagle's Reach
Summary: Important word arrives at Stonebridge. In the form of drums of war and Ironborn raiders.
Date: 29/12/2011
Related Logs: Among the Pines and Nettles and the other Ironborn Invasion! logs.
Players:
Einion Gedeon Harlyn Iulia Isolde Jarod Lorna Lucienne Riordan Rowan Rygar Senna Starling Tam Horde 
East Walk — Stonebridge
This crossroads at the edge of town is where the docks intersect with the road heading towards Hag's Mire in one direction and a few blocks to the town square in the other. The activity in the area is usually cart traffic with moving goods from port to retail and most of it passes by the Common House. This one story structure on the corner is known as the town's nicer inn as well as a brothel for the lonely visitor.
December 29, 288

<FS3> Jarod rolls Alertness: Good Success.
<FS3> Isolde rolls Alertness: Great Success.
<FS3> Einion rolls Alertness: Success.
<FS3> Riordan rolls Alertness: Good Success.
<FS3> Rygar rolls Alertness: Good Success.
<FS3> Lucienne rolls Alertness: Success.
<FS3> Tam rolls Alertness: Good Success.
<FS3> Iulia rolls Alertness: Good Success.
<FS3> Harlyn rolls Alertness: Good Success.
<FS3> Lorna rolls Alertness: Success.
<FS3> Rowan rolls Alertness: Good Success.

Just as the sun has sent its light over the Mire and mountains to the east, but before it peeks over the horizon, the nobles and peasantry of Stonebridge hear a sound the likes of which has never been heard for a dozen lifetimes: far to the south comes a soft, thrumming rumble- not unlike thunder- out of the morning haze. But it is a thunder which tolls like a bell. Eight, nine, ten times it sounds, before going silent.

The market is always a pleasant thing earlier during the day with the cool air still in plenty. Isolde walks with Lorna, motioning to a stall to the left and stepping off to the side and to the south as she slows their walk. Stopping there to get a look at some threads, she smiles pleasantly. "I was hoping we could go for another ride later, if you would care to?" She offers her distant relative, her hand lifting a rather beautiful ermine hued spool. She sets it back down, looking over the other bolts of cloth brought in off the most recent ships several weeks ago. "I thought perhaps we could see about having some new riding dresses made, a little more…durable don't you think?" Though the sound from the south stops her and she blinks, tilting her head to step about the stall and try to get a look. Her brows furrow and she takes another step to the south. "How odd…" She says softly and looks to Lorna. "That sound…do you hear it?" SHe asks and grasps at her skirts, motioning for the lady to follow as she starts to pick her way to a place with a better view. "That rustling…"

Leatherworking is dirty business, and when one is preparing hides, one really isn't paying attention to much else. The stripping of fur from a pelt is the job at hand, and if there aren't any people looking for his attention? Well, if there are, they'd make themselves known.. and as a result, Einion simply.. goes about his morning.

Just as the sun has sent its light over the Mire and mountains to the east, but before it peeks over the horizon, the nobles and peasantry of Stonebridge hear a sound the likes of which has never been heard for a dozen lifetimes: far to the south comes a soft, thrumming rumble- not unlike thunder- out of the morning haze. But it is a thunder which tolls like a bell. Eight, nine, ten times it sounds, before going silent. (repose)

Tam is sleeping in the stables, atop a haystack. The grizzled knight stirs, then awakens entirely, sitting upright. Rising to his feet, Tam looks around several times, then frowns. "Thought I heard some.." he begins, then trails off. "Something.." He frowns, then abruptly reaches down and grabs at his sword-belt. Strapping it on, the man moves toward his destrier's stall. "Drums." His movements, though swift, are calm and self-possessed as he stands alongside his mount. He begins laying out pieces of maile, pursing his lips, his eyes narrowed.

Harlyn is back in the market. Oh, he's been in the market overmuch these days, haggling prices, buying as low as he can manage, etc. His guards are bearing less weight, today, though, which may indicate he's been finding less attractive enough to buy. The thrumming, tolling thunder distracts him from examining a bolt of dull cloth, however. He straightens. He stares to the south.

The Terrick (plus mini-Nayland) entourage is up early. Ser Jarod Rivers, Lady Lucienne Terrick and squire Rowan Nayland are just riding into town. While they're boarded in a house just over the Terrick/Nayland border, their 'ambassador' duties to Stonebridge bring them in during the day. Jarod's head is turned to note something to Lucienne, when the sound of the tolling catches his ear. He brings his horse to a stop, listening, frowning. "Seven hells that almost sounds like…" But his tone is soft with disbelief. "…Seven hells, it can't be though…"

Down in the stables, preparing his horse Grishmorb for the day, Riordan brushes his horse's mane, watches stable hands and others of such ilk run about, preparing for what is to be just another day. A moment later, as he is preparing his saddle on the horse when a distant sound reaches his ears. Peering about, he can tell that others have heard it, and are questioning just as he is as to what that sound is. As he finishes buckling the saddle, he starts leading his horse out of the stable. "I wonder if anyone knows what that sound was…where it came from…" He murmurs. As he reaches a spot that is uncluttered, he pulls himself into the saddle and trots through town toward the edges.

Senna is just on her way to the market, a small basket over one elbow and a light cloak over her shoulders. She cocks her head at the sound of drums, though, a frisson of tension singing through her form. Drums are never /good/ news.

Not everyone has the luxury of lingering abed until the sun rises to a more pleasant height. Within the walls of the stables off the town square, the resident horses contentedly munch their hay, punctuated with the occasional stomp of a heavy hoof or a whickering sigh. A solitary two-legged figure keeps their company, already fully-attired and wide awake, despite the hour. Sweeping a well worn brush across the already glossy flanks of a large-boned roan, Starling, just like most others, goes about her morning with a typical lack of concern or, apparently, much concentration. Pausing to rub at her nose with the back of one hand, inadvertently smudging her cheek with a faint smear of dust, the brunette glanes around with the resigned air of a long-suffering caretaker when Tam rouses himself abruptly; affording him little more than a withering glance. Seeing as he's not paying her any mind, most likely she gets away with it. Following that, she simply carries on with her task, pressing her lips into a firm line and setting to working the brush through the roan's thick tail. Did she hear anything? Hard to say.

Rygar is frowning as he steps out of Tordane Tower, turning a cold, curious stare southward. The stern knight idly re-rolls the parchement in his hands, and turning aside to sieze a passing page. His keen blue regard siezes upon Tam at the stables. He acknowledges the common knight with a nod and word of "Ser," but turns his eye next toward "Ser Riordan. Are you in the mood for a morning ride?"

Rowan Nayland brings his big, crimson stallion to a dancing halt. Dragon tosses his head, hating this stop-and-go, pawing the ground with the ever-present urge to charge. "Fuck me," murmurs the squire, going pale. "Jarod — ?" He meets his knight's eyes and nods, his own eyes dark and huge. Yes. That's exactly what it is.

"Sounds like…?" Lucienne, on the other side of Jarod, takes her cue from her brother's squire and reins her own mount to an antsy pause. For once, she lets the language go, sending a concerned look to the lads with her, and the retinue behind. Her head tilts, and she listens, trying to hear what it is they're remarking upon.

Lorna hadn't brought her wolfhound on this walk into town, and she is promptly regretting it. She is as surprised by the sound as she is to realize she didn't notice the sound to begin with, and she quickly hurries to follow Isolde. In fact if she can manage it, she'll try and place herself slightly ahead of the Lady Nayland, in the event that something unfortunate should come projecting unexpectedly, she'll get take whatever misfortune comes on the business end rather than Isolde.

Looking down from his horse toward his cousin, Riordan nods a little bit. "I had been thinking of it." He responds, though he is obviously distracted. "Ser Rygar…did you happen to umm…did you hear a sound, coming from the distance? A curious, strange sound?" If his no-nonsense cousin heard it, than there most certainly was a sound that came out of the distance.

With the hide up, and the fur flying.. it's just another day at the tanners, truly. Work requires attention, and the blade pulls the hair, causing it to fly everywhere, but controlled. Einion's got orders to fill, hides to tan, process, dye…

Still with an aura of calm, Tam silently returns Rygar's greeting with an absent wave - before beginning to shrug into his maile. The heavy iron is well-tended, and he manipulates the straps of his hauberk with the air of a man used to living without a squire. His destrier paws the ground, agitated by the man's proximity, but too well-trained to lash out. Oblivious to the scornful glances of the young stablehand, Tam continues to suit up, strapping on battered greaves and a pair of fine-quality leather gauntlets - likely the nicest items in his armory, apart from the rather new-looking broadsword he carries. His shield - bearing no crest, and showing signs of heavy use, rests against the stall's wall, ready to be grabbed up. The man has an absent air about him, as though he is listening to - or for - some sound in the distance.

Rygar nods curtly once to Riordan's inquiry. "Very good. Then set about arming yourself, and do me the courtesy of riding into the Town square. At the tannery, you will find Serjeant Einion Wycliffe. Inform him that the Green Quarter of the Levy is to muster in the Town Square, immediately." He waits to make certain the crisp instructions are clear, before turning to "Ser Cooper. I would charge you with locating Lady Isolde, who has gone early into the township. Proceed once you are armed, Ser."

This is perhaps not the morning to go shopping. Ever practical, Senna promptly turns around and starts quickly back toward Stonebridge and the protection of walls. Promptly, in this case, means running.

Jarod dismounts smoothly. His sturdy brown courser stays patiently in place as Ser Rivers opens up his packs. "Gear up, Rowan. Those have the sound of warning bells. Whatever they are warning of. I've never heard any that loud before. Stay still, Luci. I'm with you.

Tension begins to coil at that odd sound. Never, in all her years of living in Stonebridge had Isolde heard it before but she turns her gaze to Lorna. "Lady Lorna, move with care, do not alert anyone yet but start heading for the Tower." They didn't need the market in chaos. The Lady of Stonebridge looks about and begins to back away from the south and turn. It is to the slow market morning she gazes and there is a look of uncertainty. The smallfolk. But her gaze lifts and catches sight of the three mounted Terricks. The guards accompany the ladies shift as she turns to them. "We are to return to the tower…" She says evenly and than heads in the direction of Jarod, Rowan and Lucienne. "Lady Lucienne…" She calls out to get her attention. "Ser Jarod…I need you to all return to the Tower at once. If may be nothing but I would prefer you behind walls. I can take the Lady Lucienne with me if you have wish to stay."

