"You've put your finger squarely on our problem there,"
exclaimed Lady Murtal, her forefinger thrust at Tom in emphasis. "Peter of Gantrell, for all his wit and charm, is ultimately a destroyer, a driver. Given unrestrained power, would he have the patience to lead? Or would he rather drive us to wherever he wishes us to go?"
"And Murdan hopes to convince enough people of the fact that they must not stand idly by and allow Gantrell to force himself onto the throne?" asked Tom.
"That's what the lady is saying," put in Retruance, who until then had kept his silence.
"What effect on all this will I have, when it becomes known that Manda and Ia well, are, wella ?"
"It depends," Retruance considered. "Many will hesitate to support a queen just because she is a woman alone. You would gain support for Manda in that quarter, I think. Others, remembering Alix Amanda, Queen Alone, might object if the queen had a commoner for consort anda-let's be frank about this. Companiona-an Outsider! The fact that you are a human will enter into it, too. Many will fear your influence on the queen for that reason alone. Others will believe, as I do, that a human is a handy sort of person to have at one's side. You've already proved your worth in that regard."
DRAGON COMPANION 175.
Tom digested more than just lunch as they departed from Old Place with Lady Murtal's farewells and blessings.
"If I would be a hindrancea," he began.
"No, it won't make any difference. If, and I say if, you were my husband and if, again if, I were offered the Trusslo throne, I would not be queen of a people who would not respect my choice of consort. I won't be sold to anyone in exchange for political position or gain! I decided that years ago, my dearest. Your coming merely confirmed my determination."
"You would give up the Crown if it stood between us?" marveled Tom. He remembered the sad case of a king of England, not so long before, who had done the same bravea-some said foolisha-sort of thing. He spent the time it took Retruance to fly from Old Place to Ramhold telling her that story.
"This Edward," decided Manda, "from what you say, preferred not to rule, despite all the laws and traditions pressuring him?"
"That's about it," said Tom.
"I can understand that," said Manda emphatically. "I tell you truly, my own love, that I would a I will, if necessary, do the same."
"But if it means abdicating the throne to your Uncle Peter?" asked Retruance, who, with Momie and Clem, had listened in interested silence to the discussion.
"Well, I'd have to find a way to prevent that from happening," said Manda.
"We will have to find that way," Tom amended. "You and I and the Historian, and Retruance, too. Lots of people will be working for and with you, Alix Amanda."
"I'm not the least bit concerned," she replied. "Except as it affects you and me. There are too many other people who would make good Kings of Carolna, including you, or Murdan, or even Clem here. I've decided," she said with finality, "that I won't be forced into queensness under any circumstances."
"Queenship, rather," prompted Tom.
"Well, right! Queenship, then. Is my decision terrible?"
"Lady Murtal evidently doesn't think so," the Dragon answered her question first, "nor do any of us. Princess. There's Ramhold!"
176.
Don Callander "I really am looking forward to a Ramhold supper!" said Tom, and behind him Clem laughed his agreement.
THEY walked hand in hand, that evening, over the golden-green grassland surrounding the sheep station, mostly without speaking, very content just to be together, to be in love. A half moon rose in the east, a silver bowl slightly tipped.
"It means it will rain," said Manda, pointing at the moon. "It's a bowl pouring its contents over the land. A good sign!"
"Talber says winter and spring weather have been good for farmers. There are going to be what Iowa farmers call bumper crops. The ewes bore healthy lambs at the right time and their milk was rich, so the lambs grew strong in a very few days," he said.
"You're starting to talk like a farmer yourself," Manda teased him.
"Well, I was bom and raised in a small farming town.
My sympathy is with farmers, always."
An amazing thing happened, just then. A fiery meteor streaked through the evening sky, and with a distant roar and hiss, it crossed the face of the moon and disappeared in the haze on the western horizon. Its blazing flight lasted ten heartbeats or longer.
"Wow!" cried Tom in wonder, hugging his princess clos-er. "I haven't seen anything like that in a long time and never so big!"
"A shooting star? We see quite a few of them in springtime here. Not many that bright, however. They say they're a good omen for lovers."
"I accept that!" Tom laughed aloud.
ON their return to Overhall they found the Historian highly pleased by their adventures in the west, for he really did like the Dragon very much, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. But he was also rather gloomy. Tom at last found an opportunity to ask him about it.
They were sitting on the balcony off Murdan's parlor, letting the evening breezes cool the first really hot day of August. Manda had gone off to see about her wardrobe, which was scant, since she had left her Uncle Granger DRAGON COMPANION 177.
rather suddenly. She was already looking forward to the fall journey to Lexor with anticipation.
