Grant was sitting on the sofa when the knock came. He opened the door and found the monarch staring at him.

“You better come in sir.”

When the king entered he asked, “How is he?”

“Still the same sir. He just lies upon his bed.”

The king grimaced.

“We have a serious problem Grant and I need my captain back.”
Grant pointed to the bedroom door.

“Then you go and tell him sir. Because I can’t.”

The king nodded and marched through the open door and found Charly staring into empty space

He simply glanced up.

“She’s here you know.”

The baffled monarch guffawed.

“Now look here captain, the healer needs your help badly.”

“Come on sweetheart...”

As the perplexed king watched, he clearly saw a spectral cat jump onto the bed and purr loudly.

Grant tapped his shoulder.

“He thinks she’s still here.”

The king glanced at him.

“I can see it too.”

“See what?” Grant asked.

“His cat of course.”

They watched as Charly stroked her before he glanced up again.

“What’s this about the healer?”

The king was so astounded that he was struck dumb.

“Come on now out with it.”

“Well captain. It seems that three of our people have gone down with
some malady or other. She just wants you to look into it.”

Charly grinned like his old self.

“Come on Christine off you get now. Daddy’s got work to do.”

As the king watched, the spectral cat jumped off the bed and headed
for her wooden bowl. Within lay a cold portion of fish.

Charly climbed out and walked over.

“Come on Grant, it’s work time.”

As they left, the monarch glanced at the feeding cat. He even heard
the crunch of those ghostly teeth.

“I don’t know about Charly,” he muttered. “One thing I am sure of though...I need to lie down.”

He left as his captain entered the healing room.

He immediately saw the woman glancing up from the wooden table upon which, a body lay.

“About time sir.”

“What have you got for me then?”

“One dead and three who are quite ill.”

“What did they eat last?”

The woman seemed annoyed by the question. Pointing to the first
patient she said, “He had pork. The second had potatoes and the third had fish. I checked that sir.”

Charly scratched his weary head.

“So we can rule out food poisoning then.”

“We certainly can,” the healer said sarcastically.

“I need to know where they live.”

“Why?”

Charly gave her an icy stare.

“So that I can question their spouses of course.”

Once he got the information, he popped into the blacksmiths.

“How is it going smithy?”

“No luck I’m afraid. Whatever these swords are made from, I can’t
replicate it.”

“Just keep trying eh? Our lives may depend upon it.”

The poor man nodded as the friends left.

“Let’s see our friend the alchemist eh?” Charly muttered leading the
way.

When they entered, they saw a barrel standing at the rear wall.

“Hello captain, your recipe is producing results.”

Charly peeked into the barrel and saw that it was half-full with
black powder.

“At least you know what to do.”

“Can you tell me one thing?”

“Just name it.”

“Why make this useless stuff?”

Charley smiled at the question.

“Call it a keepsake. Come on Grant, we have an investigation you
know.”

As they headed for the nearby settlement, Grant was puzzled.

“I know that you are scheming something. I just don’t know what.”

“It’s far better believe me.”

At the settlement, they soon found the first spouse. A rather cross
old woman who was ill disposed to answer stupid questions.

“I tell you this sir. The fish had been properly cooked upon this yonder hearth.”

“Did it smell okay?” Charly asked.

“Of course it did. Do you think that I would give my husband rotten fish?”

Charly quickly backtracked.

“Of course not madam. Did he perhaps drink stilted wine?”

The woman was deeply shocked.

“He bought it from the king’s own distiller sir.”

Charly nodded.

“Thanks for the help.”

Outside the wooden home Charly stopped to think.

“I thought you ruled out food poisoning?”

“I have Grant. Come on.”

At the second home, a sprightly young lady was a bit too keen to
help.

“He had three platefuls of potatoes sir.”

“All nicely boiled?” Charly asked.

“To a ‘T’ sir. You see, he needs those to do the business.”

Charley’s cheeks reddened at once.

“Oh I see. How long after did he fall ill then?”

The girl thought back.

“About an hour sir.”