What a rush of activity in her usually sedate workplace. Frowning a little now, though more in consternation than ill-temper - for once - the dark-haired stablehand sets aside her brush upon the dividing beam of the stall in which she has been working and ducking smoothly beneath it in order to move toward the main doors and peer out into the square, staying well out of the path of those already atop their mounts. Even her quiet strides are enough to raise the head of the dog curled in the straw nearby, the hound watching his mistress' progress briefly before yawning widely and heaving himself to his paws with a whine. It's still too early for dogs, it seems, even if Starling is up and about. Folding her arms across her midsection, the lanky girl absently eavesdrops on those who pass, calmly ignoring the hedge knight and choosing instead to, eventually, call out toward the tanner not too far from her. "Einion." There's only subtle questioning in her tone and her voice is surprisingly low of timbre for such a slightly builty girl. Who knows, maybe he'll have some insight into what has everyone so… busy.

Iulia holds a large basket against her hip, some of lady's Isolde's most recent purchases as she shops the market with Lorna. Mostly quiet herself, the chambermaid's attention turns towards the thunderous sounds. Her gaze then quickly shifts to Isolde and then Lorna. ""I heard it my lady." The girl is frowning now, coming to ever closer to Isolde.

Harlyn glances over the marketplace. He glances over the growing activity, however somewhat restrained in some cases. He starts the most casual of retreats toward the Tower.

See.. with a word, Einion's attention can be gained, and his knife stills on the hide. Turning around, he's covered with the tan hair of the deer just behind him.. and his brows rise in inquiry.. "Yes.." He looks behind, and there's something different in the feel of the air, though.. he blinks.. and considers, his knife now dropping to his side, and he steps way, puzzled. "I don't know."

"An it please you my lady, I will remain at your side until you bid me otherwise." But something about Lorna's movements do become less broad in movement, and more careful, more quiet, though no less efficient. It seems she does no something of moving with care. She straightens, eyes alert as they flick from here to there and back again, as alert as the hounds in the Stonebridge kennels.

"She's -in- the town?" Tam's eyes flicker wider as he's addressed by Rygar, and for the first time, the man shows signs of haste. He settles his battered pot helmet atop his head. "Don't fret, Ser, I'll see to it!" Tam grabs his saddle and drops it onto Padraig - his destrier's - back with enough haste to cause the animal to toss his head in aggravation, before grabbing the straps and tightening them into place. That done, the elder hedge knight grabs up his shield and - awkwardly - hoists himself into the saddle, kicking his mount's heels and riding into the square. Over his shoulder, to the young woman working in the stables, he calls "-Stay indoors-!" Without waiting for a response, he rides quickly toward where Isolde and her small gathering can be seen in the distance.

Setting his horse into a good trot, Riordan moves quickly to get to the armory. He gets himself suited up as quickly as possible, getting a lance and making sure his sword good and sharp. Once he is set in his brigadine armor, he gets back outside and onto his horse, having a servant pass him his lance. Making his way through the town square and to the tannery, the Nayland makes to find Einion, as he has been instructed. Upon entering, he gives a quick nod to the man. "Einion?? Serjeant Einion Wycliffe?" Without waiting for an answer, he states, "I have instructions from Ser Rygar. The Green Quarter of the Levy is to muster in the Town Square. Immediately, with haste."

Rowan does as his Ser directs, dismounting and hauling on his maille. Isolde's offer to take Lucienne — he defers to Jarod. He's without quips or banter, even of the nervous variety. The dark, slender boy's jaw is set. If his hands shake slightly, the years of practice in handling his gear may mask it with efficiency.

Chewing on her lower lip, her brown eyes wandering from Einion and over the passers-by who seem to be picking up speed, Starling nevertheless presses herself promptly back against the doors of the stables as Tam heels his powerful horse by her, well-practised in avoiding hoofbeats when she hears them coming. The approach of Riordan and his subsequent address toward Einion seems to mark the end of her own half-discussion with the tanner and she steps further back inside the questionable shelter of the simple building, a soft snap of her fingers bringing her wiry-haired dog to heel.

Rygar nods curtly once as Tam and Riordan set quickly about their tasks, turning back toward the Tower and calling as his purposeful steps carry the Nayland again toward the door, "Guardsman. I require fifty pikes counted from the Tower armory, and the entirety of the Household Guard armed and mustered promptly within the Tower. See to it," he bids, in curt dismissal. Stepping again into the Tower and calling curtly for his squire, the knight sees to his own arming.

Lady Lucienne's eyes widen, what little colour usually held in her face draining instantly. Jarod might dismount, but she follows his instructions to the letter, deadly still in her saddle. Something of her manner must rub off on her mount, for the gelding snorts gruffly, and stills. "I — Issie." No courtesies given in the cool of this morning, the Terrick girl shifts her attention to her childhood friend. "I — should I ride?" To the tower, presumeably.

"My lady." For once, Jarod's greeting to Isolde is absent his patented mummer's show bow. He's serious business at the moment. At her offer, he divides a look between Lucienne and Rowan. Deep breath. Finally, he nods. "Take Lady Lucienne back to Tordane Tower. I would see what's the meaning of this for myself. We shall join you back there shortly when this matter is resolved. What do you think is going on, Iz?" He asks all this while strapping his breastplate on, tone low. "I know the sound of the coastal warning bells. But never like this before."

Senna makes good time back to the tower, breathing hard when she enters the courtyard. "Drums," she says to the guard on duty. "Drums to the south. And so help me, if this is an exercise…" Whatever threats she can muster are left unsaid, in favor of continuing to breathe.

Einion's brief discussion seems now at an end with the missive from the back of a horse. He looks up at the ser, acknowledges that he is, indeed, the man searched for.. and with a nod, and "Aye..", looks to Starling before he steps from the tannery and pulls down the canvas— he's now closed. A quick, limped pace is made now, his calls for the men in his area, "Oi.. Green! Green! Call to muster! Green!" And "Get a move on!!"

The call for 'Green' to come to muster is relayed by voice throughout the residential district of the town, and in short order, men begin to trickle into the town square. About one man from every four houses. As soon as there are a dozen of them, they begin forming into ranks, once calling to Einion, "Oi! What's about, eh?"

Harlyn is perhaps having second thoughts about his casual stroll, for it slows. He does have his sword at his hip, nicely sheathed, and perhaps its easy tap against his thigh has reminded him that he is, in fact, a knight, not just a noble, and there is a growing call to muster. These are difficult thoughts to have and likely spurred by these bells ringing while he was in a public place, rather than cozily and privately tucked into his room. He hmms. He haws. He glances at his guards. One of them could probably easily handle all the merchandise he purchased. Or they could abandon the lot. How tragic.

"F'them to know! Get there, lot! Form up!" Einion goes from tanner to Serjeant.. and makes the ranks even. He hasn't heard the tolling, hasn't heard a thing other than the fact that there's orders to be followed, and thems the lot that follows. Period. Again, he calls out, "Form up!" and the moment his Lordship shows, they'll be at attention in the Town center.

"Iulia, we will be well. Stay with me." But as the tension grows, now it is obvious she had not be hearing things. "I heard rustling, like movement to the south, along with the steady sound of thunder. I have never heard it's like before…" She tells Jarod as he asks of her. "Jarod…" She then looks to Rowan and nods her head. "I have no idea…but something is drawing closer." She looks from Lorna up to Lucienne. "Yes, Luci, you must ride. Take the Lady Lorna with you, please." She asks of Lucienne. "Head to the Tower, I will not be far behind." She tells them, a soft smile offered up to the Lady Terrick before looking to Jarod and Rowan again. "There are some footpaths that enter the fields and groves to the South. But I would recommend you meet up with Ser Rygar or some of the guards before doing so. THe smallfolk must be alerted as well." She is busy, her mind reeling a moment as she looks about them. "We have no place to shelter large numbers, nothing like the Roost."

Ignoring the other nobles and guards surrounding Isolde, Tam slows his cantering mount alongside her and swings out of the saddle. His gray-streaked beard is practically bristling as he grabs his mount's reins and shoves them toward the lady. "Something's amiss, Lady. Lord Rygar sent me to fetch you back to the tower. Take my mount and ride." Though only a hedge knight - and, some would say, barely even that - his manner is blunt, authoritative. "Go now, with everyone as got horses. I'll see the rest of your people to safety."

Well, that settles it. Stepping fully back inside the stable building and hauling the none-too-light doors closed, Starling busies herself heaving a similarly sturdy length of wood into place upon the brackets in which it sits as a bar through the night hours. It's no small task and occupies at least a few minutes before she turns away, sweeping back a few errant wisps of dark hair from her brow. With a glance about the stalls, where a few of the younger horses are already becoming aware of a shift in the air and shifting their weight uneasily, the girl strides across the low-roofed barn; checking ropes here, slamming shutters there, her dog ever at her booted heel and the lengths of her aged coat swinging about her calves. Only a thin shaft of light is permitted from the grey morning sky outside - the animals will have to make do. Heading for the far corner, beyond a neatly piled stack of firewood, Starling mounts the stairs toward the hayloft.

With his horse, Grishmorb, whinnying, Riordan canters with him back and forth in the town square. After a moment, it's obvious that he's just got too much pent up energy to stay in one place. He doesn't quite know what's going on, but on his horse, he starts galloping through town. Every time he sees smallfolk, he gives them a little yell, telling them to get inside and stay there until they know what's going on. To him, it's better than just sitting around, at the moment, waiting for something to happen.

Harlyn just sighs to himself. It is one of those disappointing moments where conscience and a fear of public reprisal overcome his good common sense and self preservation. He turns to his guards. "Go find a tree or rock or something to stash the goods behind. We'll come back for them later. Chances are this is a false alarm. Some fool crying Ironborn." And, while his guards briefly disperse, he vertitably moves toward the square to join the muster.

