“God’s bones, give me strength. You armed her? You actually gave her the weapon?”
“As I think I have already mentioned, my lord, you did not make her position in your tent entirely clear to me. I had no reason to mistrust her. And to the best of my knowledge she has not attacked anyone with the implement.”
I reply with an inarticulate grunt and head off again to check my tent for myself, though I have no real cause to believe Karl has somehow overlooked the lady. His sanguine reaction to my displeasure does nothing to lighten my mood, not least as the man is right, as he so often is. I have no inclination to acknowledge that truth right now however. Gaining my destination I fling back the tent flap and march in. I glance around, taking in the remains of my lady’s meal still strewn across my table top, and the slight indentation on my bed to suggest she may have taken her rest there before embarking on this latest madness.
What was the little fool thinking? That she could trot unhindered around a battlefield? Make her pretty, mincing way among our rough and ready troops and attract no unwelcome attention? Surely today’s events would have disabused her of any such notion. I instructed her to remain in my tent because I knew she would be safe there. Surely she understood that, ifnothing else.
The fluttering of the loose canvas on the far wall tells its own story, the flap of material showing exactly where my reluctant duchess made her exit.
“I looked in on her. She was lying on the bed, and she appeared to be sleeping. She had eaten the food I brought for her. I had no wish to disturb the lady further so I left her to her rest. I was right outside though and I did not leave. She must have seen me and known she would not be getting past this way.” Karl has pursued me inside and is now stationed by the door, his arms folded across his chest. “You should have told me how things stood between you. Had I known, I would have taken better care of our duchess.”
Our duchess indeed. I stalk back past my unrepentant servant and pace around the outside of my tent to survey the damage from there. The path taken by Lady Natalia is clearly defined, heading across the meadow toward a small wood. Several of our men can be seen entering the stand of trees in pursuit. I will join them in a moment. First I wish to make a closer inspection of her escape route. The grass is flattened in a solid trail rather than sporting the separate indentations that would be made by a person’s feet. I ponder that for a few moments before arriving at the most likely conclusion.
“She crawled through the grass to make sure she was not seen.” Crafty little minx. Determined, too. I have much to address with Lady Natalia, when I finally have her back under my protection once more.
Karl nods. “I arrived at the same conclusion. She is on foot so she cannot have got too far. She was fast asleep on your bed less than an hour ago.”
“Or pretending to be.” I growl my retort.
Karl shrugs. He does not wait for my instruction before starting off in the direction of the trees. He takes a few paces then turns to me, his expression puzzled. “But why would she come in this direction? Why would she not head away from the castle if she was so bent on escape? Surely she did not intend to attempt to hide out in yonder copse.”
I believe I can explain that, at least in part. “She’s trying to get back into Hohenzollern.”
“What? Why would she do that? And how…?”
“I don’t know why, but as for the how… There are several underground passages, escape routes leading from the castle in several directions. We’ve been finding them and blocking them up for most of the day but still a great many of the castle’s occupants got away through those catacombs below ground. It’s my guess Lady Natalia has some notion of traversing the route in reverse.”
“But, how will she find the entrance to one of these tunnels out here?”
“Perhaps she knows where it is. We observed dozens of people streaming from these woods when the castle first fell to us. Our mission was to capture the princess, and as we had her we allowed the rest to flee if they chose to. There must have been an exit somewhere in the trees.”
“But, if the tunnels are all blocked now…”
“Exactly. She’ll become trapped in there, unless she can find her own way out again.” I know my expression is grim as I contemplate the likely outcome if we do not find her soon.
From the expression on his face I can see Karl shares my concern. “I do not imagine she will. It must be pitch black in there. And cold enough to freeze the balls off Lucifer himself.”
Quite. I turn to face our camp again and spot a couple of men loitering by a cask of ale. I cup my mouth in my hands intending to shout them over, but settle instead for a piercing whistle. It lacks gravitas, but is more effective. Both leap to startled attention.
“You two. I need torches. Gather as many as you can find and follow me. Be quick about it.” I holler my instructions across the intervening distance.
The men rush off to obey my command. At a run now, Karl and I head into the trees.
We find the entrance to the tunnel easily enough, the path to it etched into the earth by the many pairs of feet that have tramped through the wood this day. It is impossible to discern Natalia’s specific tracks in the battered, muddy earth, but I’m near enough certain she will have gone that way. Nothing else makes any sense at all.
The entrance is narrow, marked by two upright pillars of roughly hewn stone. Inside it is every bit as dark as Karl suggested, and deathly quiet. No sound of female footsteps, nor even cries for help.
I lean between the stones and call her name. There is no response. Nothing. I try again, louder this time but can still evoke no answering cry. I fall back on my whistle, sure that sound will penetrate through the underground passages. She must have heard that, if she’s in there. And she has to be in there. Why does she not answer?
The sound of running feet in the woodland surrounding us announces the arrival of our torches. Karl and I take one apiece, light them, and without further ado squeeze through the portal stones.
The tunnel is only just wide enough for us to walk two abreast. I can manage to stand upright, but Karl is several inches taller than I am so has to stoop. The smoke from our torches creates a choking atmosphere. We will not be able to remain in here for long.
I lead the way, Karl behind me. We make good speed, but we have light. I have to assume Natalia did not. The chill in here is already penetrating my thick leather tunic, and despite the warmth from our torches this place is deathly cold.
Did Natalia possess warm clothing? I have to confess I do not recall, though I doubt it. Had she thought to do so she could have taken a heavy cloak from my chest in the tent, but when I glanced around my quarters nothing seemed to have been disturbed.
Foolish woman.I grit my teeth. There is no point contemplating the many and various means I could employ to teach her the error of her ways until I get my hands on her. And even then…
