John Flanagan: The Kings of Clonmel

The two Araluans rode back down the ramp into the village, returning to the inn where they had paid for another night's accommodation.

`We'll spend a night here and give Will a chance to catch up with us,' Halt said. 'Then I think we'd better get out of town and become invisible.'

`Fine by me,' Horace replied.

Halt looked long and hard at his young friend. 'Horace, I've sort of thrown you in at the deep end with all this. I just assumed you'd be willing to go along with the trial by combat challenge. But if you want to back away from it, just say the word and we'll leave Ferris to his own devices.'

Horace was frowning at him before he finished speaking. 'Back away, Halt? Why would I do that?'

Halt shrugged uncomfortably. 'As I said, I committed you to this without asking you. It's not your fight. It's mine, really. And those two islanders could be a handful.'

Horace smiled and held out his hand, fingers spread. `Lucky I've got big hands, then, isn't it? Halt, we've known it might come to this from the beginning. That was the reason for evoking the Sunrise Warrior legend, after all.'

He paused and Halt nodded reluctant agreement. It had been unspoken, but understood and accepted, in all their minds. Then he went on.

`I can handle Tennyson's two little playmates. That's what I'm trained for, after all. They're big but I doubt they're too skilful. As for this being your fight and not mine… well, you're my friend. And that makes it my fight.'

Halt looked up at the earnest young face before him and shook his head slowly.

`What did I do to deserve such loyalty?' he asked.

Horace pretended to consider the question seriously, then replied, 'Well, nothing much. But we promised Lady Pauline we'd look after you.'

To which Halt replied with a few words Horace had heard before – and several that were new to him.

The market square had been transformed into an arena.

Down two sides, tiers of wooden bleachers had been constructed to provide seating for the spectators. In the centre of the tiers on the western side, which would be more sheltered from the afternoon sun, an enclosed seating area, set at the height of the third and highest tier of benches, had been built to accommodate the King and his entourage. A canvas roof had been placed over the royal enclosure and there were comfortable, cushioned seats for half a dozen people. At the rear of the box, a high-backed, well-upholstered wooden seat was placed for the King's use.

The long grass of the square had been scythed short by a group of a dozen workmen, to provide a true footing for the combatants. At either end of the square, there was a pavilion – one for Horace and one for Killeen and Gerard. A suitable open space was left around these pavilions to give their occupants a semblance of privacy as theyprepared for the coming bouts. The rest of the open space was taken up by vendors, selling pies, sweetmeats, ale and wine. Although the first bout was over an hour away, they were doing a roaring trade.

The bleachers were already almost full. By some tacit agreement, Tennyson's followers had taken up their positions in the eastern stands. A central section, facing the King's box, had been left clear for Tennyson and his closest supporters. His followers had rigged a canvas screen to shield their leader from the sun and scattered deep cushions along the benches. Originally, they had approached Sean, requesting that a seating area similar to the King's be constructed. The young Hibernian had curtly refused. Ferris was King. Tennyson was an itinerant preacher. He could sit on a bench with his followers.

Of course, there wasn't enough room for everyone to find seats. The overflow gravitated to the open ground at the ends of the field, where marshals kept the crowd well away from the two pavilions.

The townspeople, who were for the most part supporting Horace as the Sunrise Warrior, had filled the western stands. There was a nonstop buzz of conversation. Excited and expectant, it hung over the arena, creating a constant backdrop of sound, reminiscent of a huge beehive at noon on a hot day.

Horace, Will and Halt, who had spent the past couple of days camped in the forest a few kilometres outside the town limits, had slipped into Dun Kilty just after first light. Even at that early hour, there had been plenty of people stirring and Horace kept his identity concealed beneath a long cloak. The two Rangers, of course, were virtually unknown in Dun Kilty and the sight of three cloaked strangers evoked little interest. Those who did see them assumed they had simply come into the town to see the combats.

They found an early-opening inn and breakfasted there. Halt was less concerned with eating than on eavesdropping on conversations around them. From what he overheard, it was obvious that the trial by combat was going ahead and that Ferris hadn't managed to renege on his – or rather Halt's – word. Townsfolk were interested and excited about the upcoming spectacle. There was even a general feeling of goodwill towards the King, partly because he had engineered this spectacle for them and partly because, finally, he was doing something about improving the situation in the Kingdom. Halt smiled grimly to himself as he realised that he had been responsible for boosting the King's popularity. Hardly typical behaviour for the usurped heir to a throne, he thought.

Will managed to cram down a buttered bread roll with hot bacon layered on top of it. But his stomach felt tight and he was on edge, worrying about his friend. For his part, Horace seemed supremely unconcerned, eating large amounts of the delicious pink bacon accompanied by several fried eggs. Will found it difficult to sit still. He wanted to be up and prowling about to release the tension that he felt throughout his entire body. But, out of deference to Horace, he sat quietly. He reflected on that as they sat, not speaking. There had been plenty of occasions in times past where he and Horace had been waiting for abattle and Will's Ranger training had made him seem calm and unconcerned. Horace had even remarked on his ability to sit unmoving for hours waiting for the enemy. So why did Will find it so difficult to remain calm and unconcerned today?

He realised that, on other occasions, he had been sharing the danger with Horace. When they waited for the Temujai army outside Hallasholm, for example. Or when they had crouched for several hours, conversing in whispers, under the upturned cart by the walls of Castle Macindaw, waiting for darkness. But this was different. This time, Horace would be facing the danger alone, with no help from Will. And that was almost unbearable for the young Ranger. He would have to watch his friend risk his life – twice. He would be unable to take a hand to help him – all the while knowing that it was in his power to dispatch both of Horace's opponents in the space of two heartbeats. The feeling of impotence was overwhelming.

`Time to go,' Halt said, returning to their table after one of his circuits of the room.

With a sigh of relief, Will leapt to his feet and made for the door. Horace, grinning at him, followed.

`Why are you on edge?' he asked. 'You're not fighting the Grumpy Twins.'

Will turned an anxious glance on him. 'That's why I'm on edge. I'm not used to sitting by and watching.'

They made their way to the market square and took in the preparations that had been made under Sean's supervision. A group of Tennyson's white robes, who were erecting the shelter where their leader would sit, glared at them. Horace smiled back and they turned away, muttering.

`Nice to know who your friends are,' he said. He looked at the two pavilions and saw another group of white robes outside the southern one. He turned and looked at the tent at the northern end of the field. Aside from the two marshals posted to keep sightseers away, there was nobody close to the tent.