Dragon - Dragon Companion - Dragon - Dragon Companion Part 36
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Dragon - Dragon Companion Part 36

"It's the northern border of Gantrell's Achievement," Clem said, "according to maps I saw in Tom's library at Sweetwater Tower."

"The king's library, rather," said Tom with an enormous yawn. "What lies over the river, then?"

"I don't recall," replied Clem.

"I remember!" said Murdan, snapping his fingers. "North of Samber and almost all the way to Lexor is the largest of the royal forests, called Greenlevel."

"It's royal land, then?" asked Tom.

"Not just a royal forest, but the patrimony of the princess royal from her birth," said Manda.

"Your land?" Tom asked.

"Yes, of course," said his princess with a wan smile, "and I'd give it all now for a hot bath and a bed."

"We'd better make the best of what cover there is, Clem," Tom suggested again, "or we'll end up having to carry the ladies."

"Perhaps it's time to call the Dragon," said the Historian, stopping to lean wearily against a tree. "Unless we can hide somewhere nearby for the rest of the day. Once we're across the Samber and under Greenlevel, we'll be safe from Gantrell. Even if he brought an army, Manda's foresters could easily hide us and fend him off."

"There are things I don't know about myself," laughed Manda. "I have a forest, I knew, but foresters?"

Clem was unhappy with the necessity for resting but accepted it, finally, leaving them in the shade of an overtop-ping bank to scout ahead. Fifteen minutes later he led them to a hollow, entirely invisible from every angle and filled to its brim with a single, ancient, long-thomed bay bush.

"Under here," he directed. "Crawl low so the thorns won't stab you."

Once beyond the first screen of low-hanging boughs, they found themselves under a dome of aromatic, closely growing leaves. Only a dim, green light reached them. The air felt cool after the humid heat of the open woods. The floor of the hollow was covered with fine, dry sand.

"No fire," Clem warned. "We'll be hidden and safe enough here until dusk. If anyone comes close by, we can dash down that way, into the river in a few paces."

"Oh, a wonderful place!" sighed Mornie in relief, and she set about spreading their heavy winter cloaks on the ground. In less time than it takes to tell, both young ladies and the Historian were sound asleep.

"I seem to be fresher than you," said Tom. "I got a few hours' sleep at Gantrell's guest house last night. I'll take the first watch."

"Good!" Clem agreed. "Wake me at noon. Stay out of sight, especially from the ridge."

Tom crawled back under the bay, being careful not to disturb the leaves or snag himself on thorns. He found a raised bank of bare clay, which allowed him a fairly clear view of both the ridge and the river, and settled down to watch.

HE was wakened in the late afternoon, when the trapper crawled up to his perch and shook him by the foot.

"Fine wide-awake guard you are!" Clem teased. "I don't suppose you've seen or heard anything of interest?"

"Nothing," Tom assured him sheepishly. "Some commo-tion at the top of the hill a long time ago. Must be the main road, up there. Horsemen keep coming and going, in full view."

"Gantrell expected us to follow the straightest, shortest road to the river ferry," Clem said. "By now he's discovered his mistake and will start his people beating the bushes on foot. It'll take them hours if they start at the orchard. Less, 278.

Don Callander DRAGON COMPANION 279.

if they discover where we dismounted."

He narrowed his eyes into the lowering sun through the bayberry's branches. "We'd better have something to eat and get started. As the Historian said, the sooner we get within Greenlevel, the better."

He produced the apples he'd picked when they rode through Gantrell's orchard. As the others awoke, stiff and sore but happy to be free, he sliced and passed them out. While they ate, he snaked out of the hollow and went scouting toward the river.

They were ready to resume their journey when he returned, popping out of the underbrush at the end of a completely silent approach.

"What news?" asked Murdan.

"We're a short walk from the river, mostly through marsh, which means we'll have to wade. I suggest we all remove our boots and wade bare of feet, for we'll want dry boots in the forest."

They followed him as he moved off, with their boots buckled together and hung about their necks, through dense undergrowth, picking a way to avoid sharp thorns and beds of stinging nettles.

"I haven't been barefoot out of doors since I was a little girl," whispered Manda, her good spirits revived after a sound sleep and a slice or two of juicy-tart apple. "My soles used to be hard as hom."

"You must have been a tomboy." Tom laughed at the picture in his mind's eye, and then had to explain the expression, for she'd never heard it before.

"In any case," she said when she understood, "now I have a Tom-boy!"

Twenty minutes of sliding down muddy banks and wad-ing through knee-deep pools of warm, algae-black water, over sandbars carpeted with purple and blue flowers, and they came to a line of ancient willows, roots tangled and braided together into a barrier to the open river, which lay just beyond.

