“Help,” I said. “I’m hoping I’ll find help.”
6
The way our luck had gone, we almost expected Robard to be captured by King’s Guards or Sir Hugh’sknights. Maryam and I, already on the road to Dover, would be forced to divert to where he was being held and attempt another rescue or offer Sir Hugh the Grail in exchange for his life.
However, our luck held. Maryam and I departed for Dover soon after Robard left. My wound made it impossible for us to maintain any sort of reasonable pace. Still, it was good to be on our way. Walking was exhausting, but I hoped the exercise would help me heal faster. Robard found us the following morning, camped a short distance inland from the coast.
Robard had procured two horses, both rouncies, a chestnut gelding and a roan mare. They appeared to be reasonably well trained and even tempered, though they were thin and small, unlikely to win any races.
“Only two?” Maryam asked.
“We’re lucky to have them,” Robard explained. “We only have a few crosslets left. But don’t worry, Assassin, you can ride with me.”
“Ha,” Maryam said, surprising us both by swinging up on the back of the mare. “You can ride with me!”
“I told the courser I was up from Portsmouth, seeking mounts for the retinue of my thane. He wasn’t much of a talker, but if he gets asked about any strangers, he’ll at least send them in the wrong direction,” Robard said, tossing me the money sack. I was relieved to find Sir Thomas’ ring still there. Robard helped me mount the gelding, then leapt easily behind Maryam on the mare and we were quickly under way.
Robard’s mood had improved greatly since we’d arrived in England. In Outremer and even in France he was often gruff and angry. Obviously he was more comfortable traveling here. And we discovered more about our friend every day. For someone who claimed to be a poor farmer, he knew his way around the world. He had left us, found a courser and returned quickly, ready for whatever next steps we needed to take. His eagerness was nearly infectious.
We sat astride our horses, gazing down at the city of Dover, having ridden in through the hills to the south. Though it had been less than a year since I’d left it, the change was dramatic. What had been a busy, bustling seaport was now eerily quiet.
“Does anyone know what today is?” I asked.
“No idea,” Robard and Maryam answered almost simultaneously.
“Why?” Robard asked.
“I just wondered. The town appears empty, as if it were Sunday, or a saints’ day, which might explain why it is so quiet,” I said.
My horse shifted under me and my eyes worked over the city below. When I’d first arrived in Dover, the marketplace was full of people and merchants. Now most of the carts and stalls stood empty, with perhaps a quarter of the merchants hawking their wares. I spotted the spire of St. Benedict’s, the church where I had left my horse Charlemagne upon first arriving here with Sir Thomas and the knights. Above the Commandery, the brown and white Templar banner flew, but the training fields behind it were empty.
“What next, Tristan?” Maryam asked.
“I’m not sure. Something has drastically changed. It is not the Dover I remember. It was lively, and full of travelers and merchants and soldiers. This Dover looks nearly dead.”
“Then I say we skip our way around it and head north to Scotland. The sooner you’re rid of that satchel, the better for all of us,” Robard said. We sat there in silence for a while, watching the town below. I knew they were both waiting for me to take action.
“Tristan? Have you figured this all the way through yet?” Maryam finally asked.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
For a moment I felt myself tense. Since I had regained my senses, I had yet to tell Maryam or Robard what the Queen Mother had said to me in the courtyard. But I wondered if they had overheard her or if in my delirium I had revealed something. I was keeping another secret from them. It wasn’t right.
“Sir Hugh. The Grail. He wants it at any cost. Do you really think handing it over to a priest in Scotland is going to stop him?” she asked.
“The Assassin is right,” Robard said. “He won’t stop. Even if you give it over to this Father William, he’ll try to capture you or one of us and hold us hostage until you tell him where it is or until you retrieve it and trade it to him in exchange for our lives. Getting your vase to Scotland is the least of your worries.”
“It’s not a vase,” I complained. But Robard was right. They both were.
“You understand what this means, don’t you?” Robard asked.
I did, but had no desire to say it.
“He will hurt anything and everything close to you until he has what he wants,” Robard went on. “It would almost be better if we found him and you let me kill him for you. He’s a despicable scoundrel and I wouldn’t mind.” Robard was trying to be light-hearted about it, but he was also serious in his offer.
“I’m trying not to kill anyone, Robard,” I said. Though my words sounded hollow, I doubted even a knight as honorable as Sir Thomas would fault me if Robard were able to put an arrow in Sir Hugh’s heart from a hundred paces. Without another word, I turned my horse west and took off at a trot, but I quickly slowed the horse to a walk when the pain in my side made it impossible to keep going. In a moment they caught up to me.
“Where are we going?” he asked. “Scotland lies to the north.”
“Yes, I’m well aware of Scotland’s location. But there may be help for us here. Let’s wait until dark. Tonight we’ll pay a visit to Dover,” I said.
7
Following a trail leading inland, Robard found a dense thicket where the horses could be safely hobbled for the night. It wasfed by a small stream so the animals would have water, and the woods were so thick that it was unlikely our mounts would be discovered until we returned. I had advised we wait until nightfall before we entered the city, so with little else to do, each of us took turns standing watch and sleeping beneath the gently swaying trees.
