“Damnation, the witch is with them,” Arundal said. “Perhaps she intends to lead the attack.”

Marcus moved his horse close to Addis. “I am going to send them an offer to negotiate.”

“Carwyn has already refused to parlay, and won’t do so now, not with our troops arrayed.”

“I think that he might. I will ask for a meeting. He can bring whomever else he wants, but Nesta must accompany him.”

“He will never risk coming down.”

“He might if our messenger is kept up there until he returns. Especially if the hostage is an important man.”

Addis flipped up his visor. His eyes reflected resignation as he absorbed just who Marcus thought that hostage should be.

“I doubt we can get Arundal to go, and Hubert is not valuable. Neither of them is clever and quick-witted enough anyway,” Marcus explained.

Addis sighed deeply. He pulled off his helmet, and called for his squire to take it and his lance. Hubert and Arundal watched with surprise from twenty paces away.

“What am I to say?” Addis asked.

“Get him and Nesta to a meeting between our lines. Say that the presence of my betrothed in their ranks distresses me, and that I believe she is being held against her will. Let Carwyn think that I might agree to something disadvantageous to us.”

“I do not think he will listen.”

“He might not, but Nesta will. Those cheers were not only for him, but also for her. Llygad’s daughter has power with that army, and Carwyn knows it.”

Addis began trotting forward. Marcus called to Hubert and Arundal to stay behind, and accompanied his friend.

Addis turned to look at their astonished comrades. “Don’t let them do something stupid. I don’t want to be kept.”

“If something goes wrong, I will ransom you.”

“You seem very calm, as if things are unfolding much as you had hoped.” He tightened his reins and prepared for a gallop as they approached the point where Marcus would have to turn back. “Hell, I hope that you know what you are doing.”

Marcus sat in the tent that had been set up between the two armies. A table had been built out of planks and logs. Crude stools, requisitioned from the camps, surrounded it. A fire pot cast some warmth.

Addis was up with Carwyn’s men, but Arundal and Hubert had insisted on joining the parlay. Marcus would have liked to avoid that. He would not be able to speak frankly with them present.

Horses approached. All of them fixed their eyes on the flap through which their enemy would walk.

Nesta entered first. She examined the three of them with noble disdain. Even the gaze that lingered on Marcus contained little warmth.