The hard part would be getting the right sword to Ywain. Gawain was easy: they simply gave his sword to Terence, who promised to see that Gawain used it. But not only did Ywain have no squire, but he wasn't even coming to the court until just before the combat. Luneta simply had to wait.
As time for the trial approached, Luneta took the sword to the front gates, where several dozen other courtiers were casually loitering, clearly waiting to gawk at the famous Knight of the Lion. At last a guard on the castle wall called out, "Lone knight approaching!" which was followed by a babble of other shouts—"It's him! It's him! I see the lion! Where's his mane?" Luneta chose a spot a few yards back from the gate, behind the crowd, and waited. Just as she had expected, when Ywain and Lass grew close, those onlookers who were in the center of the crowd had second thoughts about being in a lion's path and pressed frantically away from the middle, opening a path right to where Luneta waited. Ywain, in full armor and with his visor over his face, rode through this gap and stopped in front of her.
"Good morning, Sir Knight," Luneta said. Ywain nodded a silent greeting. Luneta guessed that he was trying not to speak so that no one would recognize his voice. Then Lass, who had been padding quietly beside Ywain and ignoring the crowd, paced majestically forward to Luneta and sniffed at her. The crowd backed away farther, and several of the courtiers uttered muffled oaths. "And good morning to you, too," Luneta said. Lass appeared to be satisfied and sat down.
Ywain dismounted and stepped up to Luneta. In a low voice he said, "I don't suppose you've found a way to stop this trial, have you?"
"No," Luneta said. "But the king has made a new law. If neither of you has yielded after an hour, then the case goes to him for his decision." Ywain nodded appreciatively, and Luneta added, softening her own voice, "And when you fight, will you do me the favor of using this sword?"
"Why?"
"Because I ask? Gawain has already agreed."
"Oh, yes, you don't know, do you? He's the one you're fighting."
Ywain was silent for a moment. At last he said, "Luneta, if you hadn't saved my life so many times, I feel sure that I would strangle you now."
"I know," Luneta said. "I'm sorry. You were right to want nothing to do with this, and I was wrong to talk you into it. But I'm doing my best to fix things. Trust me?"
Luneta half expected Ywain to refuse—she wasn't at all sure that, in his position, she would trust her—but Ywain didn't hesitate. "Give me the sword. Where's this silly fight to be?"
"I'll take you there," Luneta said.
The combat was to take place in an inner courtyard, behind the main keep of the castle. This courtyard had been roped off since the night before, but by the time of the battle the people were so tightly packed around the sides that one could barely get through. Every castle window that overlooked this court was clogged with the faces of spectators, and as Ywain, Luneta, and Lass approached, a buzz of excitement ran through the packed people. If they hadn't had Lass with them, they might not have gotten to the field at all, but the lioness worked her usual magic on the crowd, and they scraped through without much trouble.
At the edge of the field, Ywain stopped and looked around. Opposite them was the royal pavilion, where King Arthur sat with Queen Guinevere and a few of his knights. Luneta saw Philomela there, along with another lady whom she didn't know—doubtless Philomela's older sister Philomena. Gawain waited calmly in front of the pavilion. The king stood. "Welcome, Sir Knight," he said in a ringing voice. "Our court has heard much of your deeds, and we have longed to meet you."
Ywain bowed deeply in reply. After the barest pause, the king continued, now addressing all the crowd. "As you know, we are here for a trial by combat. These two knights, each defending one of the sisters of Blackthorn, will weigh arms against each other, the winner being held to have vindicated the cause of his sponsor. If, however"—the king's voice became even stronger—"neither has defeated the other after the space of one hour, then I declare the trial by combat to be concluded, and the cause will be decided by me and my counselors! Are there any who object to these terms?"
Both the sisters of Blackthorn looked surprised at the one-hour rule, but neither spoke. The king waited a moment, then lifted his arm and said, "Let the contest begin."
At that point, a problem arose. Ywain strode toward the center of the courtyard but was followed immediately by Lass. Ywain stopped. "No, Lass," he whispered to the lioness. "Go on back to Luneta." But Lass had seen Gawain stepping forward with drawn sword and had grown tense, her tail beginning to whip sharply about. Clearly she had no intention of letting Ywain face this threatening knight alone. Ywain looked helplessly back at Luneta.
