Chapter XXV
Nottingham, September 8th, 1194
Rebelle had moved to Rivendale Hall for two days and she had invited Violet to come and see her. Being eager to tell her cousin about the last developments of her relationship with Guy, Violet decided it was the right moment for a visit. Therefore, after her husband had bidden her goodbye and left for Bonchurch, she returned to her bedchamber to change, donning an outfit suitable for a ride.
Before heading for the stables, Violet asked Sally to go get a guard for an escort. While she was waiting for the groom to saddle Snowflake, Sergeant Ralf showed up. Since Violet healed his son Reggie from measles, he never missed a chance to help her.
"My lady, Sally told me you wish an escort", he said after bowing to her.
"Aye, I'm going to Rivendale Hall to visit my cousin", Violet confirmed smiling at him warmly. "Pick a horse."
Cedric, the chief groom, quickly saddled a destrier for the sergeant. Shortly afterwards, Violet and Ralf left the castle and headed for the city gates.
"How's your family?" Violet enquired.
"They're fine, my lady, thank you", Ralf answered. "Reggie talks about you all the time. I think he's love-struck", he added laughing. Violet too laughed, touched. Then she thought about Guy and the fact he had told her he was in love with her – she could still hardly believe it – and she felt her heart pounding.
When they arrived at Rivendale Hall, Ralf leaped from his horse and helped the baroness to dismount, then he took the bridles of both horses and crossed over to the stables to tie them to the special rings on the wall. The stables were still almost empty, as Rebelle and Drastan hadn't many horses yet.
Violet headed for the entrance to the mansion, but before she had a chance to use the bronze doorknocker, the door opened and Rebelle appeared on the threshold.
"Violet, what a nice surprise!" Rebelle cried, hugging her cousin. "I saw you coming", she then added, withdrawing to let her in. "Mawa!" she called. A few moments later, a woman showed up. She was around thirty years old, and had a rather plump build and fiery red hair. Violet knew her because she was related to Maud, Chetwood Manor's cook.
"Hullo, Mawa", she greeted her.
"Good morning, Lady Violet", the servant smiled at her and then turned to Rebelle. "My lady?"
"We'll have drinks in the hall", Rebelle said. "And tell Lady Violet's guard he can go to the kitchen and have a tankard of beer, if he wishes."
"Aye, my lady. What can I get you? Beer, cider, wine, water?"
Rebelle glanced at her cousin, inviting her to choose.
"Cider and water", Violet decided. "But don't bring them immediately. Little cousin, would you show me your house before?"
"Of course!" Rebelle accepted with enthusiasm.
The mansion was just a little smaller than Chetwood Manor. An addition they had done in view of the wedding was a bathroom on the ground floor, copied from the one in Violet's family house. When they visited the main bedchamber, Rebelle admitted chuckling that she and Drastan had already inaugurated it. This reminded Violet about the night she had just spent in her husband's arms and consequently the second reason why she had come visiting her cousin, besides seeing the renovated house.
Something in her attitude made Rebelle suspicious. Recalling what Violet had disclosed to her the previous week, she guessed at once what had happened.
"And you and Guy?" she asked her. Violet's smile was a sufficient answer. "When happened it... last night?" Rebelle pressed on, smiling in turn.
Violet nodded.
"You were right, you know?" she said. "Lying with a man can really be wonderful. I already had a... taste, as you know, and I thought it was amazing, but I didn't believe it could get even better..."
Rebelle chuckled contentedly. She was very happy for Violet.
"Tell me everything", she exhorted her. "How did it start?"
"I was taking a bath..."
Violet described her experience in detail, but keeping a certain modesty. When she finished, Rebelle was grinning from ear to ear, recalling something she had told Violet months ago.
"Do you remember that time when we were bathing together? When we spoke about men and I said I wished there were two like we dreamed them to be?" she asked her. Violet needed a few moments to recall the memory, but then she did remember and nodded. "I would never expect to be fulfilled in such a perfect way", Rebelle continued. "And in such a short time!"
