the guards at the gate might not believe you. I'll go."
Yosef, both hands on his son's shoulders, spoke over him. "Can you find your way?"
"Once I get to the north road. You'll have to tell me the first part."
"What if they chase you?" That was Hen again.
"Expect I have more arrows than they have men."
Harald gave Hen and his father a friendly nod, went past them, down the stairs, out to the stable.
Dark. The mare saddled, loaded, waiting by the postern gate. Harald in full armor. Hen, Yosef, the two Ladies. Elaina still arguing:
"A lot of them, it's a long way. I should . . ."
Harald tapped his quiver, gentled the mare. "I was breaking legions when you were at your mother's breast, child. Damn nuisance you were too." He led the mare out the postern into the night, Elaina staring after him.
Homeward
If you know a friend you can fully trust,
Go often to his house
Getting through the siege lines was easier than he had expected, since there weren't any. He saw several fires through the trees, heard voices of men around them. Only at the last minute, after he had mounted, was there a shout, footsteps running through the woods towards one of the fires. Harald moved off as quietly as he could. Several times he heard hoofs, once someone yelling. Into the dark, through the forest, west and a little south by the stars. An hour later he heard the sound of hard packed dirt under the mare's hooves, stopped, looked right, left, the cleared road silent under the stars. He turned, rode north.
He rode all night and most of the morning, the last few hours through the plains as the tall hill grew closer, the timber walls at its top catching the sunlight. The gate was open, guarded. The gate guards looked up in surprise at a Northvales cat some considerable way from home, swaying in the saddle, the horse almost as tired as the man.
"Forest Keep is under siege; message for Lord Stephen."
The younger man stood frozen, his mouth open. The older gestured the rider forward.
"I'll take you. Arthur, Ragnar."
Two boys came running from the stable.
"Take the man's horse, rub her down, feed her."
Harald nodded his thanks, followed the guard between buildings towards the mass of the great hall.
It was a single enormous room, wood pillars along the sides, a long fire down the center, smoke rising, or not, through a hole in the roof. Near the far end its lord was sitting, talking with several of his men. He looked up, eyes widening.