Grifford held the knife low, ready to plunge at the thing's stomach, his empty hand already coming up to block any counter strike.
The wall of the tent was pulled swiftly apart in front of him.
"Grifford!"
His lunge stopped, the knife held barely the length of its blade away from his sister's belly.
"Tahlia!" he hissed. "Why are you down here?"
Tahlia gently pushed his arm, and the knife, out of her way and slid past him into the tent.
"What is happening?" she whispered as she looked quickly around.
"What is happening!" Grifford hissed back. "Kralmir has been kidnapped."
"Yes, I know that! Where is father?"
"He has ridden out after some merchant's wagon that left last night."
"Of course! That makes sense."
"What sense? Why would a merchant take our brother?"
"I do not know, but I know who will."
"Who?"
"Tasker."
"Tasker! Do not be ridiculous!"
Tahlia clamped her hand over his mouth.
"Quiet!" she hissed. "Be quiet and listen. I saw Tasker again yesterday, so I followed him. He was sneaking around among the tents of the merchants, probably to the same one he went to before, but I don't know for sure because I was caught."
Grifford took hold of her wrist and pulled it away from his mouth.
"Caught! By who?"
"It was a nadidge."
"A nadidge!"
"It bit me! When I woke up I was in a tent. I could hear two men talking about kidnapping, and I thought they were talking about you, but they were talking about Kralmir. One of them must have been the merchant who that cart belongs to!"
"Well they do not have a chance of escaping. Father is bound to catch them swiftly."
"Yes, but..." said Tahlia, frowning and rubbing her temples. "That creature's poison has smudged my brain. I cannot think straight. Those men said something about..."
She looked up suddenly, her eyes wide.
"Hakansa! Has something happened to Hakansa?"
"Master Tzarren said someone tried to poison him last night. How did you know..?"
"But he is alive?"
"Of course he is, but Master Tzarren did say something about that Field-hand, Maddock was it?"
Tahlia's hand went to her mouth.
"Is he all right?"
"I do not know. By all accounts he jumped into Hakansa's pen and saved him. Apparently, Hakansa did him some damage." Tahlia stood still, now with both hands raised, pressed against her cheekbones. Grifford frowned at the unusual look of horror on his sister's face. "What is the matter with you?"
"I might have slightly asked him to watch over Hakansa last night. I heard those men saying something about Tasker getting to him."
"Tasker!"
"Where is the Field-hand now?"
"He was taken to the Infirmary," said a calm voice from behind Grifford.
He swung around, raising the small knife he still held, to find Zemrossa standing in the chamber's doorway. He looked down at the knife in Grifford's hand, than back at his face.
"Unless you are prepared to fight me, I suggest you put your weapon down."
Grifford looked at him cautiously. Zemrossa's hand had dropped to his side, to the hilt of the short sword at his belt.
"The Field-hand is at the Infirmary," he said again, his voice still calm. "I do not know his condition; only that he lives. Now, please, Squire Grifford, put the knife down. I am not your enemy."
Grifford looked at the knife, grunted, and threw it back on the table beside the fruit bowl.
"I am sorry," said Zemrossa. "I did not mean to listen to your conversation, but this is a tent. Listening was unavoidable."
Tahlia looked at Grifford pointedly.
"Only if people do not keep their voices down."
"I heard the Lady Tahlia make mention of Tasker. Was my fellow squire involved in this morning's events?"
Zemrossa looked at Grifford, then at his sister. Tahlia folded her arms and put a blank look over her face. Grifford rolled his eyes.
"My sister has a crazy idea that Tasker..."
"How can we trust you?" said Tahlia quickly. "After what your father has done."
"My father, I am sure, had his own reasons for standing down and not contesting Commander Galder's claim, but it is not my concern. My sole loyalty, at this time, is to your father."
"Yes, but how do I know..."
"Oh just tell him, Tahlia!" growled Grifford. "I am tired of all your secrets. Just tell him and be done with it. The only things that slinking around and secret keeping have done is get me beaten up, some Field-hand in the Infirmary, and our brother kidnapped, so tell him, for the sake of Fortak!"
"All right!" snapped Tahlia, then she turned to Zemrossa. "Tasker has been sneaking around the Enclosures, disguised as a Farm-boy. That Field-hand, the one at the Infirmary, saw him going into one of the merchants' betting tents, so I've been looking out for him."
"You did not think to tell anyone of Tasker's flouting of the Laws?"
"Of course she did not," said Grifford.
"And what happened yesterday?" asked Zemrossa.
Tahlia frowned for a moment, but then she spoke, and Grifford could feel, first disbelief, then anger, as he listened to his sister tell the story of her capture, and an overheard discussion about treachery.
