Echoes of a Legend

Chapter FIVE: The Silence that Kills You

“We knew this day would come. I knew this day would come. A day my people will rejoice around the world ...” Musmet

He knew De Godefroy had been travelling to see the Priest tonight and would need to shelter his horse, so finding the stable was perfect. He would attack from here.

Musmet sat high in the beams of the wooden building and could see perfectly through the planks to the courtyard below. He thought over his plan once more, ‘only the father knows where the map is. I must act swiftly. Grab him. Silence him. Kill the son and bring the other to torture in front of this great enemy. He will be only too happy to tell me the whereabouts of the map by then!’ A wry smile slinked across his dark complexion as he pressed his brown eye up against the outer wall to get a better look at Roldan’s return. 'Here he comes,' he whispered to himself .

Musmet’s first thought was one of disappointment, as he watched Roldan tie the horse in the Gateway and make his way through the Courtyard on foot. ‘Wait-, what was that he was holding? It looked like a parchment. Surely he would not be walking around with the map?’ thought the Muslim. Realising this was the perfect moment to strike he prepared to leap from the rafters when out of the corner of his eye he saw another man to his right; he held his position as his original movement sent a creaking sound across the quiet night air.

Roldan paused and looked at the stable; it was if he stared straight at his assailant. The second man to Musmet’s right waited too, ‘Have they seen me?’ thought the Saracen. He waited in the shadows with his hand on the knife strapped to his back as Roldan continued walking, ‘he heads for the small church,’ thought Musmet as he turned his head to watch the other man. This man was tall but much younger and must be his son. They both disappeared into the Chapel. They would be too powerful to attack together-, I must wait for a better opportunity.

It was not long before both men reappeared and walked together, entering the house on the left, but neither carrying the parchment. Knowing it must still be in the Chapel Musmet climbed down from the rafters and cautiously made his way to the Chapel.

The room was very dark but his eyes started to adjust and he could see his way around if he took his time. He noticed the large rectangular altar straight away, but first he wanted to see if there was anywhere else that could be used to hide things in. Musmet started by feeling along the wall on the right, nothing; the same for the left. This was a very empty place.

The altar was an impressive piece of work and very large. He examined it closely. As he looked down at its foot, he noticed that where the wooden section met the stone section the face was not smooth and that the stone jutted towards his feet at a slight angle. Musmet crouched down and ran his fingers along cold stone. It had been moved. Turning his whole body to face it, he knelt down on both knees and using his hands he pushed against the top half of the stone slab which was partially sunken into the altar. It started to move and slowly began to pivot as if a rod was buried through the middle of the stone allowing it to rock from its central point leaving a gap into the altar from both the bottom and top of the slab. The wooden section was built as a large lid on a stone coffer. A Parchment rolled out as he peered inside.

The dark was even greater and he could only make out the faint outline of various objects. There seemed to be a shield and certainly some clothing but most importantly, to him, the parchment had rolled right to his knees. He unrolled it and seeing that he needed more light to inspect it, he placed it to one side.

Musmet was about to push the stone back into place when he noticed an interesting metal object to the right. He reached inside and grabbed it. It was a tubular container, about a foot in length, the width of a small wine glass and appeared to be made of gold! Musmet felt its surface which was engraved with various pictures which he could not make out in the light. Whatever it was it must be important so he took that too, replaced the stone and made his way quietly and quickly out of the Chapel.