The answer gave Grant an idea.

“Why are you not ill may I ask?”

“Cause sir I don’t like potatoes.”

Charly smiled and led them to the third home.

Inside, they found a weeping woman.

“Sorry about your loss mam but we need to ask a few questions.”

She glanced up at Charly rather coldly.

“What about?”

“We understand that your spouse had pork mam.”

“What if he did? He is a brute anyway.”

Charley’s ears pricked up.

“So why the tears?”

She stared toward the empty floor.

“My ruddy cat has died that’s why.”

Charly reeled and would have fallen, if Grant had not caught him.

“Your cat died too?” he stammered.

“Lively yesterday then all fever and shiver today. I held her to the
end.”

Charly absorbed the terrible shock.

“I need to know what you fed her.”

The tear stricken woman said, “Fish and water of course.”

“Where do you get the water from?” Charly asked coldly.

“From the ruddy castle well!”

Charly grabbed Grant and pulled him outside.

“Now we have a real problem.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“We know the food is okay right?”

“Yes...”

“I fed Christine fish and water too. So, what is the one thing that
we cannot do without?”

Grant knew at once.

“Water.”

Charly nodded.

“Someone must have poisoned the ruddy well!”

They returned to their steeds and rode at breakneck speed back to the castle. Without thinking, they went straight to the king.

Once the facts were laid before him, the king mulled it over.

“So you believe that this was an attempt at mass murder?”

“Almost certainly sire. If we don’t stop people drinking our water
the toll will rise.”

“Who would do such a thing?” the king asked. “Agents of the black knight perhaps.”

“I think not sire,” Charly replied.

He then disclosed the attack upon himself and Grant.

“Why not tell me sooner?”

“I couldn’t sire. We killed the attackers and I hoped any further malcontents would back off.”

“Obviously you were wrong then. Did you recognise any of them?”

Charly thought back.

“One at least was a pike man sire. Went by the name of Greg.”

Now it was the king’s turn to think.

“I know of him. You may want to talk to his mate.”

“Who is that sir?” Grant asked.

“A man called Luke.”

The captain nodded and headed into the very bowels of the castle.
They entered the quarters with drawn swords as the surprised man looked up.

“What the hell do you want sir?”

The friends put the sword points to his chest and Charly hissed, “Tell me about Greg.”

“I know that he’s missing that’s all though.”

“You are lying mate,” Charly hissed. “He and his ruffians tried to kill us.”

“They had a meeting sir. I even tried to talk them out of it.”

“Ever heard of guilt by association?” Grant asked.

The pike man became a frightened rabbit.

“I’m not a threat.”

“Who else was at this meeting then?” Charly demanded.

“Only one more sir. Brundhide.”

Grant at once recognised the name.

“The north tower guard.”

Charly smiled and glanced at Grant.

“Let’s go kill the poisoner mate.”

As they approached the north tower entrance Grant stopped him.

“You really want to kill him?”

Charly pointed to the weapons.

“When he sees these, he will know the games up. Of course I want to kill him. He murdered my cat!”

They climbed the stone steps slowly and suddenly burst onto the tower rampart. The surprised guard swung around but Charley’s blade reached his throat.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Who are you working for?” Grant demanded.

“No one of course. I just wanted revenge.”

“Revenge for what?” Charly asked. “For the death of your
conspirators?”

“We wanted to kill you because of the threat that you truly pose.”

“What threat?” Grant asked.

The man grinned.

“While the captain lives, we are all in danger. Mark my words, he will bring condign destruction upon us all.”

Charly pushed the sword point until his throat bled.

“You are coming with us to the king on a charge of attempted mass
murder. What poison did you use by the way?”

“Arsenic mate. As for the king well...”

He suddenly lashed out with his knee and Charly stumbled. Before anything could be done, he ran to the battlements and threw himself into space.

As the friends gazed down upon the smashed body Charly muttered, “The bastard deserved it. Come on Grant, we have to shut down the well until I figure out a way to flush the ruddy poison out.”