Greenwood Knight

Chapter 36

She sighed and swiped at her cheek. "It breaks my heart. It has been three days and that poor man is black and blue all over. He has three broken ribs and he has torn the stitches to his side so many times, I am hard pressed to find a place to put a fresh stitch. I hope that he speaks soon."

She sighed and squeezed the pendant in her palm. She found it in the man's clothing when she was first treating him the first time he passed out. She thought mayhap it was important to him, as he kept it hidden, so she slipped it into her pocket with the intention of returning it to him...but he was never conscious when they called her to tend him...

"Gwyn?"

She turned at the sound of Drew's voice.

"I am needed to heal the unconscious man again. I declare, if I did not know the importance of finding the traitor to the king, I might be tempted to think us savage barbarians."

"It is not the most pleasant task, but it is clear they were sent by someone. Two men alone in the wood, so far from any village or road...they were scouts and we can only hope their master is not close behind."

"I..." she let her hands fall to her sides as she slid from the top of the sarcophagus to her feet and the string of the pendant snagged upon her finger. She fumbled frantically, catching the pendant before it fell.

"What have you there?" Drew asked, frowning at the object curled in her palm.

"I found it in his clothes when I treated him the first time. I think it might be important to him, as it was hidden in the folds. Mayhap something from his family..."

"May I have a look?"

Gwyn passed it over and watched as Drew recognized it, letting out a curse. Without a word to her, he curled an angry fist around the pendant and turned on his heal, leaving her to hurry after if she were to know the reason for his anger.

"Erec." Drew called as he hurried around to their back door. "Erec!"

Hearing his name, Erec stepped the rest of the way out of the second room. It was the place chosen for their interrogation as it was windowless and concealed beneath ground. With the door closed, the sounds would not travel far and thus would not give away their hiding place. Crossing the hall, he stepped through the back door and made three steps before Drew appeared.

"Drew." He smiled as he saw Gwyn scurrying after, "Milady." His smile disappeared when his gaze fell once more upon Drew's face.

"What is it?"

"This." Drew growled as he grabbed Erec's hand and slapped a pendant into his palm.

Turning it over so that he might see it, he frowned.

"God's Teeth." He cursed. "They are from Far North."

"Aye."

"I wonder that they are so far into our realm. King Axel must be planning something greater than his usual border raids and threats. I wondered that it went so well for us..."

"Aye. They fought long enough to allow the women and children to retreat and then fled before us."

"I wondered that our losses were not greater. And the spoils, come to think upon it, were not so great as they might be. And you said women and children, but thinking back, I do not recall..."

"It was a ruse. We were meant to believe we were victorious. It does not make sense given that our reports from Port Castle and End'aven said that Axel was hiring mercenaries..."

"So that is it then." Gwyn said hopefully, "You do bit need to question him further. We can turn him over to Brecken...what?"

"He said this morning that he was hired to create distrust of the king. They burned villages and took men and supplies from the people..."