Piak raised his face to the eternally snow-covered mountaintops, which glistened in the sun.
“Go to visit Menaures,” Sir Ardian had said, and now Tiuri and he were on their way – upstream along the Blue River to its source. That was where the hermit lived, in the Great Mountains between the kingdoms of Unauwen and Dagonaut.
It was a warm summer’s day and they were walking slowly, Tiuri leading Ardanwen. At the point where the path became narrower and steeper they stopped for a moment and read the words carved into the stone.
Pilgrim climbing to the heights above,
may you travel with God’s love.
And, dear friend, as you go,
pray for us in the valleys below.
Before continuing, the two friends looked back at the flat land they had left behind and thought about the people they knew there.
They could see nothing of the Wild Wood now. But the Blue River flowed past Mistrinaut and the City of Dagonaut and on past Castle Tehuri. They had broken their journey at Castle Mistrinaut briefly and would stay longer on the way back. Lord Rafox also wanted to visit the hermit, but he would set off a few days later, accompanied by Lavinia. So the four of them would journey back to the east together. But now Tiuri and Piak travelled the path to Menaures, just the two of them, as they had gone adventuring before.
Tiuri thought: A year ago I walked here, too, with the letter for King Unauwen. Then I did not have Ardanwen with me, as he could not come with me across the mountains. And I had not yet met Piak. A year ago… It feels as if I have known him all my life.
A year ago, thought Piak, I was sitting up there on a mountain slope. And then I saw Tiuri coming, with Jaro, disguised as a pilgrim. That’s how it all began. But now we’re going only as far as Menaures’s cabin, not over the mountains to the Kingdom of Unauwen…
And suddenly he was overwhelmed once again by the sorrow that had faded a little since their journey began. A shadow hung over the Kingdom of Unauwen. Prince Iridian, the leader of the knights with the white shields, was no more.
Piak glanced sideways at his friend, whose face was pensive and serious, but not sad. As he saw Tiuri look back over his shoulder, he thought: His mind’s on Lavinia, of course. Later, when we’re at Mistrinaut… maybe even on our return journey, she’ll make him laugh again. One day – soon – he’ll marry her, and he won’t really need me anymore.
Tiuri seemed to feel his gaze and he looked at his friend, with a question on his face.
Piak quickly turned to look at the road ahead and began to sing:
Now I’ll lay down my sword and shield…
Yes, he thought, perhaps I no longer need to be a squire. I could stay here, in the mountains, live with Menaures and tend sheep, as I once did. I could climb and climb again, walk across the glacier and look out over the Kingdom of Unauwen, but only from a distance. If I went there, everything would have changed so much…
These thoughts continued to occupy Piak, although he did not speak them out loud. And when he finally saw the hermit’s cabin on the green slope ahead, beneath the mighty wall of rock, his heart leapt. This was his home!
“Are you pleased to be back?” asked Tiuri.
“Oh, yes!” said Piak. “It’s still exactly the same. Nothing has changed.”
The twists and turns of the path hid the hut from view at times, but they came ever closer. Then they saw a boy sitting in the meadow above the path.
Tiuri stopped for a moment. “It’s true,” he said. “It really is exactly the same! There you are, just like the first time I came here.” He smiled as he looked at Piak and added, “But this boy is not brown as a berry and he is not playing the flute.”
Piak did not smile, and his good mood melted away. His place here had been taken by another. This boy was sitting on the slope where he had once sat. And he greeted them with the same words, “You must be here to see Menaures.” He told them to head around the bend to the cabin. He did not hurry there himself, though, as Piak had once done, but remained sitting where he was.
Will Menaures understand how I feel? Piak wondered to himself. Of course he will, because he knows everything.
Soon he was looking into the hermit’s wise eyes and he felt stronger.
“The wickedness of Eviellan has been defeated,” said Menaures, “and Prince Iridian is the victor, even though he is no longer in this world. But,” he continued, “you must remember that the fight goes on, even if we are not at war. Even the peace in our hearts is something we must always fight for.” He nodded at Piak and added, “I am pleased to see the two of you. I am old and one day I, too, will no longer be here.”
