Chapter 15

The weather over the next few days was kind to them, and they made good progress. It was outside a nondescript village that didn’t even have a name that the next problem overtook them. They had just passed through the village and were topping a rise, when they found a group of twenty armoured horsemen waiting for them. The caravan halted. The guards ran to the front and formed a shield-wall. Nathaniel moved to the head of the caravan.

“Yes, gentlemen? How may we assist you?”

The leader sat up straight in the saddle.

“I am Captain Howard, of Lord Blackmore’s personal bodyguard. I am here to escort the Lady Isabella back to her father.”

“Very well, I’ll fetch her, and her husband. They can then decided what is to happen.”

“Husband? What husband? I was given to understand that she was to marry Earl Tathlone.”

“I’ll go and get them. I’ll let them explain it, themselves.”

Donald and Isabella moved to the front of the caravan.

“Good day, Captain Howard. What brings you so far from home?” Isabella said.

The man’s eyes came out on stalks. He hardly recognised Isabella, sitting there astride her horse, dressed in britches, carrying a bow, and with a sword strapped to her side.

“Um ... Milady, we have been given instructed to return you to your father. It seems that the Lord Tathlone is eager to meet you to discuss your forthcoming wedding.”

“You are too late. I am already married. I’m married to Sir Donald, here. I told my father that hell itself would freeze over before I married Lord Tathlone. He packed me off to the convent at Riverdale as a punishment. As you can see we didn’t make it that far. I have met and married a man with more honour, compassion and integrity than all the Lords, Barons and Earls in the entire kingdom. I’m afraid you have had a wasted journey. I will not be returning with you.”

The man shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. “We were told to return you, willing or not. I’m afraid I’ll have to insist you accompany us.”

“And if I refuse?” she asked, knocking an arrow to her bow.

“I’m afraid Milady I must insist. We have been ordered to bring you home, regardless. Bring you home we will.”

“I’m sorry, Captain Howard, you will not. I will personally shoot the first man who tries to lay a hand on me. I’m sure my husband and our men will kill the rest. Return home now, while you are still able, and tell my father and mother that they lost me when they tried to have me marry Lord Tathlone even after I refused. You may also tell my mother that I know of her and the Baron’s liason. I’ll let her be the one to break the news to Ebenezeer, the greasy little man who I was really going to be sacrificed to. Let her know that her plot has been revealed. I will not be returning home; not now, and not in the foreseeable future.”

The Captain looked puzzled “I’m not quite sure what you mean, Milady. All I know is that I have orders to return you.”

Donald stepped forward “Captain, I will ask you to think very carefully about your next statement. Your answer will decide whether your men live or die, today. Look at the sky, think of your wife and children, and ponder what will happen to them if you do not return. Now I will ask the question. Are you prepared to take Lady Isabella by force, killing any who get in your way?”

The man swallowed. It was then spotted Lieutenant Alan, Henry and David.

“You three men. You are instructed to bring Lady Isabella over here. You are in the employ of Lord Blackmore and therefore under my command. Follow your orders.”

“You always were a pompous fool, Howard. We are the personal bodyguard of her Ladyship. She is the one who gives the orders not you. Now, as Sir Donald has already said, do you think this is a good day to die? Unless you ride away, now, men will die today. Let me assure you, it will not be us.”

The man was completely at a loss. He thought to just ride up, demand her release, and return home in triumph. He would never have thought in his wildest dreams that caravan guards would be prepared to fight against his Lordship’s personal bodyguard!

He looked at those before him. There were men forming a shield-wall, and behind them were more mounted men, many with bows. On the wagons were men, women, and boys, all again with bows. Even Lady Isabella was carrying a bow and looked like she intended to use it! He knew if he were to order a charge he would lose many of his troops, and once the fighting started there was a good chance that Lady Isabella could be injured, or worse! There was only one thing for it. He would challenge her ‘husband,’ personally. Once he had defeated the man she would be honour bound to accompany him back to her father.

“Very well. I personally challenge your champion to a duel. When I win, you will then accompany me back to your father.”

“What happens when you lose?” Isabella asked him.

“That is very unlikely. I am your father’s champion. I’m the best swordsman your father has. However, in that unlikely event, then I am willing to allow you all to continue on your journey. Now, bring forth your champion.”

They all laughed when Simon stepped forward with his staff. Donald dismounted and walked over to him smiling. He ruffled his head.

“Not this time, young man. This one fancies himself a swordsman. I’ll deal with him myself.”

