“No, Jamie,” Noble said. “I am sorry we cannot stop to talk. We are in a hurry.” He said a quick farewell and pressed Valiant forward. Sir Michael was already down the road.
It was only as he caught up with the other knight that he realized that he should have left Hero with Jamie. “Oh well, Pup, you are off on your first adventure! Stay safely tucked in there for now, my little friend.” He made sure Hero was secure inside his saddlebag and urged his horse on.
Valiant was soon in the lead as they passed Sir Michael and his horse Storm. The messenger had come that morning from a small village not far from the town of King’s Crossing. If they made haste they could be there in less than an hour.
The village was astir by the time they rode in. People stared at the two knights on their great warhorses. Noble and Sir Michael stopped in the small marketplace and dismounted. A large man hurried over to them—a blacksmith by the looks of him. “You are the king’s men?” he asked. “You got the message we sent?”
“Yes,” Noble replied. “You have seen the Dark Knight? How long ago was that? Can you tell us which way he went?”
“He broke through the door of my cottage at dawn this morning. My wife and children escaped through a back window and fled into the forest. I turned to face him, for I am a big man, but he came at me with the sword and I was unarmed. In the end I, too, went out the window. We watched from the trees, and finally we saw him leave on his horse perhaps twenty minutes later. He had helped himself to our food, and stole a blanket and a knife. The knave tore apart the inside of our home – just out of wickedness, I am sure, for we are poor people and it is obvious we had nothing of real value to steal.”
“So he has a four hour head start on us. Well that is better than two or three days. Quickly now, man, which way did he go?” Sir Michael asked.
“When he left my place he was headed west. But there is a fork in the road not far from there. I do not know which fork he took. I will lead you to the place, if you would like.” the blacksmith offered.
Noble and Sir Michael followed the man, leading their horses by the reins. Hero ran before them, for Noble had taken the puppy from his saddlebag in order to allow him to stretch his legs. A few minutes later they were at the place the blacksmith had described. The left branch of the road continued west. The other went toward the south. Noble and Sir Michael examined the road for a minute looking for tracks that might tell them which way the Dark Knight had gone.
Finally Sir Michael shook his head. “There are no fresh tracks here that I can see. Perhaps he did not follow the road at all, but went off through the fields or forest.”
“That is possible,” the blacksmith agreed. “I saw him start off on the road, but he could have left it once he was out of sight.”
“Wait!” Noble said. “Look at Hero!”
The puppy had been nosing about the tall grass at the side of the road, sniffing the air every now and then and following some scent he had picked up down the left fork. Now he was some distance from them down the road to the west. His head was lowered and he stood staring down the lane. Finally he began to bark, just a little puppy dog yip still, but as strongly as he could. He ran back to Noble and stared up at him, and then raced down the left fork again. He stopped and looked back at Noble, clearly trying to say “Follow me!”
“He wants us to follow him,” Sir Michael said. “But how could he possibly know for whom we are looking? And how could he know which way the Dark Knight went, if we can’t figure it out?”
Noble walked over to the weeds alongside the road where Hero had first been snuffling the ground. He pushed back the tall grasses and looked closely at the earth. Finally he said, “Look! There is mud here beneath the grass for a little ways. And here are the fresh hoof prints we have been searching for! The Knight must have suspected he would be followed, and took pains to cover his tracks. He moved off the road here at the fork and took his horse through the high weeds where we would not find his trail as quickly.”
Noble went back to the road and took Valiant by the reins. He led him forward down the lane to where Hero waited. The pup looked pleased at how smart his young master was! “And here!” Noble said excitedly. “Muddy hoof prints coming out of the weeds and back out onto the road. This is the way the Dark Knight went – I am sure of it!” He knelt by Hero and stroked the little dog’s head. “Good dog! Good dog, Hero! You solved the puzzle for us, didn’t you? What a smart pup you are!”
Even Sir Michael looked impressed. “Perhaps the little fellow will amount to something after all someday! Good work, Hero!”
