On the morning of the next day the Master left the village where he had slept and began to set off without any unusual urgency. It is said that on the way he revealed this affair to some of his men, namely to the commander of Juromenha, as well as to Fernando Álvares, Lourenço Martins de Leiria, Vasco Lourenço (who later became a bailiff), Lopo Vasques (who later became a grand commander) and Rui Pereira, who went out to meet him. The Master addressed one of them as follows: ‘Go on ahead as fast as you can and tell Álvaro Pais to get ready, because I’m about to do the deed that he knows about.’

The squire went off in haste, gave Álvaro Pais the message and went back to the Master, who was approaching. The Master was wearing a haubergeon and came accompanied by some twenty men all wearing haubergeons, vambraces and swords hanging from their waists as if on a journey. He reached the palace at the hour of tierce or just after, without stopping anywhere else. When he dismounted and they began to ascend to the upper floor, they whispered among themselves, ‘All be ready, because the Master intends to kill Count Juan Fernández.’

The queen was in her chamber with some of her ladies-in-waiting, all seated on the dais. Her brother the Count of Barcelos, Count Álvaro Pérez, Fernando Alfonso de Zamora, Vasco Peres de Camões and others were sitting on a bench. Count Juan Fernández, who had previously been at their head, was now standing in front of her and starting to speak to her in a leisurely manner. As he was talking, there was a knocking at the door and the doorman, as the Master entered, sought to close the door so that none of his men could enter, saying that he would ask the queen, not because he held any of them in suspicion, but because she was in mourning, and it was not customary for anyone to enter, except those lords [with her], without first informing her. The Master replied to the doorman, ‘What gives you the right to say that?’ and entered in such a way that all his men went in with him. He advanced slowly towards where the queen was. She stood up, as also did everyone else present.