The Knight

I shook my head. “I’m deeply honored, My Lady. But I have to ride ahead to make sure we don’t get dry-gulched by the Mountain Men again.”

“Please, Sir Able? As a favor to me?”

Beel cleared his throat. “I want to ask you about your bowmanship. Yesterday ...”

I nodded. “I understand. But I could explain how I got past your sentries a lot easier than I could explain how I missed the target as badly as I did with my third shot.”

Idnn smiled at Beel. “Wizards never tell, Father. Remember?”

Chapter 54. Idnn

The morning sun had driven off the last chill of the night long before we broke camp. The mountains in which we had been ambushed gave way to a considerable valley, mostly wooded, through which a swift river flowed. Beyond it the War Way rose and rose as far as my eyes could trace its winding curves, which vanished at last among peaks whose summits were lost in cloud.

“Pouk will be there,” I whispered to the white stallion Beel had given me, “and Gylf with him.” I wanted to gallop then, but I was forced to settle for a quick trot. Tomorrow, I thought. Tomorrow we will be at the first of the high passes; but tonight, almost certainly, we will camp in the valley, where there is open ground and water.

Had Gylf crossed the river already? It seemed likely.

The trees, which had appeared a solid forest when I had looked down on them from the heights, were scattered groves when I reached them, too open at first for anyone to mount an ambush. I halted at the first such grove and waited until I saw the sun glint on Garvaon’s helmet, then turned and rode again, trotting for a long bowshot before I reined up and paused to listen.

A score such pauses got me nothing more notable than the wind’s sigh and the rustle of leaves, with a birdcall or two; but at the next my ears caught the steady tattoo of galloping hooves. Thinking someone was hurrying forward to speak to me, I remained where I was. Instead of growing stronger, the sound faded away altogether.

I thought then of stringing my bow; but I shrugged, loosened Sword Breaker in her scabbard, and rode on.

The road wound about a huge gray boulder topped with stunted trees, the moldy skull of a hill, with more trees huddled around it. Beyond, the War Way ran nearly straight for a league and more; and there, in the middle distance, a rider waited.

It was an excuse to gallop, and I took it.

Idnn smiled when I reined up, and Mani sprang from her saddle to mine.

“You shouldn’t risk yourself like this, My Lady.”

Idnn’s smile widened. “How is it best to do it?”

I took a deep breath, half minded to offend her for her own good. “By—by ... Oh, never mind.”

“You wouldn’t ride with me, so I decided to ride with you.”

I nodded.

“I lagged behind, back among the mules where I belong, and then when we got into the trees I went off to the left far enough that they wouldn’t see me when I passed. This is a lovely wood to gallop through. You knew who I was as soon as you saw me, didn’t you?”

I nodded again.

“Because you didn’t draw that sword thing. You just hurried to me. Now you’re going to send me back.”

“Take you back, My Lady.” It was hard to say, although not as difficult as the thing I had not said.

“Because you don’t trust me to obey your orders.” There was something heartbreaking in her smile.

“I’m a lowborn boy, My Lady. My father was in trade, and my grandfather was a farmer, what you’d call a peasant. People keep reminding me. Your greatgrandfather was a king. I’ve no right to give you orders.”

“Suppose we were married? A husband has the right to give his wife orders, no matter who her great-grandfather was.”

“We’ll never be married, My Lady.”

“I didn’t say I’d obey, you’ll notice.” She stretched out her hand; and when I ignored it, she caught the strap that held my quiver. “Are you really going to take me back?”

“I’ve got to.”

Mani said, “But you don’t want to, do you? Doing things you don’t want to do always ends in trouble.”

Idnn laughed, the sad something that had crept into her smile forgotten. “I’d been wondering whether he’d talk to us when we were alone together.”

“He’s right,” I told her, “doing what you don’t want to do generally brings trouble. But there are times when you’ve got to, and face the trouble.”

Idnn nodded her agreement. “That’s why I won’t separate myself again and ride south instead of north. Go back to Kingsdoom.” As if she felt some explanation was needed, she added, “We have a house there.”

I tried to pull free, but she kept her sweating gelding beside my charger.

“That was what you were going to tell me to do, wasn’t it? Go home to Kingsdoom. Just a minute ago, before you lost your nerve.”

“You would be a fool to take my advice, My Lady, and worse to take your own.”

“Or I could go to Thortower, and tell the king some cock-and-cow story. You stopped My Ladying me there for a moment. I wish the moment had been longer.”

Summoning all my resolve, I said, “I’ve got to take you back to your father, My Lady.”

Her laughter had gone. “Sir Able?”

“Yes, My Lady?”