Fires of Prophecy_ Book Two of the Morcyth Saga - Brian Pratt [163]
An hour later finds them coming to the stockade wall that surrounds the mine. It appears out of the forest and then turns to run along the edge of the road. They enter the forest on the opposite side of the road from the wall before coming into view of the guards patrolling along the top. Keeping well within the woods, they make their way slowly alongside the road, all the while staying out of sight of the guards atop the walls. When they reach the area directly across from the gate, they stop and from a hidden location, watch the guards atop the gate.
The guards are fairly lax in their duty, most of their time is spent either engaged in conversation with the guard next to them or looking within the compound. Only occasionally does anyone glance around the outside along the road and into the forest.
“Looks like they’re not too concerned about an attack from the outside,” Jiron whispers to James.
“I think they are there more to keep people in than out,” reasons James.
Jiron looks to him and nods, “That should make this all the easier, then.”
“Let’s hope so,” he replies. Then he asks, “Can you get in?”
Shaking his head, he says, “Not with all those guards on the wall, they would spot me for sure. Let me go around the walls and see if there might be anyplace that would be less visible.”
“Should I go with you?” James asks.
“No,” he answers. “I can move a lot quieter and quicker if I’m by myself. Just stay here and keep an eye on the gate, see if you can determine some kind of routine for the guards.”
“Alright,” he says. “You be careful, this isn’t like sneaking around a city.”
“I will,” he assures him and then begins moving along the road away from James, keeping in the trees to avoid detection. When he’s gone far enough away beyond the point where the wall turns back into the forest, he quickly rushes across the road and enters the forest on the other side.
James catches his breath when he sees him crossing the road, sure that a guard on the wall will see him. He looks to the wall, but the guards are too engrossed with their conversation to have noticed. Hoping he finds a way in, James sits back against a tree and makes himself comfortable while waiting for his return.
Keeping a watch on the gate and the guards on the wall, he soon realizes there isn’t any sort of routine or pattern. They simply stand there and converse among themselves, as well as others within the compound. One thing James has noticed is that there are always four guards walking the wall over the gate. Or rather, standing there talking to one another.
Jiron has been gone an hour when the gate opens and three wagons full of ore exit. The wagons turn south and begin rolling down the road toward the smelters. While the gate is open, James looks within but isn’t able to see much more than some buildings scattered about. He does see other guards about the place, five others besides the ones on top of the wall. Once the last wagon has exited through the gate, the gate swings closed. With the gate closed, there’s little for him to do other than sit back and wait for Jiron’s return.
A hand touching his shoulder jolts him awake. Startled, he finds Jiron has returned and is shaking him. “Wake up,” Jiron says with a smile as he sits next to him.
“What did you find?” James asks him.
“Just more of the same wall completely circling the entire encampment,” he says. “Each wall has guards patrolling along the top which will make any attempt to gain entry difficult at best.”
James gestures to the wall in front of them and says, “There are only four on patrol above the gate at any given time.”
“That’s about what it is on the others as well,” he explains. “Most of them seem to be totally unconcerned with what goes on outside of the walls.”
“I noticed that too,” says James. “It feels like no one has ever tried to break in here before.”
“Most likely,” agrees