"Come here, Lass," Luneta called. The lioness paid no attention, and as Gawain approached she lowered into a crouch, ready to pounce.
"I'll be all right, Lass, go on back, now," Ywain said, but the lioness ignored him as well. Gawain stopped advancing, and he and Ywain looked uncertainly at each other.
"Cats don't mind all that well, do they?" Gawain asked, amusement in his voice.
"I'll have to take her somewhere and shut her in, I suppose," Ywain replied.
But just then a new voice called out, from right beside Luneta, "Lass, girl! Come here!"
The lioness's ears pricked up, and she turned. Luneta looked up to see a tall young man in a sober black outfit standing beside her. It wasn't until he called again that she recognized Rhience, no longer wearing his fool's motley. Lass turned and loped back toward Rhience, picking up speed as she came. When she was near enough, she sprang lightly up, placing her paws on Rhience's shoulders and nearly knocking him over. The people in the crowd nearby shrieked and surged away. "Hallo, old girl," Rhience said to the lioness. She pressed her head against his chest and rubbed her cheek against him.
Luneta could only stare. In simple black clothes, Rhience looked like a different man, and for some reason she found herself overcome with shyness. Rhience grinned at her dumbfounded face and said, "I must be very handsome in these clothes. I've never had a female throw herself in my arms before."
Luneta's shyness disappeared at once. "Don't get used to it," she said.
"That's better, lass," Rhience said. Then he rubbed the lioness's ears. "No, not you, girl. The other lioness." Lifting his face toward the courtyard, Rhience called out, "Go ahead, Sir Knight! I'll hang on to your lady friend!"
Ywain waved his arm in greeting and acknowledgment, then turned to Gawain. Luneta focused her inner ear on the two knights and made out Gawain saying softly, "Sorry about this, cousin. I didn't know it would be you."
"Nor I you, Gawain."
"I know. Well, we might as well begin. May the best knights not win."
The two took their positions and lifted their swords to the sky briefly. Then Gawain slashed at Ywain, who parried the blow with his sword. The crowd burst into a roar at the blow, but the roar faded at once, and the two knights stepped back from each other, both looking at their blades.
"Do you know, my dear," Rhience said calmly, "that that looked very odd in this light? It almost seemed as if their swords bent when they struck each other, then straightened out all by themselves."
"How is that possible?" Luneta asked demurely. "Both of those swords are made of iron."
The combatants came together again. This time it was Ywain who struck and Gawain who parried, but there was no mistaking what happened. When the swords met, they both bent nearly in half at the impact, then popped back to their former position, as if they were willow branches. Ywain struck again, harder this time, and his sword nearly wrapped itself all the way around Gawain's sword before it snapped straight again. Again the two knights backed away and examined their blades.
"It occurs to me, Luneta," Rhience said, speaking very softly, "that there might be a magic spell of some sort that could do that to a sword."
Luneta frowned thoughtfully. "I have heard of a magical lotion that would make iron bend in that way," she admitted.
"I see," Rhience replied. "I don't suppose that those swords have been in the hands of an enchantress, have they?"
"That hardly seems possible," Luneta said, wide-eyed. "My mother and I took care of those swords ourselves until time for the combat."
"Your mother?" Rhience asked, giving her a surprised look.
"Yes, both of my parents are here. They arrived yesterday. You should meet them. I think you'll like them."
"I have every intention of doing so," Rhience replied.
The battle in the courtyard was quickly becoming a farce. Gawain and Ywain were trying their best to hack at each other, but their swords would not cooperate. Even when one of them managed to score a hit on the other's armor or helm, the sword simply conformed itself to the shape of the armor, then bounced back. Gawain began to laugh, and a minute later Ywain joined him.
"Do we really have to keep this up for an hour?" Gawain managed to gasp.
"Giving up, eh?" Ywain replied between chuckles.