The refugees stopped to catch their breath and admire the slow, silvery river.

A band of men dressed all in dark brown, armed with staves, short swords, and long bows, dropped from the limbs of the willows and surrounded them.

EDUARD Ten, King of Carolna, in his most splendid robe of state, marched solemnly down the four-hundred-foot aisle of the Hall of Session in Lexor, and ascended the red-and-gold Trusslo throne.

Nobles and freeman delegates cheered enthusiastically, with all evidence of sincere admiration. A company of young men-at-arms in highly polished half-armor, swords drawn, preceded and followed the king, looking fiercely to all sides, as ancient custom dictated. They were followed by the queen's escort, twenty-four beautiful maidens dressed in gowns of pastel colors, and ten imposingly dignified matrons of honor in shimmering silks and satins.

Beatrix, now seen abroad for the first time since her confinement, was greeted by even louder cheers and calls of good wishes from the assembled Session. She smiled brilliantly at everyone, even into the dark, disapproving visage of the king's powerful ex-brother-in-law, Peter of Gantrell, who stood, handsome and erect, at the foot of the dais, just under the edge of its sea blue silk canopy.

Men searched his face as well as the young queen's, looking for signs of unease at this meeting. Rumors were flying everywherea-as they always did when the delegates to Session came to the capital.

Those who knew Peter well saw he was under tension; there was a wariness to his deep-set gray eyes that were usually so arrogantly confident. He stood with the faintest touch of slump, as if tired or bored. Gossips had no answers, but all eyes watched him closely.

King Eduard, looking rested and fresh, waited until his consort had gracefully mounted the two steps to the throne and gallantly handed her to a gilt chair at its right, smiling warmly at her as if to say. This is as much your acclamation as mine, my dear.

Applause rolled over them, on and on. The king stood facing the delegates until the din subsided enough to allow him to be heard without shouting.

"Carolna!" he cried in a rich, carrying baritone. "Friends, countrymen of high and low degree! We, your king and queen, greet you with love and extend to you our wishes for continued peace and increased prosperity."

With a few exceptions, notably Gantrell and his closest adherents, they were all in very good spirits.

280.

Don Callander "The birth of our son, I warrant, has lifted from them all a burden they shared with us," Eduard said aside to Beatrix. She nodded happily and waved again to the excited throng.

The king waited again for the uproar to subside, then bent to pick up the Wand of Justice, laid at the foot of the throne and, raising it for all to see, called out: "I declare this Twentieth Fall Session of our reign hereby to be open. Let all men, of any and all circumstances, closely attend and be heard in all matters, that I, your king, may judge the right and render true justice, decide and dispose, for the good of each and all."

A choir of trumpets soared in a stirring fanfare. The king seated himself on the throne, and the business of Carolna in Fall Session began.

The king was firmly in charge. He set the pace, decided when to stop to rest, when to begin again. He selected those whom he would hear first, and who must wait. Sessions were expected to last for days, perhaps weeks, but few failed to attend every sitting.

Their evenings would be spent in celebration, at gala balls, in sumptuous private dinners, and public banquets. There would be merchant ships racing on Brant Bay, mock duels between heavily armored knights, and competitions between highborn ladies in needlework, poetry, drawing, and music.

Freemen flocked to archery tournaments, wrestling and boxing matches, and contests between woodsmen and among horsemen. They especially enjoyed horse races, horseshoe-ing, and exhibits of husbandrya-and wifery as well.

In the first three days the king heard petitions from freemen and minor noblemen, and disputes between neighbors or members of the same family.

A father had died intestate. His eldest son claimed all his property and wealth. His other two sons demanded equal shares. The eldest had housed, fed, and made easy the deceased's last days. The other two, pleading lack of funds, failed to give the old man support, and stayed distant until his very last moments. Angry words had been spoken and threats made.

"What was the last wish of the deceased?" the king asked.

"He left no written will," the eldest testified under solemn DRAGON COMPANION.

281.

oath. "But he told me I was to have all, as his other sons had deserted him in his old age."

"You would appear to deserve it," said the king, cupping his chin in his right palm to help him think. "What did he say of your brothers?"

"That they were churls and ingrates. Your Majesty," answered the eldest son, reddening, suddenly ashamed to say it.

"That was in anger, perhaps?" Eduard wanted to know. "He said that before he was certain of death?"

The eldest shook his head. He couldn't remember, he said haltingly.

"Didn't he say, in earlier days, that his sons were all precious to him and all three shared in his love, as well as his hard-won wealth, while he was alive?"

"Ah, I say, well," hesitated the eldest son, beet red now.

"Was it not so, sirrah!" demanded the king, sternly.

