Eddie
It didn't matter for Josephine if it was appropriate or not. She was simply glad her friend was alive, although she much preferred Amaryllis was also unscathed. Things didn't happen like the noble wanted them to happen, but she already knew the world would be harsh. She just wasn't completely ready for how harsh it was.

Josephine fetched a towel and poured some of the remaining water into the pot atop the burning fire. She waited for it to boil to then soak and twist it, finally using the towel to wipe the blood away from the face and lip carefully. While the noble treated her friend, Tagus was about ready to head out after helping the young woman to the chair. "Don't mention it. I will be there sooner next time." He said, slightly embarrassed she was still calling him sir, despite his age and former station. Tagus smiled softly at her, kind eyes hoping with a gleam to see her better. Then he left the cabin to watch over it from the outside.

"Did you manage to see who it was, Ryllis? It must have been frightening. I was only attacked during practice with father or one of my tutors. I don't know how I'd react in an actual experience." Josephine said. "I am a little bit jealous," She added, smiling slightly. "You've already been through a lot. I hope there was as much good as there was bad. To even it out."
Frankie
Amaryllis flinched from time to time as Josephine worked. Josephine was trying to be gentle, of course, but there was only so much the girl could do to keep from hurting Amaryllis as she cleaned her up. Granted, at this point, Amaryllis was in pain whether or not Josephine touched her, so she didn't complain. Just winced from time to time. 

Amaryllis smiled ever so slightly, however, when Josephine said that she was jealous. Such a sheltered life... Still, Amaryllis didn't begrudge her that. And Josephine had been trained in how to defend herself, so Amaryllis knew, in a way, that Josie would like be fine if she ever were attacked, horde of knights at her side or not. 

"They attacked from behind," She replied, "So I never got a good look. I have no idea who they were or why they were here... There's lots of possibilities, for who they are, but I... I just don't know. I'm sorry." She closed her eyes, feeling as if she could have fought back better, but he had been so strong and she had been caught off-guard. After a pause, she said, "I'm sure that, if the time comes that you ever need to defend yourself, you'll do so with ease." She avoided Josie's musings of, "I hope there was as much good as there was bad."
Eddie
In the world outside the Merovingian House, there were no codes of chivalry nor social etiquette to drive men. She learned of this truth inside the city walls of Raunkastel, two years ago. She found herself lost in the market, detached from the group of nobles which included from her father. A small-time gang of peasants accosted her, surrounding her quickly and touching her and her fine dress. It was one of her favorite dresses they tugged at and tried to ruin, like her mother's heirloom which was a pretty amethyst necklace she would then leave behind after that occasion, for safekeeping. She wondered if Tagus hadn't shown up, would she be swollen and beaten like the girl she was tending to?

Josephine smiled at Amaryllis' words of encouragement. She never really had the chance to prove herself in actual combat, despite the fact that her father and tutors were harsh to try and provide realism to their spars. "It's okay, Ryllis. All that matters is that you're safe now and by my side. I won't let that man harm you again."

Lord Roderick stopped short of the cabin's entrance, where Tagus was guarding Josephine and Amaryllis. Just outside the wooden cabin, the two knights had a small discussion of duty. Tagus left Josephine and, even though she was among the other knights, he disregarded his duty as the right hand.
Frankie
Amaryllis smiled a bit at the young woman's vow to protect her. It was a sweet gesture, but despite what she had just said to the woman, she didn't believe in Josie's ability to protect her. Still, a sweet thought that made her rather happy, and she found that she was glad to have the companionship of the young noble. 

When Josie had cleaned her up and gotten all the blood washed away, Amaryllis went outside and returned a few moments later with a cool, damp cloth that she had soaked in the spring nearby. It was ice cold water that soothed her and helped bring the swelling down some more, though she knew that her face would likely look even worse in the morning.
Eddie
When Amaryllis left for that short moment, Josephine was left with her thoughts and the underlying worry of this event being more than a random circumstance. She wasn't the only one with such paranoia, but did it make sense to be so suspicious over a rabid attack on a peasant?

There were flames creeping deeper in the woods and men moving between the bushes. It was unclear what their origins and their purpose were, but they were looking to cause trouble. They doused their torches in the water, to hide their movement under the cover of darkness. Perhaps they were associated with that one man.

