The Siege Scare (6 page)

‘What is it?' Jasper asked as Tommy, stifling a scream, drew back in alarm.

‘I don't know,' Tommy whispered. She put out a hand to feel. ‘It's leaves,' she said excitedly. ‘Jasper, we've made it!'

‘Careful now,' said Jasper. ‘We don't know what's waiting for us out there.'

Tommy pulled the sword from her belt and held it out as she cautiously parted the leaves. She was dreading a shout, a cry of discovery. What if the knights of Malice were in the forest, too? But all was silent.

A road stretched ahead of her, the trees casting eerie shadows in the moonlight. Tommy had just stepped out of the shelter of the trees when a cloud floated across the moon. She began to tremble. It was a dark, moonless night, like the ones Bevan Brumm had described. What if there were bandits? She reached down to touch Jasper's grip. She had a sword, she reminded herself, and she knew how to use it. But all the same …

Her heart hammered in her chest as she began to run, stumbling in the dark but never slowing, till at last she saw something glowing through the trees.

It was the inn, and there was a single lantern burning in the window.

With a cry of relief she entered the yard.

‘Sword Girl?'

Tommy jumped, her hand flying to the sword in her belt as a quiet voice spoke in her ear.

It was the innkeeper, and he was holding a bridle. ‘This is my own horse, Ned,' he said, and Tommy stroked the neck of a stocky horse.

‘Hello, Ned,' she said. ‘Thank you – thank you both – for helping.'

‘I hope your plan works, Sword Girl,' the innkeeper said. ‘Or I'm afraid Flamant is doomed.'

CHAPTER 8

T
HE CLOUDS PARTED
and the moon lit her way as Tommy rode through the night. She and Ned took the forest at a gallop, then followed the road east through fields and meadows, and along a winding river.

The sun rose over the tops of the trees that lined the river and kept rising and rising until it was directly overhead. On she rode, and by the time she had her first glimpse of Roses Castle, squatting huge and grey in the middle of a plain shimmering with grasses, the sun was beginning to sink once more.

As she drew nearer she could see the tents and viewing platforms of the tournament, but there were no knights or squires on the jousting field. The day's competition would be over and they'd be gathering in the great hall for the evening's feast.

Tommy rode up to the castle gate, breathing hard from her long ride.

A guard stepped forward to bar her way. ‘Who goes there?'

‘I'm the Keeper of the Blades from Flamant Castle,' Tommy panted. ‘I need to speak to Sir Benedict urgently.'

The guard looked her up and down.

‘All right,' he said. ‘You may pass. I'll have someone fetch Sir Benedict.'

Tommy rode Ned into the great courtyard of Roses Castle. When she slid from his back she found her legs were so weak they could barely hold her. She was leaning against the stocky brown horse for support when Sir Benedict entered the courtyard at a run, Sir Walter and Sir Percy close behind.

‘Tommy, what is it?' Sir Benedict demanded. ‘Has something happened at Flamant?'

‘We're under siege!' Tommy said. ‘Sir Malcolm the Mean sent a raiding party to the western border as a decoy, and when Sir Hugh rode out to meet them with our remaining knights, the knights from Malice attacked. They've got Flamant Castle and the town surrounded!' Quickly she outlined the plan she had come up with to escape from the castle and ride for help.

Sir Walter's face lit up when Tommy told how Lady Beatrix had written the message to the innkeeper and how the pigeon, worn out though he was, had delivered it.

‘I trained that my pigeon myself,' he said proudly. Then he peered at Tommy. ‘Why, that's my wife's best cloak,' he said, pointing to the cloak Tommy wore. ‘And my best belt!'

‘Lady Beatrix was kind enough to lend them to me,' said Tommy.

‘My poor, dear Beatrix,' said Sir Walter, his eyes clouding over. ‘How terrified she must be. Sir Benedict, we must leave at once to fight off the invaders!'

‘We'll join you,' Sir Percy declared. ‘We must teach Sir Malcolm a lesson.'

‘Tommy, you've had a long ride. Would you like to stay here and rest, or will you ride with us?' Sir Benedict asked.

‘I'll ride with you, sir,' said Tommy, standing tall despite her tiredness.

In next to no time, the knights of Flamant and Roses had assembled in the great courtyard of Roses Castle.

‘Ride out!' Sir Percy called, and soon the courtyard rang with the sound of thundering hooves.

For all the long journey through the night, Tommy rode alongside her hero, Sir Benedict. The rhythm of their horses' hooves beat out the passing seconds, minutes and hours. Would they make it in time? Tommy thought of her friends, trapped behind the castle walls, and wished they could go faster. But the horses were already galloping at full stretch.

It was early morning as Flamant Castle came into view.

‘Look!' Tommy cried, pointing. The invaders from Malice had set up dozens of long ladders and were swarming up the castle walls. The guards of Flamant Castle were on the verge of being overrun.

Sir Walter, Sir Benedict and Sir Percy drew together for a quick discussion then, at a nod from the two noblemen, Flamant Castle's bravest knight began to call out instructions.

‘Sir Alistair, go after the enemies surrounding the town!'

‘Yes, Sir Benedict!' Sir Alistair and a group of men from Roses Castle galloped towards the town walls to chase away the knights who had Flamant surrounded.

‘Archers, ride ahead!' Sir Benedict ordered, and the archers galloped off, firing arrows at the invaders on the ladders.

Almost instantly, the men who had been swarming up the castle walls began to swarm down, ducking and dodging the arrows raining over them. Meanwhile, those on the ground, seeing hundreds of Flamant Castle's finest knights riding towards them with swords aloft, ran for their horses.

The guards in the castle towers began to cheer as the invaders fled. ‘Hooray! We're saved!'

The drawbridge was lowered and those who had been trapped inside the castle crowded through the gate to cheer home their rescuers. Tommy was still too far away to make out their faces, but she began to wave anyway, hoping that Lil might see her – or perhaps Lil had gone down to the moat to check on the crocodiddle? Tommy's heart gave a lurch as she realised how frightening the siege must have been for the poor crocodiddle, trapped outside the walls with all the noise and commotion.

She scanned the banks of the moat anxiously, hoping for a glimpse of him. When she saw a movement in the bushes, she gave a sigh of relief – her friend must be emerging from his hiding place. Then she gasped; instead of a scaly green reptile, a figure dressed in a black tunic was slipping from the cover of the bushes. It was one of Sir Malcolm's knights!

Tommy watched, expecting him to flee after his companions, but instead he was creeping in the other direction. With a start, Tommy realised he was heading towards the catapult, which was already loaded with a huge boulder – aimed right at the drawbridge where all the castle's inhabitants had gathered. She had to stop him!