Following the wooden fence on the west side of the hunting ground, Isabelle Walton and the would-be knight Herbert marched to a stream called Villegil, near the southernmost end of the hunting ground.

Herbert took it for granted that Isabel was hunting. Although the lady did not directly state what kind of prey she intended to catch, he could tell from the highly serious expression on her face that the hunt would not be as simple as he thought.

Isabel jumped off her horse and walked straight to the stream to observe her surroundings to the left and right. The purebred war horse Onix, beside him, obediently walked to the side of the stream on his own, stretched his neck, and drank the clear stream water with his tongue. At this time, Herbert also jumped off his horse and walked to her side, looked out of the hunting ground fence in front of her, and said, "Ma'am, go through the hunting ground fence in front of you, and continue about 1.5 miles south to the village of East Hawkswell." ”

Isabel was not interested in such a small village, but asked, "Do you know where this stream flows?" ”

Herbert thought about it and said, "Ma'am, this is a stream, not a river, so it will have many branches leading to different places. Some branches flow to the central part of His Highness's hunting grounds, but the main branches flow to the village of Scotton in the east, eventually to the River Swell in the north, and then to the North Sea all the way east. ”

"Herbert, why didn't you just tell me it would flow to the village of Scotton to the east?"

"Ma'am, because I want you to know about the direction of this stream."

She had thought that Herbert, who looked younger, was a man who spoke and did things happily, but now she had turned that idea upside down. It seems that the British will always be British, and they will always be so rigid and rigorous.

Isabel sneered softly, shook her head, and crouched down to examine the marks on the grass. By learning the art of hunting, she was now able to distinguish between different tracks and traces left by animals, humans or horses. When she saw a fresh horseshoe print, she rushed to the young knight-to-be behind her, and said, "Herbert, come here." ”

Herbert crouched down to examine the fresh horseshoe print, and hesitated, "According to my observations, this is a horseshoe print that has just been left behind." Judging by the shape of the farrier and the degree of wear, it is probably a horse from a border area. ”

"Very well, I am well aware of what you are talking about. Now, can you tell me why horseshoe prints appear here? ”

"Why? Well, maybe it was left behind by the brothers of the guard team when they passed through here, or maybe it was left behind when His Highness's hunting ground keeper was patrolling the hunting grounds. Or maybe the farmer's horse in East Hawkswell accidentally ran into His Highness's domain? Oh my God, how dare the peasants here come into His Highness's domain? ”

"Herbert, could you please be quiet for a moment?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Then, Isabel found some human footprints in the vicinity of the horseshoe prints. From the messy tracks, it can be seen that at least two men will be present by the stream. After showing Herbert the footprints of a human, she decided to find a few more pieces of evidence to verify Herbert's words, or to disprove his words.

He walked up to Onix, who had drunk enough water, and said to Herbert, "Let's go east and follow this stream." Look for such horseshoe prints and footprints left by men. ”

When Herbert got on his horse, he asked her, "Ma'am, if I am not mistaken, the prey you intend to capture is certainly not an animal." ”

"Really? What do you think? ”

"Ma'am, if that's the case, I think I should report the situation here to Your Highness."

"Herbert, you can wait a minute. How about I wait for the final decision before I report to His Highness? ”

"Of course. If these horseshoe prints and footprints were left by the brothers of the guards or the gamekeepers, the only way to defamate the reputation of others is to use a duel. ”

As the two rode slowly east along the stream, Herbert said curiously, "Ma'am, why do you have to follow these footprints or horseshoe prints whose it cannot be proved?" ”

Isabel focused her gaze on the ground, looking for horseshoe prints and footprints, and said, "Because I don't know if these people who ride past here on horseback will pose a threat to the safety of His Highness." ”

A few minutes later, as the two rode east to the east side of the hunting ground, Herbert pointed to a farmhouse directly outside the fence in front of him and said, "Ma'am, that is the village of Scotton, and the stream that flows through here is called Scotton Stream. ”

From the natural environment and signs of human activity, there is a large forest on the left to the east of the hunting ground, Scoton Stream on the right, and the village of Scoton adjacent to the hunting ground woods in the front. So, is it possible that these two suspicious men are hiding in the village of Scoton?

Isabel sat on her horse and pondered, "Are these two guys hiding in that village?" ”

"If it had been before Henry and I came to the hunting grounds, they would probably have done so. However, the hunt has begun, and if I still hide in the village, I will lose the opportunity to kill me. ”

"Well, these two guys won't be in the village. If I had been an assassin, I would have been in a pre-selected sniper position by this time. ”

At this point, she glanced at the large woods of the hunting ground on her left. He then jumped off his horse and bent down to check the ground for horseshoe prints and footprints. However, she found no human footprints, only a few more horseshoe prints. Excitingly, these horseshoe prints are exactly the same as the ones just found by the stream.

Then she hurriedly got on her horse and said to Herbert, "Quick, let's go to the woods to the east." ”

Soon, the two rode to the edge of the large wooded area to the east of the hunting ground. Here, Isabel found the same horseshoe prints and the man's footprints she had seen earlier. Not only that, but she also found grass roots, feces, and urine left over after the horses had eaten them. What pleased her the most was that she found traces of humans sitting on the ground and some tiny jerky-clipped crumbs near the roots of the grass that the horses had eaten.

Kneeling on the grass on one leg, rubbing the dried meat crumbs with his hands, he stared at the woods in front of him and said, "Herbert, what is the best thing to do if a man wants to hide himself in the woods and does not want others to find out?" ”

Herbert knelt beside her in the same position, looked at the woods and said, "The best way?" Well, it is possible to hide behind the bushes. Of course, if you want people to keep him from discovering at all, you need to hide your horses. ”

Isabel doesn't think the problem of horses is very important, just find the person you are looking for. At this time, she stood up and said, "Now, you and Ma stay here." Don't go into the woods until you hear my call. ”

"Ma'am, would you like to walk into the woods? It's too dangerous to do that. Herbert asked, surprised.

"It's okay, as long as you don't get discovered by the enemy." Isabel said as she removed the quiver from Onyx and put it on her back, examining the longbow and two daggers.

"Enemies? Ma'am, who are you hunting? ”

"Herbert, I think you should wait until I get back to ask this question."