Part 7 (1/2)
”You have pursued these goodfolk, here...” Rod jerked his head toward the peasants. ”... southward. You have pa.s.sed the border of Romanov, and are come into Earl Tudor's land. Wend your way on to the South, now, with the folk you did chase-only now, be their protectors.”
He saw resolve firm the soldiers' faces.
Rod nodded with satisfaction. Southward you go, all in one body, to King Tuan at Runny mede. Kneel to him there, and say the High Warlock bade you come. Then tell him your tale, from beginning to end, even as Gavin Arlinson has told it to me. He will hear you, and shelter you-and, if you wish it, I doubt not he will take you into his army, so that, when he marches North against this tyrant sorcerer, you may help in tearing him down.”
Rod glanced from face to face again. He hadn't said anything about guilt or expiation, but he could see remorse turn into fanaticism in their expressions. He turned to Grathum. ”We can trust them. Strike off their bonds.”
Grathum eyed him uncertainly, but moved to obey.
Rod felt a tug at his belt, and looked down.
”Papa,” said Gregory, ”will the guards allow them to speak to the King?”
”I'll have to see if I can get you a job as my memory.”
Rod turned away to fumble in Fess's pack, mumbling, ”We did bring a stylus and some paper, didn't we?”
”We did,” the robot's voice answered, ”but it is at the bottom, under the hardtack.”
”Well, of course! I wasn't expecting a booming corre- spondence on this jaunt.” Rod dug deep, came up with writing materials, and wrote out a rather informal note, asking that the bearer be allowed to speak with Their Majesties. He folded it, tucked the stylus away, and turned to Cordelia. ”Seal, please.”
The witchlet stared at it, brow puckering in furious con- centration. Then she beamed, and nodded.
”All done?” Rod tested it; the paper was sealed all around the edges; molecules from each half of the sheet had wan- dered in among the other half's. Rod grinned. ”Thanks, cabbage.” He turned to Grathum, handing him the letter.
”Present this to the sentry. Not being able to read, he'll call the captain of the guard, who'll call for Sir Maris, who'll probably allow only two of you to come before Their Majesties-and even then, only when you're surrounded by ten of the Queen's Own Bodyguard. Don't let them bother you-they'll just be decoration.” He pursed his lips.
”Though I wouldn't make any sudden moves, when you're in the throne room...”
Grathum bobbed his head, wide-eyed. ”E'en as thou dost say, milord.” Then he frowned. ”But... milord...”
”Go ahead.” Rod waved an expansive gesture.
Grathum still hesitated, then blurted, ”Why dost thou call thy la.s.s a 'cabbage?'”
”'Cause she's got a head on her shoulders,” Rod ex- plained. ”Off with you, now.”
4.
The family watched the little company march off southward.
When they had disappeared into the woodland. Rod turned back to his family. ”Thank you, children. I was very proud of you.”
They blossomed under his praise. Cordelia caught his hand and returned, ”And / was proud of thee. Papa, that thou didst not lose thy temper!”
Rod fought to keep his smile and said only, ”Yes. Well, every little improvement counts, doesn't it?”
He turned to sit on a convenient rock. ”We could use a little rest, after all that excitement.”
”And food!” Geoffrey plopped himself down on the gra.s.s in front of Rod. ”May I hunt. Papa?”
”No,” Rod said slowly, ”there are those laws against poaching, and this tinker disguise still seems to be useful.”
”But it doth not deceive the sorcerer and his coven,”
Magnus said, folding himself down beside Geoffrey.
”True, but it does seem to make the folk we encounter more willing to talk. Grathum said things to the tinker, that he was careful to hold back from the Lord High Warlock.”
”Indeed,” Gwen confirmed. ”He was .so overawed that his true feelings did not even come into his mind, when he *
knew thou wert n.o.ble.”
48.
49.
”Which I still don't believe,” Rod noted, ”but he did.
That's what's important. So we remain a tinker family, on the surface.”
”Then, no hunting?” Geoffrey pouted.
”Yes,” Rod nodded. ”No.”
”But we're hungry!” Cordelia complained.
”There is an answer to that.” Gwen opened a bundle and spread it out. ”Biscuits, cheese, apples-and good spring water, which Magnus may fetch.”
Magnus heaved a martyred sigh and went to fetch the bucket.
”I know,” Rod commiserated. ”It's not easy, being the eldest.”
Magnus set the bucket down in the center of the family ring and scowled at it. With a sudden slosh, it filled with water.
Rod gazed at it, then lifted his eyes to his eldest. ”I take it you remembered the last brook we crossed?”
Magnus nodded, folding himself down cross-legged.
”Though milk would be better.”
”You may not teleport it out,” Rod said sternly. ”How do you think the poor cow would feel? Besides, it'd take too long to cool, after Mama pasteurized it.”
”She could heat it in the cow,” Cordelia offered.