Startled, Tiuri jerked back, knocking over a chess piece.
“You…!” he whispered.
The expression on the other man’s face changed.
“You do not know me!” said the Black Knight sharply. His eyes narrowed, and for one moment there was nothing but fury on his face. But then he smiled, melancholy and slightly mocking.
But Tiuri knew now that this was not Prince Iridian – no matter how much he looked like him. And so his suspicion had been correct: his opponent was Iridian’s twin brother, the King of Eviellan.
“Well?” said the knight, as he looked curiously at Tiuri. “My face seems to surprise you. Have we perhaps met before, after all?”
“No… no, my lord,” said Tiuri.
“Are you sure about that?” asked the knight. He now looked so much like Prince Iridian that Tiuri could not help pausing briefly before he answered, “I am certain of it, my lord.”
“And I am not so certain of it,” said the Black Knight. “I knew you before I met you at the Low Bridge.”
Again, doubts began to rise within Tiuri. Was this Prince Iridian, whom he had so admired… or was the Iridian with whom he’d played chess at Castle Ristridin in fact the Black Knight with the Red Shield? How could two such different men look so very much alike?
“What is your name, my lord?” he managed to say.
“Master of the Tarnburg is my title, but before that I was Lord of the Seven Castles. I am the Knight in Black, exile, wanderer… You consider me your enemy, but I am not. You do not need to remain a prisoner in my castle! You may be my guest, my friend, if only you will trust me.” The knight fell silent for a moment and asked, “Do you have a suspicion who I am?”
“You are the prince…” replied Tiuri, his voice trembling a little. “The King of Eviellan.” He began to rise to his feet.
“Remain seated,” ordered the knight. “I am here incognito. I understand that you have met my… that you have met Prince Iridian.” He leant back in his chair and added, “So now do you understand me better? You did not even know for sure which one of us you were talking to! Do you dare now to make a distinction between us? To follow one of us and to reject the other? Yes, I am the King of Eviellan, but I am also a son of King Unauwen. Forget the discord between Unauwen and Eviellan for a moment and listen to me. I could have killed you, but instead I have talked to you and played chess with you.”
How can someone with a face like that be evil? thought Tiuri and he whispered, “Why… sire?”
“You are so young – and it is not your fault that you consider me an enemy,” replied the king. “But as I have already said, I feel only friendship for the knights of King Dagonaut.”
What about Ristridin? thought Tiuri.
“I also love my father, King Unauwen,” the prince continued. “Why else would I still wear his ring on my finger? Do you think it was ever my intention to start a war, to bring about death and destruction? Have I not caused Eviellan to flourish and subjugated the cruel lords who live there to my will? And yet I do not feel at home there. I long constantly for my homeland, which I love.” He leant closer to Tiuri.
“Look at me,” he said, almost whispering, “and tell me I would not look like a paladin of King Unauwen if I were to cross the mountains to the west. Would the people not greet me as their lord, their prince?” He smiled at Tiuri and continued, “And you could ride in my company, a knight on a black horse and with a white shield. You could ride beside me, for you are valiant and could become a great knight…”
Tiuri moved as if he were trying to shake off a spell. He knew he could not trust the prince and yet, looking at him and listening to him, he could hardly believe that this was the wicked King of Eviellan.
The king continued to speak, softly, almost pleading, “I shall tell you everything about myself, so that you will know what I am like and what I wish for. I want only to do good, and any evil I have done was only because I was driven to it through no will of my own. I am, like you, a prisoner, and I want to be free. Do you trust me?”
Tiuri said nothing. To his amazement, he felt the urge to say yes. Now he understood why the King of Eviellan had so many loyal followers.
“Silence is agreement,” said the prince.
“That is not true!” whispered Tiuri.
“But you did not say no… Even Sir Ristridin believed me when I told him that an attack on your kingdom was being planned from Deltaland. It was for my sake that he kept silent about the paths in this wood.”
Could that really be true? thought Tiuri.
The King of Eviellan continued, “You are perhaps surprised that I, a king, would take the trouble of talking to you like this. But you deserve to be free! This is no man’s land, and no one will find you here… or even look for you.”
Was there a threat in his voice now?
“To be honest,” he continued, “I rather think your friends have abandoned you. Why else did they not accompany you into the wood? But you had the courage to go anyway, a true knight, on your black horse, with your white shield…” and, half to himself, he added, “Just like Sir Edwinem.”
That name brought Tiuri to his senses. Edwinem of Forèstèrra – he had been murdered, treacherously lured into a trap by a black knight with a red shield, the knight Bendu had been seeking but had not found. How could Tiuri have forgotten that? It was this knight who had committed that infamous deed, the masked Knight with the Red Shield, the King of Eviellan himself!
“You murdered him!” said Tiuri.
He was startled by the effect of his words. The man opposite him sat upright. His features twisted and changed and his face became terrifying, wicked!
Then the king wiped his hand across his brow and the anger melted from his face. But Tiuri knew now he would never be mistaken again. This knight was nothing like Prince Iridian.
The King of Eviellan looked at him for a long time, with his cold, piercing eyes. Tiuri felt all his courage fading away beneath that gaze.
“I should not have spoken the name of Edwinem,” the king said. “But it was you who made me do it.”
“Me? How?” asked Tiuri.
The King of Eviellan stood up. “I saw him in you,” he said, “as he once was, before the war came. He rode on the black horse Ardanwen, his shield was white, and a peculiar squire followed him wherever he went. In you he could have returned, but this time at my side. I can say that to you now, as it is not going to happen.”
His voice grew colder and colder.
“It no longer matters,” he continued. “Sir Edwinem will not return. I killed him; that is true. There will be not one single white shield in my retinue when I cross the mountains along the Road of Ambuscade.”
To conquer the Kingdom of Unauwen… thought Tiuri.
The King of Eviellan was wicked, and yet for a moment Tiuri felt some sympathy for him. He would never know happiness, this prince, who killed anyone who stood in his way, who would even destroy the land he wanted to rule.
Now the king was looking down at him, his face devoid of expression. “Not one single white shield,” he repeated.
And suddenly Tiuri saw very clearly what his own fate would be. He would have to die, just like Edwinem, like Ilmar and Arwaut. The King of Eviellan knew Tiuri would never follow him… And the land of King Unauwen would be destroyed.
But that couldn’t happen, could it?! It mustn’t! Evil could surely not be allowed to win?!
The King of Eviellan leant forward and swept away the pieces that were still on the board. He said nothing, but his gesture said enough.
I don’t want to die! thought Tiuri.
He realized that no word, no plea would help him. Was there truly no way out?
Kneeling down, he hastily gathered up the pieces. He put them back on the board. The third night! he thought. Just give me time until tomorrow night.
The King of Eviellan turned away from him and walked slowly towards the door.
Tiuri’s voice stopped him in his tracks. The young knight had stood up and said, in calm and measured tones, “I challenge you, sire, Prince Viridian.”
And when the king turned around, Tiuri pointed at the black and white board and said, “I challenge you to one last game of chess.”
The King of Eviellan looked at him coolly and gave no response.
“A game for life – or death,” Tiuri added.