Michael Spradlin: Orphan of Destiny

“Get where?” Maryam asked groggily from the ground.

“Well, good morning, sunshine!” Robard nearly shouted.

“Ugh,” Maryam said, staring up at the sky, which was overcast and gray again. Rain would be coming later in the day. “Sunshine! Pfff. I’ve yet to see any of it since we landed here!” She sat up and stoked the fire, and soon had water boiling in a small pot she had procured somewhere.

At Robard’s mention of Dover, my mind raced.

“Dover,” I muttered to myself. “Not everyone I knew and trained with left for Outremer when our regimento did. There may be squires and even knights who remember me, and they might be willing to help. If I show them Sir Thomas’ letter. .” My words trailed off. It felt like the best option. We were so close, it seemed foolish not to at least try.

“Okay,” Robard agreed. “There is a village not far north of here. We should be able to get horses there, or at least find someone in the nearby countryside who has them for sale. You two start walking. Follow the coast. As soon as I can find horses, I’ll catch up.”

“Isn’t it the first place Hugh would look?” Maryam asked. “And you,” she said, looking at Robard. “I don’t like you always disappearing into the woods and leaving us alone. How would we ever know if something happened to you?”

“I’m going to get the horses,” Robard said, “because I’m a native who didn’t grow up in a monastery and thus has no idea how to bargain. I’ve purchased stock before and know how to deal with horse traders. I’m less likely to be noticed. We’ve been waiting here for two days while Tristan recovered. We can’t take the chance Sir Hugh hasn’t put the word out about three wanted criminals traveling together. I’ll catch up to you with the horses, and I promise we won’t split up after that. At least then we’ll be on horseback and have a better chance of eluding capture.” Robard was trying hard to convince her. Maryam had woken up in a foul mood.

“I think Robard’s plan makes sense. But go quickly,” I said, removing the small bag of coins from the satchel and adding Sir Thomas’ ring to it. “We need good mounts, and this is all the money I have left. If you have to use the ring. . I. . would rather keep it, but if you must.”

Robard’s hand closed over the coin purse. “I’ll do my best,” he said.

He handed his bow and wallet to Maryam. As we had traveled through France, after escaping from Montsegur, Robard had been teaching Maryam to shoot his longbow.

“Take care of these,” he said. “You’re becoming quite a proficient archer. Remember, shoulders steady, feet set and breathe out when you loose.”

“Robard! You might need it,” she exclaimed, pushing it back to him.

He shook his head. “No. Not this time. They’ll be searching for an archer fitting my description. So if I don’t fit the description. .,” he trailed off. “Besides, I have this!” He grasped the hilt of Sir Thomas’ battle sword hanging from his belt.

Maryam glanced at me with a pained expression. “Robard. Please don’t take this the wrong way. .,” she said.

“What?” he said, curious.

“You know you are a gifted archer,” she said.

“Of course.”

“Well, you are not so talented with the sword. In fact, you are a horrible swordsman. There, I said it,” she finished quickly.

“What? I am not! I can fight as well with a sword as anyone!” he nearly shouted.

He pulled the sword as if to make his case. It was a clumsy draw, though, and the point hung up on the scabbard. Then the blade became stuck and he had to push it back in and draw again. In all, about a half minute passed before the sword cleared.

“See what I mean?” Maryam said.

There was no need to let Robard’s temper get the best of him, so I jumped in. “You are right, Robard. Go and return as quickly as you can. Maryam and I will start out for Dover. I’m sure you’ll be able to track us. But if you lose us somehow, there is a well-trod road, called the traveler’s road, west of the city, about three leagues out. We will gather there if need be.” I even gave him a little salute.

“Right. Well, I’d best be on my way,” he said. He tried to return the sword to the scabbard and succeeded after three attempts. Please, God, I prayed. Keep him safe until he returns to us. I crossed myself and Maryam uttered a prayer to Allah. We watched until Robard disappeared from sight.

Angel whimpered, as she always did whenever we separated, but she rolled over onto her back and Maryam gave her a good belly rub. Satisfied, she sat up and sniffed the air. I took the opportunity to walk back and forth around the campsite, testing my wounded side. Each step brought a small wave of pain, but it was bearable, and slowly I worked at returning to full strength. I remembered my dream. Sir Thomas warned me danger was coming. I had no idea what he meant. Was it that the closer I got to Scotland, the more desperate Sir Hugh would become? Was the Queen Mother trying to find me as well? Or was it that some other as yet unseen or unrealized danger awaited? Knowing our luck thus far, I wouldn’t be surprised if a dragon awaited us over the next rise.

“How are you feeling?” Maryam asked, rising from her morning prayers.

“Better, thanks. Maryam, don’t worry. Robard will be fine. He knows a lot more than he ever lets on. He told me when we first met that he was a poor and simple farmer. But I’m finding him much more complex. I have no doubt he’ll return unharmed, with mounts for us. This will all be over soon, and you can return home.”

Maryam stared off in the distance. “Home. I dared not think of it,” she mumbled. But I knew she wasn’t thinking of home but rather how much she wished Robard had not left us alone. In France, Robard had decided to make it back to England on his own, separating from us for a short time. Every hour he was gone, Maryam was miserable, and her joy at our reunion a few days later was palpable. Watching them since, I’d seen how much closer they’d become. Robard would look at her and a small smile would cross his face. When she had been held captive by Sir Hugh in Calais, he had nearly gone mad in his desire to save her. Neither of them thought I noticed what was happening between them, but I did.

For some reason, Maryam’s worry over Robard made me think of Celia, the Cathar princess we had left behind at her mountain fortress in southern France. It had been one of the hardest things I’d ever done. On some level, I understood Maryam’s feelings, for I often wondered if Celia still remembered me. I tried to push her face and smile from my mind, for the thought that she might have forgotten me already was too horrible to bear.

“Maryam,” I asked. “Do you think. .”

“What?” she prodded me. you think … ”

“What?” she prodded me.

“Nothing.” Best I change the subject.

“I think Robard is right,” I said. “We should get moving and follow the coast. If we’re out in the open, we have less chance of walking into an ambush, plus we won’t get lost that way. If we come upon any settlements, we’ll turn inland and go around them. Robard will be able to track us easily, and the quicker we get to Dover, the better.” Taking the pot of tea off the fire with a stick, I kicked dirt over the coals.

“Why? Why not wait here for Robard to return? What do you think you’re going to find in Dover, Tristan?” she asked. I’d seldom seen Maryam like this. Robard’s absence made her uneasy. I was not sure whether it was because she felt safer when he was with us, or because her feelings for him had grown.

I thought of the Commandery, my months of living and training there, of the knights and squires and the controlled chaos of dinnertime in the main hall, of the hours of training on the fields and work, and the laughter from the squires’ barracks as we fell dead tired into our beds each night. They were some of my happiest memories. Someone had to be there who would remember Sir Thomas.