"You should rest, Ryllis." Josephine said. "Leave it to me and my men to protect you for tonight." She walked along the small cabin towards Amaryllis and flashed her a gentle and kind smile.
Frankie
Amaryllis smiled at the young woman in return and murmured, "Thank you." However, she hesitated to go to sleep. She needed to check on her sheep, just in case... But she also didn't have much energy. 

Finally, she decided to go do her job and rose from her seat as she said, "Let me check on my flock, then I'll come back and rest." She gave her a little smile, then made her way outside, still holding the cold cloth against her swollen right eye. Her flock was in the corral with the knights' horses. All was quiet and the night was still. The cool air of the evening felt good against her swollen, bruised skin, and she found it soothing.
Eddie
Josephine wanted to contest the woman's idea of leaving the cabin to check on her flock, but she couldn't force her out of her will. Instead, the girl left the cabin with Amaryllis. "I'll go with you." She was silent in their small walk to the pen, where the knights' horses were also located. The fair moon's silver gaze bathed the penned animals.

The noble saw a pair of knights patrol the outer range of the pen when she heard the howl of the wind. It was pierced by sizzling projectiles that struck the thick plate of the knights and around them, lucky to be in such armor that the arrowheads would rebound off of the metal. Josephine's eyes wriggled to a wide stare. She broke her quiet expression to grab the shoulders of her friend and pull her down and behind the fence for cover.

"Get down!"

Another hail of arrows met the inside of the pen, grazing and hitting the livestock and horses that groaned and screeched in pain. Flames arose from the treeline down the hill as wild warcries echoed in rolling thunders through the disleveled landscape.

"Josephine!" Tagus shouted. "Come!" He had followed them around the cabin to the pen, standing a distance away until the arrows started raining. He cut some distance between the two volleys and stood in front of the two girls before the incoming third. His companions joined with them.
Frankie
Panic rose in Amaryllis', drowning out virtually everything else. The stillness of the night was pierced by howling war cries and the swish of arrows, followed by cries of pain. She and Josephine were safe, relatively, behind the cover of the fence, but once more, Amaryllis found herself helplessly looking on as her flock was maimed and slaughtered. 

A moment later, Tagus stood over them, and Amaryllis grabbed Josephine and pushed her to her feet, giving her a shove towards Tagus. He could protect her and shield her. In a moment, she vaulted over the fence and ran to the gate, popping it open so that the flock could escape. At least that way, they wouldn't be sitting ducks for the volleys of arrows. 

Even as she ran, another hailstorm of arrows came hurtling out of the sky, and Amaryllis found herself just scampering about and ducking, hoping against hope that none of the arrows would hit her. She got lucky and all of them missed, though her panicked flock had a few more of their numbers felled. They took no prodding to rush through the gate, bleating helplessly as they ran. 

"Tagus," Amaryllis cried, "Do you want your horse? Or Josephine's?" The horses tossed their heads and pulled at their tethers, eyes rolling with fright. She could see the whites of their eyes. Poor beasts... But she couldn't just let them go. If they bolted, they'd all be trapped here. She didn't know what to do in this situation, but if Josephine and Tagus needed to run, now was the time to get the horses.
Eddie
Josephine gasped a sharp gasp and found her body pressed against the knight's plate. In turn, the young man wrapped an arm around her and pulled her a step away from the incoming horde. As it encroached on their position, they could hear human emitted howls and perceive the pelts of wolves on their bodies. Josephine had read about the existence of barbarians such as them, but she never thought she'd see them in the flesh. Wolfmen, they were called by those who survived their onslaught. They were known for their viciousness, for they marked a prey they'd never give up on.

When Amaryllis shouted towards the knight and lady, the latter wanted to tell her to let the horses go free. Surely, the knights would be capable of defending her. However, the size of the flames was spreading wider to inform them of the mass of warriors lunging toward the pen and cabin with a burning hatred. There were many, perhaps too many for a small group to deal with. It didn't make Tagus hesitate in doing what Josephine was thinking, pulling her behind him as he stepped forward. "Let them go, Amaryllis!" He shouted. Get back to the cabin with Lady Josephine!"

