Part 42 (2/2)

suddenly felt as if the whole occasion might turn out to be fun after all.

'Mind you,' Nastrus said as Jarrod climbed gingerly into the saddle, 7 do not understand the reasons behind this ceremony. It is the duly of a strong male to take as many females as possible.'

'We see things somewhat differently,' Jarrod replied.

'For us it is the affirmation of the love between two people and, later, for the protection of the children.'

'Raising colts is dams' work,' Nastrus said dismis- sively, 'and I can see in your mind that you are uncertain about this love. You have already rutted, why all this extra fuss?'

'This is not the lime,' Jarrod thought back with what severity he could muster, 'to try to explain the differ- ences between human and unicorn. Let's just get on with it, shall we?'

They rode out of the stables to the cheers of the as- sembled Magicians, and Jarrod smiled and waved to his friends and colleagues. They were all there except Grey- lock, Tokamo and Agar Thorden, who had spent the previous night at the palace. He felt their approbation as a palpable force. These men were, in a very real sense, his family and he was glad that he had thought to pay for a feast for them that night. If things had worked out as originally planned, they and not the Court would have been the wedding guests.

As they cleared the Outpost's fortified gate, he de- cided to ride to Stronta through the Great Maze. They were supposed to make their entrance into the capital through Westgate, but this seemed more fitting. Nastrus obediently swung off the road and onto the path that led to the ancient enigma.

'I've never been through this Maze of yours,' Nastrus remarked. 'Are you sure that it will let me through?'

232 t JOHN LEE

'Certain. I took Marianna through and her only Talent was being able to talk to your mother.'

Nastrus moved easily into the required canter- 'If it's all the same to you,' he remarked, 'I'll walk when we gel to it.'

'Nothing will happen to you; trust me.' Jarrod re- sponded.

He proved correct. The Great Maze embraced them.

He had half expected the experience to be different when viewed through Nastrus' eyes, much as it had been when they had ridden through the forest created by illusion, but the glitteringly insubstantial gold and silver fronds that parted at their approach looked the same to both of them. There was no trace of discomfort in the uni- corn's mind, just a happy sense of wonder and an al- most smug pleasure that he was recording yet another first for his kind. Emerging into the ordinary daylight with the ever-open North Door ahead was an anticli- max for them both.

Stronta was mercifully quiet and Jarrod rode unher- alded across the broad quadrangle behind the gate and into Royal Court. A crowd had gathered in front of the palace to watch the arrival of the notables in their fin- ery. Jarrod guessed that the rest of the population was spread between Westgate and Royal Court. He hadn't thought of that when he had decided to cross the Great Maze and knew a twinge of regret for depriving the townsfolk of a sight of the unicorn.

He saw Tokamo, Agar Thorden and the Royal Chamberlain waiting at the top of the stairs leading to the Great Hall, but neither they nor the crowd were looking in his direction. He smiled and Nastrus pulled up. Jarrod dismounted with care and then, with the uni- corn following, made his way through the startled throng, and up the stairs. There he was greeted by the little delegation and led into the Great Hall with the 233.

cheers of the crowd ringing in his ears- In later years the legend would say that both he and the unicorn were invisible until they appeared at the doors of the Hall.

Nastrus was unsaddled and led away by young Lazia, now a middle-aged man. Jarrod was escorted to a with- drawing room where he was given a goblet of fortified wine. The Chamberlain explained that Her Majesty would enter the chapel in twenty minutes, at which time he would return for them. He ran over the duties of Tokamo as ring bearer and where Jarrod would stand, as if they had never rehea.r.s.ed the moves. Jarrod lis- tened politely, knowing from experience that the Cham- berlain was unstoppable in the performance of his duty.

When the man had finished and gone away, Tokamo grinned at his old friend.

”That's quite an outfit,” he said admiringly. ”I sup- pose all those jewels are real?”

”I'm afraid so.”

”I remember your talking about this”-he waved his hand up and down, indicating the clothes-”when you were recovering from the Great Spell, but I never really visualized the size of those stones.”

”Wait till you see what Marianna's wearing,” Jarrod said quickly, uncomfortable with the conversation.

Tokamo picked up on his tone of voice immediately.

”Well,” he said brightly, ”are you feeling nervous?”

”I was when I got up,” Jarrod admitted, ”but Nas- trus is having such a good time with this whole thing that I stopped worrying. Everyone else is taking care of all the details, so what do I have to be nervous about?”

<script>