Mist on the Moon

How could this have happened?

Of course Evie saw King Trent looking at her. How could she not have? He winked at her and she immediately turned away. Trent smiled to himself. The girl was certainly impetuous as well as brave to come dressed as a man to fight in battle. Still, he considered, he would need to protect her. He was not at all sure that he could get Cara's father and brother safely away from the enemy. Trent knew Cara would be devastated if she lost her sister as well.

He saw Eduard, the leader of his archers and came to him. The two men walked together and Trent told him that Evie was in the midst of the other archers.

"I know, sire. She fooled us only for a time, but by then I could not in conscience send the girl back home alone to our kingdom. Too dangerous, as robbers and worse could be lurking in the forest."

"I agree, Eduard. You have made the right decision. But now that she is here we will need to try to protect her. No one knows what we will be up against when we finally meet up with the band of kidnappers. No matter what happens, if you can try to keep an eye on her and if possible keep her in your midst away from danger, that is all I can ask. My queen would be in agony if anything should happen to her."

"Yes, my lord. I completely understand the situation. Count on me."

"Eduard, we have known each other for a good while. As friends, there's no need to be formal and call me your lord," said Trent, as he gripped Eduard tightly in a knightly clasp.

"Thank you, sire. You know I will keep a good eye out for the girl."

Trent had much more to think about than Evie. Shortly before, he had received another missive from Alexander von Stauffenburg. The Duke's knights could best be described as southwest of Trent's troops, perhaps twenty to thirty kilometers away. The message in the communiqué expressed a belief that the band of abductors was positioned somewhere between their two armies but on an axis leading north. Alexander's message held out the belief that if both their armies moved at an angle to the north they might be able to hem in their enemy. Duke von Stauffenburg specifically asked in the message if Trent had received any ransom note. But Trent knew that there had been none.

The next day, his force proceeded in a northwesterly direction. As they got closer to the likely lair of the enemy they moved quietly, as surreptitiously as possible for Trent hoped to catch them by surprise. A lone horseman rode swiftly toward them. He came from the von Stauffenburg legion, and he informed Trent that the Duke's army was nearing his own. Furthermore, both armies were not far from the violent men who had seized the king and his son.

Trent considered. He looked out over his men, and remembering that Evie was with them, looked toward the archers. Still, there had not as yet been a ransom note. In his mind, the time for that was over. Especially as the combined armies of Bavaria and the Duke were rapidly coming to a position where they could burst upon the enemy. That was the best chance. Then, in the enemy's confusion and terror his knights could find the king, Cara's father and brother, and release them. Surprise was essential or many lives could be lost, not the least being that of the captives.

The knights continued through the forest quietly, as quietly as almost two hundred men and a girl could do so. Of the two scouts sent out ahead, one returned quickly and silently leaving a message with Trent. The enemy had been spotted. Trent relayed the information by courier to those in charge of the army of Duke Stauffenburg. The two forces could now coordinate their attack.

Already, they were drawing close. The advance knights of Both Trent's troops and von Stauffenburg's met at the base of a gentle rise where shrubbery helped to block the view of the enemy. Above, they could see the tops of their tents. Trent knew that he had superior numbers to those of the enemy. Yet the next few minutes would prove crucial to the lives of Cara's father and brother. The attack must be done quickly if they were to have any chance to survive.

On signal, the combined forces rushed up the hill. Almost immediately came the clash of swords, the grunts of battle and the cries of the wounded and dying, and the rush of the enemy trying to break away from the superior force. An attempt was made by the kidnappers to escape with the king and Gilbert but they both resisted their captors' efforts to carry them away.

In an instant in time, Trent saw Cara's father go down, struck by a sword and then saw another of them drawing back his sword to slay Gilbert. Then, a swift arrow flew toward Gilbert's would be assailant, piercing the middle of his neck. The man fell backwards and Trent turned to see Evie notching another arrow.

The rest of the enemy scattered, and Trent called off the chase. Already at least two dozen bodies covered the ground where the ambush had taken place. Thankfully none were those of his own men. He approached Cara's father, who lay silent on the ground, his son kneeling at his side. Evie came to her father as well, his two children kneeling before his apparently lifeless body, their tear stained faces expressing their love and sorrow.

Trent drew closer to him and knelt beside Evie and Gilbert in homage to the man whose daughter he loved and had married. Was the great man really dead? Oh, how he hated to have to tell that sad news to Cara. Then, the Duke's son, young Richard von Stauffenburg also came to where they mourned the fallen king. Evie, seeing him, stood up to meet him. Richard, without saying a word, gathered her into his arms.

Can there be any happiness after this? Wait. See what is going to happen next.