They bade farewell to the blacksmith and quickly mounted their horses once more. Hero settled back into his saddlebag, but poked his head out, and watched eagerly as they rode swiftly down the road, his long ears flying in the wind.
The road was straight, but they took no chances that the Dark Knight may have left the road at some point. They stopped every little while to look for fresh hoof prints and were not disappointed. The knight seemed to be riding steadily to some destination down the road. From the signs, it did not appear that he was in a hurry. Perhaps they could catch up to him, after all.
It was mid-afternoon when they finally stopped to rest the horses and eat a bite themselves. Sir Michael had visited the castle kitchen while he waited for Noble that morning, and came prepared with food for them both and enough scraps for Hero, as well. They were eager to hurry on their way, and ate quickly, but gave their horses time to graze on the grass along the road.
“We must be getting close to him now,” Noble said when they were finally on their way again. “We were not that far behind him, and we rode swiftly, though it appears that he did not.”
“We need to be careful from here on,” Sir Michael agreed. “He may be aware of us coming up behind him long before we realize that he is just ahead. He may set a trap for us, or hide in the woods until we are past and then double back the way he came.”
Noble looked into the trees on either side of the road and wondered if they were being watched by the Dark Knight at that very moment. Was he lying in wait for them, planning an ambush? Would he dare to attack two of the king’s men by himself? The sun would be setting soon, and even now shadows gathered under the trees. Was someone hiding in those shadows watching them? Valiant pranced nervously, and even little Hero seemed to be alert and on guard.
They rode on. At last the sun began to sink beyond the trees and dusk settled around them. They had hoped to reach another village before nightfall, but now they dare not go on and take the chance of missing the Dark Knight’s tracks going off in another direction.
“We will have to camp alongside the road for the night,” Noble finally said reluctantly. “He has got to be nearby, for I am sure we must have caught up to him today, but I do not want to pass him in the dark. The clouds are heavy tonight and there is no moonlight to light the way.”
“Perhaps that is what he is counting on,” Sir Michael suggested. “He may be planning to surprise us in the blackness of night. That seems to be when he shows himself most often—in the shadows of midnight.”
“Well, we will have to take our chances then. We will take turns standing guard and trust in our Father’s care.” Noble replied. “Let us move further from the road, though, and take shelter under the trees. He may find it more difficult to find us there.”
Sir Michael agreed. They led their horses a little ways into the forest and settled down under some birch trees. The road was still within sight—or would have been if there had been any light. They dare not make a fire, though, and ate the last of their food cold. The night was chilly and they huddled under their cloaks. Hero snuggled down beside Noble and gratefully accepted the scraps the boy fed him. The horses grazed quietly a few feet away, and although there was no water for any of them that night, they made the best of the situation and rested the best they could.
“I am disappointed we did not find him today,” Noble said as they talked quietly in the dark.
“I was sure we would. We were so close. I fear he may ride through the night and we will lose him again. I do not want to see him slip out of our grasp once more.”
“I know how you feel. The worst thing is having to go back to the king and tell him we failed again to catch the Dark Knight,” Sir Michael murmured sleepily.
“Yes, that would be bad,” Noble said, “but truly, the worst is having this Dark Knight roaming the kingdom terrorizing the people. It is only a matter of time before he hurts someone.” He leaned his head back against a tree trunk and stared through the darkness. He was on guard duty first and although he could not see a thing, his ears were straining to hear the tiniest sound. Hero was tense beside him, as well. Noble sensed that the little dog was standing watch along with him.
Noble listened to the slow, steady breathing of his friend. Sir Michael had fallen asleep quickly. It was not late yet, although the blackness of the night made it seem that it was, and Noble had no trouble staying awake. All his senses were alert, and as he kept watch he thought about their next move in the search for the Dark Knight. “Lord, we need Your guidance, as well as Your protection. Please lead us to this scoundrel quickly, Father,” he prayed. “Give us wisdom and courage in our mission, dear Lord, and may the glory go to You.”
