The Knight of Chivalry

Chapter 18

The next day dawn and it was a bright and clear day, they had a quick breakfast and then went out into the castle and did some scouting to see what things were like with the citizens. From their quiet observations it could be easily told that the guards were a lot more on edge now with all of the happenings from the last couple days and their captains being killed right under their noses. The citizens themselves also looked a lot more miserable especially those who were falling sing or starving due to the food shortage. The captain said that this was a very good sign with moral being so low in the castle it would be easier to make them surrender when they took out the general. From the day’s scouting they found the locations of the last two captains who had to be dealt with and they were residing in the inner keep and were very well guarded so it was going to be quite a challenge to reach them but not impossible. They also found the place that was supplying the main barracks with its food and ale and they decided that they would also hit that place this night to further disrupt things within the castle. Once the scouting was done they all returned to their hiding place and had a meal together. Simon discussed an idea he had with the captain of how to get them into the main keep from tonight’s activity and the captain said that it was a pretty good idea and that they would do it but he did have a backup plan just in case it wasn’t successful. Simon thought that was smart to do that and then he went and sat by the silent night and longshot as he had become fast friends with both of them over the last couple days.

            “Alright settle down” the captain said and everyone fell silent. “We’re almost finished with this mission, this is the last night of operation before we hit the big one that is the general, I’m proud of what we have accomplished so far on this operation, you all have worked well together which is exactly what we needed and what we must do tonight. Now then Simon, sir Arthur and Longshot are going to be handled Captain Clefthaw. I want the engineers with me and my men as we deal with the food and ale supplies to the barracks which means it’s up to you other knights to deal with the other captain, you think you can handle that?”

            “We got this don’t you worry” the bear replied.

            “Good, right good luck to you all, drink up and then get gone we have work to do” the captain said and drained his tankard of ale, the men all laughed at this and did what he said. Simon, the silent knight and longshot left once they had finished and headed off up to the inner keep which was still open as dusk was just setting in. They silently crept through the streets to the location where Clefthaw was. He was rest up in a big house that was surrounded by twenty or so guards on the inside and they knew that there were a couple guards on the inside too. The guards on the outside wasn’t paying much attention and they managed to sneak by these easy enough to get into the back door of the house. They emerged in a kitchen that was bustling with activity as servants prepared a meal for the master of the house. When one maid saw Simon her face was lit with surprise but he quickly put a finger to his lips and the three of them walked through the kitchen as the servants looked on with fear at the men with weapons out. Once through the kitchen they went to the dining room and there was Clefthaw with a few men at his table, Longshot quickly fired his bow and killed the captain whilst Simon and the knight dealt with the others who weren’t quick enough to unsheathe their weapons.

            “You sure about this Simon?” longshot asked.

            “Yes I’m sure, they have no cell that will be able to hold me for long” Simon replied.

            “Alright then gives us a few minutes to get clear and then blow it” longshot said and Simon nodded at this. Longshot and the knight left by the way they came in and Simon assumed they snuck out alright as he didn’t hear a shout from the guards outside. He stretched a bit to get ready for the fight and then hit the front door running, barging out and quickly cutting down the guard who was posted on the door itself.

            “Man you guys are useless, I’ve killed a number of your captains now and you can’t even protect this one good enough to stop my arrow from piercing him whilst he dined” he touted. The guards didn’t like his words and came at him, he quickly flourished his blade and killed three of them moving seamlessly. The others put up a bit more of a fight and he had to get past their guards to get to them. A couple got a few hits on him but that didn’t really stop him and soon enough eighteen guards lay at his feet. One more was close by and he saw the other run off towards the keep, he grinned at this and loped of the last ones head before sitting down and resting his blade across his legs and he waited. Several minutes pasted before the guard who run of came back with a large group of guards and they saw what was before them and a man sitting in the centre of it.

            “It was him that did all this?” One asked, the cowardly guard nodded.

            “Sure I did, they didn’t pose much of a challenge to me, you guys might though so I surrender” Simon said, the guards discussed it between themselves and that took Simon’s sword and other weapons from him and put him in chains and led him to the keep. Once there they took him down into the dungeons and put him into the darkest and dankest cell there was and then locked the door. He heard one say the general wanted a word with the prisoner in the morning and he smiled to himself. Everything so far was going according to plan, so he settled down for the night, the dark didn’t scare him and though it was wet and not the most comfortable place to be, he still slept.