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Ten years later

If they did not reach shelter soon, they would die

The realization settled over hi him in calmness, even as the blood flowed from his wounds &039;Twould not be unwelcoret would be his failure to take Fantin de Belgruray heavens, thunder crashed with arrogance, and great, uncontrollable shivers wracked his body The smell of blood and storms and death pervaded his nostrils Sleepiness stole over hihts

"Gavin!"

The sound of his naent, stole the calht in the saddle Of a sudden, the desire to die was gone-the darkthe responsibility for the health of his knights fore in his heart

"Gavin, look you there! &039;Tis a gate!" Thomas Clervorne pointed with his bloodied sword They&039;d not even had the tiht bitterly

He turned in his saddle, knees pressing the shoulders of Rule, his war horse, and peered through the sheets of rain Aye, there it was, barely visible through the trees and gray rain: a large, stone wall interrupted by a heavy gate

"Toonly ten instead of the fifty he&039;d begun with-directed their weary ate, and was pulling the rope that hung next to it as they gathered about

The hollow sound of a bell tolling echoed, its tones eerie and distorted through the downpour Thewith the desire to feed and bed down Gavin&039;s head lightened as blood continued to seep down his side, providing the only wars

"Do those within have no pity?" Thoain the bell sounded

At last, just when Gavin was preparing to curse those who resided beyond the gate for their inhu its way toward the portcullis He pressed Rule forward, reaching the iron bars just as its inhabitant did

"Aye, my lords? You wish shelter? An&039; who be ye?"

He saw that the figure was naught but an old crone, cloaked in dark garb and stooped with age "Lord Gavin of Mal Verne, Lord Thomas of Clervorne, and ten men-at-arms, mistress" He had to concentrate to keep his voice steady and strong as a flash of light before his eyes told hi for shelter and, if you have it, care for our ills"

Even sas painful, and, as he waited for the woate seeht itself

Then the gate swung open, and the woman stepped aside "My lords, you are well co voice that did not ure "Coh the entrance, then waited as she sla thee bailey that had been cleared of the forest surrounding the stone wall, and paused at an outbuilding

"You&039;ll see to your own horses," she said without preamble, "as we&039;ve only one marshal and she is ill"

Gavin slid fro on his feet with a hard thu made his head spin harder, and nausea well in his throat Before he could take a step toward the stable, he felt an aristered dimly as it snapped, "Clem, see to Mal Verne&039;s horse Mistress, take us to a bed for hi like boiled pitch, and Gavin fought back a groan as Thoh a seely endless walk

Just as he felt the final vestiges of clarity leaving, Gavin saw the pallet meant for him and allowed his knees to buckle His last impression was of the prickly con of fever, my lord I&039;ve packed the wound with a poultice and he must rest anon"

Gavin slowly becaentle, feh, familiar one of Thomas Clervorne

"He&039;ll heal, then?"

"Aye, if the fever does not come"

Gavin tried to pry his eyelids open so that he could see the face that belonged to the silky, called to focus "Though the sword cut deep, the blood clotted well and ere able to sew the gap closed"

At last: his lids cooperated and he focused on the face of the one dabbing soe bent near his, he nearly recoiled at the shock The face did not match the beautiful voice

&039;Twas that of an old wo countenance rinkles woven in the skin and brown spots everywhere Her eyes atery and gray, and the lower lids gapped away to show deep, red pockets She wore a wih horridly ugly, carried peace in its expression

"He wakes" This voice was old and thready, and emitted from the elderly woman&039;s shriveled lips