The meeting had gone as Grimwald had predicted. Maybe not as he had wished. He was a realist, however. Families with children would take the safest way out of the predicament but the men of the village could have made a last stand. That was what he really wanted. To go down in a blaze of glory. His wife and daughter would be proud. He longed to see them again. Wherever the other side of death may be.

Was it a better place? A haven of tranquillity as his dying mother had wept to him on her deathbed. Or was it just a place where you atoned for your life sins. He hoped not. Before he had met and married Lilly, his mercenary way of life had earned him, his name and reputation.

His father Oswald had been in the King's Guard. King David had been a real king not like this upstart Jared. Oswald had given everything in the service of the king. He had put his service before his family and finally his life. Grimwald had followed in his father's footsteps until king David handed the throne to his selfish, monster of a son Jared. What an absolute waste of space Jared was. It made Grimwalds blood boil thinking about him.

He doused the lamps around the council hall. He wondered if it was worth locking the door? The mangorians were likely to destroy the place. He decided not to bother. The hall had already been cleared of any useful or ornate fixtures and fittings and loaded up for the next day's exodus.

Stomping purposely eastwards, he tried unsuccessfully, not to look back at the hall. It had been his domain for the last eight cycles and he had enjoyed most of his tenure as the councillor of Nocton. He gave a sigh and headed along the muddy walkways to the only inn in Nocton, where he lodged.

All the lights of the tavern were lit and the sound of revelling had started early and sounded louder than usual. "Free ale! Free ale!" The shout could be heard as he opened the tavern door. Nothing could be further from his thoughts as he made his way to the staircase through the quickly filling lounge.

"Grimwald!" Ken shouted "We still have three barrels of ale to get rid of. We can't take it all with us tomorrow........Maybe our last for a while?" Ken sloshed three more tankards towards the eagerly waiting villagers.

"Mmmm.....well if you put it like that."

Grimwald had found it hard to enjoy his last drink at the inn. He had put on an almost happy face for three ales. Showing the villagers encouragement and a stout heart. He knew tomorrow would bring vast upheaval and hardship. He went up early and fell asleep surprisingly quickly what with all the rowdiness downstairs.

***

Leading the wagon train with Captain Sharpe wasn't that much of a chore. He wasn't a bad sort. He liked a drink like the next man and they had bonded over many an Upton stout in the past. The news from the scouts was getting more and more disturbing. It was clear they would get nowhere near Kings-Port before the mangorians caught them. There was no open space for the next few days and circling the wagons; that had been suggested, was not an option. The best that Grimwald and the captain could come up with was to split the wagons two at a time into the woods. This part of the endless forest was not as dense as other parts and the wagons may be able to get a good few flights into the trees and hopefully, either hide in the undergrowth or outrun the chasing horde.

At the front of the convoy, Captain Sharpe saw three bedraggled scouts approaching, one of whom clearly had been struck by an arrow. He turned a stoic face toward the counsellor. Making his voice heard over the loud sloshing of the animals and carts he yelled.

"I am afraid, my friend Grimwald that the time has come. We will never make it to the capital. It is time to make a stand and save what we can of the villagers. If the mangorians are smart, they will soon cut around us and ambush us from the front, leaving a force to come from behind. We are best served by trying to get the wagons to split off two at a time and make their way off the trail, through the woods and hide the best they can. You would be best to organise this as unobtrusively as you can while I get my garrison ready to make a stand. I only hope that the mangorians spare your people. The garrison I fear will not be so fortunate, but we will try to hold them off as long as we can."

The captain removed his battle gauntlet from his right hand, manoeuvred his ekwid close alongside Grimwald and extended his hand.

Grimwald followed suit and briefly, but heartily shook the hand of the brave captain.

"May all the luck go with you, Captain."

"You too Grimwald."

With that final word, he reined in his ekwid and made his way back to his men. Grimwald took a deep breath steadied Glory, his loyal war-ekwid and began to move from wagon to wagon splitting them into twos and finding a gap through the trees for them to escape. Every flight or two. The front two carts would slip away into the forest.

