Free Orphan of Destiny by Michael Spradlin Page A

fallen into the ravine from the forest above. It was about six feet long and perfect for my plan.
    With my sword I hacked it in half. Ripping a length of cloth from my tunic, I lashed the branch together into a crude cross, and with a few more strips managed to tie it firmly onto the saddle so the two “arms” stuck up in the air like the arms on a headless man. Quickly I shrugged out of my brown servant’s tunic, draping it over the tied-down branches. From a distance, it would appear as if I were still mounted on the horse.
    Angel growled again, peering back down the ravine. The knights were coming. I wrapped the reins around the pommel of the saddle and waited. Behind me came the sound of horses and the soft clinking sound of chain mail. I closed my eyes. My thought was to convince them that we had separated and that Robard the archer waited here ready to bring doom upon them with his bow. In my mind I concentrated on remembering the sound of Robard’s speech. His was a shade deeper than mine. Finally, when I was ready, I lowered my voice and shouted out to the approaching men.
    “Come ahead! I’ll spoon-feed you goose feather and birch straight from the bow of a King’s Archer! I won’t surrender and you won’t take me alive!” The movement and noise down the ravine stopped as they paused to consider my comments.
    “What’s the matter? No taste for the longbow?” I shouted.
    Still no sound.
    “Then try to catch me!” I yelled, and gave the horse a sharp smack on the rump. It leapt forward, careering down the ravine, my tunic flapping in the breeze.
    “Come on, Angel,” I whispered. We moved another few yards ahead and found a small collection of boulders and shrubs large enough for us to hide behind. We would be invisible to anyone approaching from the opposite direction.
    The sound of my horse grew fainter. The woods were almost still. But then came the creak of leather and the plodding steps of horses. They had heard my mount ride away and were coming to investigate.
    With my sword in my hand and Angel quivering with silent rage beside me, we waited. Slowly, the sound of the riders drew nearer. I could not risk a look over the boulders shielding us. Any movement might be noticed.
    Finally a single rider appeared. He was not more than ten yards away, but he kept his eyes forward, looking for an ambush. Angel’s body shook and I held her with my free hand, silently imploring her to remain still. He passed us by, never even glancing in my direction. Then the next rider appeared, then another.
    I had failed to notice it in those first tense moments, but from all around me came the gentle humming sound of the Grail. Sir Hugh’s men were so close to me that I almost could have reached out and tapped each of them on the shoulder. And as it had so many times before, the music enveloped me like a blanket. I knew then that I was safe. They would not find me here. Their horses would not catch my scent and whinny in alarm. Their eyes would work the shadows of the rocks and roots lining the gorge, but they would never see me. I believed it would be possible for me to walk out of the ravine right in front of Sir Hugh and he would see nothing. But in all these many months I had yet to tempt the miracle of deliverance the Grail had brought to me so many times. I would not start now.
    The knight riding point reined up and the others stopped, slowly and cautiously looking about. How many were there? I could hear the quiet murmur of conversation between them. I heard the sound of hoofbeats above and on either side of the ravine. Sir Hugh had sent some of his men to follow the ravine from the top.
    I heard Sir Hugh’s voice. He had stayed up there, where he would hope to find himself safe from arrows.
    “Anything?” he shouted.
    “No, sire,” one of them replied.
    “He must have ridden off,” Sir Hugh pondered. “Move out!”
    They spurred their horses and soon disappeared from my sight. I let out a huge sigh of