Lorna starts for Lucianne's horse, her expression thunderous - clearly the idea of leaving Isolde on her own grates against the Frey's protective instincts. But then Tam interjects with Lord Rygar's orders - and of rare occasion Rygar would find himself blessed to the Seven by someone, Lorna reroutes toward Ser Tam's horse instead. "My lady, come." she urges. "I'll go with you and ride at your back." Her expression makes it plain she sees it her duty to help protect the Lady Stonebridge.

Taking comfort in lady Isolde's words, the girl nods her head. Glancing again over to the area where those sounds were coming from. Though not mounted Iulia would move with purpose towards the tower, following the behind Lorna and Lucienne as quick as her little legs will allow her, along with the added weight against her hip.

Rygar is absent for several minutes within his own chambers before stepping into the Tower's common hall to give the Household Guard their marching orders. An invocation is made that should any man among them perform one whit below what is expected, Ser Longbough will have that man drummed out of service upon return. Five men are sent to the top of the tower with bows, while two are posted agai on the door, and the remainder oversee the loading of pikes into a wagon, to be distributed among the Green quarter. When Rygar emerges from Tordane Tower, he is fully armored, unaware that a kind thought has been had.

Lucienne nods crisply to Isolde, accepting the orders without hesitation or question. "Jarod!" She leans in her saddle, stretching out a hand for her brother's own. "Be safe. My Lady Frey?" In the commotion of Tam's arrival, she's lost track of Lorna, and swings a look about for the other girl.

"Oi.. but.."
"There's no 'but'.."

Riordan's riding through, getting the smallfolk moving does give more than alittle something away that there is definitely something amiss. There's talking in the ranks again, and this time it's stomped on.. and hard by Einion.. Serjeant Wycliffe. This is serious business now.. and he means it. He hisses at the talking, "Quiet or you'll meet my pike.. and I'll not be charged with a crime."

With men mustering in the courtyard, Senna steps well to the side of the entrance, a flicker of relief in her features when Rygar walks out with the disciplined corps.

The interruption by Tam has the reins of his destrier soon in her hands. Isolde catches her breath and furrows her brow as she looks to Lorna. "As you say, Ser Cooper." The Lady intones and than motions for Lorna to mount, making certain Iulia is already headed to the tower. "Warn those in the market, tell them to do what they can to blockade themselves in their homes. False alarm or not.." Her gaze drifts South again and she moves, grabbing the saddlehorn and pulls herself up into it. She's not wearing the proper divdied skirts for riding, but it appears she has no care either. She reaches her hand down for Lorna. "Come…" She says.

"Ser Rygar. Aye." Jarod nods to Isolde. "These may not be Terrick lands any longer, but I shall render your people any help I can today. Whatever this might be. Ride swift, Luci. Don't be afraid. This'll like as all be over soon. Love you." He reaches out to clasp her hand, tight, before letting her go. He does sound confident, though there's…not fear exactly, but uncertainty in his green eyes. Something strange is afoot today. He gets his own plate settled, looking over at Rowan, and reaching out a hand to clap his squire's back. It's not just a companionable gesture. He eyes the squire's maile straps, finding one he deems in need of tightening.

With a brief grim smile of approval to Lorna as she encourages Isolde onto his mount, Tam draws his broadsword and raises the castle-forged steel toward the Lady. "See you after, Lady Isolde. Seven protect you." He grins then, a fierce and bright smile on his dark features. "I didn't expect to be earning my pay so soon." He turns toward the others now, looking around at Jarod and Rowan - all the rest seem to be safely on their way to the Tower now. "I reckon we ought to join the muster. Serjeant Wycliffe's a solid man - it's there we ought to make our stand." Matching action to words, Tam begins stomping off in that direction, resting his broadsword on his shoulder casually. His mood brightening further - at least apparently - he begins to whistle.

"Mistress Delacourt," Rygar greets the retainer evenly, "Step within the tower, and correct any of the household who are shaken in their duties, if you would. That passes for a greeting from the lean knight as he moves with even strides to accompany the wagon toward the Town Square, catching first sight of the Terrick contingent as he does so. The Nayland does not smile.

Tossing back a hatch in the heavily thatched roof, slinging something easily across her shoulder, Starling heaves herself up and out into the daylight, bracing a booted foot carefully on the aged and frail wood tangible beneath the straw and using that leverage to push herself forward somewhat. Staying on her stomach, the dark-haired girl drags herself up to the peak of the roof and peers over it, out across the other buildings and what can be seen of the streets below. Well, where else is she going to go?

After a round of the area, Riordan and his horse make their way back to the Town Square. Riordan does well enough in keeping his emotions in check, though his horse still whinnies every now and then, it's feet stomping at the ground in an uneasy silence as they await other instructions.

Thankfully now, the Green Quarter is mustered and in order. There are no whispers in the ranks now that the seriousness of the occasion, and the reminder of one's place, is given.. and for Einion, harshly. It had to be done, and now.. the Serjeant and his men await their orders.

"Yes, m'lord," Senna nods to Rygar, pausing just long enough to catch a deeper breath before moving briskly toward the keep itself. Once inside, she quietly sets to following orders, making sure everything moves smoothly and keeping an open ear for any more news from the town.

"Lady Terrick, I ride with Lady Isolde." Lorna calls out to Lucienne, and clasps wrists with Isolde for the hand up onto the horse without a moment's delay. Her own skirt is split not unlike a horseman's tunic and she's got trousers on underneath. Surely years from now this will be reflected upon as highly scandalous. She offers a grin right back at Tam, fairly sly, and with only a faint trace of apology in her expression once she's seated behind Isolde, she reaches back and gives the horse a firm but not painful smack on the hindquarters to get it going.

Rowan looks up at his knight, studying Ser Jarod with eyes intent and solemn, then over his shoulder as the strap's tightened. "Thank you, Ser," he murmurs, taking the opportunity to double-check the Terrick knight's armor, as well. That's his job, after all.

Having made his way through the square, Tam approaches Einion from the rear, still whistling a jaunty tune. "It's a good day for it, Serjeant!" he calls over - the veteran hedge knight is apparently fearless, despite the uncertainty of what awaits the town. "You reckon I could share it with you and your lads?" He doesn't presume to issue orders to another man's contingent, though the keen gray eyes miss nothing in the details of their discipline. Grounding his kite shield, the man just stands alongside the Serjeant, broadsword across his shoulders - far too informal for a proper knight.

A nod is given to Jarod and Tam, drawing a long breath and heeling the horse, but too late as Lorna sends the thing moving all alone. Isolde than looks to Ser Rygar as they pass him. "Warrior guide you if the there is need, goodcousin." Then she is heading north, away from the sounds heard, back to the tower and the waiting guards there as her own on foot follow in the wake of the ladies riding. Her gaze looks to those on foot, Iulia and the men. She sighs and narrows her gaze. It does not take long for the group to arrive at the tower. She waits for Lorna to dismount before grabbing at her skirts to do so as well, hitting the ground. "We must gather the servants to the higher floors and use the stairs to fend off any invaders…should there be need. They will prove a hard thing to scale while being pressed." She looks to Lucienn and Lorna, waiting yet fo Iulia to make certain she is back at the tower.

Harlyn also stands, waiting for instructions, with his sword still sheathed, wishing he'd carted his bow instead, less manly as it is.

The Terricks aren't smiling either, Rygar - at least, Lucienne isn't. She releases Jarod's hand reluctantly, and echoes his sentiment ("I love you! And you, Rowan, be safe!"), before kicking her horse savagely to spur him towards the Tower without a response for Lorna. Once there, she near jumps right out of the saddle, reins firmly in hand, looking to Isolde for instruction. "Invaders? Gracious Seven above, will it really come to that?"

Twisting around, Einion catches the knight.. and the Serjeant offers the older man something of a relieved smile. He inclines his head, dipping it properly, and "Aye, ser, it's a good day. An' if the Lord wishes it.." He pauses, "We'll be good for it, ser.. the men and I. I'm willing t'share."

Jarod holds still while Rowan double-checks his armor, meeting the squire's eyes for a moment. He flashes the slim young man a smile that's not quite reflected in them. "Stick close to me and do what I tell you. I'll watch your back." A pause and he adds. "We'll watch each other's." Once Rowan's repaired any of the fumbling he's done with his hasty armor application, he swings up onto his horse again. Nodding to Tam. He follows the common knight to…wherever they need to roll. Once he's made his way through the square to Einion, he echoes that sentiment. "Aye. We'll lend our blades here wherever needed. Just direct us to where that is."

Lorna dismounts promptly and in much the same cursory fashion as Isolde does, both being extremely competent horsewomen. "Yes, my lady." Lorna agrees. "I'll shall herd the kitchen staff and meet you at the stairs?" As she waits for approval, she let out a three-noted whistle in a curiously minor key. There is a corresponding bark, and moments later, her wolfhound is by her side. The dog seems to be alert to the tention, body trembling with excitement though she heels to Lorna right away.

Rygar offers a curt dip of the head and shoulders to Isolde as the Lady rides past. "Lady," he aknowledges the blessing plainly, as the guards with him bow to their liege. Although the Nayland knight does note the Terrick party near at hand, his first words are to Einion, "Serjeant Wycliffe, you may order your men forward to recieve their arms." that formality attended, he turns toward Jarod and Rowan. "Ser Rivers. Welcome again to Stonebridge," he delivers, evenly. "I see that you are armed, Ser. I must say that as you are not sworn to this holding, you and your squire are our guests; it ill befits us to permit you to come to danger. I recommend you take place at Tordane Tower, Ser."

When Tam answers Einion, his voice is loud enough for every man in the contingent to hear. The former mercenary-captain speaks with pure belligerent confidence, grinning crookedly at them. "It ain't the Trident, lad. I've seen these men drill - they're killers born. Trouble comes, they'll regret it. Just stand firm, ground your pikes, and dig in. Spit the whoresons like the dogs they are." After that, he falls silent as Rygar issues his instructions.

