"Katie! Katie!" shouted Stephen as he came running across the field where they camped. "Katie!"
Katie appeared. "What's happened?"
"A royal entourage comes, flying banner of truce and the standards of Longshanks himself!"
William appeared beside his sister. "Let's go see who's come to call."
There was a tent set up in a meadow and it was guarded by two dozen royal soldiers but they only regarded Hamish, William, Stephen and Katie quizzically.
Servants pulled back the sides of the tent door and a tall woman appeared.
William gawked at her. She looked just like Marion! William glanced at Hamish and saw that his friend too saw the resemblance.
"Isabelle!" exclaimed Katie. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Princess Isabelle studied William for a long moment. She saw in him something that she had never seen in the face of a man before. "I am the Princess of Wales."
"Wife of Edward, the king's son?" asked William.
"Aye." Isabelle looked at Katie. "I come as the kings servant and with his authority."
"I want no talk," said William gruffly. "I want battle."
"But now that I am here, will you speak with a woman?"
Katie punched her brother in the arm none too lightly. "Aye, we'll talk with ye."
Isabelle turned and entered the tent.
Watching her walk, Stephen twitched his leg like a horny dog. Katie, seeing him, laughed and Hamish backhanded him.
They entered the tent and Katie winked at Nicolette. Nicolette shot a look at William and raised her eyebrows. They all sat down.
"I understand that you have recently been given the rank of knight."
"I have been given nothing. God makes men what they are."
"Did God make you the sacker of peaceful cities? The executioner of the king's nephew, my husband's own cousin?"
"York was the center of every invasion of my country," said William.
"And that royal cousin hanged a hundred Scots, even women and children from the city walls," said Katie.
Isabelle glanced at a richly dressed advisor who averted his eyes.
The man stepped forward and spoke quietly in Latin. "They are murdering bandits. They lie."
"I am no bandit," said William in Latin. "And I do not lie."
Isabelle and the advisor stared at William in surprise.
"Or in French if you prefer," said William in perfect French.
Isabelle looked at him for a long moment, then looked at the advisor. "Leave us."
Katie turned and nodded to Hamish and Stephen. "Outside."
Stephen, who had been staring at Isabelle the whole time, leaned in and whispered to William, "Her husband's more of a queen than she is."
Katie laughed and shoved him outside.
"Let us talk plainly. You invade England. But you cannot complete the conquest, so far from your shelter and supply. The King proposes that you withdraw your attack. In return he grants you title, estates, and this chest with a thousand pounds of gold, which I am to pay to you personally." Isabelle looked at Katie. "You know I would not lie."
"A Lordship. And gold. That I should become Judas?"
"Peace is made in such ways."
"Slaves are made in such ways!" shouted William.
Katie touched his arm.
Isabelle was mesmerized by his passion. "I understand that you have lost one you loved.
"She was my wife. We married in secret because I would not share her with an English lord. They killed her to get to me. And she was pregnant."
Katie was quiet and Isabelle was stunned.
"I've never told anyone but Katie. I don't know why I tell you--except because you look...much like her. And someday you will be a queen, and you must open your eyes. Tell your king that William Wallace will not be ruled. Nor will any Scot, while I live."
Isabelle stood slowly and moved in front of him. She lowered herself to her knees. "Sir. I leave this money, as a gift. Not from the king, but from myself. And not to you, but to the orphans of your country." She stayed there a moment, then stood. Their eyes held a moment too long. Then she looked at Katie. "Until we meet again."
William, Katie and the men watched as the Princess' procession left. Then they too turned and rode away.
Isabelle entered Longshanks' war council.
"Ah, my son's loyal wife has returned, unkilled by the heathen. So he accepted our bribe?"
"No, he did not."
Longshanks sighed. "You spoke with this Wallace in private?"
"Yes. Him and his sister."
"The Scottish nobles have sent him no support. He must withdraw. You may return to your embroidery."
"Humbly, milord." She barely curtsied and then turned to go.
"You brought back the money, of course?" Longshanks knew she hadn't for Hamilton was standing next to him.
"I thought your greatness was better shown by generosity towards the children."
"My greatness is better demonstrated with this." From a box at his feet, Longshanks withdrew a crossbow and tossed it onto the table.
There was a gasp from everyone in the room.
Edward stared at his Father. "The weapon has been outlawed by the Pope himself!"
"So the Scots will have none of them. My armoerers have already made a thousand." Longshanks smiled but didn't notice how pale the Princess had become.
Katie hurried through the camp and ducked into her brother's tent. "Someone's coming."
William stood to his feet. "How many?"
"Barely a handful."
They hurried back to the front and Stephen looked at them. "French guards."
The riders stopped at a distance and out from their ranks came a single rider, sitting sidesaddle.
"It's Nicolette!" gasped Katie.
Nicolette trotted her horse forward and Hamish helped her from her horse. She was pale but came forward with determination. She stopped in front of William and Katie and opened the heavy folds of her ridding cape.
There, hung from a rope at her neck, was a crossbow.