Flight of the Falcon (Noble Heart Book 1) Read online

  But what if she hadn’t left? What if the Mullins brothers had done something to her, something worse than driving her from the mews? Fear filled Noble’s heart. Fly had been his companion since Grandfather’s death. She had explored the forest and the fields with him, provided food for him and Granny. She had helped fill his lonely days. He could not bear the thought that the two evil men might have hurt her.

  Noble fell to one knee in the grass and prayed, telling his Heavenly Father of his fear and pain, and pleading for God’s help in finding his falcon. Never since Grandfather had died had he felt so alone. Granny was not there to put her arms around him and stroke his hair as she had done when he was little. He had only his Lord to whom he could turn.

  Noble remained on his knees for a moment when he had finished pouring out his heart. A peace seemed to come over him and he heard, as he had so many times before, the voice of the Lord whispering in his ear, “Fear not, Noble. I am with you. I will never leave you or forsake you.” He was not alone. Grandfather was gone. Granny was not there. Fly may be lost. But his Heavenly Father was there by his side, and he was not alone. No matter what happened he would trust in Him, and his Lord would see him through.

  Noble stood to his feet and looked to the skies once more. There was no miracle. Fly did not suddenly appear. Noble was comforted nonetheless. He would go on and he would look for Fly for as long and as far as he could, but he would not fear. His faith was in the Lord whatever the outcome.

  He had just started to walk again when he heard the sound of horse’s hooves behind him. Noble turned. Someone was coming from the city, headed directly toward him across the field. He stopped and watched the horse and rider approach. As they drew near Noble saw to his surprise that it was Jamie!

  “Jamie!” he called. “What is it? Has Fly been found?” For a moment he dared to hope.

  “I’m sorry. No, my friend. The master of the mews came to the stables and told us what happened. He asked the stable master if he could send someone with a horse after you to help you look for Fly. He felt you could get further with a horse. I volunteered to go.”

  “Thank you, Jamie. It will help to have someone here with me.” In his heart, Noble was thanking the Lord for sending his friend so quickly. It did feel good to have Jamie there at his side. “Will the horse carry us both, Jamie? I have not had much experience at riding.”

  “Yes, of course. Come on, Noble. There is a lot of ground—or should I say sky—to cover before it gets dark.” Noble scrambled up behind Jamie and the two boys set off, shouting and whistling for the peregrine falcon.

  “Where do you want to go, Noble?” Jamie asked as they rode.

  “I have been thinking, Jamie. If she is not around here, and it appears that she is not, perhaps she went back to Granny’s. She would feel safe there. It is her old hunting grounds and familiar to her. It is too far for me to walk there today, but now with a horse we can do it and still have time to look for her once we get there. Do you think they will mind if we take the horse all the way to Granny’s?”

  Jamie shook his head. “No, your master told me to stay with you for as long as you want to search.”

  “He is a kind man, Jamie. I am thankful for him.” It was true. Just when he needed it most, the Lord had reminded him that he was not alone after all, even in the city. He had friends there, good friends who cared about him. Jamie, the master of the mews, Sir Robert—why, even Prince William and the king himself had befriended him! Noble’s heart began to feel lighter and he patted Jamie’s shoulder now in friendship. “Thank you, my friend,” he said.

  The boys rode on, always calling and searching the sky and treetops. There was no sign of Fly, but just drawing near to home made Noble feel more hopeful. “There is Granny’s cottage!” he finally pointed out to Jamie. “Ride on, though, for now. We will come back after we’ve searched the area around here, but I do not want to worry her any sooner than I must. She will be heartbroken if Fly is gone for good. Grandfather raised Fly from the egg, and he was very proud of her. Granny was so glad that I was able to take over with the falcon after Grandfather died.” Thankfully Granny was nowhere to be seen at the moment, so they slipped past the little cottage on the edge of the forest as quietly as they could.

