John of Chester made his way down the stone staircase to the room that he had - until recently - shared with Richard of Warwick. He went as swiftly and as silently as he could, praying to God that nobody would see him on his errand. Luck was with him that night. Their chamber was as they had left it; nothing had been disturbed. Quickly, methodically, John of Chester donned his armour and retrieved that of his comrade. Then, after making sure that the way was clear, he set out to find the men of his patrol.

The bunkhouse was in the courtyard, just outside the walls of the inner bailey, next to the stables. A trio of guards were dozing by the brazier in the courtyard. If there were others on the walls, John could not see them. He hoped that the reverse was also true. He waited in the long shadows by the walls for a minute or two; then, satisfied that he had not been observed, he trotted to the bunkhouse.

The bunkhouse was long and narrow. A dozen beds had been set up along the inner wall, each one large enough to accommodate two or three men. Tonight, however, the only occupants were the six horsemen that Richard and John had brought with them on this mission. They lay under thin blankets, tossing and turning in fitful slumber. John wrinkled his nose at the thick smells that hung in the air, before creeping to the bed of the patrol's sergeant.

"Aelfred!" John bent close to the sleeping man and whispered loudly. "Aelfred! Wake up!" His only response was an incoherent mumbling and the bed's occupant turning away from him. John reached across the sleeper and pinched the man's nose shut. "One. Two. Thr - !" He got no further. With a great snort, Aelfred thrashed himself upright and awake.

"God's bodkins!" the sergeant began, but John silenced him.

"Quiet, man! It is your captain."

Aelfred blinked, clearing his eyes of the debris of slumber. "My lord Chester. I am sorry, but I was not expecting to see you."

"Nor was I expecting to see you until morning. However, my brother Richard has other plans. He has found the baron and his wife. So, we need to leave swiftly. Get the men ready, get them mounted. As soon as Richard returns, we shall ride for Acre. Yes?"

Aelfred rolled off his pallet, smoothing down his shirt. "At once, captain." He peered around him at the sleeping men. "What hour is it?"

"Just past midnight. I think."

"A night time gallop across the desert?" Aelfred chuckled. "Well, it will be a challenge."

It did not take long for the two men to rouse the other members of the patrol. Soon the bunkhouse was filled with the noise of men surreptitiously dressing and chattering. John left Aelfred to explain the plan, such as it was, and went to the bunkhouse door. To his relief, the three guards were still sleeping in front of the brazier, snoring the night watch away.

"The men are ready," Aelfred whispered from behind. "We await your orders."

"Send two men to secure the gate," John instructed the sergeant. "The rest are to come with me to the stables. Get all our horses - then two more for Sir Charles and Lady Elizabeth. No man is to draw his sword unless it is absolutely necessary. But, if it is, they are to silence their opponent as quickly as they can. This plan relies on not rousing the garrison."

"Understood, my lord."

Aelfred whispered a series of orders to the rest of the patrol, and the men set out. As they made their way across the courtyard, John of Chester glanced up towards the towers behind them. There were only a few lights burning steadily in the windows, so it was likely that their little adventure had not yet been remarked upon. But, if that was the case ... ? "Hurry along, Richard," John muttered beneath his breath. "The longer you take, the more likely we will be discovered."

They entered the stables. The horses in their stalls shifted and nickered in surprise, and a sleepy head rose from a pile of straw. "What? Who?" Aelfred grabbed the stable boy before he could react any more and clamped a hand across the lad's mouth. The boy kicked and thrashed, but a glimpse of Aelfred's unsheathed blade quieted him.

John nodded in appreciation. "Thank you, sergeant. Boy - do not say a word. We only come to take what is ours and to borrow a pair of horses besides. It will not be long before we are gone. Then you may tell your master whatever you want. We will not be here to gainsay it." He waved to the rest of men. "Horses. Now."

As the men of the patrol readied their mounts, John once again set to watching the castle for any signs of his friend. Every minute that passed was another minute of worry. John caught himself grinding his teeth in frustration. "Come on, Richard. Come on." Then he heard a commotion from the keep - a clamour of voices, the sound of running feet and lights moving frantically back and forth. Someone came running out to the men dozing around their fire and began to shout at them, urging them to wake up. John of Chester nodded in satisfaction. "Ah!" he murmured. "If you haven't found trouble, then it has obviously found you." He turned his attention back to the stables.

"Men!" John of Chester announced. "Ready your weapons! Someone has raised the alarm!" From outside there came the sound of men shouting. John beckoned Aelfred over. "I think my lord Warwick has bitten off more than he can chew, eh? Shall we go and help him?"

Aelfred grinned. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure, my captain."