At sundown, I nudged Robard with my boot. He had been softly snoring by the fire and came awake instantly. He started several different arguments all at once. “Why are we wasting time in Dover? We should be heading for Scotland straightaway. Why are we leaving the horses? What if we need to make a quick getaway? What then?” And so on. I instantly wished I’d left him asleep and ignored him for as long as possible, but the archer wouldn’t stop until I finally countered his numerous opinions.
“Ideally we won’t have to make a quick getaway. I just want to scout around. Maybe we can discover where Sir Hugh is and what his plans are. If we know where he is, it’s to our advantage. He won’t be able to sneak up on us. It’s better than blundering right into him unprepared. The horses will slow us down in town. I want to be able to move quickly and hide if necessary. It’s much harder to hide on a horse.”
“I would think it would depend on the horse,” he said, his eyes darting at me as he spoke.
“What? What would depend on the horse? You. . stop. . That doesn’t even make sense,” I stammered.
“Sure it does. I have been working on it during the ride, teaching my horse how to hide successfully,” he joked. Maryam couldn’t help but laugh.
I sighed in exasperation.
“How long is this going to take?” he asked. “I’m eager to reach Sherwood. The sooner we deliver your pottery, the faster I’ll be home and sleeping in my own bed.”
“I have no idea,” I said. “It will take as long as it takes. And it’s not ‘pottery,’ it is the Holy Cup of the Savior and the most sacred relic in the world. You shouldn’t be so blasphemous.”
“Bah!” said Robard as he waved his hand dismissively.
Maryam brought us back to reality. “Tristan, are you sure this is a good idea? Going into Dover, I mean. You, we, could be captured again. If Sir Hugh is there. .”
“I know. But a few members of the original regimento I joined remained behind here when the rest of us departed for Outreme
r. If they’re still at the Commandery, they will remember Sir Thomas and might be able to aid us,” I explained again.
Maryam shook her head, knowing I couldn’t be dissuaded. “If your friend Sir Hugh hasn’t turned them against you,” she muttered.
“Sir Hugh. . is. . was. . not popular with many members of the regimento. I doubt he could persuade them all to turn against Sir Thomas’ memory. But if you both are so concerned, you may stay here-”
“Oh no you don’t!” Robard interrupted. “I don’t intend to let you out of my sight. I’ve had quite enough of coming to your rescue.”
Now it was my turn for mock anger. “What? When have you ever come to my rescue? I caught you on the cliff at Montsegur, I saved you from a beating at the hands of Philippe! Well, actually it was Angel, but still. You coming to my rescue? I think you are sadly-”
“Enough! Goodness, the two of you argue like the old women in my village. Stop this nonsense. Let’s go!” Maryam shouted at us and stomped away, leaving the cover of the woods behind and heading down the rise toward Dover.
Robard and I followed, and after a short walk we reached the outskirts of the city. The night was cold. I rubbed my hands together and wrapped them in the folds of my tunic for warmth. It would be colder before the sun rose again. There was a half moon in the sky and some of the buildings were lighted by torchlight. Candles burned in the windows of the huts and small shops, and the glow of their cook fires danced through shutters and curtains as we passed by.
We left Angel behind to guard the horses. She was napping peacefully and opened one sleepy eye when I bade her stay. She had looked at me with her intelligent eyes and, somehow understanding our need to keep the horses as safe as possible, didn’t make a fuss about following us. She rolled back over and was soon asleep. The poor little mutt had been through a lot the last few days.
Off in the distance high above the city stood the castle where I’d first met King Richard more than a year ago. It felt like only yesterday when I had stood in the Great Hall while the Lionheart addressed our regimento. In other ways it felt like a lifetime since I’d last walked these streets.
“What are you thinking about?” Maryam asked.
“Nothing,” I answered.
“Are you with us, squire?” Robard said, his tone somewhere between teasing and serious. “You need to be alert. I don’t like this idea one bit. I’m willing to bet you my bow Sir Hugh is here, and we’re likely to run into him at any moment.”
“Yes. I am alert, Robard. I was just thinking,” I said, pointing toward the next street. “This way. We’ll head to the Commandery. It’s on the other side of town.”
The sky was overcast, and when the moon rose later in the evening, the clouds would cut the light. Most of the dwellings were quiet, with no firelight coming from inside. A few torches were lighted here and there, but we would be able to move about without being seen clearly, for the most part. As we walked, I found myself clenching and unclenching my hands and breathing in short bursts. My side ached, and I was certainly not going to be much help if we had to fight our way out. Had I made a mistake in bringing us here?
We darted down the alleys and the narrow passageways between buildings, trying our best to stay out of sight. Each step we took made my heart thunder in my chest. In truth, there were very few people out at this time of night and we had little difficulty passing through town largely unseen. But I felt as if danger lurked in the shadows and Sir Hugh was hiding behind every corner. Despite the cold, I was sweating. My legs grew heavy and each step took more and more effort. I kept telling myself it was only nerves and to stay alert, but I had trouble concentrating and only became more agitated.
