An Ill Fate Marshalling

21

Year 1016 AFE

Dahl double-checked his document case, made sure his gear was secure, swung into the saddle. There was a lot he wanted to say, but he wasn't good with people. He just said, „Good-bye, Colonel. Thanks for everything."

„Godspeed, son. Tell your King we'll try to break it up at this end."

„Right." Dahl urged his mount into the street. Dawn hadn't yet broken. He had Kristen in his eyes. He was in a hurry to get home.

Home? he thought. I always thought of the stead as home. The old saw was right.

Introspective, wondering what would become of himself and Kristen, he wasn't alert. It wasn't till he had begun riding through farmland south of the Silverbind that he suddenly realized the three men behind him had been there for some time. He increased his pace. They did the same.

He was in trouble.

What to do? He couldn't fight. Could he outrun them? Not likely. They were travelling light. His mount was loaded for a long journey. Lose them somehow? How? This was open country. It was a good fifteen miles before the road entered wooded ground... . They didn't seem eager to catch up, though. Why rush it? If they were just following him, let them. He could outlast them. His horse was a tireless beast. His own stamina was superb. He could keep on till they couldn't stay with him anymore.

Good thinking. It would have worked, too, had they not been herding him toward confederates waiting in the woods.

The trap closed neatly. Dahl found himself surrounded by tough-looking men. Their captain was Josiah Gales.

They looked at one another. Dahl knew there was no lie he could tell that would explain his presence. Gales knew exactly what he was doing, just as he knew about Gales. He sighed. „What now, Colonel?"

„You come see a man who wants to talk to you."

Haas shook his head, smiled weakly. „Nine women in one day," he said.

Gales scowled. „Not here, Haas. That game is over." He wheeled his mount. The others followed, Dahl tucked neatly in amongst them.

Got to get rid of those dispatches, he thought. Can't let them get hold of those. He racked his brain. Nothing came to him. No opportunity arose. His escort remained close and watchful.

They took him to a small hunting lodge. Gales politely asked him to accompany him inside. Dahl decided to make no fuss over his possessions. They might decide to dig through them.

They would be expecting him to be carrying something, of course. Maybe they could be distracted with the smaller courier's case strapped to his side.

He studied the lodge as he moved through it. It hadn't been designed as a fortress or prison. Get out of sight of his captors for a few minutes and he could be gone.

Gales took him to a bone-thin old man eating pheasant in a small, comfortable room off the kitchen. „Sir Mortin, this is Captain Dahl Haas. Dahl, Sir Mortin."

Dahl knew the name. He had learned a lot about the Greyfells family during his stay. „Good morning, sir. Why have your men waylaid me?"

Mortin smiled. „You might ask that, young fellow, but why bother? You know perfectly well why, and you know I know. Let's not bluff each other. Sit down." He indicated the chair opposite him by pointing with his knife. „Reeves. Bring another setting for our guest."

Dahl decided to cooperate for now, to disarm them with his amenability. „Thank you, sir. And, sir, I really don't see why your men have waylaid me."

„Young man! Do you take me for a fool? Because you're carrying information to Kavelin."

„Nothing the King doesn't already know. Stopping me is meaningless. I'm just going home. The important informa­ tion went south by courier the day Gales arrived in Itaskia. He was recognized by people from the Ministry."

Mortin looked up at Gales. „Josiah?"

„He could be right, sir. That's the sensible thing to have done."

„Yes indeed. Yes indeed. Young fellow, you present me with a quandary."

„Sir?"

„Evidently we shouldn't have bothered intercepting you. But we have. So what do we do with you? Go ahead. Eat. It's a fine bird. It'll just go to waste. Let's see, then. Assuming that courier did go out, you're no longer of any significance. No use to us, and of insufficient value to our enemies to make it worth killing you. Yet the idea of just turning you loose again grates. Josiah? Do you have a suggestion?"

„Well, sir, we might try talking him around to our side."

Dahl was astounded. He wanted to spit out a defiant curse. Common sense made him keep his mouth shut. -„Why didn't I think of that? What could be more useful than having the King's adjutant on our payroll? There's a problem, though. From what you've told me about this lad, we'd have to invent some leverage. He wouldn't turn for money, and certainly wouldn't for love of our Duke or his Queen."

Gales smiled. „No. But we'll have time to consider it along the way, wouldn't you say?"

Dahl looked up sharply, a string of pheasant flesh trailing from his lips.

„Ah, yes, Dahl. We're headed for Ravelin. This mob and a lot more, as you'd surely learn being around here. If for no other reason than that, we can't let you go. Sir Mortin?"

„Definitely. His courier couldn't have known that. Well, son, we'll have to keep you with us. I'll be a good host as long as you're a good guest. But I can't guarantee your health if you do something dramatic. We do have to protect ourselves. Josiah, I'd say the pantry would be the best place to keep him."

„Yes, sir. When you're finished, Dahl."

Haas ate slowly. His mind raced. He seemed to be in no immediate danger. But his chances of getting away with his documents, and warning the King that the whole damned Greyfells clan was about to descend on him, looked slim.

He wondered what they were doing back at the Ministry. Had they caught on yet? Would someone be coming after them?

It looked like time for a prayer.