The young warrior guided his right hand to the hilt of the sword on his back and tugged. The strap that held it against his body was undone with the jerk of his hand down before he pulled the weight of the large weapon over his shoulder and in front of him. His two hands wielded it fiercely, adrenaline mixed with anxiety and fear. It was his first serious stance before a threat that could very well kill him. The two other knights tried to meet up with him through the hail of arrows, but one blackened by the night struck the hinge between shoulder pad and helmet, piercing the neck of the Knigtblood. He fell to his knees, with the other trying to drag him. "No, no! Go to the lady!" The nameless knight ordered, barely capable of barking due to the blood constricting his throat. He didn't neglect his duty even then, drawing his blade and turning around to face the approaching fires and mad cries.

Tagus watched in bewilderment. He wanted to walk down and help the lone man in his stand, but his gut told him such sacrifice would be in vain if he simply went down to help him fight a horde. Instead, Tagus waited for Amaryllis and the other knight.
Frankie
Amaryllis instantly obeyed, lunging forward and scrabbling at the tethers. But the way the horses had reared and jerked on them had only caused the knots to grow tighter around the railings, and that made them virtually impossible to untie. She was desperate at this point though, and knew that the horses needed to be set free. Quickly, she tore one of the arrows from the wooden railing in which it had been embedded and used the razor-sharp blade to cut the ropes tethering the horses in place. Just a few quick incisions and the rope was weak enough that the horses could rear back and snap free before racing out of the corral and into the meadow. One by one, Amaryllis released the horses. The corral was now empty, and she was the only target left.

A slew of arrows came hurtling out of the darkness once more, raining down all around her, but miraculously, none found their mark. Amaryllis vaulted over the fence once more, adrenaline pulsing through her body and move faster than she had ever moved before in her life. She ran past the knights towards Josephine, then grabbed the woman's hand and dragged her into the cabin where she slammed the door shut and looked out through the window. Where were the others? She'd let them in, if they made it to the cabin, but she also knew that she and Josephine were in danger. A log cabin... And Wolfmen, with fire, outside... This didn't look like it would end well. She had lost track of most of the knights, at this point, save for Tagus. 

She whirled away from the window and pulled back a rug, revealing a trapdoor. "Josephine," She said in a voice that wouldn't take argument, "If things get bad, I want you to into the cellar and hide. You'll be safe there."
Eddie
The young woman was surely brave and cunning, streetwise in a sense, with adaptive smarts. Tagus held a line though the enemy was running up the hill. It was a small blob, but very dangerous for a small group of eight. The fenced pen wasn't going to help funnel their numbers. It was a small hindrance to overwhelm them with numbers in all scenarios but the cabin behind them. Surely, the wolf men would throw their torches at them while they growled and snarled. But it was their castle, in a sense.

Knight Commander Roderick had his men around the corner of the cabin when Amaryllis, Josephine and Tagus rushed into them.

The guardians were filed in a single line with one missing. In that moment, one could already see the stoking fires of his fighting spirit die out as it was quartered by a pack of ravenous wolves. There was more than his own blood on the cold ground, more than his own body too. But that did not sway the barbarians from keep pushing in kingless, lawless land. They were marking their territory and taking the spoils. Some were already looting off the still warm corpse of the nameless knight.

"My Lady, we will protect the cabin, please wait inside while the guardians secure the perimeter. Tagus,-" He was rushed and objective in his words and belief. He trusted every man to fulfill their duty and not die! Not to the filth of character about to meet them. Then his voice twisted to a foreboding whisper. "There will be strays."

"Thank you." Josephine said kindly but sharply, through breaths info her renewed jog into the cabin. She was hopeful that the knights stood a chance. She was nervous, but she wasn't taken by it. Josephine would not let the fear trying to rattle her bones get the best of her. Once inside the cabin, the girl listened intently to Amaryllis. It was so sad how things turned from a nice meal to chaos in such a short time. They were having such a tranquil week through the Grey Hills too. They arrived at the western edge of the region, almost about to hit the next duchy.

Her ears perked. Josephine shook her head.

"If anyone's going into the cellar, that person is you." Josephine had brows furrowed and a deep stare. Her eyes gleamed streaks of gold in her green irises. "I *Will* Protect you, Ryllis." It was at once that her right hand grabbed the hilt of her rapier and drew it. Two motions were fluidly turned into one that made the slim blade whoosh and rest at her right side. There was determination in her tone.

Outside, just a few meters away from the door, Tagus heard the howls grow louder and then turn to snarls and growls, of Iron and steel and clashing sounds.