<strong>Sebastian Archambault</strong>Outside the Carriages [Marcus Dupont, Richard Dupont, Aron & Eriq Gerard, William Bond, Louis Blanc, Lilian Montague]<br/><br/>Sebastian emerges from the carriage, the vehicle swaying as he steps down onto the hard packed road. Seeing the two boys eagerly clambering out of the coach, he quickly reaches out and tries to grab the scruff of their necks and push them back toward the women’s carriages.<strong>“Lads protect the ladies and keep low,”</strong>he barks warning at the boys.<strong>“Unless you want to end up pin cushions! Those longbows do a nasty work in trained hands.”</strong><br/><br/>Taking the loaded musket from William, he thumbs back the hammer checking the flint striker with practiced familiarity.  He knew enough of the weapon to be proficient, but he would not by any means call himself a marksman. The familiar weight of his hammer hanging from a loop on his belt of little comfort when facing Falkovnia soldiers with longbows, he shoulders the firearm and takes aim.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=46369.msg2211716#msg2211716">Quote from: limondrop on 08-09-2009, 03:27:55</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Why don't you shoot?" she said scornfully to the men around her "Don't be cowards.  I want that woman saved and I want her saved now.  If you won't do it, I'll run out to her this instant and you'll see how Father will discipline you when I get hurt!"<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/><strong>“M'lady, you’d be safer back in your coach tending to your friends and sister!”</strong>He bellows over his shoulder as he kneels behind the spokes of the wheels for cover. Stifling a heated reply to the ladies words with a number of colorful curses under his breath. Resting the gun on the axle he squint his left eye and targets the breast just above the heart of the nearest barbarian climbing up from the river bank.<em>Even if I miss maybe he'll scream enough to frighten off his fellows</em>, Bastian thinks.<br/><br/>One shot and an eternity of thunder rings in his ears with the gentle squeeze of his finger. He blinks rapidly to clear the muzzle flash from his eyes.<br/>