The Knight

“Who was it who told my daughter of the scene there? The men you slew, and the way they died?”

“It wasn’t me, My Lord. Don’t you think you ought to ask her?” He got quiet, and I knew there was not a lot I could say then without making it worse. Besides, I had things to think about myself. I buttered bread, laid smoked sturgeon on it, and folded it over. At last Beel said, “You’re hoping that

I will send you off to find your servant.”

“That’s right, My Lord.”

“I won’t. You had better get some rest, if you’re to shoot against Sir Garvaon.” I nodded, stood up, and returned Sword Breaker and my dagger to their scabbards.

“You’re still willing to contest with him?”

“Any time, My Lord.” I did not say it, but my bowstring was putting me through hell every night. It seemed to me then that it was high time I got something for it.

“I will judge your contest.”

I nodded. “Sure, My Lord.”

“I will do my utmost to judge fairly, Sir Able. My honor is at stake in that.”

“I understand, My Lord.”

“You may go.” Beel sighed. As I was stepping out of his pavilion he added softly, “Yet I hope Sir Garvaon has the victory.”

Chapter 51. Archery

In the dream I had that morning, I was myself for a change, but very young, much younger than I had been when I came out of Parka’s cave. I was sitting in a little boat and paddling up the Griffin. Bold Berthold stood watching from the bank, and Setr swam beside me, spouting water and steam like a whale. Up the river, Mother was waiting for me. Pretty soon Bold Berthold was left behind. I saw Mother’s face among the leaves of a willow and in a hawthorn, beautiful and smiling, and crowned with hawthorn blossoms; but the Griffin wound on, and when the hawthorn was past I saw her no more. From time to time I glimpsed a griffin of stone from whose mouth the river issued. I tried to reach it, but came instead to an opening in a tube of thick green glass.

And emerged at once, mounted on a gray warhorse and gripping a short lance from which a pennant fluttered. The stone griffin stood before me, tall as a mountain and more stern. I couched the lance and charged, and was swallowed up at once.

―――

It was past noon when I woke. I yawned and stretched, thinking about Mother’s face in the willow leaves and in the hawthorn blossoms. She was only a girl, and although there was a lot of sleep in the thought, there was more sorrow than sleep. She was still a young girl, not a great deal older than Sha, when she went away. “You’re awake just in time. I trust you slept well?” Mani was sitting at the foot of my cot, washing his face with his paws.

I yawned again. “I thought you’d be with Idnn.”

“Your dog wanted to cadge food. Since I’d had more than enough from Her

Ladyship, he enlisted me to stand his watch.”

I put my feet over the edge of the cot. “I’m glad you two are speaking now.”

“Oh, we understand each other perfectly,” Mani said. “He thinks I’m detestable, and I think he is. Doubtless we’re both right.”

“You’ve been talking to Idnn.”

Mani’s eyes (very beautiful green eyes that seemed to glow) opened wider.

“How did you find that out?”

“Was it supposed to be a secret?”

“Well, she wasn’t to tell anybody. I made her promise.”

I had found my clothes. I laid them out on the cot and looked into the corners of Garvaon’s pavilion to make sure there was nobody around except Mani and me.

“She told her father, and he reported me to you. Isn’t that it?”

“No.” I tied my underwear and straightened out a fresh pair of socks. “She told her father things she’d heard from you, and he’s been trying to find out how she learned them.”

“Oh.” Mani stretched, throwing his tail into S curves. “Did you tell him?”

“No.”

“Probably for the best. You don’t mind if I tug your blanket a little?”

“Try not to tear it.” I pulled on my socks.

“All right.” Mani tugged; his claws were big, sharp, and black.

“This is going to sound pretty silly, but I didn’t know you were going to talk to anybody except me.”

“Because your dog doesn’t?” Mani yawned. “He could talk to some other people, too. He just doesn’t want to. Are you mad because I talked to Her Lady ship? You didn’t tell me not to.”

“I—no.”

“I told her you were my owner.” He grinned. “And I said a great many other complimentary things about you. She was quite taken with you already, and she lapped it up.”

“I suppose I should thank you.”

“Not necessarily. Ingratitude is my lot in life, and I became reconciled to it long ago.”

I had buckled my belt. Before I spoke again, I worked my feet into my boots. “I’ll try to make my gratitude a lot more tangible, but it may take a while.”

“Well, you could let me keep talking to Idnn. If you don’t, I’ll have to avoid her, and that’s bound to be awkward at times.”

I pointed my finger at Mani’s neat black nose. “You know perfectly well that you’d talk to her even if I told you not to.”