Chapter Twenty-Nine

Reaching the great hall, he found Tanak and Rosalynn waiting for him.

“Should we wake your pathetic cousin?” Tanak asked.

“There’s no reason for him to be involved.”

“Ah, but Cousin, it is there you are wrong. It is our King’s desire that we work together in rousting out these rebels,” Pasquel stated, crossing the hall to join the others.

“What is it you are babbling about, Pasquel?”

“Had you stayed for dinner long enough, I would have shared the King’s missive,” he said, handing Damon a piece of parchment with the King’s seal.

Damon broke the seal and read the missive, his eyes darkening with aggravation, his jaw ticking in anger. He handed the missive to Tanak to read, and turned to stare at his cousin. “Since when do you have the king’s ear, Cousin? I had no idea you had your mind set to such lofty heights.”

“You would know more if you came to court more often, dear cousin,” he sneered. “But that is right, the King’s champion must be out in the countryside, saving the Saxon vermin, killing rebels and procuring beautiful prisoners. As you have read, the King wishes me to report back to him the updates on your hunting abilities.”

“The King is well aware of my abilities, Cousin,” he replied scornfully.

“Aye, ‘tis true. But an update he wishes nonetheless.”

Damon glared at his cousin, turned and left the hall. The riders were entering the inner bailey as Damon stepped off the steps. “Sir Richard,” he greeted, extending his hand.

Richard dismounted and clasped his friend’s hand in his own.

Damon noted the haggard look of Sir Richard and his men. Their clothes were grimy, and each looked as though they’d not slept in days. “What brings you so early, my friend?”

“Rebels, what else? ‘Tis sure ‘tis not to see your lovely face,” he replied, his good humor showing through the tiredness of his eyes.

“Come, food and drink await you. Then you can tell me what has brought you so urgently.”

Sir Richard and his closest guards followed him into the great hall, the others were sent to the soldiers’ barracks to get food and rest.

Damon settled into his chair as Richard and his men ate and drank their fill.

“We have ridden nonstop from Woodmir,” he told Damon. “Every village between there and here has been razed. Burned to the ground. Very few managed to escape, but those that had were in the process of burying the dead and gathering their things. Some will go to Woodmir and the others have been sent this way.”

“The rebels had a good two day head start on us, but we started to catch up to them as we neared Blackmoor. It seems to be the same rebels we fought at Baldock, their leader, a grizzled man with a battle-axe the size of my leg.”

“Aye, I know of this man. He attacked us near the Black Forest. He and his men tried to capture Gabriella and then shot her in the back with an arrow as she escaped and warned us.”

Sir Richard’s eyes rose as he took in that bit of information. “And did she survive?”

“Aye,” Damon stated, a look of possession stealing over him.

Sir Richard laughed and held up his hands. “Do not worry, my friend. The wild cat is yours, and you are welcome to her. I just hope that she does not scratch too deeply.”

Damon nodded his response. “So where are these rebels now?”

“We lost them in the Black Forest.”

“Then you must rest and we will prepare in the morning for the hunt. Come, I will see that rooms are made for you and your men.”

“Thank you,” Sir Richard replied, rising from the table.

Damon stood and looked around the hall. It was pointless to yell for Rosalynn, for he knew she was there in the shadows, waiting. At his glance, she came from the darkness near the kitchens.

“If you would follow me, milord, a room has been prepared.”

Sir Richard nodded to Damon and followed Rosalynn towards the guest rooms. He had stayed many times at Blackmoor, and he had his own room here at any time.

“Sir Weasel stays to your right, milord,” Rosalynn told him as she led him forward.

“And what is that viper up to?” he asked.

“One never knows, milord. One never knows.”

“Thank you, Rosalynn, I’ll be sure to watch my back.”

The keep was returning to the quiet of the night, but Damon felt restless. Deception niggled at the back of his neck, but he was unsure of its cause. “Where has my spineless cousin gone off to?” he asked Tanak.

“He did not follow us into the hall. Let us hope that he does not get too out of line during his stay.”

“Let us hope,” Damon agreed.

“Go to bed, my friend,” Tanak advised. “You have a woman growing chilled in your bed. I shall remain on watch this night, and see if I can roust out your wretched cousin.”

“Aye, my friend,” Damon stood. He slapped him on his shoulder and headed towards the stairs, thoughts of Gabriella quickly filling his mind.

* * * * * *

In the darkness along the wall of the garden, the small side gate stood ajar. The bright silver moon now hung suspended in a skirt of blackness as the keep fell back into its evening slumber.

“You have done well,” the shrill voice whispered in the darkness.

“Now tell me of my final plans. The course has been set into motion and the end is near. I do not wish for anything to go wrong. Do you understand me?”

“Aye,” replied the darkness. “Nothing will go wrong. All is ready.”

“Good, because if it does, I will have your head myself, and you will watch as I rip the heart from your chest. He suspects nothing of the arrival, and that is how it shall remain.”

The darkness made no response, simply nodded and stepped further into the shadows of the night.

“So now the great Dragon of Blackmoor shall see what transpires on the morrow,” the man whispered. “My man inside is in place. Make sure that you handle your task well, my friend, and we shall all enjoy our just rewards. Do not fail me,” he ordered, turning and silently blending back into the night.

* * * * * *

In the darkness of the great hall, Tanak sat hidden from view. His eyes sharpened in the darkness as he watched Pasquel slip in the door and shut it quietly behind him. It seems the rat is indeed up to no good, Tanak thought and watched Pasquel return to his room.

This one will need to be watched even more closely. He rose to find Sedrick. The young pup will have to follow him as a bloodhound follows the fox. Let us just hope there is no trail of blood to follow as well, Tanak thought as he headed towards the soldiers’ barracks.

Finding Sedrick amongst the other knights was not too difficult, as he was left outside of each of the groups of men. He was young and had not entirely proven himself, despite his fight at Hastings. His young age and headstrongness were working against his reliable sword arm. “Come, young one,” Tanak told him

Sedrick jumped in the darkness. “Stop sneaking up on me, old man.”

“Come,” Tanak laughed. “I have a task for you.”

“If it is the same task milord has requested, I already know of it.”

“Aye, it is. But now an additional course of action must be added to it,” he stated, his voice a soft command.

Sedrick rose and followed Tanak across the bailey. When they had reached the doors to the hall, he fully understood what Tanak had in mind. Advising Sedrick that he would tell Damon of the additional plan, he left him in the hall to take his place in the darkness.

Whatever is afoot, ‘tis sure to happen soon, Tanak thought, making his way to the opposite side of the darkened hall.