"You impugn my honor, sir," declared Gawain, and at once he swung his sword at Ywain's ankle. When it hit, the sword wrapped itself around Ywain's leg, and Gawain pulled it sharply back. Ywain's left foot flew up, and he fell flat on his back. The crowd roared with delight, but when Gawain rushed forward, Ywain rolled over and managed to wrap his own sword around Gawain's thigh, making him stumble and fall. The knights leaped to their feet, both of them now swinging their swords like cudgels instead of blades, trying to hit the other with the flat of their swords instead of the edges. Neither made any further effort to parry the other's blows with their swords but instead protected themselves with their free hands while striking return blows with their swords. After all, Luneta thought with satisfaction, it was clear that those pliable weapons were not going to inflict any damage.
Gawain managed to wrap his sword around Ywain's forearm, but Ywain pulled back faster than Gawain did, and Gawain staggered forward, off-balance, and, with some help from Ywain's right foot, sprawled on his face. "Take that, churl!" Ywain said grandly. Luneta realized that he was no longer trying to hide his voice, but was talking loudly enough for all to hear. Gawain rolled over and dived into Ywain's legs, bringing both of them down in a heap.
"Stop this! Stop this at once!" shrieked a furious female voice from the king's pavilion.
"I take it that's Philomena, the evil sister?" Rhience asked Luneta.
"I think so. She doesn't seem best pleased, does she?"
"Your majesty! This is no battle! Stop it and give them new swords!" Philomena screamed.
King Arthur rose deliberately to his feet. "My lady," he said. "You and your sister have demanded of this court that we hold a trial by combat. Now, as I understand these trials, the idea is that God will give victory to the one who is in the right. You are placing your cause before God and waiting for his answer, are you not?"
The king waited for a moment, allowing both of the sisters to nod.
"Well, then," King Arthur said. "How do you know that this is not God's reply?" Returning to his seat, he smiled at Gawain and Ywain. "Continue, please. You have three-quarters of an hour left." The knights looked at each other, then back at the king. "No, I'm serious," King Arthur said. "Go ahead and fight. I haven't enjoyed anything so much in years."
By the time the full hour was done, all the courtiers and ladies of Camelot, with the exception of Philomena, were weak with laughter. Even Gawain and Ywain had to stop periodically to hold their sides and shake their heads with irrepressible mirth. During one of these lulls, Rhience commented to Luneta, "It's a dashed good thing that I've given up being a fool. I could never top this performance. A fine thing when noble knights trespass on the business of honest jesters!"
"About that," Luneta said. "Why did you put off the fool's clothes?"
"My year was up," Rhience replied. "Three days ago, actually, on the first of this month. Remember? The Fool's New Year?"
"I'd forgotten," Luneta admitted.
"I had, too, until Ywain told us the date on the thirtieth of March. That's why I had to leave you. I wanted to go home, get my own clothes, and resume my old self before I conducted you back to your home, as I'd promised."
"Was that what your important errand was? But I didn't care what clothes you wore!"
"I wanted to be myself when I met your parents," Rhience said. "And, since they're already here, it's a dashed good thing I changed when I did, isn't it? Look sharp, lass. The king's standing up."
Sure enough, King Arthur had risen and stepped forward. "The hour has come!" he called out. At once Gawain and Ywain threw down their swords and, bubbling with mutual laughter, embraced each other. The king grinned at them, then lifted his voice again. "I think we can all agree that this match has ended without a winner! So the case of the sisters of Blackthorn now falls to my decision." He turned to the two sisters and said, "As I understand the matter, Lady Philomena claims that her father died without a will, and so all his estate falls to her, as the firstborn. Lady Philomela, however, claims that her father had indeed made a will, dividing the property in half. This will was not found, however. Are these the facts of the case?"
Both of the sisters nodded. King Arthur lifted his chin and declared grandly, "The case would be impossible to decide," he said, "unless by the grace of God that original will were found!" With that he held one hand back to Sir Kai, who stood behind him. Sir Kai drew a roll of parchment from his cloak and placed it in the king's hands. King Arthur lifted the parchment triumphantly over his head.
Philomena screamed angrily, "That can't be my father's will!"
King Arthur lowered the parchment, and said, "No, it isn't, my dear. I believe it's a stable inventory or something tedious like that. But I do have a question, child. How could you be so certain that this is not the missing will—unless you had yourself destroyed it?"