“Why do you say that?!” said Piak, his voice trembling. “I know it’s true, but… oh, why does it have to be that way? One day you will no longer be here, and King Unauwen will no longer be here… and what then? Who will reign over the Kingdom in the West? Oh, I wish I had not said that. I…” He ran out of words.
“The words I spoke were something you already know,” said Menaures, “even though you would rather not. But before we talk further, you must first meet my young friend. Would you ask him to come here, Piak? He should be nearby.”
Piak was happy to go back outside. In the mountain meadow, beneath the sunny blue sky, he realized it was almost impossible to remain gloomy. But then he saw that was not true for everyone.
The boy was sitting in the same spot, but his head was resting on his knees and his whole posture radiated sadness.
Piak remained at a distance and called hesitantly, “Hey, hello!”
The boy looked up, quickly wiping his eyes, and then stood and turned his back to Piak, as if studying the view. Piak walked over to him and looked out as well. He could see a very long way over the Kingdom of Dagonaut; he saw the river and the towers of Rafox’s castle, hills and houses, farmland and dark forests. He did not look at the boy’s face, but simply said, “Menaures has sent for you.”
The boy pointed one finger and said, “That forest over there. It’s not the Wild Wood, is it?”
“No,” replied Piak. “The Wild Wood lies more to the south, beyond those hills on the right.” Only then did he look at the boy. Was it a coincidence that he had asked about that forest, of all places?
“I’m Piak,” he said and then, startled, he fell silent.
The boy was taller than Piak, although he was certainly no older. He stood straight, his blond hair gleaming in the sunlight. His face was calm now and his dark eyes looked questioningly at Piak.
But Piak did not know what else to say; he just stared at that face in astonishment. He had seen it before, although it was much younger now and not yet marked by war and hardship.
“Who are you?” he finally managed to say. “Is your name perhaps Idian… or Iridian?”
“How did you know that?” the boy asked, also surprised.
“It’s like seeing the prince standing before me!” said Piak. “You’re so… You are his double, my lord!”
“Do not call me that,” the boy said. “Call me Idian, like my… Did you know my father?” he said, changing the subject. He looked at Piak with an expression that said, “Talk to me about him! Please!”
Piak understood now why he was sad, this boy, Prince Iridian’s son. He took his hand and shook it firmly.
“Yes,” he said. “I… Oh, what can I say? I was at the duel, with my friend, Tiuri. And your father won!”
“I know,” said the boy quietly. “I only wish I had been there… Tell me about it!”
“Of course,” said Piak. “I’ll tell you everything I know.”
They both stood in silence for a short time, looking at the ridge of hills that the Wild Wood lay behind.
Now I understand, thought Piak. That’s why Sir Ardian told us to come here; that’s why Menaures said I should come out to call him, this boy. Iridian’s son is alive, he is the prince of the Kingdom of Unauwen! He will live here in the mountains and Menaures will teach him everything he knows. Then he will return to the land of his grandfather, the king, and one day he will rule over the kingdom in the west.
Almost in a whisper, he said, “You are sad, Idian, but I am happy to meet you. There is still a prince in the Kingdom of Unauwen; you are your father’s successor.”
“I am happy to hear you say that,” replied the young Idian. “I mean I’m happy that you are happy.”
They looked at each other and smiled.
King Unauwen is not alone, thought Piak. And besides he has many friends… Ardian, Tirillo, Ristridin, Tiuri…
“Come with me!” he said. “My friend has to meet you, too. His name is Sir Tiuri and I am his squire. Come with me, and then we shall tell you everything…” And we’ll also ask you plenty of questions, he thought to himself.
They walked together to Menaures’s hut.
Tiuri had come outside; he was standing with Ardanwen by the spring and waiting for them.
Here I come, with Prince Idian, thought Piak. Tiuri’s going to be so surprised when he finds out.
But as he came closer, he could tell from Tiuri’s face that his friend had already seen and understood.