"So that is what you had been up to when you came here last night," said Zemrossa when Tahlia had finished. "If you had said something to me then, last night's events could have been avoided."
Tahlia hung her head.
"I know," she said. "But I did not know who to trust, and I was going to tell mother, but I fell asleep in the chain-carriage. It must have been the nadidge bite. I do not normally fall asleep like that."
"The reasons are not important. What is done is done. The Encampment is being searched, and your father is pursuing those most likely responsible. The best thing you can do now is go to Sir Galder and tell him about his squire's activities."
"No!" said Tahlia.
"Why not?"
"Because Sir Galder might be behind everything."
"Tahlia!" said Grifford.
"Well? Did anything happen to him or Sacsensia last night?"
"No," said Zemrossa.
"And who else would benefit from Hakansa being poisoned, or our father chasing across the plains when he should be here preparing to fight."
"That is treason you are talking, Tahlia Layne," said Zemrossa. "You had better have proof before you make such accusations in public."
"Well I have not got actual proof."
"You had better keep your mouth shut then," said Grifford. "All the knights have ridden out except for Sir Galder's. He is in command of the fortress right now."
Tahlia put her hands to the side of her head again.
"Oh, no," she sighed, then sat down on her father's bed. "But that proves it!" she said, jumping up almost straight away.
"Proves what?"
"That Sir Galder has something to do with it. He is not helping to look for our brother, and he has taken control of the fortress."
"Calm yourself, my Lady," said Zemrossa, placing a hand on her shoulder and pushing her back onto the bed. "Sir Galder's actions do not make him guilty of this crime."
"But I am sure. I heard those men saying something about someone not being pleased; someone important who they were working for."
Zemrossa narrowed his eyes as he looked at Tahlia.
"That does not mean it was Sir Galder."
"But Tasker is involved!"
"Do you have proof that he is involved? Do you even know that the tent where you were held is even the same as the one Tasker was seen entering?"
"No," said Tahlia sullenly.
"And you do not know who the people holding you were."
"Only that one was called Vlambra," said Tahlia, frowning. "I am sure I recognised their voices, but I do not remember from where. My head is so mussed!"
"So you have no real proof of anything."
"No."
Tahlia rested her chin in her hands, but then jumped up quickly again.
"But if it were Tasker who poisoned Hakansa, that would be some kind of proof. We have to go and talk to the Field-hand!"
"That is a good idea," said Zemrossa, then he turned to Grifford. "And what are your thoughts on the matter, Grifford?"
"I just want my brother back, and to get my hands on Tasker if he had anything to do with his disappearance."
"You can leave Tasker to me."
"Why?" said Tahlia. "What are you going to do?"
"I am going to round up my fellow squires. I know Henjin and Ince are still at the battle-grounds. We will saddle up our madriel and go and do some hunting of our own."
"But you said that you did not think Tasker was involved."
"I did not say that. I was merely concerned that you do not have enough proof to accuse him, so while you go and see the Field-hand, I will attempt to detain him until that proof is found or not."
Tahlia looked at the tall squire, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Why are you helping us?"
"I have told you; I am your father's squire. I have a duty to him."
Zemrossa pulled his sword a hand's breadth from its scabbard, ran his finger along its blade, then pushed it back, satisfied.
"You had better be careful on your way to the Infirmary."
"It is all right," said Tahlia. "I am good at avoiding Klinberg's soldiers."
"It is not only the soldiers you have to worry about."
"Do not fret, Zemrossa," said Tahlia sweetly. She held up her mother's hunting knife. "I have this."
Zemrossa turned to Grifford.
"Look after her," he said, and disappeared swiftly through the doorway.
"Maybe you should give the knife to me," said Grifford when he had gone. He held out his hand.
"Not likely," said Tahlia, and she turned to push her way back through the slit in the tent wall.
"Wait!" he hissed, grabbing her arm before she could escape.
"Ow," she said, and slapped his hand. "Let go!"
Why did you lie to Zemrossa?"
"When?"
"When you told him that Tasker was seen going into the betting tent."
"He was seen going into the betting tent."
"No, he was not. Maddock saw some boy dressed like a farmer. He was not sure it was Tasker."
"Well, I am sure it was."
Grifford let go of his sister's arm.
"Tahlia! Zemrossa is taking a risk for us based on your lie."
"It was not a lie. It was a slight mistruth at best. Anyway, Zemrossa will be fine. When we get to the Infirmary, the boy can confirm that it was Tasker who tried to poison Hakansa, and Zemrossa will be half way to rounding him up already. Think of the thanks he will get. We have done him a favour really. Now, come on!"
Tahlia turned swiftly before he could detain her again, and disappeared through the slit in the tent.
Grifford just sighed, let his hand drop, then pushed his way after her, into the dawn's greyness.