Philomena blanched and was silent. King Arthur's face grew stern, and he turned to Philomela. "Lady Philomela, I declare your claim vindicated. But I will leave the final resolution to you. You say that your father left his property equally to the two of you, and if that is what you wish, you may take your half now, sharing that property for all time with your sister. However, because Lady Philomena sought to steal your half, she has forfeited her own rights. If you want to have the entire property for yourself, it is yours. I declare it."
Philomena's eyes grew wide, and she looked about to faint. Then Philomela said, "But I don't want to turn my sister out of her home."
"Even though she would have done just that to you?" the king asked.
Philomela ignored the king's question and frowned in deep thought. Finally, with an expression of wonder on her face, she said, "And I don't want to share the property with her, either. You see, Your Highness, I don't like her."
King Arthur pursed his lips and nodded. "A dilemma indeed. What do you decide?"
Philomela's face cleared. "I hereby renounce all rights to my inheritance. Mena, you can have it."
A murmur of astonishment came from the crowd. King Arthur said, "I confess, Lady Philomela, that I hadn't considered that option. If I may ask, where will you go?"
"I will go to live with a dear friend who has told me that I could stay with her forever. My home was never happy, sire, and I was never happy in it. Mena can have it with my blessing."
Luneta shook her head and said to Rhience, "She's going back to Laudine's, of course."
"Good thing nobody got killed over this," Rhience commented wryly. "Since we ended up just where we started."
"Not quite," Luneta said, beginning to smile. "It's different for Philomela. If she had had her rightful property taken away from her, she would have resented it the rest of her life. But now she's given it up freely."
"That's very true," Rhience said. "The thing that we do of our own choice is quite different from the thing that someone else forces us—or manipulates us—into doing." Then he chuckled. "And it will be different for poor Philomena, too."
"Poor Philomena?" Luneta repeated. "But she got everything."
"Yes, but only because her sister let her have it. She'll never be able to enjoy it, because she'll never forget that her little sister tossed it to her like a bone."
Luneta began to laugh with Rhience and glanced at the royal pavilion. From the sickly expression on Philomena's face, Luneta could see that this realization was slowly sinking in, that somehow she had gotten everything she wanted and lost it at the same time. Luneta looked back at Rhience and remembered what he had asked her one time—"What do you want?"—and for the first time, she knew.
***
A knock came from the door to Gawain's chambers, where they were holding what Gawain referred to as a "nonvictory celebration." Luneta looked up hopefully, but it was only Ywain. He came in and greeted them all.
"Where's your lion?" Luneta's father asked.
"Lioness," Luneta said automatically.
"In my rooms," Ywain replied. "She was tired, and besides, sometimes she, ah, inhibits conversation."
Luneta realized that Ywain was bareheaded and shaved and said, "You're not incognito anymore?"
"No," Ywain said. "That was all foolish pride. I decided to let the court know that the Knight of the Lion was really just me, mad Ywain."
Another rap came from the door, and Rhience entered. Luneta smiled a greeting at him, then stood. "Father, Mother," she said. "This is Rhience, the fool I told you about, who rode with us in all our travels."
Luneta's father nodded pleasantly, but said, "Pleased to meet you, but I must apologize for my daughter's introduction. You don't look like a fool."
Rhience grinned back at him. "Ah, but surely you've noticed, sir. The biggest fools never look like it."
Gawain frowned. "I'm not sure, but I think we could all take offense at that. You would say that if we don't appear to be fools, then we probably are."
Terence, bringing a cup of wine to Rhience, glanced casually at his master and said, "I see no reason for you to be offended by that, milord. Only those of us who don't look like fools should be concerned."
"Indeed, I meant no disrespect," Rhience said, after the general laughter had died. "I spoke only of myself. I learned more wisdom in my fool's motley than I ever did before I put it on."
"And now that you've put it off," Luneta's father asked, "what now?"
"Well," Rhience said reflectively, "I've tried the church, and that didn't work for me, and I'd as soon not be a fool any longer. I did think about becoming a recreant knight—"
"A what?" Luneta's mother asked.
"A recreant knight. You know, kidnapping damsels in stress and all that."
"You mean damsels in distress, don't you?" Ywain said.