It was desperate. It was, do or die. Grimwald liked those odds. Captain Sharpe had heroically taken leave to make a last stand with his garrison. It was with a feeling of envy that Grimwald watched him depart. It should have been him. Damn. Still, there was time.

The splitting of the wagons had, so far, gone well, almost half had squeezed their way into the trees. Grimwald had ridden his ekwid frantically up and down the convoy, trying to find ways into the woods.

Then one wagon broke an axle slipping and sliding through the muddy gorse. It was all Grimwald could do to keep the carts moving past when Ambrose Fleetfoots' cart seemed to catapult someone from the back step right into the trees! Well, they would have to wait...... all the convoy would have to be safely away first, then he would go back and check. The broken axle could not be fixed. Grimwald didn't even dismount Glory to see that was the case. The driver and his family were quickly herded into the wagon behind, thankfully Ethel and Bob Fleetfoot had some room to spare.

Grimwald rejoined the head of what was left of the exodus. It took some time to get the remaining wagons safely into the forest. They were on their own now. There was nothing more Grimwald could do for their safety. He worried. Chances were, only some would escape with their lives.

As the last two carts wound their way off the trail and through the woods. Grimwald stopped Glory in his tracks. Raised his eyes to the darkening sky and wiped the mud from his face.

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Not long now Lilly.

Taking a long, deep breath he spurred Glory back down the trail.

After what seemed an age. Had they really come this far? He arrived back at the abandoned wagon that had broken its axle. Who had been thrown off and where were they?

"Counsellor Grimwald! It's me Todd, Todd Headway. Over here."

Grimwald saw a boy on the edge of the woods, frantically gesturing towards a prone body in the gorse.

"He's not moving sir. He's banged his head. I think he's still alive sir. I don't know what to do. I can't wake him, sir."

Grimwald dismounted and went over to the unconscious boy. Felt for a pulse and was relieved to find life still beating in the prostrate body. Blood covered the left side of the face and had dripped down his jawline and onto his shirt. A large lump was forming at his temple and a knuckle length cut was still seeping blood above his left ear.

"I think he will be okay boy, the cut is not deep but he has taken a hell of a knock."

Todd's face showed some relief. Grimwald reached into his belt pouch and found some bandage and a small pot of ointment. Using a small piece of which he cleaned the wound as best he could, applied some ointment and bandaged the cut.

"Now lad you seem to have got yourself into a bit of a tight spot here. Did you fall off your cart as well?"

He replaced what was left of his first aid kit into his belt pouch.

"No councillor I Jumped. I saw Klem fly off his wagon and knew he would need some help. I told my folks I would meet them in the capital. I really didn't think, I just jumped."

Todd looked frightened. He really hadn't thought it through. It was just dawning on him what he had done.

"Well young man your courage is admirable. You have quite a journey to make to Kings-Port on foot. It will take you about ten days and that's without a sick friend holding you back. Hopefully, he will come around from his daze soon. I am afraid I have to go and help captain Sharpe and his garrison try to hold off the invaders back down the trail, otherwise, I could help you more. Now you must get yourself and your friend into the cover of the forest and hide until their army passes by. They will be searching the woods so hide well. No fires and stay dry, this rain and mud may help in the long run if you don't both let it seep into your bones and give you a fever."

Grimwald again reached into his belt and pulled out a well-made Knife.

"Here boy. I won't need this where I'm going. It's the least I can do." The knife was a good one. It had a serrated edge for sawing and would be very useful in the forest for cutting branches and skinning animals. Klems' bow and arrows had thankfully stayed with him in his fall. Now Todd was thinking ahead...

"Thank you, sir. Won't you be coming back this way after you have beaten off the mangorians?"

"No lad. That won't be happening. Good luck to you, though."

Grimwald re-mounted and rode Glory as fast as he would go.

The rain had abated somewhat but drops still dripped from the tall oaks lining the trail. The new leaves glistening as the last of the day cast its shadows. Up ahead Grimwald could see some activity. Trees had been cut down across the trail and he could see some of the garrison preparing for battle. He wasn't too late. Captain Sharpe saw him approach.