"Manda found letters from her father waiting when we came back," Tom noted, ending a companionable silence.
"Aye," responded the Historian. "She hasn't told you yet what was in them?"
"No, I said you ought to see them first, under the circumstances."
"Well, he is worrieda about a lot of things, but mostly about his queen. She'll go into childbirth pangs any day now. Although she is healthy and well protected by the best medical spells money can buy, he fears that Peter Gantrell will somehow find a way to interfere." "What? Harm the child, you mean?" "Or harm the queen and thus the unborn child. Beatrix is not as well loved as Manda's mother was, being a daughter of the far South. You may have heard." "Does that make her disliked?"
"Unfortunately. In public she often seems cold and distant, they say. She speaks with an odd accent, they add. We who know her know she is a good-tempered, well-spoken lass, but still unsure of herself. Afraid, even." "Poor lady!" Tom could not help exclaiming. "Eduard is deeply in love with her, I must say, and she with him, which makes me optimistic about her prospects. But for now, too many of our good northern petty nobles are suspicious of anything that comes from the Swamps, as they call the south coast."
"An unfortunate burden for Eduard to bear. Is that prop-er? I mean, my referring to him as just Eduard?"
"A king needs no other title than his good name, my boy. When you meet him, you'll address him as *Your Majesty' and *Sire' and *Lord King,' but in person he won't object to simply, *Sir' a after you get to know him." "I want to meet him," said a thoughtful Librarian. Murdan stood and paced back and forth, thinking, while his Librarian sat silently watching, respecting his reverie. At last Tom said, "Sir, what bothers you?" "Just what we were talking about now," said Murdan, stopping to rest his elbows on the stone baluster. "The king and queen and this unborn child of theirsa-of ours, in one way of looking at it. I'm trying to anticipate all the wicked 178.
DRAGON COMPANION 179.
Don Callander things Gantrell might do to upset the even course of events this late summer and fall."
"Manda and I have discussed it a lot," admitted Tom.
"Will you hear my opinion?"
"I would value it!"
*Then, this: It's far better to act than to wait. If nothing else, it keeps your opponent off balance, makes him hesitate in some of the things he might otherwise do."
"I have people watching Gantrell very closely. Friends are poised to counter any sudden moves he might make."
"But he knows that, I am sure."
"Oh, I am sure of it!" Murdan grunted.
"If Peter does anything, it seems to me, it will be under-handed, secret. There are a lot of things that can be done seriously to upset a mother-to-be. Did you see the great shooting star two nights ago?"
"No, but I heard of it. I was already abed when it passed."
"Manda says such things are considered omens, for good or ill."
"Yes, most people would agree."
"What I'm getting at is the role of superstition in this world. It's much stronger than in mine, and God knows it's strong enough in Iowa! Black cats are still taken as bad luck. Brides refuse to see their grooms on their wedding day. Finding a four-leaf clover is good luck. Spilled salt and broken mirrors are bad. Things like that."
"Those are believed strongly here, too."
"A bad omen could be cruelly upsetting, taken as ill news by many of Eduard's people, wouldn't you say?"
"Peter is fully capable of manufacturing an evil sign or two," agreed the Historian. "And, being from the south, Beatrix is even more susceptible to what you call superstition. Yes, Peter might arrange it. Nobody could point any blaming fingers at him, certainly."
"No, and there must be a hundred things he might try. Carried out ruthlessly, it could be a severe shock or a terrible fright to the queen."
"I can think of dozens of omens that would do the trick," Murdan agreed. "The king has the best magics available, as I said. But if the ominous events were manufactured, their magic wouldn't have any effect!"
"I've been studying this business of being human. It seems to me that a human here is regarded much as a wizard or a witch is regarded in my world. In Iowa it's considered very good luck for the mother to see an elf or a fairy while she is carrying an unborn child. Nobody admits they believe it, but they do! Some mothers will go a long way out of their path to make sure they meet a magi, a wraith, a fairy, a wizard, any magical being."
"Soa ?"
"What if Queen Beatrix were to have a real, live human near her during the last weeks of her term? That might counter the effect of any bogus omens, in the eyes of the people of Carolna. *A wave of this hand, this very hand,' " Tom half quoted someone he had once seen in a movie, "and the evil sign is neutralized! Or so the superstitious might believe."
"Ah!" was all the Historian said for a long while. The two of them stood watching the evening activity in the castle courtyard.
