Orson Card - Enchantment

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.

Then, ashamed of the bloodthirsty thought, he stepped forward. "Matfei, my father, my king, and my lord," said Ivan, "may I have Dimitri's sword?"

Matfei lowered the sword, then laid it across Ivan's hands. Ivan made no effort to put his hand on the hilt. Rather he kept the sword as he had received it, lying across his hands. Ivan turned back to face Katerina. "May I give this sword to the king's true servant?"

"You may," said Katerina. "When we hear his oath and his plea for pardon."

Dimitri did not hesitate. Weeping, he gave his fervent oath of loyalty to King Matfei, and to Katerina and Ivan too, for good measure. Then he begged for pardon for his dire offenses, and swore to be true to Christ as well, whose atoning sacrifice would make him clean again, if only the king would pardon him. King Matfei, speechless still, nodded gravely. "Let my husband, Ivan, return the sword of a true knight to you," said Katerina.

Ivan knelt before Dimitri, so their eyes were nearly level, though Ivan had the advantage of height, even kneeling. He held out the sword.

Dimitri took it from him. Tears flowed down his cheeks. He looked sincere. But beyond appearances, Ivan had no way of measuring Dimitri's heart. He had been humiliated here today. If he was a good man, he would now be the most fervently loyal soldier in Taina's army, the most faithful of King Matfei's druzhina. But if he was not a man of honor and goodness, he would already be plotting his revenge for this humiliation. Someone would die for this day's work. There'd be no more talk, if he betrayed the king again.

But for now, the appearance was all that counted. The king reached down and raised Dimitri up. Katerina did the same for Ivan. The four of them together turned to face the crowd. Only one more step was needed. Katerina reached out her hand to Father Lukas. The priest came forward and took his place between Katerina and her father, with Ivan on the other side of her, and Dimitri on the opposite end of the line, beside the king.

Katerina raised her voice and let it ring out across the crowd. "In the holy name of Christ our Savior, the kingdom of Taina is whole again!"

The cheers were deafening, as the people shouted. Taina! King Matfei! Katerina! Dimitri! Even the name of Ivan could be heard.

Their first victory together. And Katerina had chosen to heed his counsel. Now Ivan could only hope that his counsel had been wise, or, if he was wrong, that the price of Dimitri's pardon would not be too high.

Baba Yaga

"It's so good to be home, my love," she said to Bear. "Did you miss me?"

"I felt your absence every moment you were gone," said Bear.

"How ambiguous you are," said Baba Yaga. "But I'm content, for here you are, and here I am, and this is our happy home."

"I see a familiar thirst for blood in your eyes," said Bear.

"But not your blood, so you shouldn't mind," she said. "The pretty little princess and her husband have just defeated my puppet."

"You always said that he was just a toy to you," said Bear.

"Oh, I know. I didn't expect much. But I thought at least he'd go out with a splash of blood. That he'd kill the king, or at least that annoying Ivan, before he went down."

"It's always tragic when you don't get your way, my love," said Bear.

"Never mind. No loss. The fools haven't even killed him. They've given him back his sword—because he promised to be loyal. Don't they know that once I've won a man's heart, he's mine forever?"

"You know, you haven't actually tested that proposition," said Bear.

"Do you doubt it?" she asked. Her temper was ready to flare, for despite the unconcern that she affected, Bear knew that it bothered her very much to have been defeated in the first skirmish of the war.

"I merely point out that in order to know a man is yours forever, you would have to wait an infinitely long time."

"Not infinite," said Baba Yaga. "Only until the man is dead. That's forever as far as he's concerned."

"Ah," said Bear. "I see your point."

"And I see yours, don't think I missed it. Let me assure you, my dearest darling swatch of fur, that the spells that helped you discover your deep abiding love for me will never dim with time, and there is no one alive with the power to break what I have bound."

"Technically speaking," said Bear, "I have that power."

"But since I have bound your power to my will, and I don't will you to be free of my binding, I can't think how your power could ever be used to break those bonds of affection and devotion and humiliating servility that make us such a perfect couple. So the word forever seems to apply in your happy case, as well. Aren't you glad?"

"I am as happy as you wish me to be," said Bear.

She cackled with delight at the deftness of his answer. "Oh, Bear, the best thing I ever did was give you speech! Only you are worthy of me! I shall be entertained forever, because I have you!"

"No doubt you'll strive to keep me entertained as well."

"Why yes," she said. "For instance, I have all these useless people that came along with my flying house. I have no interest in feeding them. They're not good at any service I require. So you may sport with them however you like. In fact, I resolve not to feed you again until you've rid me of them all."

"I don't require food to live," Bear pointed out.

"But you like to eat. And winter will come, and you'll wish to be nice and fat, won't you? Be a dear, and kill at least a few of them tonight."

"Do you really, truly want me to?" asked Bear.

"Oh yes, I do."