“Not as bad as I thought they would be, really,” Luke said, trying to keep in good spirits in the dungeon. “We have a window and even a dry floor this time.”


    “I expected Lord Marillac by now,” mused Anthanasius.


    “You still think he’ll come, eh?”


    “I think so; I said we had private business to discuss with him and we never got the chance. Plus he wouldn’t have given you all these luxuries if he believed the story.”


    The two smiled at each other’s jests then instantly, as if awaiting a summons from around the corner, they heard footsteps approaching. They were the steps of a single man walking with a purpose. The two recognized who they expected to see; Lord Marillac. He rattled a key in the lock and left it there while he stepped into their cell.


    He stood looking at them for a while and then spoke. “You said you needed to discuss private matters with me?” He spoke calmly and without great concern, seemingly unaware of where they stood or the obvious topic of discussion.


    Anthanasius responded, “I’m glad you don’t believe it, mylord.”


    Lord Marillac leaned against the wall and folded his arms; still keeping a kindly demeanor. “None of my generals do either; I’ve just come from talking with them. Why don’t you tell me what happened?”


    Luke spoke up to Lord Marillac for the first time. “Anthanasius went to visit the king and see what troubled him; he didn’t look at either of us during the return feast and avoided us as best he could. The advisor Semias Norworth framed us with a cowardly scream when we were alone with him and had us arrested without a defense. We broke out of course, urm, alone and…”


    Lord Marillac smiled fully and nodded. “With the jailor as hostage; I understand.”


    Anthanssius continued, “We took lesser-frequented paths and happened on a disreputable inn where we bought the horses you mentioned earlier.”


    Lord Marillac waited for the story to conclude before speaking. “That is nigh the same story as what’s going about. You know popular opinion doesn’t matter much when decisions are made for King Nigel. I’ve not seen him for months but Boniface told me.”


    The two said nothing but nodded solemnly.


    “It’s a delicate business to be sure.” Lord Marillac mumbled as he looked distractedly at the stone floor. “If I release you outright…”


    He shifted his weight and said in his commanding voice, “I have no intention to let Semias harm you. If he forces us to join his game he will find there’s one who can be more cunning than he. Follow me.”


    The two followed Lord Marillac without a word as he turned on his heel. This side of his personality had enabled him to rise to King Hugh’s most trusted Lord. The jesting, good natured diplomat shone from his spirit most often, but when required, a lion sprang forth in decisive action that only the most foolish would doubt.


    His footsteps fell heavily and he said in the same low commanding voice which gave Anthanasius and Luke a thrilling tingle up and down their backs, “There are good men left in Rohalot. He’ll never hold an army to his back without a dagger sticking from it.”


    “Thomas, have the messengers from Rohalot gone?” asked Lord Marillac as soon as he emerged from a passageway near them.


    “I, sir I,” faltered the steward at seeing the unbending face of his lord and the should-be prisoners with him, “I do not know, sir; I will find out directly.”


    “Tell them nothing,” Lord Marillac said and then led on while the steward scurried away to inquire of the party.


    He stopped again and said in a more kindly voice, “Young Percy, would you be so kind as to have your master come to the council room, and have Olin send Sir Rothbur, too.”


    Squire Percy stood a moment with a gaping smile before Lord Marillac at the honor done him to be sent on an important errand between the knights and the lord of the castle. He hurried off as rapidly as his legs would carry him after a word of urging from Lord Marillac.


    Lord Marillac, Anthanasius, and Luke continued on and soon came to the council room. The door stood mostly closed and Lord Marillac pushed abruptly in, disturbing those of his officers still left from before his interview with Anthanasius and Luke. One seated across the table nodded solemnly as they entered, as if fully understanding everything that would befall from the mere sight of them entering.


    After a few minutes mostly filled with a deliberative silence, Sir Rothbur entered quietly. His simple tunic didn’t allude to his title, but his hard-set eyes and kindly smile betokened him a knight to those who didn’t know him. He looked around as he entered and remarked simply, “Mighty unexpected, this, but as good now as ever.”


    Squire Percy’s master Sir Rowlin followed Sir Rothbur not far behind. With what speed he sat, one might have thought the thin man somewhat enfeebled, but all present knew that, when necessary, he would spring to a fight with sword swinging fit to cleave a limb should it hit home.


    As he took his seat the door opened and Squire Percy poked his head in and he said, “Steward Thomas said the party from Rohalot Castle left an hour ago.” He left and closed the door without waiting for a reply.