"I even less", Violet confessed.
"Come on, let's go and have a toast!" Rebelle exhorted her. They went back downstairs where they sat down in the great hall. Hearing them coming, Mawa quickly fetched them their drinks. Rebelle dismissed her and personally poured the cider into the goblets, then the two cousins toasted to each other's conjugal happiness.
"I bet you now regret you waited for so long", the warrior maiden couldn't help herself but teasing her cousin.
Violet laughed, then shook her head.
"Actually, no. It wouldn't have been as much wonderful if I had rushed things, forcing myself to lie with Guy before I was ready. Anyway, 'tis all him, because he took the time to wait for me and he was able to teach me little by little what marital love truly is", she smiled at Rebelle. "And I speak about love with good reason", she concluded in an allusive tone.
Rebelle placed her goblet down and raised one eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" she enquired.
"I mean the way you too can speak about marital love", Violet explained as her smile broadened. "Guy told me he loves me..."
Rebelle's smile broadened too.
"Really? That's wonderful!" she cried.
They toasted again, then they spoke about the imminent wedding. Rebelle informed her cousin that she would wear a feminine dress – that Mary was sewing at Chetwood Manor, as she was a very good sewer – in silk, blue and golden, being these the colours of her family. But under it, she would wear her usual breeches.
"And mayhap a knife tucked in your belt", Violet grinned.
"You can bet on it!" Rebelle admitted laughing.
"I wouldn't expect less of you!"
"Never! Or else it wouldn't be me..."
"You're so right..."
Violet stayed for the midday meal, then by mid-afternoon she took her leave in order to return home, with Sergeant Ralf escorting her. They were over halfway to Nottingham when, from behind the tree cover, in this place rather thick, suddenly eight full-armed men appeared. Five assailed Ralf and the other three ran towards Violet.
Unsheathing his sword, Ralf yelled. "Run, my lady!"
Snowflake reared neighing wildly, frightened. As she was an excellent rider, Violet controlled her horse and turned him around, trying to spur him into a gallop, but one of the attackers was quicker and seized the reins, yanking at them to bring the stallion to a halt. Violet lashed out a kick to the aggressor's head, but he stepped aside and took it on his shoulder. He staggered because of the force of the blow, but it wasn't enough to make him loosen his grip on the reins. One of the others pointed his sword at her.
"Don't resist us, lady, and no harm will come to you!" he bellowed. Violet didn't heed him and pulled the reins to the right and to the left in the attempt to free them from the scoundrel's grip, unsuccessfully. Then she tried to have Snowflake starting into a gallop, but a third man came and grabbed the harness on the sides of the horse's muzzle and hanged on to it with his full weight, immobilising him.
At this point, the rascal with a sword tore the reins out of Violet's hands.
"Don't move or your man will die", he threatened. Violet cast an alarmed glance to Ralf, who had been disarmed and thrown from his horse by the other men. One of them laid the tip of his sword on Ralf's neck. His destrier had run off in fright and there was no sign of it.
"No!" Violet screamed, trying instinctively to protect the loyal sergeant. She turned toward her assailer, glaring at him. "Alright, sir. I won't resist any longer, but let my guard go."
The man signalled to his accomplice, who stooped and grasped the front of Ralf's tunic, which sported the new black and green insignia of Nottingham. The rascal pulled him rudely up, then he dragged the sergeant toward Violet. The other rogues followed him closely.
"We have a message for your master", the one holding Snowflake's bridles announced to Ralf. "Tell him that the three surviving Black Knights took his wife and that if he wants her back, he must follow the instructions contained in this scroll", he nodded to the villain not holding Ralf, who produced a parchment, rolled up and sealed with wax. "He shall follow them to the letter. Otherwise, his beautiful lady wife will die. Am I clear?"