Rowan grabs the back of Jarod's neck and leans his forehead against the Terrick knight's. It's all very manly, no one be alarmed. "We'll watch each other's," he echoes, then shoves himself roughly out of the boy-embrace to mount his own horse.

<FS3> Starling rolls Alertness: Good Success.

Harlyn's guards have rejoined him, and Harlyn himself shrugs under his rather light armor as he glances around the assembled. It may be he is still looking for a subtle way to escape or for any sign that all this kerfuffle is simply overblown.

"I have arms and armor, Ser, and I am a knight sworn, which there seems to be need of at the moment," Jarod replies to Rygar. "So long as we are not raising arms against the Terricks today - which I rather doubt - I would render what assistance I can. I shall follow your command."

Lookng to Lucienne, Isolde draws a breath to steady herself and gather her thoughts. "I certainly hope not…but it is best to be prepared." She smiles and seems a little more composed now that the Tower looms above them. She gives the horses to what guards are left to defend and leads the way into the Tower. Milicent is found than, looking to the woman. "Gather what you can, all we will need. Bring it to the third floors…if we must we will use the treasury to keep them out. It is the safest room save for the parapet itself." She takes a moment to look around the large room and than presses her lips to a thin line. "I would have the Maester of the Tower at hand as well." She says firmly and it is then that Valda steps from the kitchen, looking to the ladies at their return. "Preparations are being made, all of you to the higher floors, if you will." The nee Frey leads the way, gracefully taking the curved stairs.

"Rowan, Ser Rivers…" Riordan pauses, eyeing the two men. "We certainly don't want to see either of you, especially as guests of Stonebridge, to be hurt. Please, choose wisely upon your decision. If this is a real fight, it could have dire consequences." But quickly comes the response from Jarod and he shakes his head, looking toward Rygar. "I suppose the decision has been made on their part, hmm? Unless you wish to force them not to fight? But we can use all the people we can get. Whether it is polite or not."

The approach of Jarod gives the Serjeant one more reason to dip his head in greeting before he grins broadly at Tam. It's the only response the knight'll receive before he turns to give the order to his men. "Weapons!" With that, he, too goes to the cart to gain his own, and something of a leather covering as basic protection. Once weapons are gained, Einion calls out to his 'rabble', "Form up when done! At Attention!"

Seeming bolstered, for some reason, the dark-haired girl on the roof of the stable draws a knee up onto the highest point of the thatch, seeking an even better vantage. The milling figures in the square below are observed with a brief glance, before Starling casts her dark-eyed gaze out toward the horizons again. In the grey morning light, a simple but evidently well-tended bow is revealed across her shoulder, and after a moment she shrugs free of it, resting it across her lap instead with a distracted air. Down below, a few of the less aged or stoic horses are stomping in agitation, hearing their comrades pass by outside and the occasional low, rumbling growl of the stablehand's dog is audible, even seated where she is. But that's not what she's listening for, now.

While not the last to arrive to the tower it does take Iulia some time to enter the courtyard, instantly in search of Isolde. When spotted the girl raises a hand, feet shuffling quickly in drawing closer. Close enough to hear the latest instructions for all the servants which she promptly follows, entering the tower and heading for the floors indicated.

Tam paces to the front of the line of militiamen calmly, whistling a bawdy tavern tune. Without any orders directed toward him, the mercenary-cum-knight seems to have taken it upon himself to bolster the confidence of the men around him. His insouciant manner is either a long-held affectation or true relish for the fight. Leaning against his shield once more, the man simply gazes southward as he whistles. He turns toward Einion after a pause. "Care for a pipe, Serjeant?" Again, loud enough for the militiamen to hear.

Lorna heads up to the third floor as instructed - but not without a brief stop at her rooms. The Frey is arming herself, it would seem. Quiver and bow at her back, blades slid into her boots. Even if she doesn't get to use them? She'd rather have them. And trying to take the stairs will be even more difficult for enemies if they get on the business end of her arrows. She doesn't seem too focused on them once she has them at hand however, instead putting herself at Isolde's side to serve as she needs and help keep the servants calm.

Rowan sits straight and tall in the saddle while his horse dances beneath him restlessly. Dark eyes shift back and forth between his kinsmen while they discuss whether he and Ser Jarod will be allowed to save people's lives. One dark eyebrow arches. "I fight with my knight," he says simply enough. That decision was made long ago.

"What is going on?" Lucienne questions Isolde, a line appearing on her forehead between her neat brows as she frowns. There's much to be done, though, and as Valda appears, she bobs a quick, obedient curtsy. "As my lady commands," she says, following up the stairs.

There are a lot of people to move to the higher levels of the tower, and Senna moves herself to the back of the group, all the better to take a few extra minutes gathering her supply of herbs and simples, and passing a few burlap bags of bread, fruits, and hard cheeses to others at the back of the group. Waterskins, too. Always best to be prepared.

With weapons in hand, there is certainly the thrum of excitement. The idea, now, that they may not be going after peasants; that something bigger and better is before them does send something of a buzz, even if they are formed up once again.. their backs still and stiff now that they know this is for real. Einion can't help but.. smile, and he shakes his head at the knight, partially in disbelief, and partially in amusement. "No ser.. but thank you." Rygar would kill him… taking a pipe with the knight?

Frowning, squinting a little as she peers out over the surroundings, the skinny stablehand up on the roof pushes her tongue thoughtfully against a canine tooth, as if momentarily uncertain quite what all the fuss is about. At least until she looks round a little further, little more than an absent-minded glance following the shouts and commands down below. In the same moment that her dark eyes widen, Starling hoists herself up fully to her knees, almost sending her bow flying and directs a shout down toward the gathering men, putting as much strength into her voice as the usually rather quiet hand can muster. "Oi! -OI!-" If anyone should even happen to glance the right direction, she emphasises her next words with a simple point, outstretching a skinny arm to point in the direction she needs them to understand. "The -RIVER-! There's boats on the -RIVER-!" As if perfect enunciation is going to help, she forms the words as clearly as possible.

Rygar sniffs sharply at Jarod's refusal to withdraw, and the words he does it with. "As is a knight's right, Ser." Riordan's response is met with a short shake of the head. "I will not compel a knight sworn to quit the field, cousin. Ser Jarod. Yourself and your squire shall be the reserve holding here, under Ser Riordan. I shall hold the line with the pikes and the armored foot," Armored foot, read: dismounted common knights. Then, the cry comes from a lookout, of ships on the river. Cold and composed, the knight speaks on: "We shall meet the enemy upon the waterfront, any of those who pass us, or present a flank to you are to be ridden down. Do your duty, Sers," he bids in parting, as the word is given for the levy to face east and march. "Ad-VANCE. Pikes!"

Up the stairs they go and Isolde is amongst the flow of servants, maids, and ladies. Looking to Lucienne, she smiles and takes her hand if allowed. She leads the Lady to her chambers quickly and begins to gather a few momentos. "I do not know what is going on. I am sure we will find out soon enough." She is quick to do what she needs and looks to Lucienne a moment. "If you will…come with me to the parapet so we can see. But I am not good with heights." She is shifting from the room to take to the stairs again, bypassing the third floor to head for the roof.

Harlyn is still acting as the least awe-inspiring noble knight who incidentally ended up in a Town Square muster and without his horse and bow and whine whine. He is all sidelong glances toward the tower, and the occasionally aversive twingey pat of his sword hilt. But when the shout is given, he glances roughly toward the river and then roughly toward Rygar and realizes he is part of the armored foot. Which means that if the pikes are advancing now, it only bears to reason he too will have to advance at some point. Bother.

Lorna notes Isolde heading for the stairs once more, presumably with Lucienne. Quick as a cat, she's headed that way too. She wants to see!

"No time for a smoke anyway, seems like," Tam drawls to Einion as the shouting comes. He raises his voice. "We'll slaughter the fucken whoresons in the shallows, lads. Like fish for the frying pan." As the pikemen begin their advance, Tam moves to their left flank, still whistling his jaunty tune and marching along with a steady, indefatigable pace.

"I am occasionally impolite, Ser, I'll confess it." Jarod flashes Riordan a quick grin as, after a short nod to Rygar, he takes a place alongside the elder brother Nayland. The expression is the sort one could normally call boyish, though with the underlying seriousness about him, it doesn't do much to lighten his eyes. As he waits, he looks over at Rowan. Grin fading. "I'll tell you what Ser Vernon told me once. If someone tries to hit you, hit them back with your sword, as hard as you can. Just keep doing that until nobody's trying to hit you anymore. Simple as that."

As quickly as the jesting comes, it departs once again, all seriousness as Lord Rygar arrives and takes command of their Quarter. The command, when given, is sounded in echo for his men. "For-WARD!!" And the fifty men, with their banner.. begin the advance towards the river's edge in formation. They've practiced.. and practiced.. and once again, it's time to test. Though this time, not against peasantry.

If there is one girl always allowed the familiarity of Lucienne's hand, it is Isolde. "I know, Issie," she says, pitching her voice soothingly to reassure the other girl about her acrophobia. "I'll come, we can hold hands. You'll be fine." The Frey lady joining them earns a flash of a smile, polite, and gone as swiftly as it comes.

Dropping back, Starling settles down once again flat on her stomach in the thatch, her bow firmly back in hand. Once at least somewhat secure, the skinny creature begins wriggling some arrows out of the quiver concealed under her long-coat, laying them out alongside herself. Just in case. All the while, those big eyes are staring toward the river. Unlike some of those at a lesser height… she can see exactly what's coming.

The longships become visible as the lines of pikemen march toward the water along the East Walk, prows carved into the heads of sea monsters, as- propelled swiftly by oars- the Ironborn seem to be driving toward the bridge.

"Right. Face!" bids the pikemen turn. "Charge. Pikes!" the call goes as long lines of spearheads go from overhead, into a keen line of steel and ashwood. "Forward. March!" as the Ironborn splash ashore, and charge howling into the ranks of armed rabble', blood curdling invocations to the Drowned God on their lips.