    Lord Marillac stood at the head of the table and looked gravely around, speaking again in his unbending voice, his eyes still shining with determination. “There comes a time in certain lifetimes when good men need to stand up for dignity. We’ve been blinded for too long and know it now.”


    He paused a few moments, then continued with a more mellow voice, “You all now know Semias is behind this, and he knows I don’t like him more than pea soup. That’s my folly. He wouldn’t have visited even with the kingdom in peace, but now is apparently his time to act.”


    Sir Rowlin interrupted, “If word reaches his ears—which it will—that we caught wind of him, what’s the king’s life worth?”


    “Not much, for sure,” Lord Marillac resumed, “but if I know anything about Semias, he runs deeper than what we see.”


    He turned and faced Anthanasius and Luke, “You two are the most recent here to visit Rohalot. Do you have any more information about current affairs?”


    Anthanasius shifted in his chair and leaned forward to the table, “King Nigel isn’t a puppet yet. When Luke and I talked alone with him for mere minutes preceding our arrest, he started to become himself again. As long as Cajetan and Boniface are there, things cannot degrade too fast.”


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    “Semias wouldn’t dare kill King Nigel,” stated Sir Rothbur. “The outrage would be tremendous.”


    “How is the King’s position with the people?” queried another knight.


    Luke answered, “I wasn’t there long but I didn’t hear a bad word spoken of him.”


    “That is comforting,” Lord Marillac said simply, heading slowly toward the window. “I wonder if Boniface and Cajetan are safe?”


    “Did you speak with many of the knights there?” someone asked Anthanasius.


    “A few; they all seemed positive and patriotic. Now that you mention it, our arrest wasn’t with much hardihood by the soldiers I recognized. If Semias gave the king a chance to stop it he would have; it happened incredibly fast and we were out of his presence.”


    From his post by the window, Lord Marillac mused, “So they only act on perceived orders and no-one apparently opposes the King. What’s his game?”


    He leaned his palms heavily on the sill and hunched his shoulders, gazing to the forecourt below.


    He still stared out when Sir Rothbur spoke, “We need to convey what we’ve discussed to Cajetan, Boniface, and a few others in Rohalot Castle without delay. Some of us should go and I volunteer my services.”


    Another knight, Sir Brian, spoke for the first time and showed his willingness.


    “We will be discreet, but of course there must be a pretext for going,” he said as he turned to Lord Marillac.


    “Certainly, certainly,” Lord Marillac replied distractedly. “Getting word into Rohalot will be the easy part, but getting the king away from Semias’ control may prove impossible.”


    Lord Marillac turned suddenly away from the window and looked toward Anthanasius, “Everything was fine when you arrived at the castle, but what about now that you escaped? Semias isn’t one to let a moment for advantage slip by. Your fabricated regicide is more believable now.”


    “The more reason to leave today,” Sir Rothbur said, standing up. “Sir Brian and I can determine the mind of the people and talk with some knights.”


    “Sit down, Sir Rothbur,” Lord Marillac said placidly, himself returning to his chair. “I appreciate your willingness, but do not make so bold with a delicate mission. This doesn’t appear life-or-death yet, though it may soon become that.”


    “Here’s what I have in mind.” He closed his eyes after he sat and continued, “It would do the king good to get out for a change of scenery and distract his mind from the war. Where better to do that than Echo Slope, where he has not been for some time? Unreasonable? No. Possible? No, because Semias is not reasonable and he’s certainly thought of that. We could have Semias killed outright, but he knows that as well.”


    He turned to Anthanasius and asked, “You likely didn’t notice many new faces at Rohalot?”


    “It truth, sir,” he replied, “I noticed a few, but there usually are some.”


    Lord Marillac rested his chin on one fist and crossed his chest with the other arm. After sitting brooding for a minute, he stood again and walked to the window. Reaching it, he turned around with conviction and said, “I will send Sir Rothbur, Sir Brian, and Sir Amis to Rohalot. You three will communicate with Boniface and Cajetan what we just discussed. You are prudent enough to know what you should say. Further, as you all know, I’m holding a tournament in three weeks. I will write to King Nigel expressing my desire to have him as my honoured guest. He likely will not come, but judge accordingly.”


    Lord Marillac turned and dictated a message for another to write. Once completed, he read it over then sealed it in wax with his personal stamp. He handed it to Sir Brian with the admonition of giving it directly to King Nigel.


    Sir Rothbur stirred in his chair but Lord Marillac arrested his movement with a gesture of his hand and additional speech. “One more thing. I received word many days ago requesting troops to aid Brownstone Castle.”