"Yes, sire, it was so. Buta"

"You ask me to speak for your dead father," said the king, straightening in his seat. "If I'd known the man, perhaps I could judge better, but I can only think what I would have wanted, were you my sons. And that's clear. I am a father. A father, I know, may say things in anger and disappointment, but still love his sonsa-and his daughtersa- too much to wish them hurt when he is gone."

He turned to the royal recorder who sat on his left, and dictated his decision for all to hear.

"The eldest son will have an exact half of the patrimony left by his father, as reward for caring for him and supporting him in old age's infirmity.

"The other two sons will share equally the other half of the wealth of their father, carefully determined according to the law of the land. The king reminds them that they, one day, will be fathers who must divide their patrimony among loved and loving children. They are, he says, to enjoy the money and the land, but remember, every time they use or sell it, the love their father bore for them."

The three litigants, without prompting, fell into each other's arms at the relief they felt and wept away their past quarrels and hot anger.

"I've at least made the spirit of their poor father happy, wherever he rests," said Eduard to Beatrix.

282 Don Callander "That's no small consolation," replied the queen with warm approval.

"I AM Alix Amanda, Princess Royal!" insisted Manda angrily. "How dare you doubt me?"

"Anyone can claim to be of royal blood, mistress," said the tall, wiry chief forester. "Any pretty girl could come along and say she was our liege, the Princess Alix Amanda. How are we to tell? Think of what harm it would do if we made a mistake, we of Greenlevel?"

He looked genuinely distressed and Manda relented from her sudden hot anger.

"Hear me, however! I am vouched for by these persons. Here is the Royal Historian, my uncle Murdan, Lord of Overhall. This young man is my betrothed, Thomas, Librarian to Lord Murdan, and this is his close friend, a freeman of the northern forests, not unlike yourselves. Clematis of Broken Land. The lady is my kinswoman and attendant, Lady Momie of Momingside a"

"Lady Momie!" gulped Clem, startled. "Lady?"

"Well, yes, I thought you knew about that," said the maid, smiling at his confusion. "Does it make any difference?"

"No, no, no!" cried her swain. "No difference! I never paid any attention before to what titles they gave you, Momie."

Manda watched their captors closely. They were impressed by her words and manner, despite their deep suspicions, and by the byplay between the trapper and the maid.

"If I may?" begged Tom.

"Yes, sir," said the chief forester, brusquely.

"I suggest we retreat to the other side of River Samber before Lord Peter of Gantrell and his soldiers come looking for the princess and the Historian. They aren't far off."

"We've seen them riding the Ferry Road," agreed the forester. "But we've no quarrel with Gantrell."

"You do now, by God!" Manda exclaimed furiously. "He has held me captive against my will! Held my uncle and my friends in prison as well. We have just last night escaped his house!"

"There is much to sort out here, lady," conceded the DRAGON COMPANION 283.

chief forester. "Perhaps it's better to pursue the matter in the safety of Greenlevel, after all."

He gave orders to his brown-clad bowmen and they hurried off downstream under the arch of willows, swiftly and silently leading the escape party in their midst.

A good-sized side stream entered the river, forming a cove, hidden from sight by the drooping willow boughs. On a tiny sand beach lay four bark canoes, light but strong and swift by the looks of them, Clem thought. The foresters of Greenlevel put the travelers into the boats and seized leaf-shaped paddles to propel the craft out into the slow-moving current, angling across to the far shore, a mile away. "They'll see us!" objected Tom to the chief forester. "Doubtful at this time of evening. There's nothing for it, anyway," replied the other, swinging his paddle in time with his mates. "If what your lady says is true, we must not let Gantrell find us on his land. He has great powers there, not to mention a large force of trained men-at-arms."

The canoes crossed unchallenged, however, and nosed into a grassy shore on the north bank. The land here rose steeply to the forest floor, where it became gently rolling under the cover of trees, without swamps or marshes to bar easy travel. In an hour the party was brought to a clearing in which stood four or five rustic log cottages with moss-covered cedar-shake roofs and tall fieldstone chimneys, from which spiraled thin threads of smoke.

"This is our southern headquarters," explained the forester. "We call it South Post, for want of a better name. You're welcome to our hospitality."

"My hospitality," insisted Manda, but with a smile. "If you wish to explore this problem, I ask only that we be given a chance to bathe and dine first. Five days as captive and a night and a day in the swamps of Override may account for my not looking very regal."

"So it shall be, for such is our usual hospitality," the chief forester agreed, and he turned to give orders to his men and their women, who came from the cottages to meet them.

"You are Strongoak," Manda said to him, remembering his name at last.

"I apologize for not introducing myself at once, lady! Yes, I'm Strongoak, Princess Royal Alix Amanda's chief forester in Greenlevel Forest."

284.

DRAGON COMPANION.

Don Callander 285.