"Have you seen any of the letters that go back and forth? You say there have been many."

"There have been many. And as often as not, the messenger delivers a message verbally. I am not privy to any of those messages. However, and this is why I sent for you, after the Bishop's last missive, Norbert was more anxious than ever I have seen him. He kept to his rooms for three days and sent out several letters, of which I was not privy."

"And then?"

"Nothing. Norbert seemed less anxious when he came out from his rooms. If not less anxious, then at least he was anxious of a different matter entirely. It was more anticipation than anxiety, I think. He was waiting for replies to his missives. And after each came, he seemed greatly disappointed. He became..."

"He slept little and ate less?" Erec asked, suspecting he understood at least part of what was meant.

"Just so." Lady Alexandi nodded. "But then another messenger came. He carried a leather pouch over his shoulder. It was about so big..."

Here the lady used her hands to indicate a pouch that was two-and-one-half hands square and one hand in thickness. Erec knew it. When he was away on campaign the king's messenger often carried a similar pouch as it held several missives in it.

"And it was bulging. The ties that held it closed were tied near the end, it was so full. When the messenger left, the bag was limp and empty. I waited two days for Norbert to leave the room and when he did, I looked for those letters."

"Did you find them?"

Her shoulders sagged under the weight of her failure as she shook her head.

"None of them? Then why..."

"But I found this and ...and I think it has to do with you?"

She handed him three sheets.

The first was a quick note unsigned and undated that indicated the included sheets were copied from papers found in Bishop A's personal papers without his knowledge or consent.

The second page was a short letter of admonishment, asking Father G. to set to rights a certain grievous error on his part and it was signed by Bishop Anouk. Erec looked at it, but did not see the relevance.

The third page was a receipt dated withing the last year. It was for monies received from Lord Duplechain to be kept and invested in trust for his grandson until further instruction was given. The receipt was written by a different person than the one that signed it as the writing was notably different, but this was not unusual when scribes were used.

Erec frowned.

"Bishop Morchat's letter said the name of my mother's family was Duplechain. This was dated within the last year...so he lives? My grandfather lives? And he knows of me?" Erec frowned.

"That is so but..."

"But what has this to do with the Bishop?"

"Look at the first note again. It said both were taken from Bishop Anouk's personal things. The second was a letter signed by him, so I assumed it was in written by him as well."

Erec's frown deepened.

"Look at the writing on the last two documents."

Erec blinked in shock as the significance of what the lady just said sank in. Slowly he moved the two pages so that they overlapped and he could compare the writing.

It was the same.

Lord Cleve Joseph Duplechain was his grandfather...and Bishop Anouk was Lord Cleve Joseph Duplechain.

"He..." Erec choked on his words and swallowed hard.

This was...unbelievable.

"He did not die as everyone assumed. In his grief, he left the world behind and sought comfort in the church." She smiled sadly. "But he never forgot his daughter, watching her silently from a distance. And it seems he has been watching over you as well. Did you know that Norbert took you in on the recommendation from Bishop Anouk all those years ago?"

"I..."

I am not a nameless orphan. I have family...and he is a traitor to the crown!

"I ask you to speak of this to no one." Erec begged.

"I have not, and shall not."

"Can you continue to keep Bishop Morchat's letter...and these others...hidden safely away?"

"I can and I will."

"I will have to deal with that revelation at a later time. For now, I need to see to my wife and on the morrow, I must begin vigorous training. We have a battle to fight very soon and I need to make sure we are ready for it."

---

Gwyn paced her bedchamber and worried. She worried about the obvious, which was their impending doom at the hands of King Axel and his mercenaries. She worried about what would happen to all of the people between Brecken Pass and Kings Pass. Most of those folks left after the mandatory drafts were women, children and the men too old or infirm to serve in the army.

She worried about Erec and his five loyal men that she had come to love as brothers. She worried about her own brothers who were carried off like chaff in the wind, possibly never to be seen again. She worried about her children: the two she was raising, and the one growing in her belly. She worried about what would happen to her if Brecken fell.

And then she worried what would happen to her if Brecken did not fall. Someone very powerful wanted very much for Erec to be dead. Even if he survived this impossible battle with Far North, there was no place safe for him to go after that. Especially since the sennight that passed since his "resurrection" was more than enough time for word to reach Kingstown.

She worried about...

Stopping suddenly, she frowned.

Why now?

Pacing once more she pondered all that she knew about Far North, which was admittedly very little. She knew that he was of an age with Hugh the Great, perhaps a little younger, but not much. She knew that he and Hugh the Great had warred for years before they called a truce. There was never an official treaty and the borders were never exact.

This much she knew from her father. He told her many stories of Hugh the Great and Far North after the news of the former king's death reached them. Gwyn stopped again.

That was many years before her father ever met her mother. He said that peace came to the people north of Kings Pass when he was a small boy, Robin's age or younger she supposed.

She crossed to the window to look out but was too anxious and began pacing again.

Then why now? Why after all of those years of peace...

The thought struck so suddenly she stumbled and grabbed hold of the wall to steady herself.

It all started after Hugh the Great died!

The King sent soldiers to round up men for his army, this she knew for Berk had seen the men returning to the Garrison and his men observed the training. But the spies they captured said that they and others like them had rounded up hundreds of men and sold them to Lord Garret and the men there to fortify their castle so they could march against Hugh II.

There were spies from Far North all over their kingdom.

Was Neron one of them? Was Far North responsible for the ambush and the attempts on Erec's life?

She began to pace more quickly as her anxiety bubbled over like an unwatched cooking pot.

