sure you know. Magic should only compete with magic; otherwise it is a case as
Dafydd has said, of naked men against those better weaponed and prepared."
"You can indeed turn into a dragon at will, Sir James?" asked the Prince,
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fascinated.
"Yes, Highness," answered Jim, "although I'm not much of a magician in other
ways."
"He is overmodest, Your Highness," said Brian. "He got us into the inner
parts of thecastleofMalvinne and brought us safely out. That latter part in
particular you know, yourself."
"That is very true," said the Prince. "But I'd greatly like to see you change
into a dragon someday, Sir James."
"As well wish to see me venture into the castle of a magician to rescue a
Prince," snapped Aragh. "It can be done; but it is not something to be done
except for special and very strong reasons."
The knights around the Prince all drew back slightly, as if instinctively
expecting an outburst of royal temper at this rebuke. Instead, to the surprise
of all those there, including Jim, the Prince merely looked thoughtful.
"That also is true, Sir Wolf," he said. "Once again you teach me to think
before I speak. I am indebted to you all; and I am sure that great reasons as
well as great courage impelled you to come to my rescue where I was held."
Therewas the beginnings of another awkward silence, but it was Brian this
time who hurried to fill the gap.
"James, you said you had some thought about how we could approach King Jean
and those with him?" he said. "Remember, Raoul has just told us that the King
will be in the third division, with the bulk of the French army before him."
"Exactly," said Jim. "That is why I've planned all along to make a large
circuit with all our people and approach from the rear, or from some angle
behind them where they are least likely to expect an attack."
Brian looked dubious. So did Sir Raoul.
"Easier said than done, Sir James," said Raoul. "Behind the third line will
be the baggage wagons, the retainers, the horse-holders;all the rabble that
follows an army. If you plan to charge through that, both horses and men will
be worn out before they ever strike the body around the King; and also those
with him will be fully alerted that an attack is coming from behind."
"No doubt," answered Jim, "but while I wouldn't use magic directly in battle
against anyone, I think it's a legitimate use of it to help us approach to a
distance from where a charge will do some good."
Looking around, he saw no disbelief on the faces watching him. The irony of
it struck him then; for he was nowhere near as sure as they seemed to be that
he could manage what he had just said he would do. But from the standpoint of
those around him, magic could do anything; and a magician could work any
magic.
He had expected them at least to ask him how he was going to use magic to
make their close approach to the King and his bodyguard possible. But none of
them asked; and he was content not to have to explain. They must have some
hope of success no matter how flimsy. It was best none of them knew that, of
all the several possibilities to get them at the false Prince that he was
still juggling in his mind, none of them might work. They might be killed to
no purpose, all of them. But let the disappointment from that come, if it had
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to come, tomorrow, after they had all tried their best.
"So much for that, then," said Brian. "However, let us all you too,
Dafydd move a little apart from these others so that we may speak in freer
voices without a thought of being overheard, even by our own men. But before
that Theoluf! Tom Seiver!"
Jim's new squire and Brian's senior man-at-arms detached themselves from the
group of the others, from whom the three archers were still standing a little
apart, and came up to Brian.
"Yes, Sir Brian?" they said.
"See to it that these three good archers are welcomed among our men. You
understand me, Tom, Theoluf? They are one of us now, and to be treated as
such." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]