Unexpected return, p.13
Unexpected Return, page 13
James started to walk away but instead turned and approached his mother.
“Why didn’t I go with Father instead of John? If anyone were to remain in Wiltshire, it should have been John, not me. He is first born and heir to the throne. When father needed surgery, I was chosen to accompany him and John remained in Wiltshire. Why is this time different?
“There were many reasons why you went through the portal with your father a year ago. The main reason, as you stated, was because John is first born and we did not know what the outcome of the surgery would be. Your father was very sick and he might not have survived the trip.”
“You said there were reasons. What might another one be then?”
“You are inquisitive and have never met a stranger you could not talk to. We knew that trait would be beneficial as you traveled with Dr. Ross and Justine into the future.”
“If those were good reasons then, why not now?”
“This time, your father wanted John to be part of the conversations with King Henry especially if there were any decisions to be made regarding the relationship between our two kingdoms. And we hoped this would be good for you as well since you will be at the head of this kingdom in the King’s absence.”
“I will not disappoint Father or you while he is gone. I will do my best in his stead and make him proud of me.”
“I know you will, my son. He is already very proud of the man you have become even though he is not always forthcoming with his praise.”
Then James gave his mother a nod along with a slight bow and left to join the families at breakfast. But before he did, he removed the armor he was wearing and asked Cedric to take it to his room.
When he entered the Great Hall, Justine beckoned to him to sit by her. After he sat down, she leaned into him, put her head on his shoulder and whispered, “I’m glad you stayed here with us and me.”
“I am glad I remained as well,” he whispered back.
CHAPTER 22
THE TRIP TO DORSET
King Henry ruled the small neighboring kingdom of Dorset which was Southwest of Wiltshire and bordered on the south by the English Channel. The county town where King Henry’s castle was situated was called Dorchester, which was inland about eight miles from the coast. The journey would take King William around four days to traverse the countryside to reach his destination.
“Do they know we are coming?” Prince John asked his father as they rode.
“I sent a messenger last week to inform the King of our visit and we received word back that King Henry is awaiting our arrival. How we will be received is not clear to me. That will be made known when we arrive. But I feel it will not be pleasant. I have been communicating with him through a messenger for the past year for I have not had the opportunity to travel until now nor have I had the desire to meet with him. But I fear if I keep neglecting this issue between our kingdoms, it will continue to worsen.”
“King Henry’s soldiers have been venturing ever so close to our borders and have even been seen crossing over the top of the hill between our two kingdoms,” John reported to his father. “I hope we can ascertain the reason for this continued behavior and resolve any differences we may have. This all began last year while you were gone when Luke’s horse took off with him and he crossed over into Dorset. Not soon after, King Henry made the trip to Wiltshire thinking he would find something amiss. But we were very careful, Father, not to give him any cause to question it as anything but a mistake.”
“I was and still am very proud of the way you and your mother took charge of that situation. You could not have known that King Henry would leave spies behind in the castle after he departed. King Henry has a very suspicious nature and it seems to be getting the better of him.” Then to Arius, still visible at that point, “Arius, please approach so I may talk to you.” Arius nudged his horse to speed up so he could catch up with the King. “Arius, I am worried about King Henry and our safety throughout our visit. As we get closer to Dorchester, I would like you to go ahead of us, invisible of course, and assess the situation there. Then return to us before our arrival and inform us of what you have observed.”
“No one will know of my presence there, your majesty. I will learn as much as I can. I will do as you have asked, but please know that I will not be able to protect your majesty while I am gone and want you to be most vigilant. Our ability to communicate will be hampered by the distance between us, and therefore you must continue to shorten that distance.”
“I am aware of the problem this may cause, but I feel it is important to know of King Henry’s intentions and I am willing to take the risk.”
“King Henry would not dare attack us on the road, would he, father? It would be unwise and could begin a war between our two kingdoms. Please be assured, Arius, I will keep my father safe until you have returned.”
The commander of the guard, Sir George, suddenly rode up alongside the King. “Your majesty, I have observed someone watching us from the top of those hills. It looks to be a soldier from Dorset. I have not seen anyone else, but there may be more.”
“Thank you, Sir George. You have a keen eye. We will need to continue to watch for any movement in the hills. That is why we will not be traveling on the roads where they could easily ambush us. At night, we will set up an empty camp in a clearing near a wooded area, in case they intend to attack at night, and we will be waiting in the trees.”
“That is an excellent strategy, Father. I am concerned that if Dorset soldiers have been watching us since we left, they may know that Arius is with us for he has remained visible up till now. The spies in the hills may have already seen him. We will need to make it look as though Arius is still here. Otherwise, they may suspect something.”
“That thought had not crossed my mind. Very good, John! Arius, what do you suggest?”
“I could conjure up a replica of me riding on the horse. It will not be able to react to its surroundings, but will look like I am still here. I would suggest someone lead the horse I have been riding since my double will not be able to direct it.”
