The Jester

Chapter 115

BALDWIN POUNDED his fist. “We don’t have any fucking enemies in the…” Then he fixed perfectly still. His eyes bulged like dark plums. “Who said that? Who is that man? Come forward.”

I stepped out from the crowd and let the military tunic fall off my shoulders. I stood in my checkerboard tunic and leggings. I removed my helmet. I watched his eyes home in on my face.

“You do now…” I winked at him.

Baldwin’s face drained of color. Then he stood and pointed at me, saying, “It’s him. The jester!”

Soldiers went for their arms but were immediately intercepted by men in their own uniform, my men, pressing swords to their throats.

The chatelain made a move toward me, but Alois subdued him before he drew his sword.

“Seize him. Do you hear?” Baldwin ordered the guards behind his chair.

They moved toward me but in almost the same motion took hold of the duke. Odo was one of them. He placed a knife against Baldwin’s throat; Alphonse dug his sword into the middle of Baldwin’s back.

[337] The duke’s eyes grew wide with disbelief. He looked at his knights, many of whom had scrambled for their arms.

“If they charge, you’re a dead bastard,” I said to him. “It would give me much pleasure.”

Baldwin looked about, his neck muscles twitching. Outrage smoldered in his eyes, All around, men loyal to the duke were held at knifepoint. Some knights drew their swords, looking to Baldwin for the word.

“Tell them, arms down,” I said. Odo pressed his knife and finally drew a trickle of noble blood.

Baldwin’s eyes flitted desperately from side to side as he estimated the probable outcome of any resistance.

“Trust me, liege, these men who hold you hate you more than I do,” I said. “I do not know if they will even heed me, they want to spill your guts so badly. But on the assumption that they want their children to live in peace more than they want your steaming entrails on the floor, I beg you, tell the knights to put down their arms. Otherwise, when I drop my hand, you are dead.”

Baldwin did not answer but continued to look about. Then he nodded almost imperceptibly. One by one, the knights’ blades clattered to the floor.

My chest heaved a sigh of relief. “Now we go outside, my liege. You’ll tell your men on the walls to lay down their arms.”

The duke swallowed, a lump slowly traveling down his throat. “You are insane,” he spat.

“And you seem to be a little foolstruck as well, my lord, if you don’t mind me saying.”

An amused snicker traveled across the room.

“You will be dead by nightfall.” Baldwin burned his gaze into my face. “Towns will come to my defense. To rise against a lord this way, you could only be the biggest fool in history.”

I looked slowly around the room. Odo curled back a smile, then Alphonse, then Alois.

“Perhaps the second biggest,” I replied.

Chapter 116

WE DRAGGED THE LORD BALDWIN outside, forcing him at sword point to the castle gates.

Each soldier we passed looked on with dumbfounded shock. Some, no doubt eager to resist, looked to their liege for a sign, but at the sight of Baldwin’s beaten eyes, and the bailiff, chamberlain, and chatelain trailing submissively behind, they held their weapons at their sides.

As we marched, stu

A few began to jeer. “Look at Baldwin. It’s what you deserve, you greedy hog.” There was laughing, and scraps of food and debris began to be thrown.

As we approached the walls, I saw that word must have traveled ahead. Soldiers were just staring at us, lances and bows held at their sides.

“Tell them the battle is over.” I pushed Baldwin forward. “Tell them to lay down their arms and open the gate.”

“You can’t expect them to stand by and let in that mob.” Baldwin sniffed. “They will be ripped to shreds.”

“Not a soul will be harmed; you have my word on it. Except, of course, you,” I continued, pressing the sword in deeper, “if you fail to comply. My guess is, not one of them would mind the sight of that very much.”

[339] Baldwin swallowed. “Put down your arms,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Louder.” I prodded him.

“Put down your arms,” Baldwin shouted. “The castle is lost. Open the gates.”

Everyone remained still. In disbelief. Then two of my men ran and threw off the heavy beams that secured the gates. They flung the doors open, and a band of our men, Georges the miller at the lead, burst in.

“What took you so long?” the miller said, coming up to me.

“Our liege was so thoroughly set on hearing each last grievance, we lost track of time.” I gri

Georges ran his eyes over the captured duke. No doubt he had been thinking of this moment for a long time. “My apologies, lord. You raised our taxes. I think I owe you my last installment.”

With that, he spat a thick yellow wad all over the duke’s face. Georges’s eyes remained on him while the spit slowly trickled its way down Baldwin’s chin. “Now here’s my grievance.” He put his face close to the duke’s. “I am Georges, miller of Veille du Père. I want my son back.”

All around us, farmers and peasants spilled into the streets and climbed up the ramparts. Hesitant soldiers climbed out of the towers and ran terrified off the walls.

A few people started to shout my name, “Hugh, Hugh, Hugh …” I looked with pride at the miller and Odo, and we thrust our arms victoriously into the air.

Chapter 117

WE TOSSED BALDWIN into his own dungeon-into the dark, cramped cell where I was once held myself.

There was much in those first hours that needed my attention. With the duke under lock and key, his soldiers had to be disarmed, and the plotting chamberlain and bailiff put under guard. The chatelain too, though, strangely, I did not feel him an enemy. Order had to be maintained in our ranks as well if we intended to press our case in a peaceful way before the King.

My mind ran to Emilie.

Where was she? I needed to share this with her. Our victory was as much hers as mine. A flash of worry went through me.

I hurried out of the castle and down the narrow streets in the direction of Geoffrey’s home. People tried to stop and cheer me, but I pushed through, keeping up a brave face but inwardly beseeching them to let me pass. Something was wrong!

My pace quickened as I neared the market. Some of the merchants shouted my name, but I ignored them and finally turned down the street to Geoffrey’s house.

I pounded on the door. Something now terrified me. I slammed my fist against the door, my heart galloping with each desperate knock.

Finally the door creaked open. Isabel was there! She had a [341] look on her face that was first pleased to find me well, then all at once serious and alarmed. I knew that something was wrong.

“She’s gone, Hugh,” she muttered.

“Gone?” Gone where … ? How? All the strength in my body seemed to drain away.

“At first I thought she went to find you, but just a while ago I saw this.”

Isabel handed me a note, scribbled in a hurried hand.

My brave Hugh,

Do not fear as you read this, for my heart is yours-always. But I must go.

By now, your victory is complete. I was not wrong, was I? What once was will not always be. You have climbed a rung to your own destiny. To see you do this, confirm the specialness I saw in you from the first, nothing in the world could make me more proud.

But now I must return to Borée. Don’t be angry. A