Page 72 of The Tempest
But she burst out of the trees and started running at top speed.
She was afraid the men at the tavern would see her and, being that they were on horseback, catch up to her before she could reach Blackchurch’s gatehouse. She ran the mile as fast as she could, and given she had long legs and was generally athletic, it wasn’t too difficult for her. But she was terrified the entire time. The closer she came to the gatehouse, the more relief she felt.
Safety was just a few feet away.
In fact, she could see the gatehouse guards coming out of the gate, watching her run. A few of them were coming out to meet her, so by the time she reached them, they grabbed hold of her so she wouldn’t collapse in an exhausted heap. One of the men, an old sergeant who had served St. Denis’ grandfather, had her by the arm.
“What’s amiss, Lady Munro?” he asked with great concern. “You just left here. Where are the other ladies?”
“My husband,” Athdara managed to say, breathing heavily. “Send for my husband immediately. Send for Sinclair and Payne!”
Soldiers were already running to the fields where the trainers were working for the day. The old sergeant helped Athdara into the gatehouse, pushing her gently onto a chair that someone brought out from the guard room. Word was already getting around that something was amiss in the village, and Athdara had only been sitting for a few minutes when she saw Tay coming down the road. He was barreling toward her and, given theman’s size, it was like watching a runaway horse. Athdara bolted out of her chair to meet him.
“Payne’s brother has returned,” she said when they came together. “He’s returned with dozens of armed men and he’s in the Black Cock, where Astria is. You must take men to help her!”
Tay had hold of his wife, horrified by what he was hearing. Quickly, he moved to the open gates, dragging Athdara with him, trying to see down into the village. It was far enough away that all he could make out was the village and rooftops, and little more, but he believed her. Athdara wasn’t the sort to panic.
He trusted her.
“Did you run all the way from the village, love?” he asked her.
She nodded, finally slowing enough so she could catch her breath. “I did,” she said. “Lisi is there, too. We went to the village with Astria, but we went to the merchant’s stall while Astria went to the Black Cock to see Maude. We saw the men ride in and I gave the baby to Lisi to take to safety. She went to the smithy’s while I came back here to tell you.”
Tay nodded, his manner grim. He began issuing orders, one of which was to secure the gatehouse. By the time he turned around, Payne, Sinclair, Fox, Ming Tang, Cruz, and Creston were all heading in his direction. Kristian was out on the lake this morning and Amir was with St. Denis, so the available trainers had come on the run.
And no one running faster than Payne.
“What’s happened?” he demanded. “Where is my wife?”
Tay answered. “Your brother has returned with a horde of armed men,” he said. “They are at the Black Cock, as are your wife and mother. I’ve sent for an armed force, Payne. How do you wish for us to handle it?”
Payne grunted angrily, realizing Declan had come back and Astria had been caught with his mother, in the village andwithout his protection. There was no telling what was going to happen.
“Damnation,” he growled. “That bastard. That goddamn bastard. I’m going tae cut his heart out.”
“Athdara?” Sinclair said, coming up behind Payne and trying to squeeze in to the huddle to hear what they were talking about. “Where is my wife?”
“She’s safe,” Athdara assured him. “She went to hide with the smithy. You know he will protect her, but she has your son and my daughter with her.”
Sinclair looked at Tay. “I must retrieve them,” he said. “I’ll take men with me. Payne, I’ll come to you after I’ve secured my wife and the children. I’m sorry, I must get to them first.”
Payne understood completely. “Go,” he said, putting his hand on the man’s arm and giving him a push. “Go and get them. Ye must take care of them.”
Sinclair was gone, pulling men with him as he went. That left Tay and Payne and the other trainers, and Cruz and Creston were already gathering armed soldiers. Even if the Blackchurch army didn’t see action too often, if at all, they still maintained a constant state of readiness, so there were gangs of armed men ready to charge into the village within minutes.
That was all it took.
Meanwhile, the trainers armed themselves as best they could. The big armory, where most of their battle armor was stored, was toward the kitchens and the big dormitory, so they grabbed what they could from the smaller armory near the gatehouse that the soldiers used. Mostly, they took swords and daggers, and all of them with the exception of Ming Tang were able to don mail coats or sleeves. Ming Tang didn’t fight with any of that protection, as that wasn’t how he was trained, so for him, it was only daggers and a big iron spear.
That was all he required.
“Payne,” Ming Tang said as the group approached the gatehouse where the armed soldiers were gathering, “if you go charging down to the Black Cock and the women are inside, it may put them at risk. Whatever you do must be carefully thought out.”
Payne knew that. “I know,” he said. “And I have a plan in mind.”
“Good,” Ming Tang said. “How can I help?”
The Shaolin monk wasn’t a battle commander, so he wasn’t expected to direct troops. But he was the best soldier anyone of them had ever seen, so his help was crucial. Payne came to a halt as the others gathered around him.