"Well, not at first," Rhience replied. "Once I got better at it, maybe. I thought I'd start small."
Luneta's father's shoulders began to shake. "But it seems to me that for the past year you and Luneta and Ywain have been busily putting recreant knights out of business."
"Well, there, you see?" Rhience said. "There ought to be some openings just now."
"I thought we'd settled this back on the trail," Ywain said. "You'd be a terrible recreant knight. Worst ever. And besides, recreant knights always end up fighting people like Gawain and me."
Rhience frowned. "Couldn't I be a cowardly recreant knight? I could just run away, couldn't I?"
"No," Luneta said. "You couldn't." Rhience glanced at her, and she added, "At least I've never seen you do it."
Their eyes held for a moment. Then Rhience shrugged. "Nothing for it, then. I'll go back to my father's estate and manage the lands that I'll inherit one day." He added reflectively, "And about time, too. I've been away from home only a couple of years, but when I was back this week, it near made me cry to see what things have come to. Father hasn't put a penny back into that land since I left."
Luneta's father's interest sharpened. "Short-term leases?" he asked.
Rhience nodded glumly. "That and a steward who's grown too old for his job."
Gawain interrupted quickly. "Before the two of you begin talking land husbandry and putting the rest of us off to sleep, I want to ask a question. Is anyone here interested in escorting Lady Philomela back to her friend's home? Arthur wants to send a knight or two along to make sure she arrives safely."
"Where is she going?" Ywain asked.
"Lady Laudine's castle, of course," Luneta said. For a moment, Ywain's face grew empty, and Luneta's heart ached for him. He still loved her. To draw attention away from his pain, Luneta spoke rapidly. "Didn't you know? She and Laudine have struck up a true friendship. Philomela already sees herself as Laudine's chief companion and confidante, which I never was. It's a good arrangement for them both, I think—especially since the magic of the Storm Stone requires that the lord of the castle has to stay there all the time."
"The Storm Stone," Ywain muttered angrily. "I've grown to hate that thing."
Luneta's father spoke suddenly. "I've been thinking about that Storm Stone, actually, ever since Luneta told us about it the other day. As I understand it, it's the center of a magical spell that requires the lord of the castle to stay in one place and to fight anyone who pours water on it. Am I correct?"
Luneta and Ywain nodded.
"I suppose someone has already tried to just smash the blame thing?" Luneta's father asked.
Ywain looked at Luneta, who looked at Rhience, who looked at Ywain. After a long silence, Ywain said, "I'll take Philomela back to Laudine." He smiled at Rhience and Luneta. "You coming?"
It was a pleasant, chattering group that left the next morning to escort Philomela back to Laudine. In addition to Ywain, Rhience, and Luneta, Luneta's parents had decided to come along, and Luneta had never had a more pleasant journey. She rode with Rhience much of the way, but she also spent hours with her mother, talking about the properties of the various herbs that they passed. At those times, Rhience rode with Luneta's father, and Luneta left them alone. One could never tell when those two would begin comparing notes on the best way to drain a swamp or something oppressively boring like that. The only thing that marred her enjoyment of the ride and the company was the occasional glimpse that she had of Ywain's private pain. Every so often he would grow grimly quiet, and as they neared Laudine's castle, these moments of bleak silence grew more frequent.
Once they came to the Storm Stone, Ywain's silence grew so fierce that Luneta could almost feel it as a thickening of the air. He said not a word when they came to the clearing, or when he pointed his sword at Laudine's guards and sent them scurrying away, or when he took out the great iron maul he had brought with him and smashed the stone basin to rubble. All the others waited on their horses, respecting and sharing Ywain's silence. No one offered to help; all knew that this was Ywain's task. When he was done, he scooped all the remnants of the smashed stone into a canvas bag, tied it closed, and then straightened up.
"Shall we go on in?" he asked calmly.
"Sure you didn't leave anything?" Rhience asked.
"I'm sure," Ywain said. He mounted his horse, then put on his helm and closed the visor. He turned to Lady Philomela. "My lady, may I ask a favor from you?"
"Of course, Sir Ywain."
