She sighed and swiped at her cheek. "It breaks my heart. It has been three days and that poor man is black and blue all over. He has three broken ribs and he has torn the stitches to his side so many times, I am hard pressed to find a place to put a fresh stitch. I hope that he speaks soon."

She sighed and squeezed the pendant in her palm. She found it in the man's clothing when she was first treating him the first time he passed out. She thought mayhap it was important to him, as he kept it hidden, so she slipped it into her pocket with the intention of returning it to him...but he was never conscious when they called her to tend him...

"Gwyn?"

She turned at the sound of Drew's voice.

"I am needed to heal the unconscious man again. I declare, if I did not know the importance of finding the traitor to the king, I might be tempted to think us savage barbarians."

"It is not the most pleasant task, but it is clear they were sent by someone. Two men alone in the wood, so far from any village or road...they were scouts and we can only hope their master is not close behind."

"I..." she let her hands fall to her sides as she slid from the top of the sarcophagus to her feet and the string of the pendant snagged upon her finger. She fumbled frantically, catching the pendant before it fell.

"What have you there?" Drew asked, frowning at the object curled in her palm.

"I found it in his clothes when I treated him the first time. I think it might be important to him, as it was hidden in the folds. Mayhap something from his family..."

"May I have a look?"

Gwyn passed it over and watched as Drew recognized it, letting out a curse. Without a word to her, he curled an angry fist around the pendant and turned on his heal, leaving her to hurry after if she were to know the reason for his anger.

"Erec." Drew called as he hurried around to their back door. "Erec!"

Hearing his name, Erec stepped the rest of the way out of the second room. It was the place chosen for their interrogation as it was windowless and concealed beneath ground. With the door closed, the sounds would not travel far and thus would not give away their hiding place. Crossing the hall, he stepped through the back door and made three steps before Drew appeared.

"Drew." He smiled as he saw Gwyn scurrying after, "Milady." His smile disappeared when his gaze fell once more upon Drew's face.

"What is it?"

"This." Drew growled as he grabbed Erec's hand and slapped a pendant into his palm.

Turning it over so that he might see it, he frowned.

"God's Teeth." He cursed. "They are from Far North."

"Aye."

"I wonder that they are so far into our realm. King Axel must be planning something greater than his usual border raids and threats. I wondered that it went so well for us..."

"Aye. They fought long enough to allow the women and children to retreat and then fled before us."

"I wondered that our losses were not greater. And the spoils, come to think upon it, were not so great as they might be. And you said women and children, but thinking back, I do not recall..."

"It was a ruse. We were meant to believe we were victorious. It does not make sense given that our reports from Port Castle and End'aven said that Axel was hiring mercenaries..."

"So that is it then." Gwyn said hopefully, "You do bit need to question him further. We can turn him over to Brecken...what?"

"He said this morning that he was hired to create distrust of the king. They burned villages and took men and supplies from the people..."

"My brothers?"

"Possibly." Erec nodded, his frown deepening. "And he said they took the men and supplies to Garret's Keep."

"Devil Spawn!" Drew growled. "Our entire campaign was for naught. With supplies and fresh troops, Garret, Aromor, and Basil will be poised to march upon Kingstown, all while we chased shadows in Far North."

"Aye." Erec tipped his head toward the room behind him. "See to him."

Gwyn did not need to be told twice. When she stepped in the room, she gasped at the bag of bruised flesh and bone before her. His clothing was torn in many places and bloodied. The swelling upon his face made it difficult to recognize him as a man thought.

Squaring her shoulders, she lifted her chin and pushed aside her empathy. Thanks to this man and his cronies, her brothers were most likely enslaved somewhere and it was likely she would never see them again. And worse, this man had a part in ... well, according to what she heard, they were very near to a spectacular war and it seemed possible they might lose...

After several hours of careful attention, she had him clean and patched. Poultices and bandages were applied and tinctures taken. She had done all she could. Only rest and time would decide if their prisoner would heal enough to survive a trip to Brecken...where he would be taken to the king and then executed.

Gwyn was picking up her herbs when Gil appeared and knocked softly on the doorframe.

"Erec wishes to see you for a moment in the other room. He will be alright there until you get back. His feet are bound, as are his hands. He will not be going anywhere until we take him to Brecken."

Gwyn gave a nod and left her things to see what Erec needed. Hopefully she would not be long. She would prefer to make sure her things were in their proper place before leaving them...

---

"GWYN!"

The shout ripped through the darkness. At once she was awake and looking about. Erec sat beside her, one hand on his blade, the other firmly around her waist keeping her from bolting.

"Gwyn!" Gil burst through the doorway, "I think he is dead!"

---

"It was Ipecac."

"But..." Erec frowned. "Is that not what you prescribe when one has taken poison?"

"Aye. In proper doses, Ipecac is given orally after a patient ingests poison. But like most medicines, taken in the wrong doses, or in the wrong combinations...it is poison. Ipecac root is highly poisonous.

"I extract the oils and use only precious few drops in a much larger mixture of syrup...but he consumed my entire bottle of ipecac. I am glad that I was not awake to see or hear him suffering in the moments before his death. It would have been pure agony."

---

They buried the bodies in unmarked graves in the wood. Deep enough and far enough that the corpses would not attract animals. At Gwyn's advice, they packed down the earth mounds and filled it in level to the ground, scattering grasses, leaves and branches to help disguise the freshly overturned soil.

Gwyn was very anxious as the days passed until it was time for Gil to leave for the meeting with Robin.

---

Gil frowned and remained hidden as he watched Robin approach. He was being led by the hand with a servant woman and Sofi was with him. Gil wondered at the identity of the identity woman. She was much too tall and lithe to be Matilde. She walked with the posture and bearing of a lady, although her clothing was obviously that of a servant.

