Chapter 7.1

The hard bed slammed into my mouth as I was unceremoniously dumped by the soldiers. I twisted my face upwards with a grimace, and saw the Captain smirking with delight. Then he gestured at the soldiers who had my guardsmen pinned against the wall, motioning them to leave.

"What did you do to him?" Charles demanded to know.

"Gave him what he deserved," the Captain gloated.

"Lord Reinard will not be pleased with this."

"Lord Reinard had best think twice before sending a spy into another’s castle. You have half an hour to pack your things, and then you will be escorted out of the holding." He spun on his heal and left with his men.

Charles snatched up his sword and crossed the room to the door, and flung it open. There he found himself face to face with two armed soldiers. He drew his blade from its sheath and said, "Step aside, fools."

I snapped my fingers at him, then waved back at the scattered belongings. Honor and pride were delicate things – but our interests were best served by leaving quickly and safely.
Obviously disappointed, he retreated and closed the door.

I lay back and closed my eyes. I needed a few minutes to calm my stomach and my emotions. I could not afford much more than that, however. In the night, I would certainly have fresh nightmares as old demons crept out and danced in my head, but just then I needed to think clearly.

There was a thump on the shutter. Jason opened them enough to peek out, then opened them wide. A pair of feet dangled outside the window. Elise’s feet.

Jason and Ison reached out and helped her in. The rope she had climbed down still hung from somewhere above, trailing rain into the room.

"The corridor is filled with guards." She untied a bag from her waist, and pulled out bread and cold meat, which she offered to my men.

"We know that," Ison grumbled. "There would have been a small war if Gerard hadn’t called us back."

"Three against twenty is poor odds." Elise took a damp cloth from her apron pocket and started washing down my face. "Oh, my poor, poor Bard."

From the look on Charles face, he had not known how bad the situation was. "We’re being sent away."

"He’s an evil man, Lord Guerney is, sending Gerard off when he’s in such a bad way. He could die."

"What did he do?"

"Cut his tongue out, he did. They showed it off in the dining room, even."

Now my men looked puzzled. "A whole tongue?" Jason asked.

"Aye."

Charles frowned. "I don’t see how."

"You use a good sharp knife," Elise snapped.

"Yes, but..."

"There’s mischief here, isn’t there?" Jason said.

I nodded.

It was Elise’s turn to look confused.

"It’s why he doesn’t talk, ye see," Jason said quietly. "The old lord, the Bard-killer, he took exception to this child’s pretty voice. He took it out ten years ago."

"But the tongue, and the blood..." Her voice trailed off.

"Some sort of mischief. And where’s there’s mischief, there’s danger. The sooner we quit this place, the better." He gathered his things quickly into his bag.

Then Charles, showing a rare intelligence, said, "And we need to take her with us. She’s in danger, too."

"But I can’t go. Not without my Lord’s leave."

"You need to go without his leave or knowledge," Charles insisted. He pointed to my trunk. "Can we hide her in that?"