Chapter Thirty-one

Chapter Thirty-One Alex after talking with lord Arrington had decided to continue with his plan of a two- pronged attack and Lord Arrington had agreed to lead his men against the gate while Alex and his men would sneak in through the secret passage. Giles and Oscar would set off the black powder against the west wall as a distraction and then go to join Lord Arrington on attacking the gate. Alex and Bowden had insisted that Isobel and Bridgette stay behind under guard in the cave, though the women had agreed that they should stay behind as they could not fight they were not pleased. It was only when Alex agreed that they would be brought into the keep once the battle was over and Dagda was dead or a prisoner had they agreed to cooperate. Alex and Bowden had been the last to squeeze through the small door and into the cold stone cell into which Isobel and Bridgette had been thrown three days earlier. Alex was glad that Isobel had the courage and intelligence to rescue herself and Bridgette; he would not like to think of either of the women suffering in the tiny cold cell. “On your word, we will take down the door,” Marcus said holding a lantern high in the air to reveal the men crammed into the tiny space. “Have you heard any movement in the corridor?” Alex demanded. “No, and it makes no sense, you’d think someone would have noticed the ladies were gone. Something isn’t right; I can tell you that if I was responsible for two valuable prisoners I’d have had a guard on the door.” Marcus replied. “You are right, be prepared for anything once we get through the door, now take the door down,” Alex ordered and two of his men with axes began beating the wooden cell door with great gusto quickly splintering the wood and shattering the door. The men made short work of the door and then axes still in hand stepped into the corridor beyond followed by two more men carrying lanterns and swords. “The way is clear my lord.” One of the men called and Alex nodded hefting his sword. “Move out then.” Alex barked and his men spilled through the door followed by Bowden with Alex with Marcus bringing up the rear. The stone passage was so narrow that only two men could walk abreast at a time; the passage went west passing several empty cells before ending at an open area before a wide stone staircase that lead up. Alex wanted to charge up the steps ahead of his men but he was a husband now and soon he would be a king, the days of acting recklessly were behind him. He let Bowden lead the men up the steps while he followed behind with Marcus. When the men reached the top of the steps they paused to group into a cluster on a small landing before a large wood door bound by metal straps. Bowden checked to be sure the men were ready and opened the door outwards cringing as it made a loud low grinding sound. Alex pushed the door wide, sword in hand, and discovered a large empty corridor beyond and frowned when he saw no one about. “Tis a corridor but no one is about, perhaps the distraction worked better than we thought what now?” Bowden demanded as Alex stepped past him to scan the corridor. “Split up James you and half the men go left the rest of us will go right; remember I want Dagda taken alive. Bow, Marcus, Rupert, and Fredrick with me the rest go with Giles.” Alex ordered before slipping around the door. The corridor opened abruptly into a huge hall that from the many tables and benches was either the great hall or a dining hall. Despite everything Alex’s stomach rolled at the stench of rotting food, old ale, and unwashed bodies, the place was foul. He was about to comment on the rancid stench when he heard muffled shouting and nodded towards the front of the hall where there was a large double door. “Where is everyone?” Bowden asked looking about the fetid hall. “And why does this place smell like a garbage pit?” Marcus added. “When we take Dagda you can ask him, I think Giles’s distraction worked too well come it would seem we are missing all the fun,” Alex said. “Let’s hurry then I’d hate to miss the party especially when it’s ours,” Bowden said and with a nod strode towards the double doors, with Alex and Marcus on his heels. Dagda had followed the thunderous boom out of his chambers and into the courtyard to discover that there was a smoking burning hole where the west wall had once been. His men lacking any clear direction or focus were running about while the wall continued to burn, there was a loud bang and the gate shook on its hinges. “We are under attack.” A man shouted as the gate shuddered hard. It took a moment for Dagda to focus on what was happening, part of his brain couldn’t grasp the fact he was under attack, who would attack him? Who would dare to attack him, he was Lord Dagda people feared him, people ran from him. The gate shook then bowed as the beam barring the door cracked and broke, the gate doors flung wide as men poured in through it and the smoldering hole in the wall. Dagda watched as his men paused for a moment and then either dropped their weapons and surrendered or turned and fled. “You curs come back here and fight.” Dagda barked as his men dropped their weapons and fled. Dagda with a curse swung his fist catching one of his fleeing men in the stomach making him drop his sword. Dagda grabbed it and spun meaning to reenter the keep by way of the main door when he burst open and more men poured forth quickly