Michael Spradlin - Trail of Fate

“Huh?” I replied, drawing my attention away from my study of the castle.

“The fortress? Any idea how we’ll get inside?”

“None spring immediately to mind,” I tried, but I failed to keep the resignation out of my voice.

“If Celia is inside there, she’s probably safe. We can always just go around and keep moving north toward home,” Robard said.

I shook my head.

“Oh no, we can’t,” Maryam said with more than a trace of disgust in her voice. “He made a promise to the Frenchman.”

“Which Frenchman?” Robard asked.

“Philippe. The dead one.” She smirked.

“What? A promise? What kind of promise?” Robard asked. I thought he would be angry, but he looked at me with curiosity.

“Keep in mind. . he was dying. I may have. . possibly sworn an oath to him I would help her, is all,” I stammered.

“Help her how?” Robard asked.

“With her troubles with this High Counsel fellow,” I said.

“What? Are you out of your mind? Did you not see the heavily armed men he rode with? You intend to help Celia and her merry band of peasants stand against that?” Now he was angry.

“Yes. . I guess,” I said. “It was an oath!”

Robard let out an exasperated sigh. “You are smitten with this girl!”

“What? No. . of course not. I don’t. . she. . I barely know her!” I said, embarrassed.

“That’s right!” Maryam piped up. “He only just met her, when she tried to stab him!”

“She didn’t try to stab. . Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Maryam and Robard were smiling at each other while I squirmed in discomfort. So I stormed off through the woods and found a spot where the trees cleared a little and I had a better view of the mountaintop. Smitten, indeed. What rubbish. And besides, I’d seen the way Maryam and Robard had been looking at each other since his return. They were ones to make sport of me!

I simmered in my embarrassment for a while, studying the fortress and the grounds around it, trying to focus my mind on the problem at hand. I was certain Celia was inside. However, I had no idea how to get us inside or even how to get word to her.

A few minutes later Robard joined me, and he studied the terrain surrounding Montsegur.

“I find it hard to believe they can have enough men and supplies to survive a long siege,” he said.

“True enough. But the High Counsel rode with just fifty men. We also know Philippe narrowed their numbers by four and we took care of one more. Forty-odd men against those walls doesn’t sound like much either. Celia said most of the time they hole up inside waiting until their attackers grow tired and leave.”

“Hmm. Do you intend to wait here until that happens? It could take days. Even weeks. By all we’ve seen, the High Counsel is a very determined fellow,” he said.

“No. The longer we wait, the more time Sir Hugh has to catch up. I would prefer to get inside and help Celia drive off this villain, so I know she’s safe and we can be on our way.” I put my hand on the satchel. “I need to complete my mission. But I did give a dying man my promise.”

Robard nodded.

“So we need a way in,” he repeated.

“Yes.”

Just then, a small squad of about twelve riders broke from the tree line near the summit and galloped toward the castle gate. We recognized the High Counsel’s men immediately. From this distance it was impossible to tell if anyone manned the battlements of the castle, but the riders took no fire from the walls. They looked to be talking with someone inside. A short while later they turned their mounts and retreated from sight into the trees.

“So his eminence is definitely here,” observed Robard.

I sat down on a fallen log, tired and dejected. The situation was impossible. What good was it to endure so much to reach Celia, when she was now further away than ever?

Robard sat next to me while Maryam lounged a few yards away. Angel had curled up in her lap and fallen fast asleep. There appeared to be no way for us to sneak into the castle, something like a hidden passage or some other minor miracle. I even toyed with the idea of making a run for the castle gate across the open ground. If we were seen, the High Counsel’s men would ride us down long before we reached safety. There had to be a better plan, a way to get word to Celia we were here and to open the gate when the time was right, just long enough for the three of us to slip in ahead of the High Counsel and his men.

The barest flicker of an idea took hold.

“Robard, were we to get close enough, could you shoot an arrow over the walls and into the bailey?” I asked.

Robard looked up at Montsegur again and studied it before answering.

“Of course, if it’s only distance you’re concerned with and not accuracy. However, I’ve a notion there’ll be swirling winds atop the mountain, which could sway the shaft,” he said.

“But you could do it?”

“I think so.”

“Good. Then the only thing we need now is to relieve three of the High Counsel’s men from their horses,” I said.

“What?” Robard asked. Maryam moved Angel off her lap.

“Did I just hear you correctly?” she asked. “Horses? Are you mad?”

“No, but I am running out of time and options,” I argued.

I filled them in on my plan.

“This might be the worst plan in the entire history of plans,” Robard announced upon hearing my explanation.

“Agreed!” said Maryam.

“All right,” I said. “If it’s such a bad idea and you don’t wish to participate, I understand.”

I left them there and moved forward through the trees. Angel growled.

Robard shushed her. “Tristan, wait,” he pleaded.

“No time to wait. I need to help Celia get rid of the High Counsel like I promised, and then we need to get moving before Sir Hugh sends every remaining Templar regimento in the Kingdom of France after us. So unless the two of you have a better idea, we have no time to waste.”

I kept walking forward and could hear some whispered conversation between them, but shortly they followed behind me.

“So how are we going to do this?” Robard asked.

“Do what? You mean execute the worst plan in the history of plans?” I said.

“Yes. The very one.”

“First we need to get a message to Celia. I thought about trying to write her a note and attaching it to the arrow, but I have no quill. Besides, if I were in her position, I might think such a note from me is a trick. She may think the High Counsel followed us, captured me and is torturing me so he can deceive her.”

We kept climbing ever upward toward the mountaintop, now moving more carefully in case the High Counsel had pickets posted in the area. We needed to remain silent, but now and then Robard and Maryam took the opportunity to whisper numerous reasons why my plan was full of holes. As if I didn’t know it already. I ignored them and concentrated on getting us within an arrow’s distance of the fortress without being seen. Caution slowed us down, and the steep incline of the mountain made it even more difficult.

After about an hour of deliberate movement, we reached a spot where the tree line faded and the ground cleared to rock. We looked about for any sign of the High Counsel and his men but saw none. Surely they had the castle under watch, but my guess was they stayed to the woods to keep out of the wind and remaining light.

I took a closer look at the castle. There was a large wooden gate facing southwest. It was the only way in. On the one hand, we were lucky there was no moat or drawbridge to cross. On the other hand, I was concerned my plan may not work at all. For Robard to send an arrow into the castle from here would require a miraculous shot. He would not only have to factor in the distance of at least three hundred yards, but he would also have to shoot up at an odd angle. It looked unlikely, if not impossible.