Isabella came over and said, “Thank you, young Sir Simon, but even if he really is quite good, Sir Donald will soon put him in his place.”

He blushed profusely when she kissed him on the cheek. The rest of the men smiled and patted him on the back as he returned to his station. Tabitha came over to him.

“You are so brave,” she told him, kissing him then hugging him close.

Donald smiled when he saw this. He then turned towards his opponent, his face like stone. “How do you wish to do this? First blood, unable to continue, or death? Mounted, or on foot?”

“I will fight you on foot. I will chose a knights weapon, swords. We will fight ‘till first blood. Will that satisfy you?”

“As long as you abide by what is agreed. If not I will kill you and every one of your men. You have threatened my wife. As far as I am concerned your life is forfeit. The only reason I will let you live is that you are simply doing as you have been bidden. Cross me and you die.”

“Very well. I am Captain Howard, captain of Lord Blackmore’s personal bodyguard.”

“I am Sir Donald. Captain of Nathaniel’s Honourable Caravan Guards. I am also the husband of Lady Isabella Blackmore. Now, enough of this, let’s get it done.”

Both men saluted each other, then faced off. They circled each other, each watching the other, looking for any possible opening. Howard darted forward, thinking to find an opening. There was a clash of steel, then both men jumped back.

They toyed with each other, each flicking their blades forward, testing each other. First one would attack, then the other. The attacks became more frequent. The sound of steel hitting steel rang out, rising to a crescendo.

A smile broke out on Donald’s face. He was enjoying himself. Howard started to frown. This man was more skilled than he thought. He watched as Donald started to smile. Dammit the man was enjoying himself! The blades flashed faster and faster. Donald’s smile got wider and wider while Howard started to sweat.

He could not believe just how quick this big man was. He was being forced back, further and further. He was being worn down by this giant of a man. He was tiring, it was becoming more and more difficult to block his blows. He was constantly on the defensive. He had no answer to this man. He thought he saw an opening and lunged forward. Donald parried his blow, catching his sword with his dagger. Donald’s fist lashed out, smashing him in the nose, and knocking him to the ground. Blood poured down his face. Donald stepped back.

“I think that is first blood, to me. Do you wish to continue?”

Howard staggered to his feet. He shook his head. “No. No, you have beaten me fair and square. I will return to his Lordship and inform him of your marriage and your decision.”

“That is a sensible decision. You really didn’t want to see your men killed, did you?”

Howard looked at him daggers. He said nothing mounted his horse, then he and his men departed.

“You enjoyed that didn’t you?” Samuel asked him as they made their way back towards the caravan.

“Yes! Yes, I did. He was quite good, you know.”

“Yes, but you were playing with him. I saw at least twenty points where you could have finished it.”

“I know, but he had to be worn down, he had to know he was beaten. I could have finished it almost at once but he would have thought it was a lucky blow. His honour would have made him push it further. Eventually I would have had to kill him. He now knows he was beaten fairly. He admitted so, himself. He knew he could not win against me, but at least he had a fight. He could be beaten and retain his honour.”

Isabella had by this time reached them. She heard what Donald had told Samuel.

“That’s my Donald, always thinking of honour.”

“It was very important. If he had thought that Donald had won by luck, or even worse by subterfuge, then he would have ordered his men to attack and men would have died ... quite possibly some of us. As it is, he knows he was beaten fair and square. He can leave with his head held high and keep the respect of his men. There is no shame in being beaten by a better man, as long as you have done your best.”

“Oh, so if you had beaten him quickly, it could have caused his men to attack?”

“Yes, it could,” Samuel told her

“So how quickly could have you taken him?”

“Within the first thirty seconds. He was slow getting his guard back up after his first attack. It would have been easy to slip under his guard and run him through. As it is he can return and tell your parents that we are wed, and to leave us alone.”

Isabella smiled and shook her head at him. “I’m sorry my love but it will not be that easy. I can feel my mother’s hand behind this. Once she gets an idea into her head it will not be so easy to shake it. I’m afraid she will be like a dog with a bone.”

“So we can expect more visits from the likes of him can we? Next time I shan’t be so accommodating. I’ll just kill them. Let’s see if they keep coming after us when all they receive back is corpses.”

She went to him and put her arms around him “Now, now. I’m sure they wont come back for a while. By then we will be far away.”

He kissed her and replied, “If we’re going to be far away, we had better get going then, hadn’t we?”