surrounding Dagda. “Face them you bastards, we can take them.” Dagda snarled. Dagda’s men backed up as they were surrounded on all sides, those that still had weapons dropping them as they sank to their knees and put their hands behind their heads. Dagda was now seething in rage as his men one after another took a knee. “Get up you fools we can take them.” Dagda grabbed the nearest man by the back of the neck and shook him hard trying to force him to his feet. The man batted away Dagda’s hands. “Nay why should we die for a leader who has not paid us or treats us ill?” With a curse, Dagda swung to cleave the man’s head from his shoulders only to have his swing blocked by a huge man with light hair. Dagda’s sword rang loudly on the man’s who knocked Dagda’s down with ease. “A good leader and a good man does not kill a man asking for mercy. I’m guessing then that you are lord Dagda.” The man said as men piled in behind him to form a living wall. Dagda leveled a kick at the man he’d tried to kill and missed then took a step back holding his sword at the ready. “I am fool and by what right do you have to take my keep?” “Well to begin with this isn’t your keep, this keep belongs to the Lady Isobel and as she is now my wife this keep belongs to me.” The man replied. “You lie; Isobel belongs to me and is my betrothed. She has been under my protection for some time now. In fact, today was to be our wedding day.” Dagda sneered. “Well now one of us is lying and it is not me. The lady Isobel is indeed my wife; I wed her before you were foolish enough to have your men abduct her. And as for being your guest yes she was in your foul pest hole of a prison but she freed herself and her companion, Lady Bridgette, within an hour of your man placing her there.” The man gave Dagda a sneering smile as more men poured into the courtyard completely surrounding Dagda and his cowering men. “You are a fool and a liar, the lady is in a cell even as we speak and my men will kill her if you don’t drop your weapons at once,” Dagda replied looking wearily about. The invaders looked at each other and then some of them began to laugh. “He said he still has her, obviously he hasn’t checked his dungeon in a few days.” A towering dark-haired giant of a man said. “By the way just so you know who you are speaking to little man this is Prince Alexander Magnus Thorbrand of Glomma and he is indeed married to Isobel, and I am Lord Bowden and the lady Bridgette is my betrothed. Those grim-faced bastards over there are Lady Bridgette’s family, and none of us are too happy that you took her or Isobel and placed them in your foul hole.” “What shall we do with him, kill him quick or slowly?” An older man asked looking at Dagda over the point of his sword. If Dagda was afraid he didn’t show it, instead he sneered at Bowden giving him a look of utter contempt. “Why should I believe invaders to my home, men who are filthy and unkempt you are more likely to be common thieves than lords.” “He calls us filthy and him smelling like a pile of dung,” Giles said earning a chorus of laughs. “The sun is going what should we do with them all?” Giles motioned to Dagda’s men who had all surrendered without even a token of resistance. “Bind them and lock them up, just not in the dungeon,” Alex said. “I say we kill him now.” Isaac pointed at Lord Dagda with his sword. “He slapped Bridgette.” “No as tempting as that may be we can’t. We would be no better than he, and while you, your brother, and father are citizens of Bryste I and my men are not. I would not wish to risk a chance at provoking a war between our countries because I killed one of your lords no matter how despicable he was.” Alex replied. “You speak wisely; well you heard his lordship bind the prisoners.” Lord Arrington ordered. “The first one of you that moves shall taste my steel.” Dagda took a step towards Alex. Alex exchanged an exasperated look with Bowden then with a lightning-fast move knocked aside Dagda’s blade before stepping forward to smash his elbow into Dagda’s face with a low crunch and then driving his fist into Dagda’s cheek making him stagger backwards dropping his sword before toppling to the filth and debris covered courtyard. Alex placed his left foot on Dagda’s arm pinning him to the ground while he glared down at him with utter contempt. “When Isobel told me what you did to her and her family I imagined a great warrior or perhaps a great strategist but you are nothing but a craven worm unfit to even lick the mud off her boots. The only way you took this keep before was through trickery and deception, by spreading lies and false tales about good and honest people.” Alex was pleased to note that Dagda’s already bruised face and nose were beginning to swell and his nose bleed. “You broke my nose again; you shall pay for this as shall that little bitch.” Dagda sputtered trying to rise only for Alex to kick him savagely in the ribs. “I seriously doubt that, no you shall be my guest now while we await the coming of the rightful heirs of Bryste. Then there shall be a trial at which if you know what is good for you, you shall confess. Now would someone please take this filth away and tie him up.” Alex said bringing laughs from the men surrounding him. Alex stepped back as Oscar and another of his men stepped forward with ropes to bind Dagda. Dagda began to struggle against them and Bowden stepped forward to slam his plate- sized