  They came at last to the fields where Noble had spent many a happy hour with Grandfather and Fly. They were empty. The broad blue sky was empty, as well, with not even a robin or dove in sight. Noble sighed. The last hope in his heart seemed to die. If she was not here, then it was unlikely that he would find her at all. Perhaps she had loved that taste of freedom after all, loved it more than she did her young master. He really could not blame her. Truly, Fly was a wild animal still, whether she had been raised by men or not. Perhaps she wanted to hunt for herself, find a mate, live freely without cages and leather straps to hold her.

  The boys spent another half hour out there looking for the falcon, calling her name over and over. At last Noble held up his hand and said, “Enough, Jamie. She is not here. Let us return to Granny’s house. I will have to tell her what has happened.”

  They were silent as they mounted the horse and turned back toward the little cottage. Granny was in the garden when they returned. She looked up when she heard the horse approaching. At first she did not even recognize her grandson on the horse with the other boy, but when he called her name she stared in amazement and said, “Noble? Is it really you? What has happened? Why are you here?”

  “I am looking for Fly, Granny. She is missing. I believe George and Frederick Mullins released her from her pen. I have been looking for her all day.”

  “Oh, no! Oh, no, Noble! How could they?” Granny was clearly distressed at the news.

  Noble made no comment on the Mullins brothers, but slid off the horse and hugged his grandmother tightly. “Granny, I would like you to meet my friend Jamie,” he said at last. “Jamie works in the stables at the castle. The master sent him after me to help me look for Fly and to furnish a horse that I might be able to travel more quickly. That is how we come to be here. I thought Fly might return home, but I have not found her.”

  Granny turned to the stable boy. “I am happy to meet you, Jamie. Come in now, both of you. I will make you something to eat, for I am sure you have not eaten all day, have you?”

  “Not since breakfast, Granny.” It seemed like it had been a week since he had overslept and wolfed down that hurried meal. They followed her into the cottage and sat at the table as she bustled around scooping up soup for them from the pot in the fireplace and setting scones and blackberry jam before them, as well.

  “It will soon be dark, Noble,” she said as they ate. “Must you return to the castle tonight?”

  Noble shook his head. “Nay. We have permission to look for as long as we want, but I think we ought to return early in the morning. We will leave at dawn. I do not think we will find Fly now, Granny, and I do not want to take advantage of the master’s good will, or of Jamie’s master, either. We must return the horse, and we ought both to get back to our work.”

  They finished their supper and sat chatting quietly with Granny for a while. Finally Noble said, “Let me chop some wood for you tonight, Granny, while it is still light. Are there other chores to be done? We will fetch some water for you, as well.”

  Jamie offered to go down to the stream for the water while Noble chopped the wood, so Granny handed him the buckets and pointed him in the right direction. Noble went out back behind the vegetable patch and began splitting the logs that lay near the chopping block. He would have to go into the forest soon and bring back more wood.

  It was nearly dark when at last he was done. He set the ax down and began gathering the wood in his arms. He had to walk right past Fly’s empty pen to stack the wood in the pile next to the house. He could barely glance at it. It hurt too badly to see the empty perch and know that he would probably never see Fly again.

  Noble bent to stack the wood, blinking back a sudden tear. Whether it was a small noise
that made him turn his head, or a movement that he caught from the corner of his eye, Noble saw something in the dark crack between Fly’s pen and the cottage. He dropped the wood. “Fly?” he whispered.

  The falcon was huddled in her hidey-hole, staring at Noble as if she wondered why he had left her alone so long all day. Noble did not bother to get his leather glove, but held out his arm for her to step on. Her talons went through the thin material of his sleeve but he did not mind. He had his falcon back! Thank you, Lord!

  Noble clutched the leather jesses that were still attached to her and stood up. It was just as he had thought. When the Mullins brothers had driven her from her mews, Fly had returned to the one place where she felt safe. She did not want to leave the life she had enjoyed with Grandfather and Noble, after all. She had made the choice of her own free will to return.