Squeezing Luci's hand, she keeps her close as they enter into the open air, Isolde clings even tighter and than looks to Lorna. The river to the east is enough to draw her gaze, the levies looking so small from the top of the Tower. Though the height for a moment plays with her and she grips onto Lucienne at her side. There is a slow increase of the pace of her breathing. "Ships…are those ships?" She asks.

Senna joins the other servants on the third floor…only to find the ladies missing. There's a flicker of irritation across her features, but after a few reassuring words to one of the younger serving girls, she slips away from the group to climb the parapet. She doesn't approach the noble group, but instead stands a quiet watch near the stairs, where she can see both outside and in.

Harlyn does his best to advance manfully, he does. He takes deep breaths, he keeps his eyes forward. He has his shield on one arm and his sword drawn with the other. He is walking instead of riding, which considering how wretched he is on a horse, is all for the best. Yes, this, too, is also for the best. No need to grind teeth or hyperventilate or compose apologetic letters to one's parents. Just advance - as the enemy readies in turn.

With the order given, Einion does that which he is commanded.. and the levy of pikemen go to meet the barbarians at the shore.. pikes drawn and deadly.

Jarod looks askance at Riordan while the levies advance. Those green eyes narrowing. Before they're really thrust into the thick of anything, he is compelled to note. "Nice armor you've got there. Reminds me of someone's. He had a nicer helm to go with it, though."

"Yes." Lorna says in response to Isolde's question, standing at the edge of the parapet, grips the stone and leans forward a bit, narrowing her eyes. "I'm trying to make out their standard…"

Just as the two lines are about to crash together, a small band of Ironborn on the northern end of the raider's line go dashing around the end of the Stonebridge pikes, looking to get around the deadly points, and roll up the line.

<FS3> Isolde rolls Heraldry: Success.
<FS3> Lorna rolls Heraldry: Success.
<FS3> Lucienne rolls Heraldry: Good Success.
<FS3> Starling rolls Heraldry: Success.

Riordan smirks. "Thank you. I quite fancy myself this armor. Though the helm was a bit too…drab for my liking." Then, glancing to both Rowan and Jarod, he gives them both a little nod. "Be careful. Rowan, remember, this is part of what your training as a squire has been teaching you to do. From what I understand from Ser Rivers, you are practically ready to be knighted. Which means you're ready for all this. We both have faith in your ability." He glances at the lines moving ahead of them. "Alright, gentleman. Move forward!"

"Steady, lads.. Steady.." Tam's croon comes from the left of the line as the men move forward. He's all-business now, the whistling halted. He spots the flankers, turning in their direction to receive them - and hopefully to help fend off a disaster. "Ware the flank!" His roar is audible over the din, and he grins away any fear that might be stabbing at him. Setting himself, the man waits for his enemy to come to him.

Rowan glances at Riordan, then at Jarod, then back to Riordan again, looking a little nonplussed at the pep talk. He nods his head, however, and is gracious enough when he speaks. "Thank you, brother. Warrior be with you." To Jarod, he says simply, "Don't die." It's said blunt enough, yet underwritten with volumes of feeling.

<COMBAT> Raider 07 attacks Riordan with Bludgeon & Shield - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Raider 04 attacks Levy 01 with Thrown Spear - Moderate wound to Right Leg.
<COMBAT> Raider 04's weapon clicks empty.
<COMBAT> Raider 03 attacks Einion with Spear & Shield but Einion DODGES!
<COMBAT> Levy 06 attacks Raider 06 with Pike and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Levy 02 attacks Raider 02 with Pike but Raider 02 DODGES!
<COMBAT> Raider 09 attacks Rowan with Spear & Shield but Rowan DODGES!
<COMBAT> Raider 06 attacks Rygar with Spear & Shield but Rygar DODGES!
<COMBAT> Raider 02 attacks Harlyn with Sword & Shield but Harlyn DODGES!
<COMBAT> Raider 01 attacks Tam with Thrown Axe - ARMOR on Head stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Raider 01's weapon clicks empty.
<COMBAT> Levy 04 attacks Raider 04 with Pike but Raider 04 DODGES!
<COMBAT> Levy 03 attacks Raider 03 with Pike - ARMOR on Neck stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Chieftan attacks Rygar with Polearm - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Raider 08 attacks Jarod with Sword & Shield - Light wound to Right Arm.
<COMBAT> Raider 05 attacks Gedeon with Bludgeon & Shield - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Levy 05 attacks Raider 05 with Pike - Serious wound to Neck (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Levy 01 attacks Raider 01 with Pike and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Tam attacks Raider 01 with Sword & Shield but Raider 01 DODGES!
<COMBAT> Rygar attacks Chieftan with Polearm and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Rowan attacks Raider 09 with Sword & Shield - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Riordan attacks Raider 08 with Spear & Shield - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Jarod attacks Raider 07 with Greatsword - ARMOR on Neck stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Harlyn attacks Raider 02 with Sword & Shield - Light wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Gedeon attacks Raider 05 with Broadsword - ARMOR on Abdomen stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Einion attacks Raider 03 with Pike - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).

<COMBAT> Jarod has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider 05 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider 08 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Riordan has been KO'd!

<COMBAT> Jarod spends a luck point to keep fighting!

As the two lines crash together, Tam roars out his battlecry. "/A Coop, a Coop!/" A throwing axe glances off his helmet and he slashes at the man - off-balance as he is, the grizzled knight only manages to force his momentarily-unarmed opponent back onto his heels. The hedge knight advances swiftly to close on the enemy and finish him off, his shouts now wordless cries. Teeth gleaming as he grins, the man snarls a challenge to his opponent.

Shoulder to almost-shoulder, their hands joined, Lucienne moves with Isolde, an ease about it that could only have come from years of practice. "I've got you," she says firmly, her glance following out as Lorna confirms the arrival of the ships. "Lorna, my lady," she begins gently, her eyes narrowing distractedly at the banners below, "Might you take Isolde's other hand?"

Harlyn manages to sidestep his chosen opponent, why, veritably his clone in sword and shield, and further manages to nick the raider across the stomach. He looks positively shocked at this turn of events, and then recovers quickly enough to move in for another stroke. It would be embarrassing to be incapacitated by success instead of failure, after all.

And there's a solid hit to his target! Einion swings his pike around in that small arc and pushes up. He can feel armour give, skin give.. and there's that familiar grating feeling in the shaft of his pike. With a thrust to drive it home, he pulls it out for another strike to send the Ironbound back to their Drowned God. "Green!"

Although more than one pike bows from the force of impact upon shields and maile, the pike line holds against the initial ironborn onslaught, though the hail of thrown spears and axes in advance of the blows struck do draw blood of at least one Riverman. Seeking out the most well armored of the knights afoot, the Ironborn chieftan, under a grey fist-and-lightning banner, trades blows with Rygar, staggering the kngiht, but drawing no blood.

As the foes begin to clash, her gaze narrows to try to see as well but their movement has brought Isolde far too close to the crenelations. The Lady goes white with the view of the ground expanding and she reaches out for Lorna with her free hand, though Luci is apt to feel the deathold with her other. She is breathing a bit more quickly now. "Ironborn…" She whispers and there is a sound of dismay. "Pray that the levies hold…" She manages despite the choking fear of the height they are at, she's forcing herself to focus.

It may be a good thing maile covers hair, as at least one blond head is fighting against the ironborn. In the group of surging knights and men-at-arms, Gedeon swings his blade at one of the raiders, though it bounces off of his armor. Gedeon's own armor is just as true, warding off injury as the ironborn brings his weapon down. His focus on Gedeon, the raider doesn't see the levyman that comes up beside him, though the ironborn feels well enough the pike in the neck that ends him.

"Hmm?" Lorna doesn't quite look away immediately, then turns her head to look at the pair, comprehension dawning. "Oh, yes, of course." She moves away somewhat from the edge, letting her fingers twine with Isolde's on the opposite side of Lucienne's. "They'll hold." she says with quiet confidence. "The men are well trained." Her gaze does keep darting toward the battle though, trying to pick out familiar faces.

Riding in quickly behind the group that surged before him and his companions, Riordan is able to make a hit on one of the Raiders, before being hit himself, a little more hard than his armor was able to protect him from, making him from from his horse, gasping for breath. He tries to stand, the world spinning around him, attempting to pull out the sword from it's sheath. Before he's able to, however, he falls unconscious.

"I always found the wings a bit over-dramatic, myself," Jarod says to Riordan, as to the helmet he apparently isn't wearing. "I am but half an eagle, though." And then they're fighting Ironborn, and there's no more time to chatter. Jarod rides straight into it along with Riordan, greatsword raised high and coming down low for cleaving purposes. He's not low quite quick enough to hit the right angle to pierce his foe's armor. He himself earns a glancing blow to his arm where his breastplate doesn't quite cover, though it's but a fleshwound. Riordan, however, is not so lucky. He wheels his horse around as the Nayland knight falls, trying to put himself between the unconscious man and the barbarian horde.

From her vantage point, Starling shifts her gaze from the formidable ships to watch the first clash of the two lines, still wide-eyed but with an expression of concentration, gauging this first advance of the enemy and its success. It's far from a pretty sight, of course, but the events unfolding demand the attention of all eyes with the misfortune of looking upon them. With a white-knuckle grip upon her bow, the stablehand can do nothing but watch as men are felled left and right, the clamour of armored bodies and the whirl of blades dizzying. Quite what hope she has as far as holding where she is remains to be seen… has she ever actually killed anything larger than a rabbit with that battered old weapon she's hanging on to? Perhaps she's simply transfixed by the tableau laid out below.

"We have you, Issie," murmurs Lucienne, squeezing back on Isolde's hand. "Look up, toward the horizon. It'll steady your feet." She's still studying the banners, a frown set firmly upon her face as Isolde identifies the invaders as Ironborn… "It's… Harlaw vassals. House… Kenning? Harlaw vassals!" Her knuckles whiten as she increases her grip on poor Isolde's hand, and spits, "That vile creature!"

