Once more his enemy charged. Drew blocked another blow that left his hand tingling. Using both hands, he held but his foe pressed with unnatural strength. With a deep growl, the enemy glared at Drew in a way that raised the hairs on the back of his neck. In the next heartbeat the pressure on his blade lessened.

---

Erec heard the sounds of battle raging round about him.

He was not dead then. Not yet at least. But he would need to move if he was to stay that way.

With considerable effort, he forced his eyes open. His head throbbed, pounding a steady rhythm with each beat of his racing heart. But that was not so urgent as the corpse pressing down upon him. With a grunt he rolled it off of himself and screamed in agony as the arrow in his shoulder rubbed and shifted within him.

Drawing a breath, he clenched his jaw and grabbed the arrow's shaft where it met his chest. Sweat dripped from his brow as he let loose an agonized moan and snapped the shaft. Tossing the broken arrow aside, he squeezed his eyes shut tight and hissed air through clenched teeth as he fought against the pain.

The clash of swords rang entirely too close. Snapping his eyes open his hand swept upward from his waste, remembering too late the dirk was in the body next to him. There was a roar and Erec turned, recognition flaring.

Drew! Holy Christ! If Drew was there, then who in God's name was guarding the baron's gold.

Bracing himself, he let his rage burn hot before he rolled to his side. He screamed as he discovered his leg was pinned. Sweat popped on his brow and lip. His head swam. Resisting the darkness that threatened to pull him under again, he gave a roar born of his pain, desperation, and rage and snapped the arrow shaft.

Jerking his leg free, he once more had to take a moment to fight off the shock of pain and the threat of unconsciousness.

At last free of the ground, Erec managed to get to his knees and get one foot under him. As he knelt, pausing for breath and to keep upright, he had no strength to stand. He watched Drew battling a foe that was slightly shorter, but very well matched. Drew would win, but it would not be an easy thing, Erec thought seconds before he saw the man go for the knife at is belt.

---

"And this room is there still?" Gwyndolyn could scarce believe it. "Truly it would be a perfect place to hide...but the horses would give us away."

"There is room in the mausoleum for a horse or two to stand. Elsewise, the horses would needs be hidden in the woods beyond. Mayhap a shelter of sorts made of tree branches would help disguise them as your mother's flowering pot disguised or stone stack. People only see what they expect to see. When they look at a forest, they expect to see trees..."

"And when they look at a flower pot, they expect to see flowers." Gwyndolyn smiled at the simplicity of it and recalled that snakes and birds employed the art of disguise with equal success. "We should need a ladder, and blankets...tools... I can manage this."

"Then I have done all that I can. Trust child. Be cautious as a serpent..."

"And innocent as a dove." Gwyndolyn finished, then frowned. "I fear there is no place for innocence in this. But I think it would do me well to give the appearance of it, even as you also have. You spoke true, my dearest friend. We are not so helpless."

"You know that the baron and I do not have children. Our only daughter did not live beyond her first year. But I would like to think that if she had lived, that she would be like you."

"I know that my mother was fond of her time at the abbey and her friends there. I think she would be happy to know that I have found you...and that I have come to love you. I think that she would like it very much."

Tears prickled Gwyn's eyes and she smiled as she saw them mirrored in Alexandi's motherly gaze.

"God be with you, milady." Gwyndolyn smiled, wiping away a stray tear and blinking back the rest.

"God go with you, child."

---

Drew twisted his torso away as his foe swiped a dagger from his belt and thrust it at Drew's exposed middle. The blade sliced cleanly through his surcoat and glanced off the chainmail as Drew continued to twist away.

Enough. Time for this pup to learn who was the alpha.

With a sweep of his blade, Drew tossed clear the enemy sword and with a mad growl, he lunged, using his shoulder and larger size to body check his foe.

---

Erec did not have enough breath in him to cry out. With a speed that surprised him he pulled his dirk free of the body, flipped it in his hand. As Erec watched Drew twisted clear turning them as he did so, presenting the enemy's back to Erec. In that instant, Erec's blade flew, hit its mark, and sank deep between the enemy's shoulders.

Drew threw off the sword above his head and shouldered into the dying foe. Stumbling back the enemy toppled, gasping as his weight drove Erec's dagger to the hilt, piercing the heart and ending the crazed assault.

Poised to strike, Drew's face registered a second's surprise before he glanced about and broke into a grin when he saw Erec kneeling nearby.

"About time you joined us." Drew stepped forward and grunted as he struggled to take Erec's weight and get his friend to his feet.

"I could hardly let you have all the fun." Erec as he gained his feet, letting out a pained grunt and falling again as soon as he tried to place weight on his injured leg.

The sounds of the battle were beginning to wane as the enemy continued to fall under their swords. Erec knelt, catching his breath, and concentrating on staying upright as he watched Drew retrieve his dirk. Swiping the blade against his bloodied surcoat, Drew flipped the dirk in his palm and extended the hilt to Erec.

Erec nodded. It was apparent to them both that Erec would not be further involved with this fight, nor could he leave the battle field. At least as he knelt upright, dagger in hand, Erec had some protection. For at the moment, he had not the strength to wield his sword. With a nod, Drew stood near, his sword at the ready as he set himself to guard his friend and captain.

In the next few moments, they watched helplessly as six more men fell under the arrow. And then, quite as suddenly as it had started, the attackers suddenly made a retreat in to the wood.

Erec was pleased to see that none of his men took up the chase. Too often soldiers in the heat of the moment and filled with blood lust charged after a smaller retreating force only to run into a larger force with very unfortunate results.

Cameron ordered a retreat. Hastily the men helped their wounded and cleared the field of the living and made a withdraw out of the archer's range.

Erec's shoulders sagged in relief. It was done. He was so weary and painful that he did not protest when Drew appeared at his side and helped him to lie down.