“Then that is what we will do. Thank you, Arius.”
Arius got off the horse and led it to the spot where he had previously been riding. Sir George placed his horse right next to it in order to hide the real Aruis. Then Arius handed him a lead rope. Arius appeared to remount his horse taking the reins in his hands and the real Arius vanished.
“Let us continue to Dorchester.”
The King kicked his horse and took off in a canter followed by John, the fake Arius, and the soldiers. Sir George asked the soldiers in the group to be on the look out for anything unusual. He asked the last two soldiers to hang back somewhat and be vigilant regarding their surroundings.
Throughout the day, King Henry’s spies continued to keep their distance in the hills as they followed King William. As night fell, King William’s soldiers set up camp to look as though they were there but remained at a distance watching for any sign of movement within the camp. Throughout the night, the soldiers took turns keeping watch while the King slept.
The next morning, the soldiers quietly entered the tents from the back and came out the front yawning and looking as though they had just awakened. It gave the appearance they had been in the camp the entire night. They made something to eat, broke camp, mounted their horses and proceeded on their way. They would continue this pattern for the remainder of the trip so as to ward off any dangers they might face along the way.
The countryside in Dorset was very picturesque. The group encountered rolling grasslands covered in wildflowers and sheep grazing in between fences made of stones and bushes. The hillsides offered great views of the surrounding area. From that vantage point, Sir George and the other soldiers could easily keep track of the whereabouts of King Henry’s spies. It also enabled them to locate any woodland areas adjacent to a clearing where they could set up camp for the night. The trees were necessary if they were to stay hidden during the night.
They knew there would be one river to cross and that would be the River Stour. The river was approximately 61 miles long and ran from Wiltshire through Dorset. There was one bridge that had been built across the river but they dared not consider using it as it would be a good place for an ambush. They would need to find somewhere to ford the river. King William knew this would be the best time to cross since the water level often ran low in the summer. As they crossed the lowland around the river, they noticed it was teaming with wildlife and they were able to hunt. They now had enough deer and rabbits to eat for several days.
It was near dark when they arrived at the river’s edge. King William ordered his soldiers to make camp and they would cross in the morning. They found a small group of trees nearby and set up camp there. Once the tents were up, the soldiers began preparing the meat for the evening meal and King William and John met with Sir George regarding the plans for the coming days.
“We have not heard anything from Arius yet and do not know what to expect…”
“I am here, your majesty!”
“Arius!” the King yelled in surprise. “You are here! It is good to see you. I was beginning to worry that something had happened to you. I hope you have some information for us.”
“I do. It is my recommendation you turn back and not finish this journey to Dorchester. King Henry is conspiring with his captain of the guard, Sir Gregory, to capture you and John once you have entered his palace. He will then torture you until you confess everything. He is convinced our kingdom has access to something he should have. He has no idea what that is but he is willing to find out no matter what the cost. I did hear the captain try to reason with him to give you the chance to present the purpose for this visit. He felt there would be no need for bloodshed and that this could be resolved peacefully.”
“I will give him a reason for bloodshed if he even tries to take King William and John prisoner,” Sir George stated emphatically.
King William put his hand up to calm Sir George and then asked, “And what did King Henry reply to that? I am assuming he would have nothing to do with the suggestion made by Sir Gregory.”
“No, your majesty, he would not. I studied him while I was there, and he was not himself, almost as if he were possessed. There was no reasoning with him. He could not be deterred from this path he is on. His mind could only see that which he has conjured up and nothing else. I think his guards could be persuaded to stand against him if given the chance. Otherwise, this will lead to an unnecessary confrontation.”
“What are we to do, Father? If we leave, I think he will only gather his soldiers and come to Wiltshire. Maybe, since we now have the advantage Arius has given us, we could catch them off guard and attack them instead.”
“Your Majesty, if I may speak,” Sir George requested.
“Certainly, I am interested to hear what you have to say.”
“I do agree with Prince John that if we attack them, we might have the advantage. But our soldiers are few and not enough to go against that army. I do not see us even getting through the front gate. And if we do send for reinforcements, the spies will surely see them approaching and report back to King Henry.”
“That might be a good thing,” King William paused as he reflected on what was just proposed. “Arius, do you think King Henry would be able to stay behind his walls when he knows my army is assembling in his kingdom? Do you think, in his frame of mind, he would believe his army could defeat us on the battlefield?”
“I do, your majesty. I feel he could not bear to have our soldiers in his kingdom. In his mind, it would mean only one thing: our kingdoms would be at war. This strategy just might get him out from behind the walls of the castle and give us the advantage we need to defeat him.”