  There was rejoicing that night in the little cottage at the edge of the forest. The lost had been found. Fly was safely back in her pen and Noble and Jamie slept peacefully in the loft, their long, hard day behind them at last. It had ended well and they would leave at daybreak for the castle.

  They bid Granny farewell the next morning and rode back as quickly as they could. Noble had put together a perch for Fly, donned an old gauntlet, and held tightly now to the jesses. He would take no chances on losing her again!

  Noble had been tempted to leave his falcon at Granny’s. He had no desire to put her in harm’s way again with the Mullins brothers around. He realized, though, that leaving her behind would not be the right thing to do for Fly, either. She did not belong in a cage day after day, and Granny could not take her out to the fields. He had a duty to return to the king and the master of the mews, so with him Fly must go. At the moment, though, his heart longed for the simple days of living with Granny and tramping the forest and fields with Fly each day. He had had no enemies then.

  Noble left Jamie and the horse at the stables with many thanks, both for his friend and for the stable master. He hurried to the Royal Mews, carrying Fly carefully. Once again he thanked his Heavenly Father for the safe return of his feathered companion. Noble was surprised to see the master of the mews standing at the gate, looking worried and upset.

  The master’s face instantly cleared when he saw Noble coming, and he cried out in joy at the sight of Fly. “You found her!” he shouted.

  “Yes. She had gone back to my grandmother’s house. Thank you, Master, for sending Jamie after me. Because of the horse we were able to get all the way to Granny’s before dark.”

  “The falcon is unhurt?”

  “Yes, she is fine. But Master, we must think of another way to protect her from the Mullins brothers. The next time they might do worse than simply letting her loose.”

  The master of the mews clapped Noble on the shoulder. “My boy, you have nothing more to fear from George and Frederick Mullins. When King Stephen heard what they had done, he took away their positions as royal falconers and banished them from the city!” he said with a smile of satisfaction on his face. “I think they would have faced even more severe punishment if we could have proven for sure that they did it, but as it was, the king felt confident that they were the ones behind this mischief to hurt you, and so he let them go. You may rest peacefully tonight, Noble, that Fly will be safe here now.”

  A boulder seemed to be lifted off of Noble’s heart. He bowed his head right then and there and simply said, “Thank you, Lord!”

  ____________

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  ____________

  The Fair at King’s Crossing

  The big day of the fair dawned five days later. The young people from the castle were required to get their early chores done first before they could leave. Noble had just finished cleaning out the last of the mews when Jamie and the young servants from the kitchen stopped by the gate for him. “Go, go!” the master said. “I will feed and water the birds. Have fun, Noble! You have earned it!”

  The walk to King’s Crossing took less than an hour in their haste to get to the fair. They were a merry group, feeling a little taste of freedom on a day that would have normally meant hard work. They laughed and chattered eagerly all along the way.

  The streets of King’s Crossing were packed with people. Noble had become accustomed to the crowds in the fortified city surrounding the castle, but this was different. People had come from all around the countryside to sell their wares, of course, but mainly for the merry-making and entertainment to be found at the fair.

  Everywhere they turned there was something exciting to watch! There were jugglers and acrobats, wandering musicians, jesters, dancers, performing dogs and monkeys—even a dancing bear! Noble had never seen anything like it! His eyes were wide and his mouth dropped at many of the amazing sights. Gypsies had set up fortune-telling booths, as well, but Noble turned away from them, knowing they were wrong.

  Good smells filled the air as vendors sold their wares on the streets. Tarts, small cakes, sugary confections and candied nuts were just some of the goodies to be enjoyed as they strolled along the streets. The young people from the castle carefully doled out their few pennies for the wondrous sweets and shared them among themselves so each got a taste, at least, of the sticky treats.

  Most wonderful of all, though, was the royal tournament! They made their way early to the fields where the tournament was to be held in order to find a good spot for viewing. A box was set up for the king and queen and their guests to sit in luxury and comfort. It was empty at the moment. The royal party had not yet arrived.

