The Knight

“May,” I said. “Sure. Of course.”

“I said man-to-man, but that’s not exactly it.” Garvaon could not quite meet my eyes. “I’m a pretty fair knight. I can outshoot and outfight any man under me. I’ve won a few tournaments, and taken part in seven pitched battles.” He waited as if he expected me to challenge the number.

“Seven pitched battles, and I’ve lost count of how many skirmishes like that scuffle in the defile. But you’re something else.”

“I’m a lot younger than you are,” I said, “and a lot less experienced. I know that.”

“You’re a hero.” Garvaon almost whispered it. “You’re the kind of knight they write songs and poems about, the kind that gets taken up to Castle Skai.”

I froze when he said that.

“You didn’t know about the castle up there? It’s where the Valfather lives.”

“I did,” I said slowly, “but I didn’t know anybody else knew.”

“A few do.”

“And they take ... take us up there? Sometimes?”

Garvaon shrugged. “What they say.”

“Have you ever known anybody who—who they took?”

“Whom,” Garvaon told me. “Not ’til now. But I know you, and they’ll take you.”

We were pretty quiet after that, I passing more food down to Gylf and Mani than I ate myself.

Finally Garvaon said, “You’ve got a boon coming, you know. I have to give you anything you want. Remember our side bet?”

I shook my head. “I didn’t win.”

“Bah! You know you did.”

“We were supposed to shoot five arrows apiece. We only shot three.”

“And you missed on purpose with the last one.”

He was right, and I could not think of anything I could say that would not be a lie.

“You didn’t want to show me up in front of my men. You think I don’t know?”

I got busy eating.

“Maybe you think I left the helmet on your bed. It was Master Crol. Lord Beel told him to.”

“I should give it back. Sir Garvaon ....?”

“Keep it. You need it.”

I wiped my dagger on my sleeve and put it away. “I’d like to offer you a deal. You want to give me a boon.”

Garvaon shook his head. “I don’t want to, I owe it. I’m ready to pay, any time.”

“Your honor makes you, you mean.”

Garvaon nodded.

“I have honor, too.”

“I know. I never said you didn’t.”

“Then let’s take care of mine and yours together. I’ll grant you a boon, whatever you want. And you can grant mine. How’s that?”

“May. Name it.”

I took a good, deep breath. “I want you to teach me swordcraft. I’m flunking there, and I know it.”

“Is that all?”

“I think it’s a lot. Will you? We could start tonight, once we’ve made camp.”

Gylf got up, laid a paw in my lap for a second, and trotted away. “Now I’m supposed to ask a boon, too,” Garvaon said. “Only I don’t really need it anymore. All right if I tell you what it was going to be?”

“Sure. I’d like to know.”

“I was going to ask what made Lord Beel so sure you were going to win. Only I know now. Can I reserve mine?”

“Absolutely.”

“He wants to see you before we go, by the way. I was supposed to tell you.”

―――

Beel and Idnn were still eating when I came in. Mani jumped off my shoulder to reclaim Idnn’s lap.

I bowed. “You wanted to see me, My Lord?”

Beel inclined his head. “Yesterday you promised you would speak with me later.”

“I tried to, My Lord.”

“You left the camp.”

I nodded. “So I could come back without being seen, My Lord. I waited too long, and you had gone to bed. I thought I’d better not disturb you.”

Idnn asked, “Did you come into our pavilion?”

“Not into your half of it, My Lady. I would never do such a thing.” She smiled. “What? Never?”

Beel jumped in. “This was after dark, I take it.”

“Just at moonrise, My Lord.”

Idnn said, “I didn’t hear you, and I slept badly last night. Do you know what I was doing at moonrise?”

“He does,” Beel told her. “Look at his face. You went outside in your nightdress, didn’t you?”

It was hard to talk after that, but I did it. “You were looking at the moon, My Lady. I thought it would be better if I didn’t interrupt you.”

Mani grinned from Idnn’s lap as she asked, “Did the sentries challenge you, Sir Able? I didn’t hear them.”

“No, My Lady.”

Beel frowned. “You crept past them?”

“Yes, My Lord. Past the sentries at this pavilion anyway. I knew they’d delay me.”

“It should not be possible.”

I said, “It isn’t too hard for one man, My Lord.”

“In armor.”

I tried to change the subject. “Yes, My Lord. But without a helmet, because I had none—I have one now, thanks to your generosity.”

Beel ate a coddled egg without saying another word, while Idnn smiled at me.

When his egg was gone, Beel said, “The black cat suits you. Your dog would suit me better, I think. Where is he?”

“I sent him to Pouk, My Lord.”

“Refresh my memory, please. Who is Pouk?”

“My servant, My Lord. He went north to wait for me in the mountain passes.”

“The servant who beat Svon.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“Will your dog do that? Go to someone whole leagues away, just because you told him to?”

“I don’t know, My Lord, but I think so.”

Idnn was looking down at Mani. “Your cat thinks this is very funny.”

“I know, My Lady. He probably hopes Gylf will get into trouble. I hope he doesn’t.”

“Will you ride with me today, Sir Able? I should be delighted to have your company.”