fist into Dagda’s face knocking him to the ground again with a loud thump. “That’s for Bridgette,” Bowden said. Dagda made a wheezing sound before going limp. “You couldn’t have done that sooner, he must weigh over two hundred and fifty pounds.” Oscar protested as he bent to roll Dagda onto his stomach and bind his hands. “Nay, Alex was speaking to him. It would have been rude to have interrupted their conversation.” Bowden replied. “Be sure you secure them in a store room with no windows and I want Dagda under triple guard around the clock," Alex ordered earning a nod from Oscar who with the help of another man grabbed Dagda and began dragging him towards the keep doors. “I was expecting more of a fight; I didn’t even work up a sweat,” Bowden said. “ Dagda’s men just saw us and surrendered, no challenge at all.” “I was expecting a challenge too, but judging from the look of his hall and the smell I would say discipline has been lax for a while, or the men could simply have been overwhelmed by the huge bang that accompanied this hole.” Alex turned to appreciate the huge gaping and still smoldering hole in the stone wall. “Exactly how much powder did you use?” Giles shrugged. “Well, I didn’t believe it when Lucy said that a tiny bit of black powder could take down a wall, so I used all of it.” “You used all of it, and it did this? Hell, the sound it made must have been deafening.” Alex replied looking in awe at the huge twenty-foot wide hole that had once been a four-foot thick wall. “It was indeed a bit loud; in fact, my ears are still ringing. I was a bit nervous about being spotted and did not listen to all of Lucy’s advice. I ran out, placed all the vials of powder before the wall lit the fuse, and hid with Oscar behind a boulder right after the guard passed.” Giles shook his head. “In truth, I did not think it would actually work and then was this deafening roar and bits of rock rained down from the sky,” Giles said. “Luckily we’d all put our heads down and covered our ears. We’d be deaf otherwise, when I see Lucy again I owe her an apology for doubting her, I’m also a bit nervous thinking how carelessly I’d handled the powder.” Alex studied the still smoking hole in the fading light and nodded thinking of the force it had taken to reduce the wall to rubble. “Well, I am glad that you and the others were not harmed.” Alex turned to Lord Arrington giving him a nod as he extended his hand.” Thank you for your help my lord, would you be willing to occupy the keep for now? I’m afraid the inside is a pest hole.” “Aye, I’d be glad to after sleeping under the stars or in a cave for the past few days sleeping under a roof would be a treat. And I am not worried about the stench. I have four sons, breed horses, and have spent half my life patrolling the wastelands to keep the marauders at bay. A little stench is nothing.” Lord Arrington replied. “Thank you, I’m going to leave my men here to watch Dagda and his men, your assistance in keeping an eye on him would be appreciated,” Alex said. “Consider it done, I’ll be sure the bastard doesn’t go anywhere, after what he did to Isobel and to my Bridgette he’s lucky I haven’t strung him up by his heels from the ramparts.” Lord Arrington replied with a wicked smile. “Of course, he might have an accident or two come morning but nothing that will kill him, I too want him to face trial for what he has done and for the court to know the truth. I don’t want his followers or the king to say crazy Lord Arrington is at it again.” “Thank you again, I’ll return to camp and tell Isobel that Lord Dagda is a prisoner and that she no longer has to fear him. If you’d like I will show you the passage in the dungeon we used.” Alex offered. “Aye give me a moment to give my men their orders and I’ll join you.” Lord Arrington replied then turned away motioning his sons and retainers to him. “Giles take some men and see that the perimeter of the keep is secure and then place three men on guard duty in the tunnel, while it would appear we had an easy victory I’d rather not have any unpleasant surprises,” Alex ordered. “Of course, I’ll see you in camp later then.” Giles moved off as Alex, Bowden, and Marcus moved to the keep doors to be joined by Lord Arrington. “I’ll ask that you mind your manners in regards to my girl Bridgette.” Lord Arrington said, giving Bowden a fierce look. “While I’m happy the girl found a man to wed her, being as tall as she is, I’ll have you mind yourself till she is properly wed. I’d not like to have to give you a thrashing, not at my age.” “I would never do anything to hurt or dishonor Bridgette; she means the world to me,” Bowden replied. “Well that’s good, now tell me about your stables, Bridgette says your family raises horses too. Perhaps after the wedding, we can exchange breeding stock.” Lord Arrington said. “I’d like that sir,” Bowden replied following Lord Arrington into the hall. Despite everything Alex smiled, things were definitely looking up, he looked forward to telling Isobel that Dagda was a prisoner and that he’d never hurt her again. But that wasn’t entirely true he would have to take Lord Dagda to the royal court to account for his crimes and Isobel would have to give testimony for what he had done, which would cause her endless pain. But he would be by Isobel’s side the entire time and afterwards he would see that her days were filled with nothing but happiness and joy.