Jarod sheathes his sword for a moment. His hands are occupied trying to grasp the reins of Riordan's horse, as the man sits slumped in his saddle. "Keep them off me, I'll try and get him clear of this," he orders Rowan tersely. He doesn't have time to say more than that.

<COMBAT> Raider 04 attacks Gedeon with Bludgeon & Shield but Gedeon DODGES!
<COMBAT> Levy 05 attacks Raider 05 with Pike - Moderate wound to Left Arm.
<COMBAT> Levy 02 attacks Raider 02 with Pike - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Raider 05 attacks Levy 06 with Spear & Shield - Moderate wound to Chest.
<COMBAT> Raider 03 attacks Einion with Spear & Shield - Light wound to Right Leg.
<COMBAT> Raider 02 attacks Harlyn with Sword & Shield - Moderate wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Raider 01 attacks Tam with Bludgeon & Shield but Tam DODGES!
<COMBAT> Levy 04 attacks Raider 04 with Pike - ARMOR on Neck stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Levy 03 attacks Raider 03 with Pike - ARMOR on Neck stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Raider 07 attacks Jarod with Bludgeon & Shield and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Raider 06 attacks Rowan with Sword & Shield - Critical wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Levy 06 attacks Raider 06 with Pike and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Levy 01 attacks Raider 01 with Pike and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Chieftan attacks Rygar with Polearm but Rygar DODGES!
<COMBAT> Tam attacks Raider 01 with Sword & Shield - ARMOR on Abdomen stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Rygar attacks Chieftan with Polearm and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Rowan attacks Raider 06 with Sword & Shield - ARMOR on Neck stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Jarod passes.
<COMBAT> Harlyn attacks Raider 02 with Sword & Shield - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Gedeon attacks Raider 04 with Broadsword - Moderate wound to Right Arm.
<COMBAT> Einion attacks Raider 03 with Pike - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!

<COMBAT> Einion has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Harlyn has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Levy 06 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider 04 has been KO'd!

<COMBAT> Einion spends a luck point to keep fighting!

As Tam snarls his challenge toward the bearded raider, the man falls back long enough to whip out his mace and swing it toward the hedge knight's skull. But the grizzled old warrior seems to have seen this coming, sidestepping and riposting with a thrust toward the man's throat. The tip of his blade catches on the other man's armor, glancing off and away without penetrating.

Einion knows he's got that raider at the end of his pike.. he did before, and there's a thrust just for that raider again. The tip of his pike hits metal this time, and doesn't find the seam that he'd gotten before in the earlier thrust. He's committed, however, and there's a swipe to his leg, and he stumbles.. but a hand reaches out to steady him, and he regains his footing. A single word moves through the pikemen.. "Green!!"

Another raider replaces the first a moment after he falls, and Gedeon leans sharply to the right to avoid another swinging bludgeon. It whistles through the air, and the blond knight sinks his blade into the Ironborn's raised arm. The cut is deep enough that the raider drops his weapon and staggers back, lost in the tide of the fight.

No one could ever accuse Harlyn of over-confidence, but they might accuse him of general atrophied lack of skill. His next strike against his foe rebounds off the raider's armor as the Ironborn's blade gouges through his armor. He staggers back bleeding, trying to put a smarter distance between himself and his foes.

"Harlaws…" She knows that name. Isolde looks to Lucienne, finding some help in holding the ladies' hands. "What vile creature?" She asks curiously and than there is a thought. "We must send word. Gather the Maester. We have to send work to the Mire and to the Roost. Word must also reach the crossing and Tully…" The Lady of Stonebridge does not like what she sees below and there is a darkening of her gaze despite the odd swaying that the tower seems to do suddenly.

"I'll see to it, m'lady," Senna says from the stairs at Isolde's words, already turning to move down the stairs.

Lucienne scowls, tearing her eyes from the battle unfolding to explain crisply (and not particularly helpfully) to Isolde: "Kathryna Harlaw. It's a long story. Here, Lady Lorna, we should take the lady Nayland below, we've seen enough up here." The look bestowed upon the Frey girl is easily read as worry, and the way Isolde reels between them speaks to the need for haste.

Jarod guides Riordan's horse out of the fray proper. Though, with a glance over his shoulder, he doesn't go much farther than to deposit the Nayland knight and his horse in a nearby alleyway. Ideally in such a manner that the man won't get trampled. "I'll come back for you if they start burning that which's by you, m'lord," he mutters, not that the man can hear them. With that, he wheels his horse sharp and rides back toward the Ironborn. Spurring hard at the one on Rowan.

The first one of the Stonebridge levy to fall does so, victim to a gutwound that drops him and his pike to the riverbank with a clatter and splash. the line wavers slightly, but holds firm, as the weight of numbers remains with the defenders, for the moment.

"And the Twins." Lorna says, her voice grave as she watches the battle. She looks after Senna thoughtfully before asking, "Who is Kathryna Harlaw?" Obligingly she curls her hand around Isolde's arm and helps to bring her below.

After landing a brutal swordblow to Rowan's torso, one reaver employs the time-tested method of defeating a kngiht on horseback: drag him off the horse.

"Yes, the Crossing.." Isolde looks to Lorna and there is a large measure of relief as they start to go below, though her eyes look back to the battle near the river. "Luci, I am hoping you will give us the chance to hear more of this Harlaw, as long a story as it may be. We have nothing but time at the moment." That alone does not seem to agree with her.

<COMBAT> Chieftan attacks Rygar with Polearm - Moderate wound to Neck (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Levy 05 attacks Raider 06 with Pike - Moderate wound to Right Arm.
<COMBAT> Levy 03 attacks Raider 02 with Pike - Critical wound to Neck (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Raider 06 attacks Jarod with Sword & Shield - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Raider 02 attacks Gedeon with Sword & Shield but Gedeon DODGES!
<COMBAT> Raider 01 attacks Tam with Bludgeon & Shield - ARMOR on Neck stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Levy 04 attacks Raider 05 with Pike and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Levy 02 attacks Raider 01 with Pike and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Raider 05 subdues Rowan!
<COMBAT> Raider 04 attacks Levy 05 with Bludgeon & Shield - Moderate wound to Right Leg.
<COMBAT> Raider 03 attacks Einion with Spear & Shield - Light wound to Abdomen.
<COMBAT> Levy 01 attacks Raider 02 with Pike - Serious wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tam attacks Raider 01 with Sword & Shield - Serious wound to Neck (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Rygar attacks Chieftan with Polearm - Light wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Rowan passes.
<COMBAT> Jarod attacks Raider 05 with Greatsword - Light wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Gedeon attacks Raider 02 with Broadsword - Moderate wound to Left Hand.
<COMBAT> Einion attacks Raider 03 with Pike - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Elf has started a new turn. Pose and choose your action.

<COMBAT> Jarod has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Levy 05 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider 02 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Raider 03 has been KO'd!

<COMBAT> Jarod spends a luck point to keep fighting!

Another raider faces Gedeon with an ax and a shield, but the blond knight manages to duck back and avoid its swing. He aims again for the arm, though it's the ironborn's hand Gedeon's steel slices into. It's a deep cut, though, that bleeds heavily, and the only way the raider manages to keep his weapon is by cradling it against his chest as he stumbles away.

There are a few figures in the bloodcurdling melee that elicit a fractional pause of Starling's roaming gaze, before it continues onward, having found them, at least, still standing. For now. Despite being a considerable enough distance away, the girl's breathing is softer now, shallower, without her even seeming to notice. Impatiently pushing aside errant strands of dark hair from her eyes, her tousled locks being tossed about in the brisk morning breeze, she settles herself again to motionless silence, ears ringing with the clash of weapons, shields and armor down in the streets below.

"A Coop!" Tam's roars are as much annoyed as they are angry - he does not like seeing this bastard still on his feet, and goes after the bearded raider with a vengeance. The other man's axe glances off the side of his neck, luckily stopped by his maile, and he retaliates with a hack that drives deep into the raider's neck, ripping his sword free and spraying himself with blood. "-Just fucken die!" Somehow, the raider fails to oblige.

Einion takes a hit, but it's more like a flailing blow, and if he had even some armour on, it'd have been nothing. A cut upon his weak leg and now a cut across his stomach.. and the serjeant is still leaning heavily against his pike until the reaver is down.. and out… and still he presses to hear the gurgling from the enemy's chest. "Green!" is called.. and there are some weaker cries.. and some absent ones.

Rygar has fought in silence throughout the bloody engagement, it is not until the Ironborn chieftan's axe scores his gorget and starts a trickle of blood beneath his maile that a grunt escapes the stern knight's composure. Still he and th hulking reaver captain trade blow for blow, even as the second of the levymen fall, with the loss of another man, the formation will lose it's cohesion. but the Stonebridge pikes have taken a gory toll of the Ironmen who splash ashore, and the ferocious raiders are beginning to lose momentum.

Dragon screams and rears in the fray, spinning around to face one attacker and the next as Rowan Nayland is beset on all sides. At some point, the boy's taken a grave wound, right through she spot where his maile coat and sleeves join. Through the chest. His armor glistens a sick, wet pink, and Dragon's side is wet with his rider's blood. It's little wonder, then, that in the next moment, the fierce red stallion is riderless.

"Rowan!" Jarod shouts it rather desperately as he throws himself and his brown charger at the Ironman on his squire. His sword lands a hit, but it's glancing. Perhaps because he's also being harried by an entirely different Ironman. Though all Jarod really does it try and dodge his assailant, focusing on the barbarian who has left his squire unhorsed.

<COMBAT> Raider 06 attacks Jarod with Sword & Shield - Light wound to Left Arm.
<COMBAT> Raider 05 continues to subdue Rowan.
<COMBAT> Raider 04 attacks Gedeon with Bludgeon & Shield but Gedeon DODGES!
<COMBAT> Raider 01 attacks Tam with Bludgeon & Shield - Light wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Levy 03 attacks Raider 04 with Pike but Raider 04 DODGES!
<COMBAT> Levy 02 attacks Raider 01 with Pike - Moderate wound to Right Leg.
<COMBAT> Levy 01 attacks Raider 06 with Pike but Raider 06 DODGES!
<COMBAT> Chieftan attacks Rygar with Polearm - Light wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Levy 04 attacks Raider 05 with Pike but Raider 05 DODGES!
<COMBAT> Tam attacks Raider 01 with Sword & Shield - Critical wound to Head (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Rygar attacks Chieftan with Polearm - Light wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Rowan attempts to escape from Raider 05 but fails!
<COMBAT> Jarod attacks Raider 05 with Greatsword - Light wound to Right Arm.
<COMBAT> Gedeon attacks Raider 04 with Broadsword - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Einion attacks Raider 01 with Pike - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!

