The Incorporated Knight (34 page)

             
"Oh. You mean that you lust."

             
"Aye. Last night I was too wayworn; but today—"

             
"There's no time for that now, " she said shortly.

             
"No time? Why? What's toward?"

             
"As soon as I've broken fast, I must to town."

             
"Why?" said Eudoric. "I should think you'd rejoice in a day's idleness."

             
"You understand not. A message has reached me, revealing that Clothar and Brulard are furious at our marriage. They planned to wed me to a half-witted son of the King of Carinthia. So I go to forestall any dire plans they might hatch anent you. I would not lose my fourth husband ere I'd had time to break him in!"

             
"Oh? Well then, I'll go with you to confront them. I'll explain—"

             
"Be not a noodlepate, Eudoric! In three breaths you'd be hauled off to Riculf's Tower, whilst the headsman gat orders to sharpen his ax. Nay, stay you quietly here. I can handle those good-for-naughts."

             
"Humph," grunted Eudoric. "Then I'll ask one of your stablemen to saddle up some likely nag and explore your estate, with a groom to guide me."

             
"Nay; you must stay within doors, lest you fall into ambush."

             
Eudoric's irritation burst out: "Curse it, woman, it's time we sorted out our duties to each other! If you'll not come hither when I ask, I'll—"

             
"Attempt force? You'd not only find me your match, but also in three heartbeats you would be borne off by a dozen marids to my personal dungeon, there to languish whilst I concocted a spell to clip your claws. Let us have no more of this nonsense! In this place, my word is law, and think not but that I can enforce it!"

             
Yolanda rang a little bell on her dresser. Her tiring woman came in and helped her to dress. While Eudoric, seething and still in bed, gloomily contemplated the day ahead, she said to her servant:

             
"Eufronia, tell Leo to have
the carriage ready within the hour." To Eudoric she said: "Remain abed or break fast, as you list. You must needs move sprackly, if you'd join me at table." She swept out.

-

             
When Eudoric, newly shaven and freshly clothed, arrived at the breakfast table, Yolanda had departed. He ate in solitary silence. He would have liked to question the marid servants, but he knew no Saracenic and they, apparently, spoke none of his several languages.

             
Afterwards he wandered restlessly about the palace. As he passed the door of the magic room, he cast a sharp eye upon it. Seeing that no servants, human or otherwise, were about, he grasped the knob and gave a mighty pull, without result.

             
He drifted into the library, where he spent an hour reading a history of Franconia. Then he asked that Forthred be sent for.

             
"Are you comfortable?" he asked his squire.

             
"Oh, aye, sir, if ye don't mind these horned, inhuman creatures peering at you. What's to be our fate?"

             
"I know not," growled Eudoric. 'The princess thinks
I
'm in danger if I step outside the palace. How about a game of draughts?"

             
Yolanda returned in the early afternoon, bringing her dressmaker, with whom she spent the next few hours closeted. When she emerged, she found Eudoric engrossed in his twelfth game with Forthred.

             
"Eudoric!" she said sharply.

             
"Aye?"

             
"This morn you expressed—ah—certain wishes, which I lacked time to gratify. We have an hour ere dinner. If you're still fain, I can give you the time for it now. Horses must be fed and watered, and husbands must be—"

             
"Madam!" said Eudoric, taken aback. "In the first place, it's not proper to put it so roynishly before others; in the second, were not this eve—"

             
"This evening my head bailiff reports to me on the gains and losses of my estates; 'twill keep me occupied until the small hours. So it is now or never! Or, at least until the morrow."

             
Eudoric glanced at Forthred who, coloring, stared at the floor. "Forthred, set the game board where none shall disturb it; we'll finish the play anon." Following Yolanda towards the bedchamber, he continued: "But tell me, how went your visit to the King and his minister. Where stand I?"

             
"Still ambiguous," she threw back. "I gat no promises from that precious pair, save that they commit no bale without further consultation. Forsooth, I know better than to trust the promises of kings, even mine own brother."

             
Eudoric wondered whether, in this hectic atmosphere, he would fare any better than he had with Riguntha.

-

             
The next day, Yolanda again departed early for Letitia. Increasingly dissatisfied, Eudoric determined to have a look around the estate. But when he opened the huge front door, two marids barred the way.

             
"La'! La'!"
they said, holding arms out.
"Mush r
û
h!"

             
"Out of my way!" shouted Eudoric, putting a hand on each bare leathery chest and shoving.

             
Instead of his pushing them aside, they seized his arms, hoisted him into the air, carried him back across the threshold, and tossed him in a heap. These beings, he realized, were so much stronger than any mortal man that wrestling with them would be as futile as with the orthodox ogre. By the time he had scrambled to his feet, the door had closed behind the demons.

