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Chronicle II, Chapter 6 Hints By William Black Morion stood slightly smaller than Aspen. But her bearing was regal and authoritative. And though the young knight would not bend his knee to her, he did bow slightly as she touched each of his shoulders and helmeted head with her blade. "By my rights as sovereign of this realm, and by the authority vested in me by my subjects, I proclaim you Sir Aspen, Knight and Paladin of the Realm of the Dark Crystal." With this she laid down her blade, walked up to the new knight, and reached up to remove his helmet. The young knight stepped back to avoid her outstretched arms, "My Lady, please forgive me and grant me your indulgence. I wish to remain to you and to those of your court exactly what I am, unknown. I have given you a name and told you a little about myself. Please be content and ask for no more. For at this time, I am unprepared to reveal anymore." Sir Aspen bowed slightly again and turned to leave. Morion stood speechless, her face reflecting both doubt and astonishment at this young knight's nerve. Sir David intervened. "Sir Aspen," he said in a stern, no-nonsense voice, "you will respect your sovereign's right to know any and all things about you which she deems necessary. You will remove that helmet or I will do it for you! Besides, what kind of man are you to first accept her as your liege Lady, then turn right around an dishonor her before her subjects. You not only offend her, but all the knights, Ladies, and people of this realm!" Gardain stepped back slightly, a thin smile of satisfaction crossing his lips. It didn't appear he would have to do much to get rid of this troublesome knight after all. The young fellow was doing quite well on his own. The young knight shook his head sadly. "Sir David. I have not meant to offend you or anyone else; especially my Lady. I just wish to be left alone. I came to lend my aid against yonder challenger," Sir Aspen gestured towards Gardain, "my intentions were pure and right. I didn't want any other fine knights to fall at his hands unnecessarily." David's face was filled with rage, "And how in the hell did you know we needed or even wanted help. You might be in league with that champion of Lord Banon's. In fact, that makes a lot of sense. It explains, does it not, how you defeated him so easily when the rest of our knights failed to do so!" Gardain took his chance. "Sir David, I'm afraid your insight serves you well. I was hoping you would not pick up on this so readily. Yes, this young fellow is one of my men. It was arranged to help keep this festival going. Lord Banon knew how discouraged you all would become, so to help things along, this fine young knight volunteered to help. Isn't that right, Sir Aspen? Of course, he will deny it so to make things look more legitimate." The young knight stood among those he had come to help, not knowing how to respond. If he denied Gardain's words it gave credence to what was spoken. Who would believe him, and unknown knight? He could take off the helmet, but then his advantage was removed. He would be stripped bare of a powerful weapon; anonymity. "I don't believe you people!" It was Morgan who came to his aid; "Here we have a fine young champion who came and knocked this arrogant warthog of a knight into yesterday, and you accuse him of dishonoring this noble assembly. You are the most ungrateful group of people I know. You did the same thing to Sir William seven years prior. He came to help, even though he knew he had the demon's poison coursing through his veins. He could have easily destroyed us, but instead, he sacrificed himself to defeat Dumah." Anger flashed bright in Morgan's eyes, but she continued, "After the destruction of the Angle of Death, did any one of you noble and brave knights go out searching for him? Wasn't it I alone who did? Did any of you care whether he as alive or dead besides me? I think not. Oh, don't look so astonished. I admit you are all brave, noble of heart, and all that rot, but you lack compassion and loyalty to those who serve you best." Morgan wheeled around, her anger and frustration palatable. She brushed past the young knight, and he felt the heat of her emotions. There was also something else, longing. Sir David stood looking after the retreating figure. Morion too was silent. The wizard stood up and motioned to those around him. "Morgan has given us all pause to consider our attitudes. It would do us well to listen to her. We are far too quick to judge and doubt. I don't blame any of you with all that has transpired both yesterday and today. However, Sir Gardain," and her the wizard bowed slightly to the large knight, "has done us a great service. He has made us consider our own self-worth and abilities or lack thereof. Let us call this a day and reflect on what we have learned." Here the wizard extended his arm to Lady Ann and led the way off the stand. The other people, heads bowed and muttering to one another, also started to drift away. Morion looked at Sir David, then turned to face Sir Aspen. The young knight stood in silence. "Sir, I have never been good at apologies. To be honest, I have seldom had too extend any. But would you accept mine now? I have wronged you, as did Sir David. You have a right to your privacy." David looked at her with disagreement reflected in his green eyes, but he remained silent. "How lovely. All's well that end's well," Gardain's sarcasm rang out, "is that it? You now have one man that beat me in a joust after I had bested ten of your finest warriors today, not to mention the lot yesterday. Well, I for one want to know who this Sir Aspen really is." Gardain approached Aspen with cold intention in his eyes. He reached for the young knight's helmet but stopped suddenly. The point of a dirk pricking his exposed neck. "You just love to get close, don't you old man. Didn't you just tell my Lady that you knew me? Liar!" Aspen's voice was low and threatening. "Don't think for a moment I will let you do what my sovereign is unable to do. If you want to see my face, then you will have to beat me in tomorrow's challenge." Aspen waited for Gardain to backup a few steps, and then he turned and walked back to his horse. Mounting the palomino he turned once again to Morion and her remaining court. "My Lady, I mean no disrespect to you. I will serve you with my life, but I do ask to be allowed to serve in my own way. I will try not to disappoint you. " Grabbing Sir Gardain's lance, he nudged his mount around, and guiding him out towards the tent the fallen knights lay recuperating in. Gardain looked at Morion, then the retreating knight. "I will give you that jackal's heart on a plate tomorrow. This I swear!" He stomped away, not bothering with the courtesy of waiting to receive her leave. Morion looked at Sir David shaking her head slowly. "I don't understand all that just happened here, but I don't care. I'm tired and just grateful enough to Aspen for taking Sir Gardain down a notch, that I am not going to pursue this matter of Aspen's true identity any further." Catching the look in David's eyes, she silenced his rebuttal, "I know how you feel, but we both saw how Gardain looked at him. He's worried. This young knight was not part of his plans." "You're right, my Lady. But I hate being kept in the dark. That young fellow is treating us like children, as if we cannot make our own wise choices." "Is he?" Morion wove her arm around David's and gently guided him back to the palace. "I think he does not trust us anymore than he trusts Gardain. Sir Aspen wants to help, but holds his on council. He sort of reminds me of my favorite knight." She gave David an affectionate squeeze of the arm. He smiled at her as they continued on to the palace. William Black (c) Continues... Chronicle II, Main page |