With Lorna's help, Lucienne begins to steer Isolde towards the stairs, her grip still firm on the Nayland Lady. "She's a diplomat, supposedly," explains the Terrick girl, her voice dripping with venom. "It can't be any great coincidence that mere weeks after her arrival in the Roost, reavers arrive here." And if there are folks from Harlaw Isle attacking here… Lucienne pales again, clutching at her chest with her free hand.

A brief grimace crosses Tam's features as his beleaguered opponent finally manages to land a glancing blow to the side of his ribs, starting a tiny trickle of blood. He laughs it off and steps in, smashing his shield up into the other man's nose with a satisfying -crunch-, sending more blood spraying into the air. "/Just lie down!/" snarls the knight, even as he prepares to drive his sword upward in what promises - hopefully - to be a telling blow.

Luck holds to Gedeon today, and he again manages to avoid the next reaver's ax with a quick duck out of the way. His own swing does little better, however, connecting but glancing harmlessly off the armor on the raider's chest. Pale eyes narrow as Gedeon readies for another go, though his chin lifts a little when he hears, or thinks he heard a word. A name. But there's still the ironborn before him to deal with, and his focus centers on that.

Einion pulls his pike from the downed reaver's body and moves to take on one that has been in his periphery— and pushes his pike at the reaver's midsection. Again, there's a clink as the tip of the pike catches metal and it glances. No matter, however.. and the serjeant pulls it back and makes for another stab from the side. This one is.. apparently rather hard to kill?

The raider who has hauled the bleeding Rowan from his horse, thwarts an effort at escape from the squire and draws up on his knees, bringing the spear to bear on the pinned Nayland, with a rough shout.

Likjely more for the griebous head wound than Tam's ordered shout, but the aflficted Ironborn is driven to the ground, staggering backward half blinded, with shield raised. A few hesitant steps backward leave him in the shallows, and the man looks to try and stagger back to his boat.

"If they are attacking the Roost…it will be well. You have a great many knights and Four Eagles Tower is well fortified." Isolde says, where her fear of heights is soothed by the two women, she tries to soothe Luci's fears. "We will send word. I am sure they will do the same if they are in duress." She offers a warm smile and when the stares down into the tower are made, there is a measure of composure returning to the lady. "So. You had a diplomat of sorts. I knew it." There is a soft word. "When the Ironborn left in such a hurry after that duel. It was to no good. The men will rout them." She says it in certainty. "We should pray for them."

<COMBAT> Levy 02 attacks Raider 01 with Pike - Light wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Chieftan attacks Rygar with Polearm - Moderate wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Raider 04 attacks Gedeon with Bludgeon & Shield but Gedeon DODGES!
<COMBAT> Raider 01 passes.
<COMBAT> Levy 04 attacks Raider 05 with Pike and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Levy 01 attacks Raider 06 with Pike - Moderate wound to Left Hand.
<COMBAT> Raider 06 attacks Jarod with Sword & Shield but Jarod DODGES!
<COMBAT> Raider 05 attacks Rowan with Spear & Shield but Rowan DODGES!
<COMBAT> Levy 03 attacks Raider 04 with Pike - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tam attacks Raider 01 with Sword & Shield - NEAR MISS!
<COMBAT> Rygar attacks Chieftan with Polearm but Chieftan DODGES!
<COMBAT> Rowan attacks Raider 05 with Sword & Shield and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Jarod attacks Raider 05 with Greatsword - Light wound to Left Leg.
<COMBAT> Gedeon attacks Raider 04 with Broadsword - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Einion attacks Raider 01 with Pike - Serious wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).

<COMBAT> Raider 06 has been KO'd!

"We must pray to the Seven that the levy will turn back the tide." Lorna murmurs, and then, "Were either of you able to see our men amongst them?"

An 'Oom-ph' escapes from the Ironborn Chieftain's exposed face as Rygar's pole hammer knocks him in the gut. Judging by the way he pulled back instinctively and that he's not fallen, it was a glancing blow, though the massive Kenning reaver's face betrays his pain. His axe found Rygar, though again its double sided blade only barely pushed into the Nayland's brigandine. His eyes narrow, and he must be sensing his men falling and reeling back to their boats. "IRONBORN! WHAT IS DEAD MAY NEVER DIE!"

As if to accentuate this statement and lead by example, the Kenning chieftain steps forward and lifts his axe above his head, sidestepping the Nayland's weapon and smashing it down into his chest.

Tam As the raider falls back toward the water, Tam's sword whistles just beyond his jaw. He sees Serjeant Wycliffe close in from the flank, however, his pike driving into the man's chest. "Bastard's all yours, Serjeant!" roars the hedge knight. He wheels away, seeking a combatant with more fire in his belly and fixing on the man that lingers over the prone figure of Rowan. Closing the distance with surprising speed for such a large man, Tam attempts to drive the Ironborn back off the squire.

Jarod ignores the Ironborn attacking him. Fortunately for him, the levy has that one covered. He takes a swing at the one with the spear at Rowan's chest. It's a rather desperate swing, lowered with a guttural cry. It doesn't do more than graze the raider, but perhaps it's at least distracting. "Rowan, can you get up?!" he shouts it down desperately. "Get on your horse if you can. With all you can. We're done, lad. We ride to the tower."

Rygar's balance is threatened by the crushing blow of the oversized axe, although the Nayland knight grits his teeth in invisible pain behind the visor. Raising his pole hammer anew, the stern Nayland returns, "Come then, ser, and you die to die again." Bloodied but yet unbroken, Rygar steps to the attack once again, even as the assault devolves bloodily into a rout.

Tension tightens along Starling's jawline as the fighting becomes fiercer or - in some cases - desperate. Pressing her weight on her elbows, the youngster shuffles forward on the thatched roof, rising again up to the peak of the structure and slowly drawing up a knee to secure a more upright position. The arrows she had earlier set in the thick straw are tugged a little closer toward her boot, within easy reach, while her dark eyes remain on the increasingly bloody battle taking place down below.

"Got him ser!" Einion gets a full jab and the pike sinks into the fold of armour.. burying it. A wiggle is given, searching for the man's obviously still pumping heart. But by the Seven, the creature is still NOT GOING DOWN! "Green!!!" The pikeman's rallying cry.. and he waits to hear that response from his men. They're doing well.. better, though they don't know it, than the others..

"That girl, the one who went to inform your maester, is she…" Lucienne gulps down a breath. "Will she… to the Roost? I know… the rift, Issie, I…" Her speech a stuttering, broken mess, the Terrick girl simply stops, keeping the rest of her despair to herself as they descend the stairs.

"Anywhere the ravens will fly," Senna is just telling the Maester in the chambers below, already bent over a desk and helping to scrawl out the messages. "That did not look promising." At least she says the last low enough not to be heard by most.

Oh. Shit. There are a few things a lad would like to see when looking up from a prone position, but a frothing Ironborn about to pin him with a spear is NOT one of them. Rowan manages, with a combination of desperate shieldwork and the leverage of his legs, to dodge that would-be-lethal blow. He stabs up, blindly, and misses. Then Jarod's shouting — it doesn't make a lot of sense to him, but it gets the squire lurchingly on his feet. Horse. There. Brave, foolish, rash as Rowan Nayland has a wont to be, this is when it all really counts — and he obeys.

"Hah! I'm no Ser, Riverlander, but I'll take your wager none the less!" Whether or not the Kenning chieftain would flee on another day, he is too engrossed in his combat with Rygar to do so this time. His feet are firmly plantes, green eyes widened, crazed even, a combination of pain and battle frenzy. His fingers flex about the handle of his massive axe and raises it oncemore, seeking to smash Rygar from the side with its massive blade.

Nodding to Lorna, "I could not make out specific faces….I am sure they are doing well…" It is a matter of giving hope. But it is to Lucienne that Isolde looks. "It would be in everyones interest to alert all the houses near us. Why would we not? Word will be sent. If you fee the need to send something, or to check with the Maester, we will go and speak to him to make certain a raven is sent." She offers with a squeeze of her hand. "Let us go find the Maester…" Something to occupy their time.

Harlyn does have certain key instincts. Not for battle, but for shadows and copses and the eddies and lulls of conflict where a man might conceal himself away. Harlyn has found a place to crouch and watch, adrenaline-tense, but at least semi-secure for the moment. He has his shield arm clenched over his wounded stomach and his eye on the boats.

Swish, clang, more of the same. The raider misses, but Gedeon's swing only bounces off of armor. He looks over at the Chieftan's roar and his jaw clenches. The raider is ignored as Gedeon moves towards the leader of the ironborn party, the one Ser Rygar faces.

Jarod nods to Tam as the man comes in to deal with the Ironman who was formerly so attached to Rowan. It's the most thanks he can offer. "Stay with me," he says simply to his squire, urging his horse away. At a slow back. Rowan is pretty broken, and he'll need to detour to pick up unconscious Riordan.

<COMBAT> Levy 02 attacks Raider 04 with Pike - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Raider 05 attacks Tam with Spear & Shield - Critical wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Raider 04 attacks Gedeon with Bludgeon & Shield - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Raider 01 passes.
<COMBAT> Levy 04 attacks Raider 05 with Pike - Serious wound to Right Hand.
<COMBAT> Levy 03 attacks Raider 04 with Pike - Moderate wound to Neck (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Chieftan attacks Rygar with Polearm - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Levy 01 attacks Raider 04 with Pike but Raider 04 DODGES!
<COMBAT> Tam attacks Raider 05 with Sword & Shield - Light wound to Left Arm.
<COMBAT> Rygar attacks Chieftan with Polearm but Chieftan DODGES!
<COMBAT> Rowan passes.
<COMBAT> Jarod passes.
<COMBAT> Gedeon attacks Chieftan with Broadsword - Light wound to Right Leg (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Einion attacks Raider 05 with Pike - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).

