walked out towards the rest of the town.
Xander felt the heat rising in his body as that was his first kiss! He decided to see how Hoss was doing with the carriage. Xander found Hoss by the blacksmith whom everyone called old Jack laughing and smiling about something.
“Ah and here is the boy of the hour, are you ready for our trip boy?” said Old Jack.
“I am, I just wanted to see how the carriage was coming along” said Xander.
“Hell the carriage is done lad, we even improved upon it, instead of having all that stuff on the outside, we just armor plated the inside. It still looks like a regular carriage on the outside, but the inside there are four seats each facing out, no way somebody will get close without an arrow for their trouble” Hoss laughed.
“We really got nothing for you to do boy, just be ready though, we are leaving about two hours before first light. Bandits are normally sleep by then and we want to be on the road early, you are riding with the rest of the lads surrounding the carriage. Lady Shelia and Mesha are both going to dress up as men and depart with a bigger group on horseback about an hour later. That way if we get into a scrap, a rider can be sent back telling them to find an alternate route. You know to shoot a bow?” asked Old Jack.
“I’m one of the best I have ever met sir, and that’s not bragging either. But I don’t have a bow” said Xander.
“Hell we got plenty of bows, arrows too. You might have noticed we are not the best with swords this being a village full of old men and all, but a damn arrow don’t care how big, tough or young you are. Go get with Trevor and he’ll show you where they are kept, go find one you like for the trip” said Hoss as he returned to talking with Old Jack.
Xander found Trevor and asked about the bows where he was directed to a weathered looking shed. Looking in Xander could see there was trap door under some planks exactly where Trevor said it would be. Xander thought it was smart the way they hid their armory and walked down the steps. Inside he lit a torch and could see hundreds of bow with countless more arrows. Xander looked around and could see the Bows were nowhere near the quality of the one he had lost, but saw they were functional enough to get the job done. Xander spent the rest of the morning and afternoon finding him a spot he would ride in the carriage, complete with making sure he and whoever rode with them would have enough ammo. Afterwards knowing he had a busy next couple of days ahead of him, Xander turned in early.
CHAPTER
Xander could not sleep most of the night and instead went to pick out a spot in the carriage. He could see many men milling about at their guard post, probably nervous more than half of the able bodied men were leaving. As Xander climbed into the carriage, he thought any enemy short of a real army was likely to have big problems if they attacked Valley. Xander figured when he got to Meadow he would write his mom and tell her about the new defenses he had seen.
Xander wasn’t in the carriage for more than but a handful of minutes before Jack came in.
“Ha I should have known you would be here already, can’t sleep huh boy?”
“No Sir, I’m just anxious to finally leave” said Xander.
“Well plenty of us are and it’s almost time to go anyway. I see you stocked us up with arrows, I just hope old Francis will have a quiet trip.”
“Who is old Francis” Xander asked not sure if he had met a Francis in town.
“That’s my old bow, got her as a prize when I was younger than you in a
Xander felt the heat rising in his body as that was his first kiss! He decided to see how Hoss was doing with the carriage. Xander found Hoss by the blacksmith whom everyone called old Jack laughing and smiling about something.
“Ah and here is the boy of the hour, are you ready for our trip boy?” said Old Jack.
“I am, I just wanted to see how the carriage was coming along” said Xander.
“Hell the carriage is done lad, we even improved upon it, instead of having all that stuff on the outside, we just armor plated the inside. It still looks like a regular carriage on the outside, but the inside there are four seats each facing out, no way somebody will get close without an arrow for their trouble” Hoss laughed.
“We really got nothing for you to do boy, just be ready though, we are leaving about two hours before first light. Bandits are normally sleep by then and we want to be on the road early, you are riding with the rest of the lads surrounding the carriage. Lady Shelia and Mesha are both going to dress up as men and depart with a bigger group on horseback about an hour later. That way if we get into a scrap, a rider can be sent back telling them to find an alternate route. You know to shoot a bow?” asked Old Jack.
“I’m one of the best I have ever met sir, and that’s not bragging either. But I don’t have a bow” said Xander.
“Hell we got plenty of bows, arrows too. You might have noticed we are not the best with swords this being a village full of old men and all, but a damn arrow don’t care how big, tough or young you are. Go get with Trevor and he’ll show you where they are kept, go find one you like for the trip” said Hoss as he returned to talking with Old Jack.
Xander found Trevor and asked about the bows where he was directed to a weathered looking shed. Looking in Xander could see there was trap door under some planks exactly where Trevor said it would be. Xander thought it was smart the way they hid their armory and walked down the steps. Inside he lit a torch and could see hundreds of bow with countless more arrows. Xander looked around and could see the Bows were nowhere near the quality of the one he had lost, but saw they were functional enough to get the job done. Xander spent the rest of the morning and afternoon finding him a spot he would ride in the carriage, complete with making sure he and whoever rode with them would have enough ammo. Afterwards knowing he had a busy next couple of days ahead of him, Xander turned in early.
CHAPTER
Xander could not sleep most of the night and instead went to pick out a spot in the carriage. He could see many men milling about at their guard post, probably nervous more than half of the able bodied men were leaving. As Xander climbed into the carriage, he thought any enemy short of a real army was likely to have big problems if they attacked Valley. Xander figured when he got to Meadow he would write his mom and tell her about the new defenses he had seen.
Xander wasn’t in the carriage for more than but a handful of minutes before Jack came in.
“Ha I should have known you would be here already, can’t sleep huh boy?”
“No Sir, I’m just anxious to finally leave” said Xander.
“Well plenty of us are and it’s almost time to go anyway. I see you stocked us up with arrows, I just hope old Francis will have a quiet trip.”
“Who is old Francis” Xander asked not sure if he had met a Francis in town.
“That’s my old bow, got her as a prize when I was younger than you in a
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