Free One True Knight (The Knights of Honor Trilogy) by Dana D'Angelo Page A

Jonathan asked. His voice was quiet although it sounded loud in the ensuing silence.
    The mention of the rocks awakened the anger that was sleeping in the little body. The boy lifted his chin in defiance. “Someone needs to protect our village from the likes of ye,” he said.
    The mother gasped. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying,” she said, jerking the boy tight against her.
    Jonathan paid no attention to the woman, and kept his eyes focused on the boy. Looking down at him, he asked slowly, “Do you know who I am, boy?”
    “Ye’re one of them who steals our food and animals and burns down our houses.”
    Gareth maneuvered his horse over to Jonathan’s side. Exchanging a surprised look with Jonathan, he stared at the boy and said, “Did I understand you correctly? You’re saying that knights did these things to you?”
    The boy spat on the ground. “Aye, that’s what I’m saying. And when I get bigger I’m going to kill ye for what ye’ve done to us.”
    Gareth let out a small laugh as if taken aback by the ferociousness in the boy’s tone. “You’re a blood thirsty lad, aren’t you?”
    The boy gave Gareth a dark look, and clenched his fist as if he wished he still had stones in his hand.
    “Rest easy now,” Gareth said, giving the boy a smile. “What I mean to say is that you are a brave lad. We’re not here to steal from you. I’m Sir Gareth de Mowbrey and this,” he gestured to Jonathan, “is Sir Jonathan d’Abelard, the Iron Hawk. We’ve come to help you catch the robbers, and put a stop to the thievery.”
    Instead of being impressed, the boy looked up at them with suspicion. “Why would the Hawk come here to help us?” he said. “Everyone knows that he’s fighting for King Edward.” He stared at the image of the fierce hawk on Jonathan’s surcoat, and then added doubtfully, “And even though ye say ye’re the Hawk, why should I believe ye? I don’t know how he looks — no one does. Anyone could claim that he’s the Hawk.”
    Now that it was clear that the boy was not going to be harmed, a number of people came out of their homes and gathered around them.
    “Believe what you will,” Jonathan said quietly but there was no denying the fury in his voice. “I am the Iron Hawk, and I don’t like what I see.” The boy’s eyes widened, and took a step back, causing him and his mother to stumble. Jonathan looked at every person in the small group. “Tell your friends and family that these criminals who prey on those less fortunate shall be brought to justice.” He continued. “I will see to it myself.”
    “How can ye stop the criminals when they’re knights such as yerselves?” the boy’s mother asked.
    “Who are these knights that you speak of?”
    There was an angry rumble in the crowd. “They are Sir Richard’s men,” a man shouted.
    Jonathan’s eyes searched for the speaker but whoever had spoken shrunk back into the crowd, no longer brave.
    “Aye, I’ve seen them with me own two eyes,” someone else said.
    “I’ve seen them too,” said another angry voice. “I know them for what they are — they’re criminals. They should all be hanged! They’ve taken every last thing from us and burned our homes to the ground. Now there’s nothing left for us.” The man brought his dirty sleeve up and wiped at his eyes.
    Several people nodded their heads in agreement.
    Gareth surveyed the angry faces of the villagers. “This is getting stranger by the moment,” Gareth murmured. “Perhaps you were right to suspect Raulf. He leads your father’s men. But the Grey Knight has also brought us here. Perhaps there is a connection here and these rogue knights are all working together.”
    “There is that possibility,” Jonathan replied. “At least we now know why the robbers were never caught.”

CHAPTER 8
    All Rowena could hear was the clopping of the horses’ hooves ringing across the cobbled courtyard. They seemed to be moving painfully slow. She wondered if