A Duty Fulfilled

Chapter 11

''There's two of them,'' Peter hunched back down behind the boulder as Avelina fired an arrow.

''Is the other armed? Where are they?'' Avelina pressed her body against the crevice within the boulders. She breathed fast and hard, and her dark eyes wide.

''I think they are behind some trees slightly downhill. There is only one shooting at us.'' Peter said, and unsheathed his sword. He wished he had a bow, though he wasn't an expert shot, it would do better than what he had.

Peter had been pondering Avelina's statement when a flash of fabric had caught the corner of his eye the sickening click of a crossbow firing. He hadn't even had to look to know they both needed to run for cover.

''I can't see anything,'' Avelina shook her head.

''Can I see your bow?'' Peter held out his hand.

Avelina hesitated but did give him her longbow and an arrow.

Peter loaded the bow and slowly etched up the side of the boulder, trying to see his target. There. A green-clad soldier was aiming a crossbow at the rock Peter and Avelina hid behind. Another one was perhaps twenty paces behind him, they both held their fire.

''Come out-----ah!'' The guard started then yelped in pain.

Peter frowned and watched as the guard crumpled against the tree. An arrow sticking from his back.

The one behind him looked frantically around before being taken down by another arrow.

Peter pulled the arrow back, prepared to shoot whoever was coming at them next.

''Stop!'' Avelina was suddenly beside him pulling his arm.

''Don't shoot!'' She pleaded quietly, then cupped her hands around her mouth and made a strange bird-like call.

Another bird call sounded back almost instantly.

''It's Adam and James,'' Avelina said, then made the call again. It sounded back, though this time, it was more melodic.

Avelina waited for a couple of moments, looking up at the trees then nodded.

''He says the woods are clear.'' She smiled, relieved. But Peter wasn't.

''How did they know where we were and where we were headed?'' He still frowned.

Avelina shrugged, ''that guard likely watched us to see what direction we headed in, then ran back to the castle and told Lord Richard. They guessed we were going to the river.''

''But we changed routes just to be safe. You said yourself that we did so to keep from being followed.'' Peter crossed his arms and looked out down the mountain. ''I'm going to assume Lord Richard's guards don't patrol out here. And they weren't going to another village. They would've used the main road, not the rocky mountain path. They knew we would be here.''

                                                                                  .....................

Avelina's skin tingled. He was right. And how had she been so stupid not to realize?

''Someone is betraying us,'' she whispered as Adam and James came upon them.

''It could be said that we just saved you from certain death.'' Adam raised his eyebrow at Avelina, his hand rested on his sword. He looked ready for a long trek in the woods. Even James had been donned in a jerkin, hoes, goat hide boots, dagger, and sword. He was staring at Peter. It seemed they all knew what must have happened.

''Aren't we lucky we took this route,'' Adam continued, glancing back at the fallen guards.

''Father Bennet would say it was God's mercy,'' Avelina remarked.