Trail of Fate

Maryam, whose clothing and hair was covered in bits of hay, thanked him as well.

He smiled, and the expression on his face said he was more than happy to help two slightly crazed, hay- encrusted strangers.

I examined the wagon with the boy, and we discovered that the wheel on one side had indeed slipped off the axle. I offered to help him repair it, but he would have none of it. He waved us on our way.

He pointed to the trail we stood on, then lifted his arm and pointed up toward the mountains in the distance. “Montsegur.”

His meaning was clear.

I bowed to the boy in gratitude. It was unusual to see such courage and cool-headedness in a boy so young, and for a moment, though he looked nothing like him, his manner and disposition reminded me of Quincy, my friend and fellow squire whom I had left behind in Acre. His memory came rushing back to me, and I was overcome by feelings of regret.

“Very well. Merci,” I said. Maryam was busy pulling bits of hay from her hair, but she waved good-bye to the boy. Gathering up the small bag of food, we took to the road. Angel fell into step a few paces in front of us.

“Next time, Little D-. . Angel,” I said, “try to stay quiet when enemy soldiers are about.”

She kept trotting ahead of us, ignoring my admonition, and bounded about, rushing to and fro as if madness had overcome her.

“Angel, you need to be quiet. Stop acting foolish. There could still be. .”

“Tristan?” Maryam interrupted.

“Yes?”

“You do realize you’re talking to a dog?”

“Yes.”

“She can’t understand you. You didn’t by chance hit your head on the hay wagon, did you?” she said with mock concern.

“She heard me. She just chooses to ignore me.”

Maryam’s ill temper had returned, and we walked on in silence awhile longer. Several times, I found myself slowing my pace, as she appeared to have no interest in moving quickly along the trail. Fearing she would tear my head off if I asked her to hurry, I remained quiet.

“What do you suppose has become of Robard?” she finally asked. At last, I thought. She wants to talk about it.

“I don’t know. He must have reached Perpignan by now. I hope he found a ship,” I said gently.

“I wish he hadn’t left,” she said with a catch in her voice.

“I know.”

I looked at Maryam and thought I saw tears in her eyes. She looked away.

“Maryam?” I asked a while later when she had composed herself.

“Yes?”

“Can you explain something to me? A question about men and women? Keeping in mind I grew up in a monastery?”

She laughed. “I’ll try.”

“You’re sad Robard is gone,” I said.

“I am.”

“Yet when we were together, you argued constantly. Quite heatedly, I might add. But when he tried to leave, you did everything you could to talk him out. .”

Maryam chuckled again. “I know. He can be incredibly annoying. But often, as you’ve seen, he is brave and noble. After we lost you in the ocean, we were still tied to the deck of the ship. The storm worsened and I was certain we were going to die. Robard kept telling me to hang on, he wasn’t going to let anything happen to me. When the ship broke apart, we went under, but Robard managed to get both me and Angel to the surface. He grabbed on to a piece of wreckage and we held on to it together. All the time he kept talking calmly to us, over the roaring wind and thrashing waves. He repeatedly told me we would be fine. We just needed to make it through the storm. Several times I thought I would lose my grip and sink into the water, but Robard wouldn’t allow it.”

Maryam gazed off into the distance as she walked. She had a smile on her face as she remembered, which I thought odd, because I would have done anything to forget such a terrifying experience. Then I realized she wasn’t remembering almost drowning. She was remembering Robard saving her.

“I lost consciousness a few times, but Robard held on to both of us. The next thing I remember is waking up on the shore with a fire going and Angel licking my face. Robard must have carried both of us out of the water, because I have no recollection of getting there. When I asked him what had happened, he just shrugged and changed the subject.”

Her story gave me pause, and I wondered if the Grail, even though I carried it with me, had extended its protection to my friends. The fact of their survival was miraculous to me. Was it another miracle of this sacred relic, or did Robard save them by himself?

“There’s no question of Robard’s bravery,” I said. “And he is a decent fellow. He has just grown weary of the war and misses his home and family. It’s hard to blame him for wishing to return there as quickly as possible.”

“I suppose,” she answered. I still didn’t understand though. The brothers had explained the ways of men and women to me, and had told me that someday I might wish to marry when I left St. Alban’s. Yet, so far, I found women. . puzzling.

As we walked, the path got steeper and the mountains we had first observed from far off drew nearer. It grew colder as we climbed higher. The trail we followed was well traveled, marked with numerous ruts made by wagon wheels and horse tracks. The boy had said we could follow this trail all the way to Montsegur, but had given no indication of how far it was.

The sun rose high in the sky and we kept on northward. Each time we came to a village or town, we either went around it and found the trail again, or moved through it as quickly as we could, trying hard to remain invisible. After a few more hours of walking, we stopped in a shaded glen to eat. Angel ate her fill of cheese and apples and curled up next to me for a nap. For a brief instant, sitting there in the beautiful spot, I forgot everything: the Grail, my duty, and the fact that Robard had left us. I even forgot about Sir Hugh, and the High Counsel and his men, who were undoubtedly trying to find me.

I sat beneath the shade of the trees and watched the sunlight filter its way through the leaves and dance across the ground. It was refreshing. The soreness that plagued me from my adventure in the ocean left me. It was amazing what rest and food could do to restore one’s spirits. But the feeling was fleeting.

I wished to stay longer, but we had to press on. After an hour we rose to our feet and resumed our march north. We talked some, but finally concentrated on making good time. Back in Outremer, we had at one point run nearly nonstop for several days to make our way to Tyre in advance of the attacking Saracens. The High Counsel had a head start, and I suppose we could have quickened our pace. But Celia knew the High Counsel was coming, and as long as he didn’t catch her before she reached the fortress, she should be safe. I would be no good to her if I arrived exhausted. I would need my wits and energy about me.

We walked on and on, finally silent, as we had grown too tired to talk anymore. The sun was sinking in the west, and we would need to find a place to bed down for the night soon. It had been a very long day.

But thoughts of rest vanished when an anguished scream pierced the air.

12

What was that?” Maryam asked, her daggers ready as she scanned the trail ahead of us.

“I don’t know. It sounded like a woman’s scream,” I said. “It came from up ahead.” Angel scream,” I said. “It came from up ahead. Angel paced cautiously ahead of us. She sniffed and tossed her head, and we crept quietly along.

A few yards farther up the trail, we approached the outskirts of a settlement. Another scream startled us