Eraks Ransom

by John Flanagan

Skandian Oberjarl Erak Starfollower becomes tired of paperwork. He decides to go on one last raid to the desert country of Arrida. His raiding party walks into an ambush and is captured; Erak's crew are eventually released in order to obtain a ransom for Erak, who is left behind. Meanwhile, at Castle Redmont, senior Ranger Halt and diplomat Lady Pauline are getting married. During the wedding after-party, Svengal, Erak's first mate, appears. In a small meeting with Ranger Will and the knight Horace, he reveals Erak's kidnapping, and also tells them that Erak thinks he was betrayed.

Princess Cassandra begs her father, King Duncan to supply the money for Erak's release. Duncan agrees, but is unable to go himself as he is in talks with the Hibernian kings. Cassandra eventually volunteers herself, much to Duncan's chagrin. Will, Cassandra, Halt, Svengal, Horace, the ranger Gilan as well as thirty of Erak's men go to deliver the ransom. Once in Arrida, they learn from Arridi leader Seley el'then that Erak had been sent to Mararoc, a fort in the desert. The party, guided by Seley el'then and his men, head to Mararoc.

During the journey, a sandstorm causes Will to lose his horse Tug. In an attempt to find him, Will gets lost and loses consciousness. A group of nomads called the Bedullin find and restores him, revealing that they have also found Tug. Will manages to reclaim Tug after winning a riding race against Hassan, who had found Tug and claimed him as his own.

Meanwhile, the others continue their journey to Mararoc. On the way they discover the corpses of the people escorting Erak. Seley el'then deduces that they were attacked by the Tualaghi, a nomadic tribe. Gilan scouts and discovers the Tualaghis, however, the Tualaghi also discover the Arridi party. The Tualaghis attack, though the Arridi group wins the first battle. However, the leader of the Tualaghi, Yusal, negotiates with Seley el'then, who is forced to surrender as their group is running out of water and cannot fight a sustained battle against Yusal. A Bedullin scout relays this information to the Bedullin, and the nomads offer to help rescue Will's friends. On the way, they find and rescue Seley el'then's soldiers, who had been betrayed and left to die by Yusal after surrendering.

The Tualaghis come into a desert town and locks the party in a storehouse where they had also put Erak. Toshak, a Skandian, reveals himself and boasts of betraying Erak. Meanwhile, Will, the Bedullins, and the Arridi devise a plan to attack the town. Erak and the other prisoners are scheduled for execution. When the execution were scheduled they built a platform for the execution. As Halt is pulled forward to be executed, Will shoots the executioner. Mayhem ensues, with Arridi and Bedullins mixed in with the crowd revealing themselves and fighting the Tualaghi. The captured prisoners join in the fight, and turn the tide against the Tualaghi. Erak kills Toshak, while Cassandra wounds Yusal, who is captured.