Gene Wolfe - The Wizard

“No, My Lord. Thank you, My Lord. I haven’t, but I’d like to go, and Toug told me about it. So did Etela.”

“I will forbear examining you as to her identity. For the present, eh? Let us return to our queen. You must have speculated. Let me have your speculations.”

Wistan cleared his throat, a small, apologetic noise compared to the Earl Marshal’s trumpetings. “I thought it fairly obvious, My Lord.”

“Not to me, Squire.”

“He’s good-looking, My Lord. And mysterious, really mysterious to me, because I know so much about him. I’ve told you some of that.” The Earl Marshal nodded and chewed.

“He’d be mysterious to her, too, because he’s never been to court. You mentioned his mail—this was the other day.”

He smiled. “So I did.”

“You can’t have been the only one to notice that. Women love mystery, My Lord.”

“I am aware of it.”

“His string broke like you said, but he shot two golds first. A gold’s any shot that cuts gold, but his were right in the center. Nobody else got two right in the center.”

“I had not observed that,” the Earl Marshal said slowly. “I was remiss, Squire. I’m glad that you were not.”

“And he has the best horse, My Lord, Cloud. You know about her, because we looked at her. I take care of her, My Lord, and I rode her once like I said. It’s not just that she’s the best horse. I—This is going to sound silly.”

“You’re of an age at which it may be condoned. Let’s hear you.”

“If everybody fought with sticks, My Lord, and a knight came with a sword, they’d say he had the best stick.”

The Earl Marshal smiled. “That’s not silly at all.”

“Ladies want the knight to win, My Lord, when they give their favor. A good horse is a big part of that.”

“You’re fortunate in your squire, Sir Able.”

“Sir Garvaon chose him, My Lord. He was a knight of sound sense, as well as great courage.”

“You yourself are a man of sound sense, Sir Able—”

I shook my head, knowing how wrong he was.

“One who must have thought on the queen’s favor, as your squire did. Thought on it more, because you are more deeply concerned. Were your conclusions the same?”

“I came to none. It seemed to me Her Highness must have been at behind it, since we met before I came here. She may have urged it, thinking it to my benefit. Or—or she might have mentioned my name in passing.”

“You will not say it.” The Earl Marshal studied me with hooded eyes. “I will. Her Majesty may have learned that Her Highness intended to bestow her favor upon you, and moved to sequester you. That seems the likeliest explanation of all. Yet in strict justice I must rule that none of those your squire proposed can be wholly disregarded. They may have played a part, and may have played the whole part. I did not cross-examine you out of curiosity, as I hope you realize. I have a plan, though I shall not reveal it until it has been tried. Not then, if it falls.”

“I’ll be grateful for your assistance in either case.”

He smiled. “I have hopes, Sir Able. I must persuade our royal ladies. Yet I am persuasive, or I would not stand where I do. Ladies like their knights to win, as a younger head than ours tells us, and even royal ladies are fond of intrigue. Nay, royal ladies are fondest of it. Thus we may hope. My last question. How am I to visit Aelfrice?”

I was taken aback. “You wish to go, My Lord?”

“It has been the dream of my life. I don’t plan to take up residence, though sometimes... It is a perilous sphere?”

“It is, My Lord. Beautiful and dangerous. So is this.”

“Well said. How may I go?”

“I may be able to arrange it, My Lord.”

“After you have delivered your message.”

“Yes, My Lord. I must put that first—I cannot do otherwise. I mean no disrespect.”

“She is a queen. I understand. You will be here in the morning to continue jousting?”

I nodded. “We will, My Lord.”

“It might be well to bring a serviceable lance as well.”

Although I attempted to question him, I could elicit no further information. We ate and drank and talked, mostly of horses, and at last Wistan and I returned to our inn, where we found Pouk and Uns slumbering.

Another page stopped us the next day, saying the queen had urgent need of me. Wistan and I followed him, and as we made our way among the towers and strong-houses heard a roar from the crowd. I caught the page’s shoulder and demanded to know what was happening.

“They’ve news from the Nykr King of Arms, I think.”

“What news?”

“I don’t know!”

I released him. “Does his news concern me?”

He nodded and only just managed to prevent himself from wiping his nose on his sleeve.

“Out with it!”

“I don’t know, Sir Able. Really. She’ll tell you.”

Wistan volunteered to go back and find out. Sensing that I might learn more if he were gone, I told him to do it.

“I’ll keep your secret,” I said when he had left, “but I must know before I talk to the queen. What was the news?”

“They had a fight.” The page whispered. “The queen and Her Highness. Everybody’s scared of her. Of the princess.”

“Small wonder.”

“But they’re going to fight. Only not really. Their champions will do it for them.”

The queen was waiting in her snowy garden. I knelt, saying I hoped I had not kept her long in the cold.

“Oh, I’m warmly dressed.” She smiled, and indicated her ermine robe. “I have to do this often. I can’t have a man in my apartments, not even an elderly relative. His Majesty would not approve.”

I was about to make some commonplace remark about warm rooms and fires elsewhere, but she swept it aside by asking whether I would like to disrobe.

“I would not like to sully Your Majesty’s honor at any time or in any place.”

She laughed merrily. “You’re the knight for me. Or I hope you will be. I could order you to, but I won’t.”

“You need not,” I told her. “Make clear what you wish, and it shall be done.”

“Except disrobing.” It might have been a dove’s moan.

“Indeed. Except that.”

“You know, this is fun.” Her smile warmed me. “When I told Lord Escan I’d do it, I didn’t think it was going to be. But it is, for me. You may be killed. I’m an awful person.”

“Your Majesty’s the only person in Celidon who thinks so. You are our glory.”

She smiled again. “You will be mine, Sir Able. I know it! You’ll fight Morcaine’s champion for me, won’t you? To defend my honor? We’re doing this for you, really.”

“I’d rather do it for you. If Morcaine had ten score champions, I’d fight them all for Your Majesty’s sake.”

“Hush! Hush!” The queen put a finger to her lips. “She may be listening. She’s terrible about that.”

“I’ve said nothing to you that I wouldn’t say in her hearing.”

“Oh, you Overcyns! Get up, please. I didn’t mean to keep you kneeling in the snow. Rise.”

I did, and her soft hand found mine. “I feel you’re my friend. That you truly are. I’ve forty knights, and not one real friend among them. Did the Valfather send you?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Or at least, he let me come.”

She stared. “You’re serious.”

“Entirely, Your Majesty. When I talk to others, I try to conceal it. But I won’t lie to you or the king. I won’t even tell half truths, something I do much too often.”

“You—I can’t let you do this. You’ll be killed.”

“You have to let me do this, Your Majesty. I’ve worn your favor in the lists. I’m your champion.”