A man stepped out from behind a treenot ten paces from her, and Lara sucked her breath in as thecaptain stood in the dusky light.
“The mouse has ears.”Henodded at the knife and pot she clutched.“As well as claws.”Heclosed the distance between them in several long strides as Laralowered her chin.“It’s good to see you’re on your guard, Hamm.Though I wouldn’t be stepping away alone at night anymore, if Iwere you.A bully always strikes when the odds are in his favor,and curs always attack in packs.”
Lara relaxed her grip on the pot andsheathed her knife.“Thank you, Captain.”She tugged her cap downlower.“I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Good,” he said.“Do.”
Lara started to nod, then grunted herassent instead.She walked away from the captain, leading with hershoulders rather than her hips and glanced back when she hit theopen ground of the camp.The captain followed her and continued tountil she made the safety of the wagon, when he strolled off in thedirection of his men’s tents and bedrolls.
She set the pot and ladle in theirplace and was double-checking that everything else was put away forthe night when Phillipe and Anglbert, then Dardinel, Tree, and thecaptain, all armed to the teeth and carrying their bedrolls, spreadthem out by the fire next to the wagon.
“You’ve found yourself aprotector.”Plutarch lay down on his bedroll with a tiredgroan.
“Saint Talon of theStrays.”Lara shook her bedroll out and laid it next to Plutarch’s,then sat cross-legged on it and peered over at the captain and hismen on the other side of the fire.They spoke low or stared outinto the night.In the captain’s case, he whittled on a piece ofwood.
“Be glad of them,”Plutarch told her.“I know Ranulf’s father of old.If he’s anythinglike Nithard, he’s not to be trusted.”
Lara chuffed.“Ranulf is just like hisfather.You say you know the count of old?”
“Aye, before he was count.I was a man-at-arms for his brother, Count Reginald.I served atOloron Manor when the Lady Eileen and her daughter, Isabeau, stillreigned.”He took in a deep breath, and Lara knew a tale was aboutto be told.“Ahh, Hamm, me boy,” he said.“You’re too young to’vebeen blessed with a sight of the fair lady Isabeau.In grace andheart and beauty she ruled over every man in the whole of thevalley but loved only one.Harald.”
“Harald?”Lara scootedcloser to Plutarch.She’d heard the tale of the lady Isabeau sincechildhood, everyone in the valley had, but she’d never heard thename of the man Isabeau had loved and scorned Nithardfor.
“Harald was a man-at-armsof her father’s as well,” Plutarch said.“He was a good friend anda good man to have at your back in a battle.They were secretlymarried, Harald and Isabeau, right before we went off to war.Onlythe abbot, myself, our captain, and his lady knew of theirmarriage.”
Lara scratched at her bindings.“Whywas their marriage kept secret?”
“They were to announcetheir marriage when we returned from the war, but when we came backbearing the sad news of our captain’s death in battle, it was tofind them all gone.My captain’s lady to visit family somewhere inthe east, the count and his wife dead and buried, and Lady Isabeauvanished.They said in her grief at losing her parents, she walkedoff into the woods, never to be seen again in this world.”He gavea heavy sigh and stared beyond Lara into the past.“They were anuncommonly handsome couple, her so slim and graceful with softblonde curls and eyes like a cat’s, and him a man built straight upand down with hair the color of fire.”
“What did Harald do whenhe found his lady gone?”
“He searched for her for ayear straight.”Plutarch sounded tired and worn out from the day,from the years past.“Then he went and got himself killed inbattle.”He gave a sad smile and pulled his blanket over hisshoulders, though it was warm as day.“I was there.I held him ashe took his last breath speaking her name.”
***
Talon
They made camp on the Spanish side ofRoncesvalles Pass as the sun began to set.The call came as duskturned to dark: “Riders in.”
Brys and Oswald, the men Talon hadsent ahead to scout for the returning army, rode into camp with twoother riders wearing the king’s colors.
As he dismounted, Oswald said,“Charles is two days’ ride from here, three at most.”He eyedTalon’s empty bowl.
“Did he give you a messagefor me?”Talon asked.
Oswald nodded and rubbed his backsideas the others dismounted.“He said to tell you you were wrong, andhe expects a cow to be roasting when you meet up.”
Talon chuffed.“He’ll eat half the cowwhile feeding me a whole lot of I told you so.”He greeted theking’s men with a handshake.“Bertrand, Guy, your timing isperfect.I was on my way to the cook’s wagon.”
Bertrand grinned with every mouthfulof savory rabbit stew, returning to the wagon for seconds andthirds, and Talon worried that Tree would turn out to be right,that once Charles learned of Hamm’s talent at cooking, he wouldsteal the lad for himself.Of course, it would be a greatopportunity for the lad if he became a king’s cook.Talon wouldsimply have to work supper invites from Charles on futuremarches.
After they’d eaten, Plutarch tapped acask of ale as the men settled themselves between the fire and thewagon, their post for the past three nights.
“What’s that you’rewhittling, Captain?”Anglbert eyed the piece of antler Taloncarved.
“It’s meant to be anelephant.”
“Is it meant for anyone inparticular?”Anglbert nudged Phillipe with his elbow.“A gift for abeautiful wildcat perhaps?A bribe to help soothe her anger atbeing left out?”