Whenever someone appeared on the street, we behaved as if we belonged there-strolling along, talking in low tones and giving no one a reason to suspect us of anything. In a few minutes we had reached the marketplace in the center of town. It was deserted, but as we cut through the closed-up stalls, memories overtook me. I thought of the morning after Sir Thomas had introduced me to King Richard and he’d reacted so strangely. He must have sent the King’s Guards to follow me that day. The guards had tracked me through these very streets, and were it not for the timely appearance of Sir Basil, who knows what may have happened. In hindsight, it was clear the guards had intended to do me harm.
Then later, Sir Hugh attacked me on the practice field during sword drills, and Sir Thomas had warned him to leave me alone on threat of death. When Sir Thomas had bested Sir Hugh on the fields of the Commandery, Sir Hugh had said, “I know who he is. . ” How could he when I didn’t even know who I was?
Something jerked me off my feet, and the next thing I knew I was up against the side of the building with Robard’s face inches from my own. He had yanked me back into the alley after I had just absentmindedly wandered out into the street.
“What?” I groused.
“What are you doing, Tristan?” Robard asked. “You blundered out into the street without looking to see if it was clear. Are you deliberately trying to get us killed?”
“No,” I said, ashamed.
“You need to be here, Tristan, not in Outremer or back in France or dreaming of the fair Celia,” Robard commanded. I blushed when he mentioned Celia’s name. It would be useless to protest that she was about the only thing I wasn’t thinking of.
“I. . I’m sorry,” I said. And I was. Robard was absolutely right. My attention was too scattered, and my lack of focus was dangerous.
I took a deep breath and tried to push the thoughts of kings and queen mothers and King’s Guards out of my head.
Robard let out an exaggerated sigh. “Sorry won’t keep us out of the dungeon, squire. Let’s do what we came here for, whatever it is, and get back to our horses.”
“Right. Of course. I’m sorry, Robard. Come. It’s not much farther.” We walked on, keeping to the shadows, and a few moments later stood just down the street from the main gate of the Commandery. Peering around the corner of a darkened shop, I studied the surroundings for several minutes. No one entered or left the grounds, but it was not guarded.
“What now?” Maryam whispered.
“I’m going to sneak in and see if there is anyone there who might be able to help,” I said.
“How are you going to ‘sneak’ in?” Robard asked incredulously.
“I don’t know,” I replied.
“That’s what I thought,” he said.
I tried hard to think of something. If I could get into the Commandery without being seen, perhaps I could find a friendly brother like Sir Westley or some of the squires I’d served with and explain my predicament. Perhaps I could even learn of Sir Hugh’s whereabouts.
Several minutes passed and no one came or went from the grounds. Time to take action.
“Come on, I want the two of you to boost me over the wall,” I said. “We’ll go around to the rear where the training grounds are. We’re less likely to be noticed there.”
“Wonderful,” Robard muttered, but he and Maryam followed me down the street.
“You are trying to sneak into a small fortress manned by a group of heavily armed, well-trained fighters who may have been ordered to capture you,” Maryam observed. “You don’t see any problems with your strategy?”
“None,” I said. Without giving them time to answer, I stepped onto the street and, staying to the shadows, moved along the front of the building opposite the gate. I wanted to circle the Commandery first, to make doubly sure there was no one about.
Just then, without warning, the doors pulled open and six mounted knights rode through, Sir Hugh at their lead.
8
I dove behind a two-wheeled cart parked in front of the building. It would be a miracle if they didn’t see me. Casting a quick glance behind me, I found Robard and Maryam backing into the shadows of the building’s recessed doorway, trying desperately to become invisible in the darkness. I lay on the ground, attempting to tighten my entire body into the tiniest size possi
ble.
The horses pranced out of the gate, then stopped in the street. Sir Hugh’s high-pitched voice was instructing the knights, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I raised my head, peering over the top of the cart, but a sharp hiss from Maryam startled me and I ducked down again.
The clouds were backlighted by the rising moon, which was almost at its highest point in the night sky. Unfortunately the shadows along the buildings lining our side of the street were beginning to shorten. If Sir Hugh and his men did not ride off soon, we were surely done for. They would see me if they came toward us, and Robard and Maryam would not be hidden for much longer either. My breath came in short gasps and the blood pounding in my ears made it difficult to think.
The sound of horses cantering down the street was a welcome relief. I peered out at the street from beneath the cart. The column rode into my view with Sir Hugh at the lead and the brothers following two abreast, and I was overjoyed to see they were heading away from us. I was about to stand up when everything went sour.
The building secreting Maryam and Robard was a small inn. During my time in Dover it had been a raucous place filled with revelers and drunks. It had fallen on hard times like the rest of the town. No sound came from within and its windows were dark. From all appearances, it looked deserted.
Yet it was not.
Before Sir Hugh and the brothers reached the end of the street, a man opened the door and stepped out carrying a bucket full of ashes, which he must have intended to dump in the street. The door had hidden Robard from his view, but he nearly trampled Maryam. Then he spotted me lying on the ground beside the cart. He bellowed, “What is this? What are you doing here?”
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