Ralf cast an anguished glance at Violet. She returned it, trying not to appear as frightened as she truly was. At this very moment, she would have given anything to be like Rebelle or like Marian in the guise of the Nightwatchman, but as it was an inane wish, all she could do was try and survive this mishap with as little harm as possible, going along with her captors or thwarting them according to the circumstances. She made the slightest nod to Ralf.
"You're clear", the latter confirmed, looking again at the man who had spoken. His tone and demeanour were submissive, but Violet had seen a flicker of determination in his eyes. Ralf had realised that at this time resistance was futile and that it was better obey to the request. Once informed about what had happened, Guy would decide what to do. Knowing him, Violet was inclined to think that, instead of giving in to blackmail, her husband would organise her rescue. Rebelle, Drastan and Robin would surely join him and wouldn't stop until they would find her. Whoever these Black Knights were, of one thing she was sure: their days were numbered.
OOO
On the outward journey, Drastan had gathered Guy's tale about the night he had just spent with Violet – which, for all practical effects, had been their nuptial night – and had felt very happy for his friend. Now, as they rode back to Nottingham, he turned toward him.
"Come on, let's hurry", he said. "Your wife will be waiting impatiently for you!"
As he spoke, he spurred Mjolnir into a gallop. The warhorse reacted promptly and sprang forward, always in for a run. Darkshadow shook his mane and snorted, signalling his desire to do as much, thus Guy indulged him. At this pace, they would reach Nottingham in half an hour. Their horses were well trained and used to much bigger weights and efforts than a free run through meadows and woods, therefore they wouldn't get too much tired.
As they arrived in sight of the drawbridge, Drastan and Guy decreased their horses' speed to a trot, then to an idle pace. They entered the town and headed for the castle. As they arrived, Guy considered that it was over mid-afternoon and that, if there wasn't anything compelling requiring his attention, he could as well dismiss Drastan, so he could go looking for Violet to be with her for awhile... possibly in horizontal position.
"You can leave, old chap", he therefore said, after having made sure there were no urgent tasks to be performed. "Let's call it a day."
Drastan grinned broadly. "Rushing to end the day and get your sweet little wife laid, he?"
Guy glared at him, but all he got was making Drastan laugh harder. The sheriff rolled his eyes, exasperated, then he thought about payback.
"I bet you'll do as much with Rebelle..." he insinuated.
"Of course, unless 'tis her getting me laid", Drastan smirked, making Guy chuckle.
"Does your betrothed really love that much taking the initiative?" he asked, intrigued. He wasn't used to women beginning spontaneously the love games, but now he thought he would appreciate Violet behaving like her cousin, because the idea of being the object of her desire looked appealing to him. Very appealing.
"At least as much as I like it", Drastan admitted. "I always thought it terribly exciting that a woman would show me how much she wants me, but if 'tis Rebelle doing it... well, the only thought makes me ready at once", he concluded, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in a way that made Guy grasp exactly how much he was ready.
"Then go to her", he exhorted him, patting his shoulder. "See you tomorrow."
At that moment, they heard running footsteps outside the door of the office, which had been left open. Ralf appeared on the threshold. His tunic was crumpled and stained with dirt, and his lower lip was split where he had been clearly and heavily punched. In his hand he carried a scroll.
"My lord!" he cried, out of breath. "Something terrible has happened!"
"Calm down, Ralf", Drastan exhorted him. "Catch your breath and then speak."
The sergeant inhaled deeply twice.
"I was escorting Lady Violet returning from Rivendale Hall" he began. "We were assailed by eight armed men. They weren't bandits, but clearly well trained soldiers. Five of them surrounded me. I tried to fight them, but they were too many and overpowered me..."
His tone expressed clearly his nervousness. He remembered well the way the old baron had treated those who failed their task. Though his successor had proved having been cut from an entirely different cloth, Ralf couldn't help but considering that previously Guy had been Vaisey's right-hand man and therefore he still feared the new sheriff would treat him like others in his conditions had been treated in the past.