A stable lad carried a saddle from the saddlery, freshly cleaned and polished. He whistled cheerfully.
A gang of castle children, scarcely ten years old, perched on the stone verge of Guggierun moat, throwing pebbles at the fireflies that skimmed over the water, zig-zagging back and forth to dodge their missiles. Children's laughter rose to the watchers on the balcony.
"Mandaa , " began Tom.
"a must remain here until I escort her to Lexor," the Historian said flatly.
"Oh."
"It's extremely important she make the right sort of entrance into the city and the royal court. She is a stranger there, too. Everyone will be watching with critical eyes, forming opinions of her for the first time. She'll be very busy for weeks, making clothes, planning parties and celebrations. She must write to her friends and relatives, picking her maids of honor. Jewelers will arrive to design and make her tiara and her other regal adornments. Besides, you realize that if she leaves Overhall now, she is herself vulnerable to any last-minute machinations Gantrell might devise to repossess her."
"If I must, I will go alone," said Tom.
180.
DRAGON COMPANION 181.
Don Catlander "Not alone. You'll take your Dragon, of course." "I wouldn't consider going without Retruance Constable, no," agreed Tom.
"And I should think that young woodsman who I see mooning about Manda's maid, these days. What's his name?"
"Clematis? Good man to have along, I'd say." "Take him with you. These Broken Land people are a tough and resourceful lot, to a man."
"I am to go, then, but with what excuse?" "Leave that to me. I'll send you with a letter to the king, who is with the queen now until the babe is born. I'll tell him what we've just talked about and suggest that he introduce you to the queen as my personal emissary. It'll be up to you to settle her mind, make her a friend."
"It's done that way?" asked the Librarian, gathering up his cloak before leaving the Historian's balcony. He wanted to speak to Manda before she went to bed.
"It is now," said the Historian. "When can you leave?"
"In the morning."
"Oh, I've sent that pesky Dragon of yours off on an errand. He begged me for something to do. Getting bored, he said. He won't be back for two or three days, I judge."
"No matter, sir. I'd like to see something of the country from ground level for a change. Meet people. Talk to them while they're not goggle eyed about a fifty-foot dragon. There is so much I don't know yet about Carolna."
"Good idea, I say! I'll send the Dragon after you when he returns, then."
Captain Graham arrived to report the setting of the evening watch. Tom asked to be excused and went off to climb Middletower, hoping that Manda was in her apartment working with her needlewomen and tailors by lamplight and not yet retired for the night.
"Let Master Tailor, here, take your measurements, Tom,"
the princess greeted him. "You'll need suitable clothes, hose, shoes, boots, hats, capes, kerchiefs, everything to your underclothing, for the royal court."
"I'm not sure I can afford such luxury, Manda," Tom protested.
"If you promise not to ask who pays for it, I promise not to tell anyone," she giggled. "Do you like this red velvet?
It gets cool at times in Lexor on fall nights. It may snow before we come home again."
"You plan to return to Overhall after sessions?" Tom said in surprise. He hadn't thought that far ahead.
"If I can, I will," she replied. "If I have my way, Murdan will be declared my guardian until I reach twenty yearsa- two years off yet. Master Tailor! Here, to my side! This young man needs a wardrobe, as I told you."
The thin, lank tailor came with his tapes, chalks, pad, and pins. Tom submitted to the most careful measuring he had ever had, even to the length of his fingers and the width of his palms.
"Gloves are in this year. Rosemary says," chattered Manda happily.
"I'll have to have a week or ten days to run up the suits and doublets," the tailor was saying at the same time. "Shall we set a first fitting for a week from Tuesday?"
"Wait! Wait," cried the Librarian. "I won't be here after tomorrow. You'll have to make the clothing and bring them to me at Lexor in time for the Opening of Session."
"Tom!" cried Manda. "I need you here. 1 was hoping we could spend the rest of the summer together at Overhall."
"Remember what we discussed, Manda? I've just come from Murdan and he sends me to your father, the king, as soon as I can leave. I told him tomorrow."
Manda looked so disappointed that Tom thought for a moment she would cry. Seating herself on a chair, carefully so as not to puncture herself with any of a hundred straight pins scattered everywhere about her person, she said: "I need to hear about this. Ladies! Master? Kindly take a few minutes of rest. The cook has a buffet laid in the parlor. Go over and have a bit to eat and a stoup of Overhall ale. We'll be working until past midnight, I think, especially as Master Tom is leaving tomorrow!"