“I concur, your Majesty,” Sir George added. “I suggest we immediately send a messenger to Wiltshire and return with our army. The messenger would need to leave under the cover of darkness so as to not be seen. He will be far enough away by morning so the spies in the hills will not know he is gone. I suggest we camp here for several nights so it looks as though we still intend to continue to Dorchester but have paused so we can rest the horses and the men along the river. That should be time enough for the messenger to reach Wiltshire if he rides through the night as we are only halfway to Dorchester.”
“Arius, I would like you to return to Dorchester for two reasons. One, I want you to continue to monitor King Henry and his activity and two, I want you to take John with you and look for an opportunity to have an audience with Sir Gregory.”
“For what purpose, your Majesty,” Arius inquired.
“Aye, Father, for what purpose? And wouldn’t I better serve you if I remained here?” John insisted.
“My reason is this. If you are able to convince his Captain that the King is not in his right mind and is obsessing over nothing, then we might be able to prevent this battle from ever happening.”
“But why me, Father?”
“I think you will have more influence on Captain Gregory than Arius and together you must explain the situation to him. I am certain he accompanied the King to Wiltshire a year ago and may agree that King Henry is in pursuit of a ghost. This conflict will only amount to many on both sides meeting an unnecessary death.”
“Your majesty, how can a Captain prevent what is to take place if the King orders it? I do not understand the recourse he may have. I am the Captain of the Guard under your command and would never, under any circumstances, question your orders.” Sir George stated emphatically.
“That is most gratifying to hear you say that, Sir George. But under these conditions, the Captain of the Guard may declare the King to be an unfit ruler and temporarily take control of Dorchester.”
“But what about his daughters? Are they not to be next in line to the throne?” Prince John asked.
“Yes, they are but only if one of the daughters marries and then there would be a King and Queen to rule over the kingdom. According to the laws of Dorset, there must be a King. We are fortunate this has presented itself at this moment. I would never have dreamed this could very well benefit our kingdom and cause a very serious situation to end in peace. If the Captain agrees to this plan, then, as a solution to the matter of a king, I will propose that you, John, marry one of the daughters and become the new King of Dorchester.”
“The King of Dorchester? We already talked about this back in Wiltshire. I stated there would be problems bringing in someone from the outside to marry me. I am next in line for the throne in Wiltshire, to succeed you, Father. You have been teaching me the ways of the kingdom for many years. It should be me on the throne after you!” Prince John exclaimed. “Are you suggesting that James will now be the heir to the throne? He is not ready for that! And he is to take Justine as his bride. She is certainly not ready to be Queen!”
“I agree with your father, Prince John. This will ensure peace between our two kingdoms with you as King in Dorset. The portal will remain a safely guarded secret as you and your queen will reside in Dorchester.” Arius affirmed. “This solution which has presented itself at this time is much better than your marrying one of King Henry’s daughters and bringing her to Wiltshire.”
“I agree. To have you as King of Dorset, someone I have raised and guided all your life, would be as if our two kingdoms were but one. Let us explore this further for it is not decided as yet. Only supposition on our part. First things first. You and Arius must convince the Captain of King Henry’s mental state and then we will decide the next steps in this plan.”
“Aye, Father. Arius and I will proceed with the first step and report what we learn to you.”
Prince John stood next to Arius and the two disappeared.
CHAPTER 23
THE MESSENGER ARRIVES
“What is it, Cedric?” the Queen asked as she looked up from her needlepoint.
“Queen Marianne, there is a messenger from the King. He said it is important that he see you right away.”
“From the King?” The Queen immediately placed the needlepoint on the table next to her and stood up. “This must surely be of great importance. Send him in, Cedric, and then inform James that he is to come here at once.”
“Aye, your majesty.” Cedric bowed, turned, and left the sitting room.
The Queen grew impatient and began pacing the floor. ‘There must be something wrong,’ she thought to herself. ‘I certainly hope they have not run into any trouble from King Henry.’
Cedric finally appeared along with the messenger. “Here is the messenger, your majesty, as requested.”
“Thank you, Cedric. Has James been summoned?”
“Aye, he is on his way.”
“Thank you, Cedric. You are dismissed.”
As Cedric was leaving the room, James entered and crossed over to stand next to his mother.
“Thank you, my son, for arriving so promptly. This messenger was sent by the King and I am anxious to discover why he is here. I thought it important that you be here as well.” Then to the messenger, “Please tell us why the King has sent you.”
“Your majesty, I have been sent to amass an army to accompany me to Dorset. The King was camped along the River Stour when I left. This will explain.”
The soldier handed her a folded message stamped with the King’s seal. The Queen anxiously broke the seal and opened the document. As she read the message, her expression changed from one of worry and concern to one of surprise then anger.
“How could King Henry even think he could capture my husband and my son without a fight?”
“What?! King Henry has captured my father and John!” Then to the soldier, “That is why you are here to gather an army? How did you escape?”
“You must read this from the King. He has not been captured for he was warned of this by Arius who he had sent to spy on King Henry. We must send as many soldiers as we can spare for we must also maintain a small force here to protect Wiltshire.”