"They outnumbered you five to one", Drastan mused. "You couldn't do much..."
"What about my wife?!" Guy exclaimed, both livid and anguished.
"They captured her, but didn't harm her", Ralf assured him. "At least, not as far as I could see. They ordered me to tell you that the three surviving Black Knights have taken her and that, if you want her back, you must do exactly what 'tis written in here", he concluded, handing him the scroll. "To the letter, my lord... or she'll die", he added in a low voice, clearly very worried.
Guy grabbed the scroll and broke the seal. He unrolled the document and read it quickly. His expression became ominous.
"You may go, sergeant", he said in a dull tone that barely concealed his fury.
"I'm at your disposal for anything that can help Lady Violet", Ralf declared right away, but Guy had already turned around to head for his desk.
"We know that, Ralf", Drastan assured him. "Now go and have that lip mended. Don't say anything to anyone, for any reason whatsoever. That's an order."
"Aye, Sir Drastan."
The sergeant bowed and took leave. When he was gone, Drastan closed the door and turned to Guy.
"Who are these Black Knights? And why do they hate you so much, even to the point of abducting you wife?" he enquired.
Guy had put the scroll down and was now clutching the edges of his desk so hard that his knuckles had paled. At his friend's questions, he took a deep breath, then turned.
"Drastan", he said in an undertone. "What I'm about to tell you mustn't leave this room. I want your word of honour."
The fair-haired knight nodded.
"You have my word of honour", he confirmed.
Guy took another deep breath.
"The Black Knight were a sect, founded by Prince John", he explained in a very low voice. "It consisted in a number of barons who wanted to help him seize the throne, taking advantage of the absence of King Richard. Vaisey was in charge. Even his sister Davina was part of it, and I, as his collaborator, was affiliated with it."
He paused to see the effect his words were having on Drastan. His friend stared at him for a few moments with a petrified expression.
"I need to sit down", he then muttered, marching to the nearest chair and dropping onto it. "You mean you conspired against the king?" he asked for confirmation, still incredulous.
Guy nodded. "I was blinded by ambition and greed of power to the point that 'twas easy for Vaisey to drag me into his greatest folly. His plan was to put that debauched John on the throne, only in order to get rid of him and to take his place. He could claim the title by virtue of his kinship with the House of Plantagenet through his mother. A few years ago, Vaisey sent me to the Holy Land to kill the king, but Robin of Locksley stopped me. At the beginning of this year, Vaisey devised a new plan, but it utterly failed – 'twas another of Locksley's exploits – and therefore, Prince John permanently disbanded the sect. However, Vaisey wouldn't give up on his ambitions and therefore we went to the Holy Land in order to assassinate the king. Vaisey wounded Richard, but Locksley, along with his gang and Marian, prevented the irreparable. 'Twas then that I almost killed Marian, who ran to stand between me and the king in order to shield him", he heard Drastan wheezing at this confession, but he didn't pause. "When Vaisey died, on the way back home, I decided to change radically my life, to make amends for the many misdeeds I committed at the old baron's command."
Drastan signalled him to pause and Guy complied.
"How many people know about all this?" the knight of Greenmere asked in a tense tone.
"Very few who are still alive: Locksley, Marian, Much, Little John, Allan A Dale. Two more members of Locksley's gang, Will and Djaq, but they stayed in the Holy Land and are not coming back to England. Before the wedding, I told Violet. And now you."
"So Rebelle doesn't know anything about this?"
"She doesn't, and neither does Sir William."
"And Prince John?"
