The Great Assassin Hunt part V

My Dear Domini,

If you have not yet heard I'm sure the story approaches as the ripples spread from a stone dropped in a pond.

The group with which I travel is now once more at Crieux House enjoying a grand celebration for having apprehended the assassin of Grand Master Baveux.

Since you have already heard most of the story it is really only the final chapter that I send, untwisting the tangled story that we have followed.

After subduing the Chevalier Lastrassa and his men we brought our horses into the stables to rest the night before heading for Crieux with our captives. Pistol was playing some game with the Chevalier which he seemed to think would help me to understand people better "Watch, Avon. This is how you find the best bottle of wine in the cellar!" I was fascinated, but either the things he saw in the Chevalier's reactions were too subtle for me or, more likely, he read nothing either and was intending to drink any bottle which came to hand. Before long he was less intelligible than usual and the rest of us had retired to the turret to take turns watching for the night.

The following morning we had something to eat and moved down to the stables to begin our journey. As we started to ready the horses a number of men rose from their hiding places with muskets ready. It was a team of Customs officers under the leadership of the man Fouché.

Borstennskoldmund tried to explain our purpose but the Customs officers seemed to hear nothing and we were forced to surrender to them as threatened to kill the near-dead Dandelion if we did not comply. And so in manacles we were taken to their headquarters, which turned out to be an old Kreuzritter fort. Our weapons already confiscated, we saw them carefully tagged for "taxation and excise" before we were locked in cells composed of iron bars.

In order to ensure he could stand trial, a doctor restored Dandelion to consciousness. Once the doctor was gone we explained to Dandelion what had happened while Borstennskoldmund went to the wall at the back of our cell tapping the stones and trying to get some leverage amidst the mortar as if to pull the stones free. As Dandelion came up to date he started to talk about the Kreuzritter's obsession with hidden things, and that there would probably be a hidden door somewhere. I thought I heard Borstennskoldmund mutter something like "What do you think I am doing?"

To add to the cacophony, Pistol's friend Ungaré who had given us one of our leads on the Chevalier and was in a cell opposite us, was trying to explain to Pistol that he had told Fouché nothing of our interest in the Lastrassa family.

Dandelion also spent some time searching his cell, but managed to find nothing. Eventually, tired from the effort, he leaned against the wall to rest and it moved under his weight. Borstennskoldmund and Mordred managed to combine their impressive strength to wrest free two of the bars separating our two cells, and we made our way into the dank, rat-infested passage behind the secret door while behind us the weak voice of Ungaré called "Pistol! Pistol! Take me with you! Please don't leave me behind!". Following the passage to its end we came to a spy hole looking into the room where Fouché and his Sergeant Zuave were celebrating their victory.

As I pondered our options, all of us still being manacled except Borstennskoldmund who had used his rune magic to free himself, Borstennskoldmund opened the secret door at this end and charged at Fouché.

Knowing our only chance of victory lay with preventing the other officers from coming to the aid of Fouché and his sergeant, I rushed over and spent my time ensuring the doors were barricaded while the more able fighters took on our foes.

While I was performing my task I heard two pistol shots fired, but I needed to concentrate on my own task and hope that nobody had been seriously wounded. When I had time to look, Sergeant Zuave was on the ground unconscious with two pistols beside him, with Antonio and Mordred pausing for breath, a dark stain of blood on Antonio's shirt.

The others had taken some toll on Fouché as well, and as the first bayonet struck through the door Borstennskoldmund called on him to surrender. He did, and we were able to persuade him to return our equipment and escort us a short distance to ensure that we were on the correct road to Crieux.

In an uncharacteristically charitable act, Pistol also insisted that Fouché recruit Ungaré into Montaigne Customs.

And so finally we departed for Crieux, with Commandant Fouché to help us to a good start. After ten miles or so Pistol assured Fouché that we would be right to find our own way and Fouché started to make his way back. Though why he hadn't brought a horse I don't know. Still, I know there are those in our group made nervous by such things, so I assume Fouché had his reasons.

After two days we finally arrived in Crieux and made our way to the Chapter house. Having only been there once before, I was again struck by its grandeur and beauty, and when I pulled the bell cord and the musical chorus rang out I could hear a murmur of wonderment from somewhere in our group.

We were admitted into the sitting room where the new Master of the Chapter house, Jean Marc le Carde heard our story and saw our evidence. Turning to the Chevalier he asked for his response, for which he was treated to a tirade of vitriol in which the Chevalier promised that we would all drown in blood and that we had no idea of those that sought to damage the Order. He was taken away, and I can only hope that he will find some release from the passion that consumes him.

There was a great celebration in our honour that continued well into the night, and I only wished that you could have been there to share the celebration, for without you I am nothing.

But I am disturbed at the darkness hinted at by the Chevalier, which seems to be supported by a half burnt note we retrieved at his chateau.

Avon Arthur,

Poor Knight of the Order