Tiuri Lures His Horse into the Woods and Hides from the Red Knights

Tiuri’s escape from the Red Knights turns the forest road into a trap and forces him to survive by improvisation rather than arms. Newly charged with carrying a sealed letter to King Unauwen, he is unarmed when riders begin closing in; his brief flight ends not in safety, but in concealment high among the branches, where he waits for the danger to pass.

Mission and First Encounter

After the Black Knight with the White Shield dies, Tiuri sets out to carry the knight’s letter to King Unauwen, west of the Great Mountain Range of Dagonaut and Unauwen. He does not want to return to Dagonaut City: the detour would cost time, and explaining his errand would break its secrecy. He intends instead to reach a nearby inn, tell its keeper that the knight is dead, and arrange for a message to be sent to the city. He also hopes that the knight will receive an honest burial and that his murderers will be identified.

On the ride, Tiuri hears branches crack and sees a mounted man approaching. The stranger is equipped for battle, with helmet and mail, lance and sword; his surcoat, shield, and helmet feathers are red as blood. Tiuri recognizes him as one of the Red Knights and realizes that he has no weapon. He nevertheless keeps riding calmly, trying not to betray his alarm. The rider moves aside to let him pass, then asks where he has come from and where he is going. Tiuri refuses to answer and gives only a curt greeting before continuing.

The Pursuit Closes In

Tiuri expects an attack from behind as he rides away, but none comes at once. He lets out a breath without looking back or quickening his pace. Then he hears the rider call after him. When he finally turns, another Red Knight has joined the first; both are watching him. One calls out again, and a distant voice answers. The unanswered questions about their intentions give way to a clear fact: they are communicating, and Tiuri is being followed.

He urges his tired horse to go faster, still aiming for the inn. A third Red Knight appears from the right and orders him to stop. Before Tiuri can respond, a fourth arrives from the opposite side, nearly blocking his path. More riders seem to fill the woods. They shout for him to halt, but Tiuri does not obey. He swings the horse toward dense growth and plunges into the forest in a desperate attempt to shake them.

The chase carries him over hills and through plants and thorny undergrowth, with shouts continuing behind him. He knows only that he does not want to be killed as the Black Knight with the White Shield was. For a time, he gains ground, but the advantage cannot last: his horse is tired, the forest is difficult to cross, and his pursuers are numerous. The danger is not simply that the Red Knights are faster; the terrain and the exhaustion of his mount are steadily closing off his choices.

A Horse as Decoy

Tiuri responds with a sudden change of plan. He jumps from the horse, strikes its hindquarters to send it onward, and runs in the opposite direction. While the horse draws the riders along its route, Tiuri climbs a tree as quickly as he can and hides among the foliage. The maneuver depends on separating himself from the most visible sign of his flight: the horse keeps moving, while its rider vanishes above the path.

From his hiding place, Tiuri sees several riders pass beneath the tree without noticing him. Their failure to look up gives him a chance to remain concealed, but it does not immediately make him feel safe. He hears their calls fading into the distance and waits. Only after a while does he dare shift into a more comfortable position; he still does not climb down, in case the riders return.

Temporary Escape

The scene ends with Tiuri still in the tree, not yet free to resume his journey. The woods look peaceful again, an unsettling contrast with the pursuit that has just swept through them. His escape is therefore a narrow, provisional success: he has avoided capture by the Red Knights, but remains alone, without weapons, and unsure whether they will come back.

The episode changes the character of his mission. What had been a secret delivery entrusted to him after the knight’s death now requires him to evade armed pursuers before he can even reach the nearby inn. His refusal to disclose his destination, his quick decision to use the horse as a decoy, and his patience in remaining hidden all preserve the mission for the moment. The letter itself remains with him, while the riders continue searching for the person they have failed to see beneath the tree.