"He doesn't know my exact degree of involvement", Guy stated. "Surely he suspects me of knowing much, as I was Vaisey's right-hand man, and in my opinion 'tis the reason he offered me the office of pro tempore sheriff, in the attempt to secure my silence and possibly my support. My plan was to do my best, here in Nottingham, as long as King Richard will be absent, and then, when he'll come back, I counted on slipping off, to France or Scotland. Vaisey's death left the title of baron vacant. I didn't know that Sir William of Chetwood was his nearest heir, but he renounced it in favour of his son. Jeffrey's death brought King Richard to the decision of passing the title through Violet, and she asked me to marry her..." a thought struck him suddenly. "Drastan, 'tis all my fault they abducted her", he declared bitterly. "When they learned about my marriage with Violet, the last three Black Nights must have felt threatened by me becoming the new Baron of Nottingham and therefore an equal to them", he gesticulated towards the parchment laying on the desk. "And now they're ordering me to write a confession about my involvement in the sect and give it to them in exchange of my wife, so they'll have me in their pockets for the rest of my life", he placed his face in his hands. "And think that, just a few days ago, Violet and I spoke exactly about this, and she advised me to write a document in which I expose them, to put in a safe place and use as a deterrent against them. I wrote it, but I didn't have the time to warn the rascals and they preceded me, kidnapping her."
"But who are they?" Drastan enquired.
"The Barons of Buckingham, Spencer and Rotherham."
Drastan decided that, for the moment, he would ignore Guy's affiliation to these conspirators and would instead concentrate on Violet's abduction.
He watched closely his friend's face, where anguish and anger were mingling.
"What are your intentions?" he asked. Guy's face turned to stone.
"To go looking for my wife and take her away from their clutches", he affirmed in a dull tone. "And then, to take them out."
Drastan nodded: he felt exactly the same way.
"I'm going to help you", he declared firmly.
Guy looked at him, both incredulous and relieved: incredulous because Drastan, though he knew that he had conspired against the king, was willing to assist him, and relieved because of the same reason.
"Thank you, my friend", he whispered.
Drastan shrugged.
"I don't know if I'm doing it only for Violet or for you too", he admitted. "After all, you're a traitor of the crown, but for now I don't want to think about that. What we must now think about is devising a plan. First thing first, we have to go and inspect the place where they staged the ambush and find their traces in order to chase them. But we can't do it alone."
Guy stared at him.
"Who do you suggest?" he asked.
"Ralf, obviously, who won't hear about being left aside. After all, Violet had entrusted him with her safety and he failed. He had no chances against eight men, but knowing him, he feels responsible nonetheless. Then Locksley, as you told me he knows everything. And with him, his men, Much and the others. And Rebelle, of course. Should I try and cut her out, she'd skin me alive."
"Then let's get Ralf and go to the ambush site, and meanwhile, send for Locksley and the others, including Rebelle, but we won't wait for those who aren't near enough to start immediately in pursue."
Drastan sprang up and both men ran out of the room, looking for Ralf. They had him explaining exactly where he and Violet had been attacked and Drastan ordered to three messengers to head at full speed for Rivendale Hall, Locksley Manor and Bonchurch Hall, asking their owners to join them at the site where Violet had been abducted. The messengers rushed to the stables, took the swiftest horses and dashed to their respective destinations.
At this point, Guy and Drastan went to take their horses. Ralf received another mount in the place of the one that had run away during the assault. Less than half an hour later, they were in the very spot where the ambush had happened.
Drastan got off Mjolnir and began inspecting the ground. Guy let him take over, because he knew his friend was much better at finding trails than he was.
For several minutes, Drastan examined every footprint and every sign left on the dirt and on the surrounding vegetation.
"They went this way", he finally said, pointing.
Guy considered the direction.
"They're heading for Rotherham", he said. "I expected it, as of the three domains, 'tis the nearest to Nottingham."
"How far is it?" Drastan enquired.
"About forty miles", Guy answered. He checked the position of the sun and realised it was already westering. "We have three hours before sunset, they cannot make it before dark."
Drastan nodded.
"They cannot travel at night in the forest", he pondered. "Unless they are willing to risk laming their horses as they stumble over protruding roots or other obstacles. Therefore, they'll be forced to stop."
"'Tis applies to us too", Ralf commented gloomily.
