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are there. They will not get any further."
    William showed that he was now becoming more thoughtful, "But they are rebels and Scots. Their lands are to the north."
    "And they will try to take the road west, to Hawick.  That is in Scotland."
    "Will they not try to go across country?"
    Aelric laughed, "I wish they would, young lord, their heavy horses would struggle and my archers would have fine sport hunting them." He was right.  The moors and high grounds did not suit mailed men on heavy horses. They would have to stay on the roads.
    My men were riding fresher horses.  We had not charged very far while the enemy had charged twice. They would tire sooner. Scout was eager to ride and we made good time on the twisting road south.  There were places they could turn off but each one was held by a garrison. Otterburn had no lord of the manor and just a tower. That was their best chance of escape. I had ten men at arms and ten archers with me.  The nine men we pursued would be caught. Sir Richard I knew. He had rebelled before.  The other two I did not although I recognised their liveries.  One was a Balliol and the other a de Vexin. I hoped to capture them.  They were worth more to us alive than dead for we could ransom them and I also wanted information.
    "My lord could we not ride ahead?  Our horses are fresh and it will worry our prey."
    "Aye Aelric, that is a good idea but be careful.  You are more valuable to me than these rebels."
    Their horses took off like greyhounds.  I had no doubt that they would spy them before too long. The land began to rise to the pass which would allow us to spy out the land ahead and around.  I saw a knot of riders ahead. They were too far away to identify but John's sharp eyes saw that they had helmets.  It was the men we sought.  The dead ground ahead hid our archers from us but I had no doubt that the riders saw them. They sealed their own fate when they took off west. Hawick was just fifteen miles away but it would be across country.  They were going to risk the high moors on tired horses.  Aelric would be rubbing his hands.
    "Wulfric we head west to cut them off."  Although our horses would also struggle on the rough ground we could cut the traitors off. Their eyes would be on Aelric and his archers.  I did not worry about my archers.  When they reached arrow range they would stop and loose arrows at the fleeing men.  They would wear them down.
    There were paths and tracks across the moors; animals and hunters made them. They were not always straight but if you had the time to watch for them then they made easier going than the tussocks, rocks and hidden holes which would trap the unwary. Our enemies were fleeing.  They would not look for safe paths. We lost sight of the nine as they dropped into a lower piece of ground.  When they emerged, sometime later, I saw that there were but seven of them.  Two were missing. The seven survivors disappeared again and we focussed on negotiating the trail.  When they reappeared I saw that they were just a mile away and we were converging.
    Wulfric shouted, "I can see Aelric.  He has their backs covered.  We have them."
    They must have realised so too for they stopped and waited for us. As we approached they dismounted and I saw that one of the horses was lame. Even as we drew close its rider cut its throat. No horseman wanted his mount to suffer.  I saw that the seven who awaited us were the knights and squires.  Only one man at arms remained. I saw Aelric and his archers leading two horses.  I knew the fate of the two men at arms.
    We, too, dismounted when we reached them, our horses needed rest. "Your swords!" With archers approaching and Wulfric glaring at them, they complied. John and William gathered the weapons. I took my water skin from Scout and drank. I wanted them to wonder at their fate. 
    Aelric rode up. "The two men at arms tried to escape south." He grinned, "They didn't."
    "So Sir Richard, a fruitless and less