There was something she was missing...

At the farm when she was first rescued Erec said that...

Nay, it was later? No matter!

The fact remained that Erec said he was a marked man from the time he left Kingstown for Far North. That meant that the person who sent the assassins was the same as the one that arranged the ambush and it was not the spies from Far North.

But what did it mean?

It meant that there was not one but TWO different factions stirring unrest in the kingdom. One was Far North. King Axel's reasons were obvious to her now. King Axel was an opportunist. He was trying to topple the new King before he had time to grow powerful enough to cause any trouble with the northern borders.

Failing that, King Axel could at least claim the lands between Brecken Pass and Kings Pass for Far North. That was rich farmland, even though it was currently fallow. There were quarries and forests and enough castles to hold it if they were properly garrisoned. The thought was frightening.

That was nearly half of the kingdom!

The other enemy was someone in Kingstown. They knew Neron was the one that sent the three knights to hunt her down, but was he the one that sent the assassins after Erec and arranged the ambush? After witnessing first hand his power at setting the blockade all along the south of Kings Pass, she knew Neron, at the very least, had the power to do so.

But why?

It was common knowledge that Hugh the Lesser hated Erec. So, it could be that Neron was trying to court the king's favor.

Nay. It was not so.

Berk and Cameron both had said that Neron was the King's friend from childhood. So Neron must also know Erec from way back.

Could it be a personal hatred of Erec?

After thinking on that further, she decided not. Erec had never mentioned Neron, which he surely would have done if there was bad blood between them. He had told her all about Hugh II and their long-standing dislike of one another. Erec also seemed puzzled as to the enemy who sent the assassins after him, although he suspected the king.

It did not make sense.

Hugh the Great set protection for Erec in his final decree. Hugh the Lesser could not dismiss him from his duties as Captain of Army and neither could he have him killed or exiled without serious repercussions. She had only to think on the riots that were incited among the people simply by mentioning the murder of their champion.

It would be foolish for Hugh the Lesser to try such a thing. So, what if he mentioned his irritation over the matter to his friend, Lord Neron. Would Neron have taken the initiative to rid the king of that particular thorn without recompense for himself?

She went to the window again and stared for some minutes together at the clouds moving by. They were wispy disconnected fragments of clouds moving hither and yon with no particular purpose.

Just like her thoughts.

What if Neron used the King's dislike as a reason to rid himself of Erec. But why would he do that? What purpose would it serve to...?

Oh, Dear God in Heaven!

Gwyn turned so quickly she stumbled on her skirts and nearly fell. She managed to catch herself but not before she tore her hem.

Urgency surged through her, giving her uncommon speed as she lifted her skirts and ran through the castle. She bumped several people and leapt over something she knocked down but kept going. She was unheedful of the shouts that followed her as she dashed through the castle and out of doors.

Without delay she continued, dodging around people and leaping over pigs and sleeping dogs. She frightened someone so badly they dropped everything and some chickens when flopping about. She was certain she left quite a mess in her wake but she had to reach Erec.

A large man stepped in front of her and she tried to run around but he held her by the shoulders.

"Gwyn!" He nearly shouted.

Blinking she looked up and recognized Drew.

"Oh, thank goodness it is you." She sagged against him as the burst of energy she felt in her chambers was all used up.

"Are you alright? What has happened?"

"Erec." She managed before Drew scooped her up and jogged toward the training grounds.

"Captain!" Drew bellowed when they were close.

Gwyn was glad he carried her, because at the sound of his voice, every eye turned toward them and the men surged as one, reminding her of a swarm of angry bees. She was glad these particular bees were her friends and their stingers were meant for others.

"Gwyn!" Erec reached to take her from Drew but she wiggled to be set on her feet. Still holding her by the elbows, he looked her over carefully. "You are pale. What happened?"

"The King! He is in mortal danger!"

"Worry not. Cameron and Berk..."

"Nay! You do not understand the whole of it. I have only just worried it out for myself but I cannot be mistaken. Neron intends to assassinate the king."

"What?!" Drew and Erec said at the same time.

"What?!" Echoed the men that gathered around and were close enough to hear, mostly the five she was so familiar with, and a few others.

"I fear..." she gasped and bent, feeling a stitch in her side from running so far so quickly. She was not a young girl anymore and had not done any real work since she earned her place in the healer's rooms all those many months ago.

Without a word Erec scooped her up again and started toward the castle. The men swarmed after until John whistled and shouted orders. Most of the men returned to the training grounds to take up arms again. They were in need of all of the practical training they could get before their battle with King Axel.

She looked over Erec's shoulder and smiled. Once more the men were surrounding them, keeping them safe from anyone that might try to stop their progress. Gwyn settled her head upon Erec's shoulder and decided to enjoy the few moments she had with him before they reached their chambers again, since she assumed that was where he would take her.

She had tried for three days to tell him the news she only just realized herself. But always he returned to their chambers long after she fell asleep and left before she awoke in the morning. She knew the importance of his training as he had been so long convalescing so she did not dare intrude upon his training.

When she saw how he worried over Robin and Sofi, she decided not to add another burden to his long list until after he returned. Or perhaps she should wait until after they rescued the king? Even if they won this battle with Far North, if the king were killed, all was lost anyway.

---

"And that is why I think that Axel will not fight, or at least that he will not use his full force."

"It is a fine opportunity for him, as you say. This land is rich in resources and it would reduce our kingdom by half, making future conquering that much easier. It also explains his delay. Scouts report that he has been encamped at the other side of the pass for a fortnight and makes no signs of marching on Brecken."

A knock sounded at her door.