             
Boiling with rage, Eudoric prowled the palace. There were three other ground-floor entrances, all guarded by marids. He went up the marble stair and investigated the second-story rooms. Wherever he looked out a window, two or three marids were patrolling beneath, now and then glancing up.

             
Eudoric summoned Forthred again, saying: "It transpires that I am clapped up here at Her Highness's pleasure."

             
"
'Tis and easy form of jailery, sir, if ye'll excuse my so saying."

             
"True; nobody's beating me, and the fare will make me swell like a bullfrog if I limit not my aliment. But I will be no noble lady's lapdog. Have the marids hindered your movements?"

             
"Nay, sir. I went to the stables early this morn, to make sure that our beasts were properly cared for, and none gainsaid me."

             
"Whence I infer that their orders include not you. Go to the stables, take one of our horses, and tell the grooms the nag needs exercise. Then ride in to Letitia and find the old Serican magician Tsudai." Eudoric gave directions for finding the palace and, in case Tsudai should be at home, his dwelling. "Ask him to come out here to see me. He owed me for saving him from assault."

             
"Hath he a beast of burden or a carriage?"

             
"I
know not. Belike he could fly hither if he wished. Lead the mule, saddled, and give him his choice of mounts. He looks aged and frail; but having seen him hold off a band of bravos single-handed,
I
suspect his appearance to be deceptive."

             
From a window in the princess's bedroom, Eudoric watched his helper ride off leading the mule. The autumnal wind blew a shower slantwise, bringing with it an armada of leaves transformed to bronze or gold.

             
Back in the library, Eudoric tried to read the history of Franconia but found it hard to concentrate. Further examining the shelves, he came upon a group of books on love, marriage, and the female temperament. These seemed so out of keeping with the rest of the library, whose content was heavily historical and political, that Eudoric suspected the works had once belonged to husband number three, Count Sugerius. He pulled out a fat volume and settled himself to read.

-

             
Two hours later, Forthred returned with Tsudai astride the mule, and the marids made no attempt to stop the two from entering the palace. After greetings, Eudoric said:

             
"Learned Doctor, know you aught of the King's intentions towards me? The princess keeps me locked up here, like a felon, on the pretext that otherwise, Clothar and Brulard would have me shortened by a head."

             
Shedding the voluminous black cloak that he wore over a robe of purple silk, the Serican gave a squeaky little laugh. "This person doth assure your noble self that there be naught to the tale. After the King and minister had thought on the matter, they decided they were just as pleased. They would that ye tame this fair if formidable lady. They admit that the task doth call for a hero of legend; but lacking genuine giantkiller, they hope ye will qualify."

             
"Easier to tame a bull olifant in rut," grumbled Eudoric. "My one burning wish is to burst from this gilded guardhouse and return to my homeland. Any remaining scruples have been laid to rest by the knowledge that my bride has sought to deceive me."

             
"Leaving loving bride behind?" asked Tsudai. "That seems to this superficial person a departure from usual course of love amongst round-eyed Westerners."

             
" 'Twas a marriage of inconvenience," said Eudoric. "If she's fain to follow me to Arduen, we shall see how it fares with us; if not, be hers the choice. There will be no broken hearts in any case."

             
"Will indissolubility of Franconian marriages cause your noble self perplexities?"

             
"I think not; the Empire allows divorce. Next: Canst get me out of here?"

             
"Aye; this inferior one can put marids to rout. When wouldst depart?"

             
"As soon as Forthred can pack our gear. Whilst he is so occupied, let me show you the door to her magic room. She refused me admittance; so, naturally, I am curious as to what's within."

             
Tsudai said: "Sir Eudoric, your humble servant is eager to please your noble self. But if ye remember the fairytales, curiosity oft leads the curious one to do things that he later regret. Are ye sure ye wish me to open this portal?"

             
"I'm certain, Doctor; be the responsibility mine. Go ahead, if you can."

-

             
Tsudai whipped a wand out of a sleeve of his robe and pointed it at the door. He moved the wand in patterns, muttering.

             
A marid bustled up, crying;
"La! La'!"

             
Tsudai turned on the demon, pointed the wand, and said:
"R
û
h! Imshi!"

             
"Ya shayy!"
roared the marid, lunging towards Tsudai with three-fingered talons outspread. As if came within reach, the Serican rapped one of the reaching arms with his wand. There was a crack, a flash, and a smell of something scorched. The marid recoiled. With a cry of
"Istannani!"
it whirled and fled back down the corridor.