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"A pardon to any man who yields him!" King Tuan bellowed. "Full pardon and mercy! I shall hang no man who was constrained to fight! Surrender and live!"
"He lies!" The Shire-Reeve screamed; but the King knocked the last bodyguard aside, and his horse leaped up to the Reeve.
The Shire-Reeve howled like a berserker in fury and stabbed at the King, sword-point probing for the eye-slits in the helmet; but Tuan's sword leaped to parry, whirled about in riposte, and stabbed down as the King lunged, full extension. The Shire-Reeve gave a last curdling scream, and his eyes glazed even as the sword transfixed him, piercing his heart. Then he fell, and Tuan yanked the sword free. "Thy master is dead!" he roared. "Yield! What cause hast thou for fighting now? Yield thee, and live!"
The Shire-Reeve's soldiers hesitated, for but a second— but that was enough for Tuan's finest. In that moment, they struck the weapons from their enemies' hands and set the points of their pikes to the throats of the Reeve's men. The enemy shouted, "I yield me! I yield me!" holding up their empty hands, and King Tuan wiped his blade and cried, "Let them live!"'
When the soldiers had shackled the Shire-Reeve's officers and led them away, Tuan nodded to his own men. "Let them flee."
Glowering, the legio
"I did declare I would not harm any man who hath been constrained to fight for the Shire-Reeve," Tuan said. "Now go, and tell thy fellows what hath happed here."
With a glad cry, the peasant boys turned and bolted.
As they disappeared among the trees, Brom O'Berin rumbled, "Was that wise, Majesty?"
"It was," Tuan said, with full certainty. "They will bear word to the Shire-Reeve's army, and the army will disband, each man going to his home, as most of them wish to do. The remainder will know their cause is lost with the Shire-Reeve's death." Then he turned to the children.
Four chastened and humbled Gallowglasses looked up at him with foreboding—and an apprehensive Puck eyed Brom O'Berin warily.
"We thank thee, Majesty, that thou hast saved us in our hour of desperation," Magnus managed.
"I rejoice that I came in time," Tuan returned. "Yet I trust thou hast learned not to meddle with armies again, till thou art grown!"
"Oh, aye!"
" 'Twas dangerous folly, we now know!"
"We will never dare such hazard again!"
Tuan reserved his own opinion about that—and he noticed that Geoffrey hadn't said anything. Still, he counted his wi
Cordelia said, greatly daring, "Yet how didst thou know we stood in such great need"of rescue?"
Tuan smiled. "For that, thou hast another to thank." He turned to the trees and called, "Come forth, Highness!"
There was a moment's silence; then Alain stepped out from between the trees with Kelly beside him.
The silence stretched; then Puck muttered, "I commanded thee to take him home!"
"Aye, ye did." Kelly's beard jutted up defiantly. "Yet if I had, what would have become of the other children?"
"Would thou hadst ta'en such great caution with all those entrusted to thy care." Brom O'Berin glared at Puck.
Puck looked away. "Who could ha' known the Shire-Reeve had his own tame warlock?"
"Who should ha' known better than the Puck?" Brom re-torted.
Puck bit his lip. "I cry thy worship's pardon; I mistook."
"Gentlefolk," Tuan murmured. Dwarf and elf alike fell si-lent, and the King bowed gravely to his son. "I thank thee for thy timely news."
Equally formally, the Crown Prince returned the bow. "I rejoice that I have been of service." He cast a glance at the Gallowglasses. "Mother was so far away—and 'twas even as Puck said: Father was scarce two miles off!"
"Let him not deceive thee," Tuan said kindly. "He was concerned for thy safety."
"As well he should have been," Brom muttered.
"And I must thank thee," Tuan said to the Gallowglasses, "for thy loyalty. An all my subjects were so true and courageous, I would have little to concern me."
They stood, staring; then Cordelia, blushing, dropped a curtsy, and the boys, suddenly remembering their ma
"'Tis well for me that thou didst. Thanks to thee, this greatest threat to Queen Catharine and myself—and thy friends the princes—is removed; for, due to thine action, I took this Shire-Reeve unawares, yet with honor."
The blush spread to the boys.
Tuan turned to Alain. "Thou hast served me well this day, my son."
Alain fairly beamed.
"Yet I ca
The elf hunched in on himself, but Puck spoke up. "The fault, my lord, was mine. 'Twas I who led them out against enemies."
"Aye, but the enemy was not the Shire-Reeve," Magnus said quickly. "'Twas a fell giant, who gave us little trouble."
Brom's head snapped up; he stared, appalled.
"Coming to fight the Shire-Reeve was our choice," Geoffrey seconded.
"Yet not thine idea." King Tuan bent a stern eye on his son, who seemed to shrink. "I mind me an I bade a certain person to bide at home, for the protection of his mother."
"I could not see thee go against such odds," Alain wailed.
"Bless thee for thy caring, son," Tuan said, thawing a little, "yet I've faced such odds before, and won."
With Papa's aid, Magnus thought; but he didn't say it aloud.
"Yet I ca
"Fortunate indeed," Brom rumbled. "In truth, 'twas but good fortune that none of thee were slain, or maimed."
The children shrank in on themselves again.
"He doth but speak the truth," Tuan said, some ster
"We know," Magnus said, his voice low. "Had it not been for thy timely rescue, we'd ha' been crow's meat this even-tide."
"Indeed thou wouldst have," Brom O'Berin agreed. "Therefore, hearken! I now command thee to get to thine home! And sweep, adorn, and wash it, that thy parents may have pleasant housen when that they return!"
"Dost thou think they will?" Magnus's eyes lit.
Brom shrugged impatiently. "A universe could not keep them from thee. 'Tis but a matter of time. Therefore, go!" He glared at Puck. "Directly, to their home! Conduct them, Robin—and let them not linger by the wayside!"
"I go, I go!" Puck cried. "See how I go!"
"Be sure, I will," Brom said.
"Thou also." Tuan fixed his son with a stern gaze. "Thou must not risk thyself further."
"Must I go home then after all?" Alain protested.
The wood was quiet while Tuan gazed at his son thoughtfully. At last he said, "Nay, I think not."
Alain gri
"A prince must learn the ways of battle," Tuan explained, "and this will be a proper chance for learning, now that the Shire-Reeve is felled and there's little danger. These petty barons are not like to combine against me—and, one by one, I may swat them like flies. Yet an thou art with me, my concern for thy safety will hamper me; I will not strike as swiftly and fully as I ought. Therefore must thou promise most devoutly to stay within my tent, whiles I do battle."
Some of the glow left the prince. He lowered his eyes and glowered at the ground, shuffling a toe.
"What!" Tuan cried. "Is a father's commandment not enough?"
"Nay," Alain said reluctantly. "I will obey."
"Yet I bethink me thou wilt forget, and seek to creep out to watch the battle," Tuan said, frowning.