"Keep down Grimwald my friend, we are expecting an attack at any time. One more sword is very welcome."

Captain Sharpe, covered from head to toe in mud, beckoned him to join him, crouched behind two large, fallen trees.

"We cut down some of the trees to slow them down up ahead and some more to cover us here. We have slowed them for now but expect an onslaught as soon as they have the cover of darkness."

"I am ready for battle my friend. May our actions be brave ones."

He joined the wait.

Eventually, as the shadows lengthened a groaning was heard. The mangorians had tied ropes to the fallen trees further down the trail and using their bellowing ekwids, were pulling them out of the way.

Sharpes' archers had measured the distance and were firing arrows into the enemy. It was impossible to tell if any arrows found their mark. If they did, it was clear that there were many more of the enemy to replace the fallen. As the last tree was moved out of the way, a cry went up from the mangorians, it sounded like hundreds of savage voices cheering their impending victory. Outnumbered ten to one, Grimwald and the garrison waited for the onslaught. Archers fired into the dusk-hidden enemy but they were not slowed. Sharpes' cowering men knew their time was nigh and the realisation registered on their faces. From cowering to resigned, their eyes glinted with readiness, their swords unsheathed as one and they stood to meet their fate. As each mangorian climbed over the defences the brave garrison men cut them down mercilessly. Only to be replaced by more and more and more.

Grimwald stood his muddy ground, slipping and sliding as he despatched one and then another of the relentless foe. How long he fought he did not know. His bloody sword flashed in the evening light. Comrades fell all around him and the resistance was nearing its expected conclusion. As his strength failed him, he felt a blow to his sword arm. Pain shot up his wrist to his shoulder and he saw his sword fall to the mud. He sank to his knees and looked up to the sky.

"Lilly! I am on my way!"

Just one more moment of pain and then.

Grimwalds' consciousness was pulled by an unknown force, out of his dying body and upward. He felt the tug of a power. It was the power of love. Lilly was there. Her face was ghost-like and changing from one moment to the next. At one moment it was as he had first met her, as a young girl and the next it was older and pained as he remembered her before she passed on from the fever.

"Remember me as you wish my darling. We have no form here, only memories."

"Am I still alive?"

"There is no death. Just transition. I am here to tell you this."

With no aches and pains, Grimwald had the feeling of calm and peace that he had never experienced before.

"I have missed you, my love."

"And I have missed you too. I have waited here in transition longing for you to come to this place. We have as long as we want here before we are born again. We are here because we have passed the test of love."

"I don't understand."

"As far as I have learnt from other consciousness's I have met here, we will not remember this existence but our love has bought us here and although in our next life we may not be together our souls will always be open to love. I met your parents when I passed here and they were waiting for you. They asked me to pass on their love but were eager to move to the next world. If there is anyone in the world that you wish to wait for, you can. If not we can both move on to our next world together. Although we may get put in different worlds."

"I never found love after you went Lilly, It took time to get through your not being there. Where is our daughter Kate? Is she here?"

"Our daughter was here but she was too young to understand. I urged her to move on to the next life."

Lilly took the form of her on their wedding day in Grimwalds' perception. The daisy chain around her head and the locket around her neck. Her smile bought joy into his being and he felt completed by her.

"You said we had passed the test of love? Are there more tests? Who sets these tests? Is there an almighty one?"

"My love, my love, I have waited here to be with you and have had plenty of time to think about these questions, I have communicated with many others who have passed this realm, some have passed through here many times. Some have completed many tests and some have not. The trials I have heard of seem to start with love and courage. You, my brave Grimwald may have well passed both of these in your last world. Other tests seem to be honour, faith, justice, wisdom and patience. Any more I am not aware of. There is no Almighty one. We all have the powers of good and evil within us. We can change things ourselves. There is no power above us. Our destinies are our own. Our souls decide our own fate. Who sets these tests? I have heard a few suggestions. Some say that it is The Eternal s, the ones who have already passed these trials but whoever set them these trails in the first place is unclear."

Grimwalds consciousness moved towards Lillys'. Closer and closer until their beings overlapped. Both of them felt the euphoria of love. This love was timeless.