  Noble knew many of the knights who were participating in the tournament, although not all. There were some from neighboring kingdoms, and even a few from across the sea. The tournament would be the most exciting thing he had ever seen. His eyes were already shining with anticipation!

  Finally the trumpets rang out and King Stephen and his family, as well as some of the members of his court and a few dignitaries from other kingdoms entered the royal box. They were seated and the trumpets rang out once more. The knights and noblemen who would participate in the competitions entered the field. King Stephen stood to his feet and welcomed all to the royal tournament. He reminded the contestants of the rules of the games, and the tournament began with another flourish of the trumpets.

  Noble and his friends cheered on their favorites until they were hoarse. Sir Robert was one of the best. He won the archery competition and came in second in the fencing. He beat each of his opponents in the jousting until the very last match when he was toppled from his horse by Sir Edward, one of his own best friends! The two men met in the middle in front of the king’s box and laughed and clapped one another on the shoulders. In the end, Sir Edward was declared the winner by King Stephen. Noble was a bit disappointed for his friend Sir Robert, but since he liked Sir Edward, too, all was well. The tournament ended all too soon for the young people, but at last they turned to leave the field and go out into the town once more for a last bit of fun before they headed back to the castle.

  Prince William spotted Noble in the crowd and called out his name. Noble looked up and saw the little boy waving wildly at him. He smiled and waved back, but the crush of the crowd and his friends pulling him along prevented him from being able to get any closer. “I will see you later, Your Highness,” he tried to call to William, but his words were lost in the noise of the merry-making going on around him.

  Noble was swept along out of the tournament field in the flood of people. The sun was getting low in the sky, and although the fair would go on for a while into the night, he and his friends would have to leave before dark. Hugo and Charlie were eager to watch the acrobats once more before they left, so the group of friends made their way as best they could back to the center of town. Noble spotted Prince William already there when they reached the town square. The mob of people was between them, but the child was not far away, with his nanny and one or two of the king’s guards. They were watching the dancing bear, and little William was clapping his hands in de
light.

  A bellow of rage rose above the crowd just then. A fight had broken out near the bear and the crowd surrounding it. Two of the gypsy men were fighting, rolling in the dirt and yelling. The crowd turned to watch as the men threw punches and kicks at one another. Noble and his friends watched for a minute or two, as well, from across the way. Some of the onlookers broke out in cheers, urging the men on, eager for even more excitement than they had already experienced that day.

  Noble turned away. It was one thing to watch the knights fight with blade and bow to protect the king and the kingdom, and something else to see this brawl in the streets over what? An angry word? A small insult or injury? Noble had no interest in such things. Suddenly, though, something else caught his eye as he turned. The prince’s nanny was scurrying around looking up and down the street and trying to peer between and below the people around her. The guards were running to and fro with their swords drawn.

  Finally the nanny screamed. “The prince! The prince is gone! Prince William is missing!” The crowd turned to stare at this new attraction, a woman screaming for help. As her words sank in, though, there were gasps and shouts from some of the folks in the crowd. People began running back and forth, joining in the search for the little boy.

  Noble heard the nanny’s words, and for a moment he simply shook his head, chuckling over the antics of the little boy. William’s enthusiasm would get him into trouble one day! He wondered where the child had run off to this time. Now, though, as he watched the nanny and guards continue their frantic search, Noble quickly realized that something was indeed very wrong. His own heart seemed to stop for a moment and he looked around him in concern. Where was William?

  He had just joined in the hunt when something else caught his eye. The two gypsy men had stopped their fight as abruptly as it had begun and stood up grinning. Noble saw one of them wink at the other as they calmly strolled away together through the panicked crowd. Noble suddenly realized in alarm—the gypsies had something to do with Prince William’s disappearance! They had provided a distraction to draw away the nanny’s and guards’ attention while someone else snatched the little boy!