The Second Generation

“How,” he wondered gloomily, “am I ever going to explain all this?"

Chapter Eleven His father’s Sword

At Tanis’s suggestion, Flare flew for the foothills of the Khalkist Mountains, still a no-man’s-land, where they could rest in safety and figure out what to do next.

None of them spoke during the journey. Sara cast frequent worried glances at Steel. Tanis had explained, in a few brief words, some—not all—of what had occurred in the chamber. It would be up to Steel to tell her fully and completely what had happened to him.

Sara asked Steel about it, several times, but the young man didn’t answer. He didn’t even seem to hear her. He sat staring out into the deep blue sky, his gaze abstracted, eyes dark and fathomless, his thoughts unreadable.

At length Sara gave up and concentrated on flying. She chose a suitable landing place, a wide clearing surrounded by a thick forest of pine trees.

T

“We’ll camp here for the night,” Tanis said. “We can all use the sleep. Then, in the morning, we’ll decide what to do, where to go.” Sara agreed.

Steel said nothing. He hadn’t spoken a word since they had left the High Clerist’s Tower. Immediately on landing, he jumped lightly from the dragon’s back and took off for the forest. Sara was going to follow, but Caramon stopped her.

“Let him go,” he said gently. “He needs time to think. A lot has happened to that young man. The person who went into that chamber isn’t the same one who came out.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right,” Sara said with a sigh. She stood staring into the woods, her hands twisting together nervously. “Will he . . . Has this changed his mind, do you think?”

“Only he knows that,” Tanis said.

Sara sighed again, then glanced at him anxiously. “Is there any doubt in your mind that he is the son of Sturm Brightblade?”

“None whatsoever,” Tanis answered firmly.

Sara smiled. Looking more hopeful, she went to settle the dragon down for the night.

“Just what did happen back there in the chamber, Tanis?” Caramon asked in a low voice, as they set about building a small cooking fire. “Did I really see what I thought I saw?”

Tanis pondered. “I don’t know for certain, Caramon. I’m not that sure myself. There was a blinding light, and my eyes were dazzled, but I could swear I saw Sturm standing there. He held out his hand, and the next thing I knew, the elven jewel was hanging around Steel’s neck.”

“Yeah, that"s what I saw, too.” Caramon pondered. “Still, it could have been a trick. Maybe he did steal it—”

“I don’t think so. I saw the look on his face. Steel was the most startled person in that chamber. He stared at the jewel in amazement, then he grabbed hold of it and hid it beneath his armor. Trust your heart, Caramon. Sturm gave Steel the jewel and his sword. He gave them both to his son.”

“What will he do with them—an elven love token and the sword of a Knight of Solamnia? Surely, he won’t go back to that horrid place now?”

“That"s up to him,” Tanis said quietly.

“And if he does decide to stay, what do we do with him? And his mother?"

Caramon asked. “I can’t very well take them home with me. I’ll be lucky if the sheriff and his men aren’t waiting for me on the inn steps when I get back. Not to mention the fact that Ariakan will be out looking for his lost paladin. Maybe you—”

“I’m going to have to do some fast talking to keep from getting arrested myself,” Tanis said, with a wry smile. He scratched his beard and turned the matter over in his mind. “We could take Steel and Sara to Qualinesti,” he decided at last. “They’d both be safe there. Not even Lord Ariakan would dare follow them into the elven kingdom. Alhana would let Steel in, once she saw the jewel, heard his story.” Caramon shook his head. “Won’t be much of a life for that young man, will it? Living among the elves. No offense, Tanis, but you and I both know how they’ll treat him. I don’t suppose the Solamnic Knights would let him into the knighthood?”

“I hardly think so,” Tanis said dryly. “Then what will he do? Become a mercenary? Sell his sword to the highest bidder? An aimless drifter...” “What were we, my friend?” Tanis asked him. “We were wanderers,” Caramon said, after a moment’s profound thought. “But Sturm Brightblade wasn’t.”

Steel was gone all afternoon. Tanis slept. Caramon—always thinking about where his next meal was coming from—went fishing. He caught some trout in a nearby stream. Adding pine nuts and wild onions he found growing in the forest, he wrapped the trout in the wet leaves and cooked the fish on rocks heated in the fire.

By sunset, Sara was growing exceedingly anxious. She was about to send Flare to search for the young man when he appeared, walking out of the shadows of the trees. Saying nothing, Steel squatted down by the fire. He laid the sword, sheathed in its ancient seaboard, in the grass at his side. Then he helped himself to the fish.