"Willyou cooperate, and place your hands behind your back?" Richard queried.

Brant,seeing greater danger in resisting at this point, complied. Placing his handsbehind his back, he felt his wrists being bound, with a strong strip ofleather, leaving little hope of him breaking free.

"Youare truly a wise man, Brant," Robert said, as he bound his friend'swrists.

Movingaround to face him, Robert patted Brant's cheek, giving him another broad grin.Brant in turn, drew his head away, giving Robert a frosty glare.

"Andis an explanation for your current course of action, forthcoming, or am I to bekept guessing?" Brant questioned in irritation, at Robert's apparentamusement over what was for him, a distressing situation.

Thegroup of riders moved up the road a short distance, leading the two boundcaptives, before leaving the road on a path, that tookthem to a clearing in the woods. A wagon waited there, with what appeared to bea couple of peasants.

Here,Brant and his squire, were assisted off their mounts,and forced into a sitting position, in the wagon. As the captives feet werebound, Brant observed that Robert still wore an ear to ear grin, as though thiswere some great lark.

Heglared at the knave, and gritted out, "I believe I will have to kill youfor this, Robert."

Robertreplied, still smiling, "Aye, my friend, when you fully understand, thesituation you now find yourself in, you are likely to desire my demise. Yet, Ido hope in time, you will realize that the situation is quite dire. And thatthis course of action, seems to be warranted."

Ashe finished speaking, he grasped Brant's head, tipping it back firmly, againstthe top of the wagon. The peasant woman took a wine skin, and poured a smallamount of bitter tasting wine into his mouth, as his "friend" forcedhim to swallow most of it. To his side, he noted that his squire was enduring asimilar fate. Brant's rage at his friend's seemingbetrayal, exploded into a string of vile aspersions, that were silenced by agag, placed between his lips.

"Restwell this night, my friend," Robert said, as he pushed Brant to lay downin the wagon.

Hecould see that his squire was quickly losing consciousness. He closed his eyes,as a similar drowsiness engulfed him. Yet, before he was full asleep, Brant wassure he heard someone say, "Let's get moving. The Lady awaits hergroom."

Brant'shead hurt as he struggled to wake up. He wondered if he had over indulged in drink,last night. Slowly, his memory returned. His mind drifted through the detailsof being kidnapped, bound, and drugged. Several times, he recalled beingjostled about in a wagon, as he fought for consciousness, only to have somevile tasting liquid, poured down his throat. How long had he been kept drugged?

Althoughhe was no longer bound, he resisted moving, or giving indication of waking.Cautious now, he opened one eye slightly, to assess his surroundings. While thebed he lay on was comfortable, the wall that faced him,had the look of a dungeon. He listened intently, to discern if someone might benearby, watching for him to wake. A scuffling sound indicated that that wasprobably the case.

Brantremained still, feigning sleep for several more minutes, to let all feeling ofdrowsiness pass. He wanted to have his wits about him, if he was about to facehis captors. Feeling himself fully awake, he opened his eyes, to better assesshis accommodations.

Thecell around him had three stone walls, one of which had a large barred window,high up on it, through which bright sunlight streamed in. The fourth wall waswooden, with the outline of a solid door, and several small, eye level, closedpeepholes in it. Brant rose, and moved to the foot of the bed. There, hediscovered an open barred door into an adjoining cell. That cell contained asmall table with two chairs, and a bath tub. Here, a barred door had been builtinto the wooden wall, with a solid wood door, that was now closed, on theoutside. A narrow slot in the wall, allowed for a tray to be passed into thecell, and placed onto a shelf near the table.

Obviously,a person could be held here indefinitely, with little chance of escape. AsBrant eyed the bath tub, he began to suspect, his captors were prepared to holdhim for some time. He tamped down a sudden feeling of apprehension, and satdown in one of the chairs. Willing himself to remain calm, he waited to findout what the kidnapper's intensions were. Whatever they wanted, Brant was sureif he survived, someone was going to pay dearly, for this.

Robertsat with Sir Richard in the hall, as they relieved their thirst, with tankardsof ale, just past midday. Richard was mulling the best approach, to thebusiness he must soon undertake, when Justin entered the hall.

Ashe drew near, Justin said, "Our guest has roused from his slumber."

Thethree men exchanged uncomfortable looks.

LadyIsabel interjected from nearby, "Do you think you can convince him, of thegrave risks, of his war with Avery? Even fast asleep, the hulking lout has anarrogant look about him."

Richardand Robert gave her a questioning look.

Justinasked, "Are you having second thoughts, My Lady?"

"Doyou kind gentlemen have a better course, to ease my desperate plight?"Isabel countered. When all shook their heads in the negative, she continued,"Then I trust you can make our guest see the logic, in shifting power,without so much bloodshed, as current conditions make likely. Particularly, his and my, conditions. For we cannot see tothe welfare of our people, are we murdered by Avery, as our sires were. Knowyou Robert, I rely on your council, as to the decent,trustworthy, nature of your friend."

"Hewould not beat, or kill a woman. Certainly not to increase his own power,"Robert assured her.

Hedid not say that his friend was near as arrogant as the King, and had a temperclose to rivaling Lucifer. He knew the Lady was likely to suffer the brunt ofthat temper, and he doubted how a small, seemingly gentle young girl, wouldfair. In fact, Robert had no idea, what his friend might do. He was not awareof any female, who had ever tried to cross the knight.

Robertcould not recall Brant, ever showing an interest in any female,that would be considered suitable, as a wife. To his knowledge, LordEric, Brant's sire, had resisted pushing the idea of a betrothal, for someunknown reason. However, Robert did not want Isabel's resolve to waiver, whenhe himself, was so close, to acquiring what he most desired.

“Thereis of course, the less desirable alternative plan that you wed me, My Lady.However, with your holdings triple mine, I would then become a gold-digger,”Justin said, with a chuckle. “That would put you at odds with both Brant, andAvery, with no guarantee of stopping their war. You know, if Brant can bebrought to comply with this, he is your best option.”

"Well,My Lady, do I go to our guest, and inform him of the terms of his release, fromour hospitality?" Richard asked. "Know you, once it is done, therewill be no turning back."

TheLady closed her eyes, and apprehensively massaged a finely arched brow, beforereplying with a simple, resigned, "Aye, My Lord."

Brantsat on one of the two chairs, eyeing the closed door into his cell, as heseethed over his friend's betrayal. He had thought about voicing his ire, thatanyone would dare treat a great Lord, with vast holdings such as himself, so.However, having no idea why, he had been brought here, or who was involved, hecould not be certain to what extent, they had earned his wrath. It would notdo, for anyone involved in this plot, to escape his vengeance. He was certain,that if they believed he was at their mercy, all parties would be revealed tohim. Then, he could formulate an appropriate revenge.