Interlude 2 – The Revenge
Sequel to Interlude
Prologue
Two men stood in the dungeon of the royal winter palace in Paris. They were arguing over a female prisoner who had been incarcerated there for over one year.
“There she is, jailer, release her. I have my orders!�
“And may I inquire about where your orders came from? This woman is being held for intent to murder her husband.�
“You have already asked and I have shown you my papers. The murder charge has been thrown out. Now do as I say, man. Let her go.�
“Let me see those papers again, monsieur, and I need to see them right now, if you intend for this woman to be released.�
The taller of the two men sighed as he pulled out his orders for the female’s release. “Here, and read them carefully this time.�
The jailer took the papers from his hand. He scanned them over, then looked up at other man. Anger was written all over his face.
“What are these, monsieur?� he asked, holding up the blank pages. “What is it that you are trying to accomplish? I have no choice but to place you under arrest for…� But he never finished the sentence for the jailer had crumpled in a heap.
The taller man watched the jailer sink to the floor and looked up. Rodmilla de Ghent, a woman marked for the death for murdering her husband, was in the cell. She held in her trembling hands a heavy mallet that Rene had passed through the bars.
Rene bent down to see if the jailer was still breathing. He smiled as he looked up at Rodmilla and nodded his head yes. He was still breathing, for the moment anyway.
“The key,� Rodmilla said, impatiently, “where is the key?�
Rene looked down and fumbled with the pouch that contained the four large keys attached to the jailer’s belt. He had watched the man put those keys in that pouch thousands of times. He thought it would be easy to remove.
He looked up at Rodmilla, shaking his head, then he put it back down, still concentrating on removing that confounded pouch.
“RENE!� she called impatiently.
“Quiet,� he exclaimed, trying to loosen it somehow. “I am working as fast as I can.�
Rene kept tugging at the rope, hoping that it would loosen up. Then he remembered the knife that had stolen only that morning. He had traded for it with another prisoner. He had used it this very morning to threaten a Guardsman while escaping. He removed it from his boot, brought it up to the belt and easily cut the rope in two. The keys fell to the floor with a loud klunk. He picked up the pouch and pulled out the keys. One by one he put them into the keyhole on the door.
Rodmilla had nothing else to do as she watched Rene working feverishly. Finally, he found one that fit, the very last one he tried. He looked up and smiled, but it was short-lived. The footsteps were getting louder and closer.
“Quickly Rene, before someone comes.�
“I believe that someone already is,� Rene answered, turning the key. The door opened.
The two of them stood stock still. No one moved a muscle. Then, the two of them began to laugh.
“Shh,� Rene said, covering her smile with his hand. The footsteps were louder and now he could hear voices. “They are almost upon us. Quickly, now.� He grabbed her hand and was about to run when he thought better of it. He let her go for one brief minute while he kicked the jailer’s body inside the cell; slammed the door shut and locked it, putting the key hurriedly into his belt.
“Come, we must hurry,� he said, grabbing her hand. The two of them raced up the stairwell toward their escape.
Chapter 1
The warden paced back and forth. He looked up at the jailer and the two Guardsmen who had been overcome that morning.
“What do you mean they got away?� he asked, looking up at them. “How is this possible?�
“He had a knife, monsieur,� the Guardsman said. “He held it up to my nose and threatened to lop it off in one fell swoop.�
“And, pray tell me where had he gotten this knife? The prisoners are not supposed to carry weapons.�
“We don’t know, monsieur. We have talked to the prisoner next door to him who told me the knife had been his. The Marquis le Fleur traded his hat and his boots to get it. Apparently the other man thought that these things were important enough to him.�
�Or he just wanted to rid himself of the thing before we found out he had it.�
There was no answer, especially from either of the Guardsman.
He turned to the jailer. “And what happened to you. From where in God’s name, did that mallet suddenly appear?�
“It was my fault,� the jailer said. “It was leaning up against the wall and easily grabbed up by the Marquis le Fleur.�
The warden shook his head. “The three of you will be severely punished for this, but that will not be right away. I might strike a bargain with you, if you will agree to carry out my plan.�
“And what might that be?� the second Guardsman said.
“Follow them,� the warden said. “Find them and bring them here to me. Track their every footstep. I don’t care how you do it, just bring them back alive.�
“We might have to gain their trust,� the first Guardsman said, looking at the other two men.�
The warden frowned. “I told you, I don’t care what you do or how you do it, just bring them back to me. Is this understood?�
“Of course, monsieur,� the second Guardsman said, bowing deeply. “We will begin this very second, if this is satisfactory,�
The warden wanted to grab the three of them and shake them until they stopped breathing, but he didn’t. He just shook his head.
“Go on,� he said brushing them off with a wave of his hand, “away with you. And I do not want to see the three of you until you have done my bidding.�
“Of course, milord,� the first Guardsman said, smiling. The three of them turned and ran, heading for the same stairs that Rene and Rodmilla had made their escape.
The warden sighed and shook his head. Where had the three of them come from anyway, he realized suddenly. He had never seen them before today. He suddenly arose from his seat to go after them, but then he thought better of it. He sat down again.
If they were a part of this, they’d all end up in here, eventually. It is only a matter of time, now, he thought.