“Safe from your kind,” that warrior replied and spat on the ground.
Edgar pulled his knife and slit the man’s throat, casting his body aside. “Safe from your kind, more like.” He shoved the man into the ditch, then granted Bartholomew a rueful glance. “Such men do not deserve to live.”
“Nay,” Bartholomew agreed. “But our task is only half complete.”
“We need the gold!”
“We need the reliquary!”
“Strip them of their tabards?” Anna asked, fully anticipating his reply.
“Hide the bodies and take their places,” Bartholomew agreed, then gestured to them all. “Then bind these prisoners, these outcasts from the village who live in the forest.”
Edgar looked between them in confusion. “We are going into the keep? As prisoners? Have you changed your thinking, sir?”
“It is the best way to see this matter resolved,” Bartholomew said. “Royce expects his men to return from this feint with prisoners. We shall give every appearance of taking him some.” Then he smiled, the twinkle in his eye reassuring Anna that it would be Royce who was surprised.
“They do not know the tale,” Anna reminded him and he nodded.
“This cart is a trick,” Bartholomew informed the villagers. “I had thought it carried the taxes to the king, so ensured I was among its guards, but they talked on the way of their true quest. The plan was that they would draw you out of the forest, capture you all and return to the keep. The real treasure will leave after this wagon arrives at the keep.”
“With prisoners,” Edgar said with understanding.
“And what of the reliquary?” Stewart demanded.
“It must be in Royce’s treasury or his chambers.” Bartholomew paused and Anna knew he did not want to endanger the group unnecessarily. “I would suggest we return to the keep, with all of you apparently taken captive, then reclaim the treasure from inside. We will overwhelm them, and seize as much as we can of Royce’s prizes.”
“It will be risky,” Stewart said.
“But it is the sole way to see our ends achieved,” Anna replied.
Bartholomew surveyed the villagers. “I would not compel you to take such a risk. If you wish to forgo this quest, the choice is yours.”
Anna looked over the company and saw that there was no doubt.
“We are with you!” she declared, smiling at the chorus of agreement that followed her words.
“We should make haste, for the squire did manage to ride back that way,” Edgar noted. “He might well warn them.”
“Or Duncan might ensure he does not arrive,” Anna said, telling Bartholomew how they had divided their forces.
“A fine scheme,” Bartholomew said with approval. “Hide the fallen men in the forest, but bring their tabards. Make haste!”
Edgar pulled one such over his head, then donned that man’s helm. He cast an eye over the company and granted tabards to those villagers who looked to be of similar size to the fallen men. Meanwhile, Bartholomew bade the boys to tether the horses to the back of the wagon. He unfurled a length of rope, and Lucan showed the villagers a knot that looked doughty but could easily be slipped. Within moments, a trail of villagers was apparently bound to the back of the wagon, but they could easily free themselves. Anna had ensured that there were no signs of the scuffle remaining on the road, and had gathered a few bolts to be re-used.
“I count four knights yet at the keep,” Bartholomew said tersely. “Six men-at-arms, though I left two bound in the armory.”
“They might have been freed,” Anna said and he nodded.
“Then there is the one squire that fled back from here.”
“As well as the other squires,” Anna reminded him. “The place is thick with them.”
“They will be armed and trained,” Bartholomew said to the villagers who nodded understanding. “And there will be servants in the hall, as well. We cannot guess their alliances.”
“Send one of the boys to the old village,” Edgar suggested. “Herve will be glad to take vengeance upon those who stole his goats, and the others will try to be of aid.”
Bartholomew agreed and Piers was dispatched on that errand. The boy disappeared quickly into the shadows of the forest.