<COMBAT> Chieftan has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Gedeon has been KO'd!

<COMBAT> Gedeon spends a luck point to keep fighting!

Tam's charge has left him open, and he takes a grievous wound through the side - the reaver's spear punches through his cheap maile like a hot knife through butter. The doughty hedge knight staggers forward as the man yanks his weapon clear, blood streaming down his side, and hacks at him, scoring only a glancing blow down the man's side. "A Coop!" He grins horribly at the man as Einion's pike comes in from the side, driving into the Ironborn's chest, and raises his sword for a final blow.

The bastard reaver is running.. er.. limping back to his longboat, and Einion would love to follow, but there is no breaking ranks. Period. They're not some rabble, but a finely trained, well tuned pike line, and that is what they're remain. It's times like these as well that formation and order are so very important. So, instead, the serjeant takes aim at the one going after Tam.. even as the hedge knight attacks. He winces to see the knight hit.. and buries his own pike into reaver's chest. It's not buried quite so deeply as the other, undoubtedly striking rib, but it's a good and proper wound.. and he has to wiggle the tip in order to get it out..

Gedeon ducks past the raider facing him, but not so well as he might. The ax finds a place between his arm and torso, a sliver of space in his maile, and leaves a gash that makes the knight gasp and stagger a step before moving onward. With a shout, he approaches the side of the chieftan, blade swinging low and managing a cut across his right leg.

"Oh," Lucienne murmurs, in response to Isolde. "Oh." And again, "Oh." She simply nods at the suggestion they go find the Maester; anything to keep them occupied.

Senna is already with the Maester, the pair having penned out half a dozen messages. Ironborn ships on the river, attacking. Possibly repulsed, but defenses are limited. A rough count of numbers - fairly accurate - from Senna's observations. Houses. "We should get these out while they're occupied with battle, too busy to shoot down the birds," Senna says quietly.

Cowardly whoresons. Drawing a deep breath, straightening her back and keeping her midsection taut - at least as much as possible given a rather precarious stance atop th stable roof - Starling notches one of her simple arrows and draws back the string of her bow; the aged wood creaking softly in protest under the strain. Narrowing her brown eyes, the stablehand focuses on the fleeing back of the men now fleeing, having taken his swing at the blond knight down below. It's worth a shot for that alone.

The melee has turned to a rout, for as the Rivermen wounded filter toward the rear and the relative safety of the town and tower beyond, the Ironborn have been stopped at the shore, and finall are pushed back at pike point, no longer looking for blood, and seeking simply to avoid spilling more of their own.

"That is a good idea…" Isolde catches Senna's words and looks to them both. "Where are you sending the birds to and how many to each?" She asks glad to have some sort of distraction. "The Lady Lucienne wished to make certain that a bird was being sent to the Roost." She looks between the Maester and Senna, trusting them to the message.

Rygar takes another blow in his contest with the Kenning chieftan, taller than his foe, but lacking by half in his foeman's weight. To the other's challenge his only words are "Lay on, then." Although his own hammerblow does not bite into the enemy, the stern knight peers through his visor as another's blow striked his rival.

Lorna looks like she wants to go back up on the ramparts, but she stays at the side of the other two ladies. "We should prepare for the incoming, shouldn't we? We're going to need," she swallows little bit, "An awful lot of bandages."

The Ironborn, the Kenning chieftain, smashes his axe into Rygar's side. He's grinning like a fool, now, and he thinks he's winning. The massive, green eyed reaver has complete tunnel vision - he has no notion of Ser Gedeon approaching him, and when the man's blade slashes across the back of his knee, his tunnel vision closes completely in. The man's leg can no longer hold him up and he goes crashing into the ground, head bouncing off a rock as he falls. Blood is streaming into his eyes and from his leg, now.

"Water is boiling below, m'lady," Senna notes to Lorna, glancing up from the parchments. "Lord Rygar asked me to see to it before he left. I brought up some supplies as well," she adds with a nod toward the basket, "But I think we'll need more than I could grab on the way up. M'lady." Reavers or no, the woman is remarkably steady in the midst of battle.

Rygar regards the Kenning's fall, with his own guard still high, turning a sharp look toward the knight in maile who stepped to his aid, and siezing about the field as the surviving raiders flee. Only then does he look again to Gedeon, and down to the Kenning. "What is dead.." he comments flatly, "Is dead." Looking beyond the Rivers kngiht, he raises his polearm and prompts, "Stonebridge!"

Lucienne drops a look to her slippered feet, a blush rising in her cheeks as Isolde mentions her concerns. She mumbles something, pronunciation so twisted as to be unintelligible, and lifts a meek look back up to Senna. "I could… fetch more. I know my way about the tower," she admits, "If you just tell me what you need, miss?"

The other knight peers at Rygar, panting softly, now it seems there's time to breathe. Oh. And to hurt. Gedeon's free hand lifts to touch his maile where it's gone rosy with blood. He smiles as the other man raises his cry, before he asks, "What would you have done with him, ser?" He nods towards the fallen chieftain. "It seems your walls have been lacking in heads, as of late."

Rygar sniffs sharply at Gedeon's quip. "There is always a place for one more head, Ser."

There's a somewhat weak rejoinder from the pikemen, but it's there all the same, minus a fair few voices. "Stonebridge!" and soon after, "Green!". They'd routed Ironborn, and in that, they can find some rest. At least for the rest of the day? Einion pulls his pike back.. the enemies are going to be too distant, and will be dead, undoubtedly. "Stonebridge!" is called.. and he's well pleased.

As the raiders flee, Harlyn extricates himself from his crouch, rising into a stumbled kind of stand, but he keeps his arm where it is. His shout of "Stonebridge!" is a wee weak, but only a wee, right?

"Perhaps we can see to organzing the main hall below. Move the tables and chairs so that those injured have places to sit and we have more room." Isolde offer. "We should make room for those who will be seen in, hopefully without the enemy flanking them." She nods to Senna and Lorna. "Thank you mistress.." She says in reference to her work.

Tam As the Ironborn flee the field, Tam turns to make his way toward the town's center, a hand pressed to his gut to staunch the flow of blood. Presumably he is off to see the Maester - one of many wounded men the healers will be tending to tonight.

Einion isn't all that 'injured', per se.. it's just the damage done to his already injured leg makes it a little more difficult to walk than usual. Using his own pike as something of a crutch, he calls his pikemen to order, as many as are able to respond, that is. "Pikes!" His voice is hoarse, tired.. but proud. "Form on me!"

"I shall keep that in mind, ser," Gedeon responds. "Shall we?" His chin tilts, this time, towards the keep and the promise of bandages and chiurgeons it holds.

Jarod finds Riordan Nayland has not died or been trampled during the course of the battle. This is a positive. He guides the elder Nayland brother's horse back to the tower for treatment. Following the younger Nayland brother. It's only then that he notices he's bleeding. A few shallow gashes in his arms, a deeper one that pierced past a strap in his plate on his torso. "Huh…" he mutters, watching it bleed. Adrenaline will keep him running a little longer, at least.

"Thank you." Lorna tells Senna genuinely, and nods her agreement with regard to the main hall. "Let's start seeing to it then." she says in a clipped efficient voice. "I know even if I can only wrap wounds and staunch bleeding, our good soldiers will be better for having it than not at all." She can't help but add, "I'm sure both of your brothers are well, ladies."

Senna passes her missives to the Maester. Birds, she doesn't do. Healing, on the other hand, she can. "I'll get it started, my lady," she curtseys briefly to Isolde, only to descend below. Ordering guards is best left to the ladies of the house…but she does cast a few significant looks at the bulkier male servants. Work to be done! You heard the lady!

Though it appeared for a few moments as if he wasn't breathing, the Kenning man has recovered his senses, somewhat, though he's in blinding pain and bleeding out from several different places. He rolls over to look behind him, green eyes narrowing at his men's rout. Then he looks up at Gedeon and Rygar. He grins ferally. "Nice move, from back. Looks like my men had the balls of salt wives, left me here." He laughs; it's a rattling, sad affair, and ends in him coughing violently until he spits bloody phlegm on the dirt. "Well, Riverlanders, you won. Do me quick and clean and send me to my God." He taps his neck, his grin returning to show red stained teeth.

With the pikes reforming, the group looks almost.. professional. They find their spines, their backs.. and while some may miss a step, or limp.. or are a little slower, their pace will be set by the slowest man. Now, Einion attends, waits for the order to head back to the square.. return their weapons, and dismissed..

"As you will then, ser," is the Nayland knight's answer to the Ironborn chieftan. A short lift of the weapon in brief salute and then- to preserve the head for later display- the endspike of the pole hammer is brought down at the hollow of the Kenning's throat. The end is indeed swift for the dying reaver. Looking up and finding a dearth of noblemen about him, the stern faced Nayland bids Gedeon, "See the longships brought to mooring, Ser," he instructs, heedless of the Rivers knight's visible wounds.

Lucienne nods weakly at Lorna for her words, and keeps her grip on Isolde's hand. "Shall we follow? Downstairs, to ready the hall and fetch more supplies. We can cut cloth for more bandages as we need - if we need it."

Gedeon lifts his blade, tilting it towards his forehead for the order. "And you to your wounds, ser," he advises. Rygar did take quite a few more jabs from an ax than the blond knight. Gedeon makes his way, perhaps a touch gingerly, towards the boats, calling for the help of any fighting men who yet linger to provide assistance.

"We should…I would rather not be idle." Isolde admits and keeps hold of Luci. "Word is being sent.." She says softly to the Terrick. Now all they needed to was to keep the Tower safe and unaccosted. The ladies move down the stairs together, reaching the bottom amongst a flurry of movement and servants. "Let us stay aside and be ready for those that happen in." Those injured goes unsaid.