And then Gil's stomach turned as he saw the frown on Robin's face. Whatever had transpired to force him to lead this woman and his sister to this place? Gil had never harmed a woman before, but if the children were in danger...

"Milady!" Gil gasped as she came close enough to his hiding for him to see her face.

"Sir Gil." She dipped her chin.

Gil looked furtively about as he reached for his blade.

"Fear not. You are not betrayed. A trusted servant girl accompanied me to my rooms as I was feeling poorly. The lady stayed to rest, the servant left, as you can see. The lady sent me to see that the children took air and we decided to collect flowers to make her ladyship feel better."

"See." Sofi smiled shyly as she held up a bouquet of flowering weeds and various greens.

"I see." Gil allowed himself to relax his stance, though his hand rested casually upon his blade and his eyes continued to move about the area around.

"I am afraid things have changed in the castle. It is no longer safe for me to keep the children there, I fear. And I must beg of you to take them to join their mother. You came once with a cart...do you still have it?"

"Aye. It is hidden in the wood back near the road."

"Then they may hide in it."

"Aye, but...I..." Gil ran over to the tree and pulled out the oilskin he had placed there a few hours before. "This must be hidden among the proof of lineage for the baron. I have not time to explain except to say that once it becomes lost with the rest of the proof of the Baron's lineage, it will become harmless. Until then, it may brand him a traitor to the crown."

"It shall be done." She said, taking the oilskin and removing the scroll. Handing the oilskin and string back to Gil, she tucked the scroll into the folds of her garment.

"My lady, please. This also." Gil produced a sealed letter. "It is meant for the Baron's eyes only, but as Gwyn informed us that you are to be trusted, I can tell you that it is news that two scouts from Far North came upon us. They are dead and buried and will never be found, but they were deep into the heart of our kingdom and too far from the border."

"Aye. That fits with what has been happening at Brecken Moors Hall. Three days ago, a messenger arrived in the middle of the night. It was a soldier and he was barely alive. Matilde managed to save him and he is recovering in our healer's rooms. But that aside, his message was most alarming. Axel is pushing the border. He has attacked Port Castle."

"Was he rebuffed?"

"Aye, but barely. Messengers were sent along the coast to call for allies. And word was sent to us as warning to prepare, as we are the logical next place to attack. Lord Brecken confided that he suspects the attack on Port Castle was a test of our response. He is worried that Axel will make a push south and if we cannot stop him, there is nothing to stop him from reaching the King."

"I am afraid it is worse that that." Gil admitted. "We also learned that these men were hired from someone within the kingdom. They were to create mistrust and undermine the king. Much of the recruiting and supplies that were taken were not the King's men, but these spies and the spoils were taken to Garret's Keep."

The Lady Alexandi gasped.

"You recognize the seriousness then. We vanquished Aromor and Basil and sent the remains of their armies running back to Garret with their tails between their legs. We hoped that the overpopulation and lack of supplies would weaken them for final defeat this spring..."

"But now they can march upon Kingstown! And with the King's men busy there, he will not be able to send the men that Brecken needs to hold the pass!"

"You grasp the situation well, Milady." Gil frowned. "I will take the children to Gwyn at once. They are safe with me. Take the letter to Brecken, but hide the scroll and tell no one of its existence. In a fortnight I will return to the place you saw me take the oilskin from. I will leave word there if there is news, and you may do so also. But Milady, you shall not see me again."

---

"I cannot believe it!" Gwyn repeated as she hugged her babies to her while happy tears streamed down her face.

With one arm Sofi hugged her rag doll, a gift from Gwyn while they lived in the healer's rooms to ease the girl through her nightmares, and with the other she choked Gwyn. "Mama." The girl repeated over and over.

Robin was glad to see her, but much less emotional than the ladies were. He cried a little and hugged her tightly when they first arrived, but he was long since over it. He tried to wiggle free, but Gwyn held tight.

Erec saw the boy's suffering and caught Robin's eye. With a look and a nod, he settled Robin's urge to escape and saw the boy was resigned to endure the smothering until Gwyn saw fit to release them. Erec could not be prouder of the boy. He was brave, and smart and when Erec saw now that the boy already knew compassion and forbearance.

The sound of a horse upon the road preceded Thomas's whistle by seconds. Gwyn rushed the children into the corner, hiding them behind her as best she could. She held one arm out protectively over the children and the other hand was ready on the dagger she wore on her belt.

Ever since the spies were found, Erec insisted she wear the dagger in her belt and she trained a few hours every day in the proper use of it, so that she would not be helpless should another intruder stumble upon them.

Erec stepped in front of Gwyn, placing himself between her and the window where they could see Thomas's feet above. Erec heard the shuffle behind him and knew that Drew and Gil were headed out the back. One would guard and the other would join Thomas.

"Thomas!"

At the familiar voice, Erec and Gwyn relaxed. Drew was soon heard and before long Drew and Dermot were entering the room. Erec sat upon the throne, as their one chair had been dubbed, and Gwyn sat upon the floor with the children. Dermot's eyes rounded as they landed upon the children but he made no other notice of them as he turned to Erec.

"I could not use the pass. Even in disguise I felt it was not safe. There were soldiers everywhere. I thought I might try to skirt the pass road, going around through the wood, but there were too many of them.

"I went through the wood north and east following the mountains but keeping in the tree line. I skirted around the foothills and headed south toward Modoc. I kept to the east and followed the old road south keeping in the wood as I moved. I did not get past where the east road to Garret's Keep crosses through the wood. Soldiers..."