He had barely finished his prayer when he felt Hero stiffen next to him and raise his head up off his paws. A low growl rumbled from the little dog’s throat and the pup rose to his feet, peering through the darkness. Noble listened carefully, and finally he heard what Hero had heard first—the faint sound of horse’s hooves coming down the road.
Noble gave Sir Michael a poke and held his finger up to his lips when the other knight lifted his head sleepily. “Shh!” he whispered. “Someone is coming!”
Sir Michael woke up instantly then and reached for his sword. The two knights faced the road, ready for whatever danger was headed their way. Hero seemed to understand the need for silence, for although he continued to growl quietly, the little dog did not bark or race off toward the road. He stood steadfastly alongside Noble, bravely willing to face fear and the unknown with his master. Together they waited as the muffled sound of hooves approached through the blackness of the night.
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CHAPTER SIX
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A Meeting in the Dark
The moments ticked by until suddenly Noble said softly, “That is not the sound of a single horseman, but of many riders! It cannot be the Dark Knight! But wait!” he cautioned as Sir Michael started to move forward. “We must see who it is before we go out to meet them. It may be bandits. There are only two of us, and though we are king’s men, we do not want to be outnumbered by a gang of villains. Let us creep closer to the road and see if we can tell who they are.”
They left their horses tied to the trees and cautiously moved through the shadows toward the road. Though there was no moonlight, out in the open they could see dark forms riding by on horseback.
“Look!” Sir Michael whispered. “There are women among them! Surely these are not bandits! A carriage follows, and a wagon of supplies, as well.”
“And they are flying banners,” Noble added. “A party of noblemen, it seems. Come, we must greet them—and warn them of their danger in traveling at night like this.” He stood to his feet and boldly started forward toward the travelers.
Sir Michael was close behind him. They had hardly taken more than a few steps, though, when they were spotted. Several riders broke away from the group and charged at them, waving their swords in the air. Noble and Sir Michael reached for their own swords, but it might have gone badly for them at that moment if little Hero had not taken matters into his own little paws just then.
The tiny dog dashed between his master and the rushing swordsmen, barking wildly and standing his ground courageously in the face of the charging horses. The horses stopped suddenly, surprised by the small noisy creature at their feet. One of the steeds reared back, pawing the air and neighing in fright. The riders fought to regain control of their horses, and would have ridden forward once more if a voice from the carriage had not cried out, “Wait!”
The coach rolled to a stop and the door opened. A man stepped out and strode forward. He walked up to the little dog and picked him up, peering closely into his face. Hero continued to yip bravely, not discouraged at all by the fact that a tall man held him firmly in his grasp. Noble dashed forward with a yell, determined to rescue his dog from the stranger.
The men on horseback rushed to block his way, but before they or Noble could do a thing, the man turned back toward the carriage and called out, “You’re right, Dominique! The pup does look like Anwen!”
“Dominique!” the word burst out of Noble in startled confusion. He took a closer look at the man in the darkness, straining to see his face, and then said slowly, “Your Excellency? Richard, the Duke of Conwy?”
The riders would have surrounded him then, but the tall man held up his hand to stop them. “Sir Noble? Is that really you?” he replied in surprise. “Back off, men! This is my young friend, Sir Noble of Caernarfon, one of King Stephen’s Guard!” He grasped Noble’s hand and shook it warmly. “Sir Noble! How splendid to see you again! But how come you to be out here in the dark, in the middle of nowhere?”
“If I might be so bold, Sire, I would ask you the same thing,” Noble answered. “It is unsafe to be traveling this late at night. My friend, Sir Michael, and I are pursuing a dangerous man and had no choice but to stop out here until dawn.”
“And we had no choice but to go on after dark, in the hope that we would soon come to an inn where my wife and daughter could rest for the night. Our carriage broke down several miles back and it was already dark when my men were finally able to fix it. If we had known there was no place to stop ahead of us, we would have turned back,” the Duke said.
“Dominique is with you?” Noble asked with a smile. “How is she?”
