the endless rain - 14. into the storm

by nick nelson

part fourteen of twenty-eight

for previous episode, click here

to begin at the beginning, click here

morning came, but no morning light. the baron looked out at the wind and snow, which had not lessened during the night. well, my lord, it’s looks like another day here in the castle. no, pikemaster, i think not. i say we move on the gray keep. and take them by surprise. very good, my lord. perhaps in that case, we should make a double breakfast of it. wth a double of ration of grog - none of that, pikemaster, none of that. we will move out immediately, while the storm is at full blast. very good, my lord. * the pikemen were assembled in front of the horsemen, and the jackals gathered behind the horsemen. after a couple of hours of sleep, patrick and mad jonathon had been roused by the watchman and told that the baron was assembling his force behind the castle, if they wanted to join the jackals. patrick, who was an old hand ay this sort of thing, roused himself and followed the watchman out into the snow. jonathon, who had been been enjoying a dream, rolled over in the straw and tried to go back to sleep. the fire went out. * the baron and his troop disappeared into the storm and were never heard from again. * jonathon embarked on another dream * with the disappearance of the baron, no one was left in the castle except the cook and her ogre assistant, a black cat, and jonathon. the cook declared herself queen and prepared to rule over the castle. 15. the hat in the wind