They continued on their journey. After a further three days travelling they crested a rise. There before them was the town of Ballam’s Holm. It sat in a shallow valley with a river running along side. The mountains made a spectacular backdrop. They could smell the place long before they reached it. It was a squalid, stinking place. A wall surrounding the town looked in poor repair. There seemed to be no order about the place. Groups of shifty looking men were hanging around the town gates. They made their way towards the caravan quarter. As they did so Nathaniel came over to Donald.

“Something’s wrong. This place never used to be like this. This is just chaos.”

“I know. I came through ... oh, around seven years ago. This was run by the Killross clan. Theodore Killross was their leader. He was a big man. Even I would not wish to cross him.”

“I know. I must admit it’s been at least four years since I’ve been here. I wonder what happened?”

“I don’t think going into town is going to be a good idea. We’ll head upstream over by that copse there. At least then, we’ll have the water before it reaches the town.”

They circumnavigated the town, coming to the river by the trees. Donald ordered all the wagons to be positioned in a defensive semi-circle, with the river at their back. They were about a mile and a half from the town. As they started to set up camp, they saw a group of four men making their way over. They continued to make camp as these men approached. Donald and Nathaniel rode over to meet them.

“Hello, can we help you?” Nathaniel asked the men.

“You can’t camp here. You have to go over to the compound.”

“Sorry, but who are you?”

“We’re members of the ruling council. We run the place. What we say goes. You need to go to the compound and pay the toll. Everyone has to pay.”

“What do we get for the toll?”

“Get? What do you mean get? You get to live, that’s what you get!”

“We’re living, now. Do I have to take it that you are threatening us?”

“Listen, we control this town. This is the only place you can get supplies before Ballam’s gap. Now you wouldn’t want to get stuck there would you? Not with all those bandits and all?”

“So let me get this straight, you want us to go over to the compound so you can rob us, and when you’ve done that, you can tell your friends in the mountains that we have goods worth stealing, so they can attack us there? Do we look that stupid?” Donald asked him.

“Now you listen, and you listen good! We have over one hundred and fifty men here. If you don’t do as we say then we’ll come out and make you! If we do that, well, you have women here, don’t you? I can think of a few things that could happen to them! You wouldn’t want that would yo...”

He never completed his sentence as there was a knife lodged in his throat. He slowly slid from his horse. His companions looked stunned.

“Nobody threatens my wife, and lives! Now take him back, and tell your friends over there that if they want a fight then fine. Come and get it!”

One of the men went for his sword. He too slumped forward with a dagger in his chest. Donald drew his sword.

“Anyone else?” He looked at the two remaining men. They just stood there wide eyed. “No? Didn’t think so. If you want our goods come and get them. We’ll be waiting.”

“You’re all dead men!” one of the screamed at them.

Donald moved his hand, the man flinched.

“Leave, now, while you still can,” he growled.

The men fled, leaving their fallen companions where they lay. Donald retrieved his knives, wiping them on the dead men’s clothes. They returned to the encampment.

“Do you think that was wise?”

“Yes. We have shown them that we mean business, and that we are not afraid of them. There’s one other thing. For an attacker to take a well defended position he needs to out number the enemy by three to one. If he has one hundred and fifty then he doesn’t. They probably don’t know that. They are about to get a nasty shock! The other thing is, they have to be holding the town by force. If they bring all their men out to fight then who is going to hold the town? They have to leave at least a third of their force behind. Now then, let’s organise our defense.”

Isabella came running over to him. “What happened? Why did you kill those men?”

“They threatened you, and all the other women here. No one does that and lives. They know that, now. They wanted us to go to their compound where we would have to pay some sort of ‘toll’. They are bandits. They somehow have taken control of the town. We must now prepare for their attack.”

He called for everyone’s attention.

“You all saw what happened out there. They threatened to use our women for their ‘entertainment!’ I showed them that if they want that, it will come at a very high price. They are now forced to attack us. We haven’t got long to prepare, an hour at most. I need everyone with a shovel to dig a hole about a foot square and a foot deep. The idea is that if they come at us on horseback, then the horse will trip and pitch his rider head first into the ground. I need all of you to help. I want you to leave a gap ten feet wide, from the front of my wagon here. This will give us a path out. Don’t worry, they wont be able to see it when they attack. Those of you without a shovel, go into the woods and cut some briar or hawthorn bushes. Bring them back here, to make a barricade. Those of you with bows, get them, and find a position on the wagons. As soon as we see them, get to your positions.”