You all make sure your uniforms are clean and papers in order before you approach the fort, You expect to find some paroles but are amazed at the sheer amount of them and all the activity that is taking place. You have your papers checked five times before you even reach the gate where You finally get to ask what is going on as your let into the fort.


The guard explains that a messenger arrived the evening before from the coastal road, he had ridden from the city almost non-stop for days, swapping horses whenever he could. He had brought news that The Old Quarter had been attack and was burning and war was about to start. You all look stunned by what he said and he takes it to be shock at the news rather than the fact you had killed a messenger but were still beaten here. He lets you on through and your taken immediately to a small barracks where your given bunks and told that sadly the forts going into lockdown until everything settles down but that your welcome in all the normal areas like the mess hall.


You all settle in "So it was for nothing then?" you ask aloud.


"We had to do it, there was no way to know another messenger could beat us here by taking the coast road. Its all those bloody port outposts allowing him to change horses while we had to spare ours." one of the men replies.


"Either way we need a new plan, I'm the only one who really knows about construction so we cant hang around to be tested, what do we do from here?"


The men think for a bit and come up with several ideas but it is whittled down to two options.

You wait for a few days untill the panic is over then slip across.

You decide that security is too tight to make a go of it now so you all settle in to pretending to be good members of the Third Company. The others help out in small manual jobs that don't require skill and you offer services in some of the more complicated work. After three days of the light volunteer work you seem to be trusted by the men there and the initial panic seems to have settled down into a steady routine so you think it might be time to make your move. Messengers and runners keep arriving but you all pay them little heed now as you are concentrating on finding the best crossing point near the fort.


Unfortunately one of the runners came on the main south road just like you and reports about the finding the body of the messenger you killed. Its put down to spies from Carn trying to prevent news getting to the borders so the fort immediately goes on high alert. If you had known it was your own choice in killing him that lead to the lockdown being started again you might have even found it a little funny.


Sadly you didn't know any of this and only knew that the bells went off and everyone had to report to their bunks. No-one is told what is going on but the next morning you all see a small group of men with an unusual insignia arriving at the fort and heading straight into the commanders office. One of your companions informs you that these are from the 'intelligence' section and are very bad news. You cant risk them getting anywhere near you.

You cant risk them finding you, run for it, NOW!

You nod to the men, "Right then we have to get out of here, take only what you can carry easily and pretend we are on patrol, as soon as we get near the lines we get across and run for it."


You all get into your Army tunics and strap on weapons then head out towards the wall, your stopped a few times but explaining you have been drafted in for wall patrol because of the lockdown gets you through the fort and to the gates. You find you're in luck today as you know the man on gate duty, he is someone you have been working with so you greet him and take the time for a quick chat before asking to be let through so you can start your patrol.


He pauses for a minute but your chat has put him off guard and he lets you through. You all start walking quickly towards the border line where the patrols are thinnest. Your beginning to think you pulled it off but suddenly hear a bell going off behind you and shouting starting up.


"Run!" you shout and you all start sprinting for the border. Arrows start falling from the walls behind you and one of the men with you falls with a bolt sticking out of his side. he waves you on and your forced to leave him behind. You feel something hitting you in the shoulder and realize Amelia's chain just saved you. You whisper a quick thanks to her as you run.


The arrows stop and you realize your out of range now. You really think your going to make it before you see a full squad forming up in front of you with pikes pointed in your direction. You are left with no choice but to charge them and hope you break through. You're mail saves you a couple more times and you cut down two men in front of you before a third gets a clean hit on you and runs his pike through your gut. You only think that you'll never see Amelia again before you die.