“You must see for yourself! I am sure she will be delighted to see you, Sir Noble! She has not stopped speaking of you since you saved our family and my dukedom from the clutches of my uncle last year. Dominique!” he called. “Dominique, Bronwen! Come see whom we have met upon the road! Ahh—here they come already!”
A girl had climbed down from the carriage, followed closely by an older woman. They were only a few steps away when suddenly Dominique stopped and a smile lit her face. “Noble!” she exclaimed. “Noble! Oh, I hoped we would see you while we were in Caernarfon! Mother, it is Noble, the boy—er, rather the knight I told you about who rescued Father and me from Uncle Charleton.”
“At last!” Dominique’s mother said. “I am so happy to meet you, Sir Noble. I have longed to thank you myself for all that you have done for our family.”
Noble bowed to the duchess. “I am thankful that I could be of help to your husband and the Lady Dominique. It is only by God’s grace and power that we were able to overcome Sir Charleton.”
Dominique began, “But Noble, what are you doing—oh! Who is this little darling?” she asked as she spotted Hero still in her father’s arms.
“That is my brave and faithful little companion, Hero. He was a gift to me from Prince William. And you are both correct, Your Excellency and Dominique—he does look like Anwen. She is his mother!”
“Our little Anwen had puppies! How wonderful!” the duchess said. “I was so happy to send her to Queen Gwyneth. King Stephen and his wife have been good friends of ours for many years.”
“Now, now, my dear, we must not stand out here in the road at this hour talking idly about this and that,” the duke said. “Sir Noble tells me that he and his friend are after a dangerous man, and that it is not safe out here. We must get you and Dominique to shelter for the night.”
“There is no place to stay close by, I am afraid,” Sir Michael spoke up for the first time. “The last village we passed was almost two hours down the road. Perhaps it would be safer to camp here with us tonight, m’lord. I doubt this man would sho
w himself with all your men and Sir Noble and I present, as well. It is not comfortable, I fear, m’lady,” he apologized to Dominique’s mother, “but I do not see much choice.”
“We’ll be fine, won’t we, Mother?” Dominique said eagerly. “We can take cushions and blankets out of the carriage to sleep on, and light a fire for warmth… Please, Father? Oh, do say yes!”
“I agree with Sir Michael – we have no choice. We shall set up a guard, and it should be safe enough with this number to light a fire. We are all hungry and tired. It is time to stop for the night. Come along, my dear. I will have your servant ladies bring the supplies from the coach, and we will have you as comfortable as can be in no time!” The duke escorted his wife to a sheltered spot beneath some trees and soon a fire was going and food was cooking over a campfire.
So much for secrecy, Noble thought as he helped with the preparations. If the Dark Knight was anywhere nearby he surely knew that they were here now. Well, it cannot be helped. The Lord knows and is in control, and He will work it out in His time.
One look at Dominique’s smiling face, though, was all it took to make him happy that they had had this chance meeting along the road that night. It was good to see her again. It would be pleasant to be able to talk with her. The prospect of a hot meal, warm fire, and a better night’s sleep was a nice thought, as well!
They got their chance for a good long talk after supper. The duke and Sir Michael were sharing news from Conwy and Caernarfon when Dominique said, “I see Valiant is as beautiful and spirited as ever, Noble. He is a wonderful horse! I will never forget how he fought to protect me, and the race to escape from Sir Charleton!”
Noble laughed. “I don’t think he’s forgotten you, either, Dominique! Look how he is watching you and straining against the rope to get close to you!”
“Then let us go over there by him. Wait—I think I have an apple in my bag. I will take him a treat.” The two young people walked over to the horses with Hero trailing at their heels. Valiant whinnied softly in excitement. For once he ignored the puppy completely, and nuzzled Dominique as she stroked his broad nose. She offered the apple to the great warhorse and he gently took it from her hand, tossing his head in thanks.
Shadow of the Dark Knight (Noble Heart Book 3) Page 3