    Sir Rowlin frowned and stirred for the first time. “A message from Lord Cyprius? Why wouldn’t he request troops? He’s been fighting this war almost entirely by himself. I can think of nothing more logical for him to do.”


    Lord Marillac continued speaking to all, indirectly answering the knight, “I found the message upon my desk with no indication of its origin. None of my stewards saw anyone near my chamber, either.”


    Anthanasius interrupted, “Did it arrive before Luke and I left?”


    “Yes, it did;” he said, “immediately before. I stepped away from my rooms for a brief time that morning and returned to find it clearly sitting where I was meant to find it right away.”


    Anthanasius and Luke looked at each other, then to Lord Marillac as Luke spoke, “Boniface was a little late coming down the slope...but he would never—”


    “No, certainly not,” Lord Marillac interjected. “He was meeting with me.”


    “What about?” Sir Rothbur demanded.


    “He wanted to discuss…” Lord Marillac began, before drifting away to a million thoughts. Boniface initially sowed the seeds of treason they now discussed. Boniface wanted to meet in private immediately before departure. A divided kingdom would be easier to conquer, and what better way than to fuel discontent among the lords of the most powerful regions. Could he be working with Semias, trying to deflect the blame from the more obvious threat, obscuring reality?


    Lord Marillac’s heart cried out to him for his treachery against an old friend, but in the instant those thoughts occupied his mind, Luke caught his hesitation and said, “I would trust Boniface with my life, and don’t suspect him of anything.”


    Sir Rothbur shrugged. “I was just asking.”


    Lord Marillac shook his head lightly to refocus and said, “No, I don’t suspect him of anything either, I simply lost concentration there. He wanted to warn me about the king’s unusual behavior—just make me aware of it. Besides, I had already found the letter by then.”


    “So you think,” began another knight, Sir Amis, “that it could be a trap? Did it ask for a specific number of troops?”


    In answer, Lord Marillac reached into the folds of his robe and produced an ordinary-looking letter. “You all might as well see it,” he said. He reached forward to hand it to Sir Rothbur, who sat nearest.


    Sir Rothbur briefly examined the outside, opened it, held it to the light, and mumbled, “Nothin’,” before beginning to read as follows:


    Lord Marillac of Echo Slope,


    Please, my good friend, send reinforcements immediately to Bronlum. The king ignores my pleading. Our foothold is weak and grows more precarious with each battle. They keep coming.


    “There is no signature nor mark of any kind to identify it,” Sir Rothbur said as he laid the letter in front of him.


    “I should have said earlier that the writer mentioned the king,” began Lord Marillac. “I’ve also considered that Lord Cyprius could be testing my willingness to sidestep King Nigel’s authority and take matters into our own hands. He is clever.”


    “What concerns me,” Sir Amis stated, “is how he says they keep coming. I’m amazed he’s been able to hold out so long—delighted, but still amazed and I think we should fully support our countrymen in their request.”


    A general murmur of assent passed around the table and everyone looked at Lord Marillac to see what he would do. He sat in his chair again and as he passed his eyes across the room to meet each one’s gaze before speaking, he smiled inwardly at all these brave spirits.


    “I’m glad I have your support. We will send a company of tenscore men to Lord Cyprius’ aid commanded by Anthanasius and Luke. More may follow depending on how many we send to Rohalot,” said Lord Marillac, again in his commanding voice. “It will be good to get you two farther from Semias’ knowledge. Take Siadhal with you and send word when you can. This is hardly treason given the circumstances, but we mustn''t act rashly. Sir Rothbur, Sir Amis, and Sir Brian will leave immediately for Rohalot. Tomorrow I will give the order to prepare for your departure, Anthanasius, and the following day you will depart.”


    “As long as we can enter and leave Rohalot before Semias learns you’re moving troops without the king’s orders.” Sir Brian said, standing to go with Sir Rothbur and Sir Amis.


    “We’ll prepare the horses; send the letter along quickly,” said Sir Rothbur, turning and opening the door.


    All others stood and made to go. Before the three could leave, though, Lord Marillac said, “Anthanasius and Luke never arrived here and must be in hiding as far as Semias needs to know. And I think, just to see how matters unfold, it would be best for you to stay there awhile.”


    Without saying a word, Sir Amis, Sir Brian, and Sir Rothbur bowed and left through the now open door. The others left also and Luke prepared to follow. As they remained the only two in the room, he turned to Lord Marillac to say something, but faltered at seeing a foreign expression on his face.


    “How...” he began, “What is it, mylord?”


    Lord Marillac replied, “Spread thinner yet; what chance has a divided kingdom?”