Though they were very anxious to give chase, they settled down to wait for one hour, as they had agreed, to allow Rebelle, Robin and Much – and possibly others – to join them. Rebelle, whose abode was nearest, was the first to show up. She looked furious.
"Who dared to do this?" she cried as soon as she reached shouting distance.
Guy couldn't tell her the whole story, not with Ralf standing by, therefore he decided for a lighter version.
"Three men of whom I know a secret", he therefore answered. "A secret that, if revealed, could highly damage them. They want to make sure I won't breathe a word."
"It'll be them who won't breathe a word anymore, as soon as we'll find them", the young warrior maiden growled. "I will personally cut their tongues… and even something else!" She looked around. "What are we waiting for? Let's go after them!"
"We're waiting for Locksley and possibly more of his men", Drastan answered. "We know that eight men staged the ambush, but we cannot know if there are others, so the more we are the better."
Rebelle wanted to reply that this way they were risking to lose them, but she understood well that her betrothed was right and therefore she reined in her anxiety for action.
A few minutes later Robin arrived at a full gallop, with Little John on an especially sturdy Friesian suitable for his rider's noticeable size. The big peasant had reconciled with his wife Alice and lived now again at Locksley with her and their son, thus he had immediately answered when Robin had sent for him.
The first question of the Earl of Huntingdon was the same that Rebelle had posed. "Who did this?"
"Spencer, Rotherham and Buckingham", Guy answered succinctly. Robin stared at him, dumbfounded, then he grasped the implications and nodded. "May they be cursed! If they harm as much as one single hair on her head…"
"I'll butcher them with my bare hands", Guy completed his sentence, in such a terrible tone that everyone's skin crawled.
"I don't know if I'll leave you something to kill, Gisborne, after I'll have beaten the crap out of them!" Little John growled. He shook his enormous fists, which he was capable of using like mallets against his adversaries, and which devastating effects even Guy had sometimes endured.
"Lord Sheriff, or Lord Nottingham", Drastan corrected him brusquely. Little John glared at him.
"For me he remains just Gisborne!" he rumbled.
The blonde knight wasn't intimidated.
"You'll show the due respect to the baron, yokel!" he snarled. "Or you'll deal with me!"
"Think I'm afraid of you, blondie?" Little John roared, unleashing all of his touchy temperament.
"Stop it!" Guy barked. "Let it go, both of you. We have more pressing things to take care of!" He scowled at Little John. "Call me whatever you want. We'll here to rescue my wife, so if you came to pick up a fight instead, you can leave right now!"
Little John felt a bit ashamed. He had a moral debt with Violet, because not only she had greatly helped Robin and the whole gang, included him, but also because she had healed his son from a bad cough, two winters ago.
"Begging your pardon", he mumbled through clenched teeth. Guy nodded tersely, accepting his apology.
"I sent immediately a message to Much", Robin intervened, distracting the contenders. "I think he'll be here any moment now."
"I sent for him already", Guy informed him. "We won't wait much longer", he added, gesturing toward the westering sun. "We must begin the chase before 'tis too dark and we risk laming our horses."
"Night won't stop us", Robin affirmed. At Guy's sceptical glance, he explained. "My men and I know every single inch of this forest. We're going to use torches to see the trail and follow a safe path."
"Excellent" Drastan approved enthusiastically. "We'll go on, but the scoundrels will surely have to stop, and thus we'll catch them quickly!"
A few minutes later, Much arrived with Allan A Dale who, by pure chance, was at Bonchurch Hall when the messenger from Nottingham had come in. The young man hadn't hesitated a moment to join the hunt, he too remembering the help he received from Violet when he was an outlaw.
They started at once in pursuit of the kidnappers. Robin and Little John – the most experienced trackers among them – went ahead of the group, as Guy informed the last two comers about what had occurred. Both Much and Allan expressed feral threats against the crooks.
The hours of the three Black Knights were numbered.