"You look like you were about to faint."

"I was...damn you." Erec moaned.

"Since you cannot be moved under your own power, and I cannot move you myself, I shall leave you to rest while I seek out a travois to drag your sorry arse back to camp. Zeus has been an adequate guard through the battle. I shall simply let him maintain his vigil yet a while longer." With that Drew retreated.

Erec knew that as second, Drew would be called up on to bring order and set up camp. He did not expect a swift return. So, he was quite surprised when a few moments later, one of Baldwin's men walked the battlefield and began to check the fallen for any yet breathing. Seeing Erec, he smiled in relief but had to make a hasty retreat.

Backing away from a powerful bite he dodged Zeus's sharp and powerful hooves as the steed deemed the man too close to Erec. Erec tried to smile as he lay semi-conscious and fought to keep breathing.

"Joseph!" The man bellowed, "Get this beast out of the way!"

Zeus gave a warning whinny before he lunged, very nearly taking off a hand as Joseph reached for the reins that dangled loose. Cursing, Joseph shouted for additional help. Zeus reared back, raising on his hind feet, and the men backed away from his hooves.

At last, Erec found enough strength to call out to them: "Move on."

Their grumbled curses faded away with their steps as Zeus whinnied softly and nosed Erec's ribs. Raising his good hand to Zeus's nose, Erec managed a small pat before the darkness claimed him once more.

---

Gwyndolyn fell into a restless sleep, cuddling her babies and praying for wisdom.

Bright and early, John knocked quietly. Gwyndolyn was not surprised to see the Lady Alexandi with the baron and a few servants, including Matilde.

The woman knew everything that happened, almost as soon as it happened.

"I shall see to the healing whilst you are away. I am not so gifted as you, my lady, but we shall get by until you return to us again." Matilde smiled tearfully. "I packed up plenty of bandages and all of the herbs, poultices, and powders I could manage. We have the means to get more, but you will have an army to care for and you may need them."

"Thank you, Matilde. I am grateful to you for the insight." Gwyndolyn answered sincerely. "I was very distressed by the news, and did not think so far ahead."

"As Matilde has said," The baron began, "You know not what awaits you. There is a pack mule loaded with supplies for you. The servants moved some of the supplies to the men's horses and made room for your two chests of medicines and the bag of bandages."

"I thank you, milord." Gwyndolyn smiled and looked to the baroness next.

"I shall take care of the children while you are away." Alexandi said with a knowing look.

Gwyndolyn sighed, feeling a mighty weight lifted. As much as she desired to get to Erec as quickly as possible, she dreaded leaving the children. Alexandi would protect them with her own life if necessary. Gwyndolyn thanked her with tearful eyes, praying it would never come to that.

Kneeling, she held Robin and Sofi, kissing them both. Wiping their tears, she swiped her own cheeks and smiled.

"I shall return as soon as ever I may. Mind Lady Alexandi. Be brave. Take care of each other." She kissed them each and hugged them to her again as her tears fell again. "I love you both so very much."

Before she could change her mind, she turned them over to Alexandi and followed John to the horses.

---

Erec awoke in pain. But his chest felt lighter. With a groan he reached for his head and tried to sit up. At once, Drew was there with a hand upon his shoulder to restrain him.

"Lay still. I am still sewing up this leg."

As if to punctuate his words, Erec's mind registered the prick of the needle and the tug of his flesh against the thread.

"Zeus?" Erec managed weakly, licking his dry lips, a difficult task when one's entire mouth is also dry.

"He scared the life out of two of Baldwin's men. They were checking for the living and nearly lost a hand trying to get near you."

"I remember someone. I told them to move on..."

"They left you there with Zeus."

"At least no one put a dagger in my ribs while I slept." Erec tried but coughed painfully instead. The arrow was removed from his shoulder but left agony in its stead.

Drew wiped his hands on his battle-ruined surcoat and hurried to help Erec to a sip of wine. It would lessen the dryness of his mouth, and given enough, it may lessen the rest of his pains.

"Aye. The two edges of the blade. You avoided the dagger in your sleep, but by the time I finished with Cameron and got to you, your lips were blue and your skin was deathly pale. I thought at first that you had bled out on me."

"You should be so lucky." Erec cringed as Drew turned back tohis stitching. "Report?"

"The ambush was cleverly done. They killed seven of the first ten of us almost before we knew that we were being attacked. I do not believe there were more than a dozen or so of them all together."

"Losses?"

"Patience was never your strong suit." Drew teased. "We killed six of them, but half of the men that rode away were bloodied to some degree. Seventeen are dead. Six are severely injured, yourself and Bennett among them. The rest of the injuries are typical. Nothing that time and a few stitches cannot mend."

"The gold?" Erec found that at the moment he had little strength, and managed only a few words and at a time.

"Secure. As are the spoils and the armory wagon. And before you ask, the prisoners are gone. Escaped. All six of the guards left to guard them during the attack are dead. Half by the prisoners' hands so it is safe to assume that they were the assassins. We can also assume that whoever sent them also planned this ambush with a two-fold purpose..."

"Free them. Kill me."

"Aye. They half succeeded. I do not envy them facing their master. I am certain that their failure to kill you quietly will not go well for them."

"Lust—" Erec was interrupted by a coughing fit, which Drew soothed with more wine. Giving up on speech for the moment, Erec fell silent when Drew lowered his head and took away the wine.

"I am of like mind." Drew agreed. "If their lust had not led them to attack Gwyndolyn, they may have succeeded in their effort to kill you."

Drew frowned.

"Brace yourself." Drew warned as he began to gently rub the stitches and the area around with witch hazel.

Erec tensed and hissed air sharply through his teeth. He had enough control to keep from trying to throw off Drew's restraint and leap to his feet.