Well, this truly ruins a fine day,” Robard said, staring at the knights assembled below us. They were camped outside the town walls, with several tents and a cook fire blockading the village gate. Not far away their horses were hobbled and grazed quietly on the underbrush and grass.
The Earl and his men retreated a few paces out of sight of anyone watching from below.
They looked impatient to be on their way. Something told me the Earl was no longer on his lands and would likely find trouble with another clan if he delayed too long. He rode up beside me and offered his hand.
“Guid luck tae ye,” he said. As far as we go. We shook hands and I winced as he squeezed my hand with a death grip. Then we watched him and his men melt away into the trees.
“Lovely people,” Robard said.
“I expect it could have been worse,” I said.
“Sure, after all, they could have eaten us. Now instead we get to face Sir Hugh and a brace of Templars.” Robard often delighted in pointing out the many challenges of our situations.
“How does Sir Hugh keep finding us? How could he have known where you were headed?” Maryam asked as we returned to the top of the glen to study the town.
I couldn’t answer, because in finding him already here, I had come to a horrible conclusion. Someone in Sir Thomas’ inner circle must have been one of Hugh’s spies.
“I don’t know. When Sir Thomas entrusted the Grail to me, he spoke of a small circle of knights within the Order who knew of its existence. It had been their solemn duty to keep it safe. No one else, not even brother knights beyond those few, even knew it was real. But he must have suspected something or someone was unfaithful to their Code, or else he wouldn’t have instructed me to give it to a priest and not a fellow Templar.”
In truth, none of it mattered anymore. I would find Father William and do as Sir Thomas had ordered. Even if Sir Hugh had beaten us here, and even though it was a mystery how he was always able to stay a step ahead of us, it was time for this to be over.
“What now?” Robard asked.
“We wait until nightfall. I’ll sneak into the city and try to find out as much as I can about these knights, and whether Sir Hugh is holding any hostages. If I can find Father William, I can sneak him out of town and he can decide what to do with the Grail.”
“We won’t allow you to go in alone,” Robard said. But I ignored him.
It was approaching late afternoon. We found a copse of trees fed with a spring and watered the horses. The trees would keep us somewhat hidden, but I doubted Sir Hugh would be sending out scouts or setting pickets. He was waiting for me to come to him.
We spent anxious hours anticipating nightfall. Maryam sharpened her daggers on a stone, and Robard tended to his bow and inspected each of his shafts, and took the time to examine several bundles of arrows he had tied to the back of his saddle. I paced back and forth nervously while Angel slept.
“Why don’t we just leave?” Robard finally suggested. “We can go back to Sherwood. You’re both welcome to stay there as long as you like. Let Sir Hugh wait here until he grows old and feeble.” Maryam smiled when Robard mentioned returning to Sherwood, and her expression told me that when this was over, going back to her home in Outremer was no longer first on her list of things to do. For some reason, her look reminded me of Celia, and I thought how I would almost rather be back in France, penned inside Montsegur, than freezing in the woods of Scotland.
I shook my head. “I can’t. Sir Thomas told me the Grail would be safe here. What if Sir Hugh is holding Father William against his will? What if he’s murdered him? I can’t just leave without knowing his fate.”
“So you’re going to go through with it?” Robard asked. “Try to sneak into the village after dark? Alone?”
“There’s no moon tonight. I’ll make my way in somehow and find out what has happened to Father William. If Sir Hugh is not holding him, I will try to persuade him to leave with me. If he is a hostage, I’ll return here and plan our next move.”
“You should let me go instead,” Maryam said. “I’m stealthier than you are.”
“You are, but you and Robard will likely need to rescue me when this plan fails,” I joked.
After sundown, I made myself ready. While waiting I’d thought long and hard about my next moves.
“It’s time,” I said.
“Tristan,” Robard said, “we should come with you.”
I shook my head no and Robard let out an exasperated sigh.
“You’ve come a long way. And you want to finish this on your own. I understand that. Just be careful. If you don’t succeed, if we are unable to rescue you, what should we do?”
“If I don’t come back, you two return to Sherwood. Forget about trying to rescue me. You’ve both done more than enough. If you’re right, Sir Hugh is waiting for us and it’s me he wants. If I can find Father William, I’ll try my best to sneak him out, but if I’m not back by morning, don’t wait for me. Get out of here and get to safety.”
“But Tristan,” Robard said, “what about the Grail?”
“I’ve done everything I can do, Robard. Sir Hugh and I will end this now and the Grail will be safe, or I will die defending it. This has gone on long enough.”
As I left my friends behind, I hoped they did not see in me what I felt then.
That if Sir Hugh waited for me in the town below, I might never see them again.