A sober Raoul rode out on Drum, followed by 2 squads of the Own, plus 2 knights. Neal and Cleon rode at the rear, faces glum.
"I didn't marry, you know," Cleon blurted. "I just couldn't do it. I made my younger brother marry her."
Neal stared at him, shocked, but didn't say anything. He had nothing to say.
A while later, Raoul called for a halt and dismounted. Neal rode up and watched as the commander sifted through the ashes of a fire.
"About a day old," Raoul said, and gingerly dusted his hands. "Come over here."
He walked through the trees and stopped. "This is where they got her."
"There's no blood," Neal said softly.
"We'll find her. She's alive. She has to be."
The two walked back to the waiting men.
"It will be a hard ride," announced Raoul, "but we can do it."
He mounted and signaled for a canter as the sun set behind the trees to their left.
A/n: I know, another really short chapter! But, I'm doin 3 chapters tonight, so its ok, isn't it??