Enchantment

"I know that he would stand more bravely than one who strikes a cowardly blow against his own king," said Katerina.

Ivan did not like the way things were shaping up. Words of defiance would lead to a showdown, not to reconciliation. It was for Katerina to decide, but Ivan did not like their chances against Baba Yaga, if blood were spilled here today. "Dimitri," said Ivan.

"Ah," said Dimitri. "My pupil. Apprentice swordsman."

"And I'll never be master of that weapon, as you are," said Ivan. "I beseech you to turn your sword against the enemy, and stand beside your king as you have always done before."

"I stood beside my king until the king's daughter married a man who wears women's clothing." Some of the soldiers with Dimitri snickered at that.

"I have never dressed as a woman," said Ivan. "But I tell you I would rather wear a hoose every day of my life than bear the shame of taking up arms against my king."

A murmur from the crowd made it clear that Ivan's words had struck a responsive chord.

"You will never be my king," said Dimitri.

"But Dimitri," said Katerina, "if you remove my father as king, then by law my husband will be king, and it will be you who gave the crown to him."

"It's not his if he can't keep it," said Dimitri.

"The crown," said Katerina, "is only a symbol of the love and honor of the people. You can put it on, but it doesn't mean the people will follow you."

"When the Widow comes," Dimitri said, "they will follow me because I will stand against her."

"How long did you stand against her when she came to you with her lies? I can feel her magic on you, Dimitri. You already serve her will." Katerina turned and addressed the people. "Whom does it serve, to have our kingdom divided like this? Only the Pretender. So whose servant is Dimitri, and the soldiers who stand with him? The Widow's servants."

"You lie!" said Dimitri.

Katerina whirled back to face him. But it was to the soldiers behind him that she spoke now. "You are men of Taina, aren't you? Sworn to your king as his druzhina. I know that you meant only to serve the kingdom, and so I promise pardon to every man who lays down his sword, or puts it in my service now."

"Any man who moves to obey her dies!" cried Dimitri.

"How will that strengthen Taina," shouted Ivan, "if you begin to kill our soldiers!" It was Ivan's turn to address the people. "You heard him! He threatened to kill your sons and husbands and brothers! And for what crime? For daring to obey the king they swore an oath to!"

"Enough of this!" said Dimitri. "Enough talk! Surrender now, and I keep your father alive until the war is over. Then I will return the crown to him. But that one"—he pointed at Ivan with his sword—"that one must leave! Go back to where he came from! A

Before Katerina could answer, Ivan sprang forward. "When I fought the bear and freed Katerina from her enchantment, where were you?"

"Ivan!" cried Katerina. "Come back!"

Ivan pointed at one, then another of the boys with Molotov cocktails. He made the handsign they had agreed on—light the fuses.

"Dimitri!" he shouted. "You stand alone! For Katerina's true husband is the one who commands the gate of this fort!"

"You spoke truly!" said Dimitri. "The man who rules this gate is the one who should be Katerina's husband!"

"Agreed!" shouted Ivan. "Set this gate ablaze with Katerina's fire!" He gave the signal to throw. The boys had heard and understood. It was not at Dimitri that they threw the cocktails, but at the gate itself. Both pots flew true and broke against the lintel. Fire blazed all up and down the wooden gate.

"Pass through that gate if you dare!" cried Ivan.

"No man can!" Dimitri shouted back.

"I can!" Ivan cried, and he ran headlong at the gap between Dimitri and Matfei.

For a moment he feared that Dimitri would seize the opportunity to skewer him on his sword. But no—the fire had u

He knew, of course, that the fire wouldn't have time even to singe his hair; and because it was an alcohol fire, it would quickly die back to nothing. Once inside the gate, however, the real challenge came. He turned quickly, looking every soldier there in the eye, if they dared to meet his gaze. "I passed through fire for the princess Katerina. What will you do? Who stands with her? All loyal men, to the walls, and cry the name of Katerina!"

With no weapon other than his voice, his courage, and his love for the princess whom they also loved, Ivan faced them and prevailed. First one, then two, then a dozen, then all the soldiers ran to the wall, climbed it, and stood there with swords raised. "Katerina!" they cried. And again, and again. "Katerina!" Ivan could hear the chant being taken up by the people outside. He sauntered to the gate and passed through it, with only a few flames on the wooden posts to frame him. "Katerina," he shouted, out of the rhythm of the chant, so she could hear him. He raised his hands for silence, and the chant subsided. "Katerina, princess of Taina, I give this fort to you!"

The soldiers and the people erupted in cheers.

The action had played out the way Katerina and Ivan had hoped. Ivan now stood as the man who had taken the fort away from Dimitri, who had helplessly watched him do it.

But Dimitri still had his sword, and Katerina's father, and the two soldiers who held the king between them. It was Katerina, now, who had to control the final scene of this dangerous play.

She stepped forward, putting herself almost within reach of a lunge from Dimitri's sword. "This is your last chance," said Katerina. "I only offer it to you because Ivan pleaded with me that we needed you beside us in the war against the witch. Command these last two soldiers to release my father, and then all three of you lay down your swords and pledge yourselves again to his service. Do this, and I will plead with my father to pardon you."

Before Dimitri could begin to obey, the two soldiers, who were not fools, let go of Matfei, knelt, and laid down their swords at the king's feet.

Dimitri was absolutely alone. He had his sword, and no doubt he could kill several, could kill the king himself, and Katerina, before other swords brought him down. But he would die if he did such a thing, for no one was likely to follow him now, still less if he had the blood of Matfei and Katerina on his hands.

He knelt. He laid his sword at Matfei's feet.

Ivan walked around this tableau of kneeling men and took his place at Katerina's side.

The face of King Matfei was filled with rage when he looked down at Dimitri kneeling at his feet. The king bent down and picked up Dimitri's own sword. He raised it over his head.

"Father," said Katerina. "I beseech you to spare the life of this man. His crime was grave indeed, and no one here has the power to restore the power of speech that he took away from you. He diminished you at a time when we needed you whole. And yet I plead with you—do not weaken Taina by one sword arm, not even his. Accept his vow of loyalty again, though he has broken that selfsame vow before. I beg you, Father, for the sake of your daughter, and of the grandchild that grows in your daughter's womb."

It was the first that Ivan had heard that Katerina might be pregnant. And even now he wasn't sure, for she hadn't actually said that she had conceived a child—she might have been speaking of a child that would someday grow within her.

But her words had the desired effect. Matfei's rage turned to thoughts of his daughter, of his grandchild. What she asked for, he would give her.

For a moment Ivan felt a stab of regret. Things would be much simpler if Dimitri died right now.