"I hate to ask you to do this, but I need you to conceal something from Lady Laudine. While we are there, I ask you to speak of me only as the Knight of the Lion, and not by my name. Once I am gone, then you may tell her what you wish." Lady Philomela agreed, though clearly she did not understand the request.
A few minutes later, the guards at the gate were announcing their arrival, and Laudine was hurrying across the courtyard to welcome them. For several minutes all was confusion and delight as Laudine first greeted Philomela, then Luneta's mother, then Luneta and Rhience. After that, Philomela had to describe to Laudine how she had turned down her inheritance, preferring to come and live with her dearest friend Laudine, which led Laudine to embark on another whirl of excitement, embracing Philomela ecstatically and telling her how pleased she was and how everything had turned out better than she could ever have hoped.
Through all of this, Ywain sat immobile on his horse, his face hidden behind his visor. At last, Philomela turned and said, "And Laudine, this is ... but you've already met the Knight of the Lion, haven't you?"
Laudine rushed forward and gripped Ywain's gauntleted hand. "Indeed, I thank you again, Sir Knight, this time for defending my friend. Please, will you come inside—oh, goodness, I'm all a-flutter today, aren't I? Receiving you out here in the courtyard like a hoyden! Please, come in! You've been traveling and are in need of refreshment! Rufus!"
Laudine's ever-competent steward appeared at the main door to the castle keep, bowed slightly, and said, "My lady. I have taken the liberty of having refreshments sent to the green salon, if you would like to take your guests there. The hostlers will see to their horses."
"Thank you, Rufus," Laudine said. She turned back to the traveling party and said, "Er, and this lion?"
Ywain didn't answer. Even from the side, Luneta could sense the hungry force of his gaze on Laudine. At last Rhience said, "If you don't mind, I believe the lioness should come with us. She won't hurt anyone."
"Er ... of course," Laudine replied uncertainly, and then they all dismounted and followed their hostess into the castle to the green salon. Ywain brought the canvas bag containing the smashed fragments of the Storm Stone.
Once they were in the salon, everyone sat but Ywain, who walked up to Laudine and stood before her. "Sir Knight?" she said inquiringly.
Ywain dropped the sack before her, then spoke softly, using a raspy whisper. "It is yours, my lady."
"This sack?" Ywain nodded. Laudine untied the string and looked inside. "Gravel?"
"It is your Storm Stone," Ywain whispered hoarsely.
For a long moment, Laudine only stared. Luneta watched as the realization of what this meant slowly began to dawn on her. "Then the curse is broken?" she asked.
"Broken or just circumvented," Rhience said, stepping between Luneta and Ywain. "And by the simplest and most obvious of all means, too. The Knight of the Lion smashed the stone a little bit ago."
"You did this for me?" Laudine asked Ywain.
He nodded. "I had heard how this stone imprisoned you. Now you are free."
"So I can leave the castle whenever I wish?" Laudine said.
Ywain nodded again. "And marry whomever you wish." Laudine's face grew still, and she stared blankly at the floor. Ywain took an audible breath, then said heavily, "You see, I know that you once felt you had to marry someone who would defend the stone. Now you can marry whenever and whomever you want—or not marry at all."
Laudine's eyes stayed on the floor. She nodded once, slowly. "I think ... I think that I shall never marry," she said at last.
Luneta looked at Laudine's bleak and rigid face, then at Ywain's stiff, armored figure. They loved each other. Nothing could be more obvious, except that they were going to let their chance slip.
"I can hardly repay you, O Knight," Laudine said, forcing herself to smile, with fairly ghastly results. "But may I give you any token of my gratitude?"
Ywain shook his head in solemn silence. Luneta looked between them once more, then took a breath and whispered to Rhience, "Sorry. I wasn't going to interfere, because I know I always make things worse, but things can't be worse than this." She stepped forward and spoke clearly. "Actually, there is one thing you might be able to do for the Knight of the Lion. I mean, Lioness."
Ywain shook his helm at her vehemently, but Laudine looked up. "Whatever is in my power, I shall be glad to do. A horse? Gold?"
"Only your influence as a woman," Luneta said. "I must explain to you that the Knight of the Lion is in love with a beautiful lady, but he has been separated from her." Laudine looked sympathetic and started to speak, but Luneta pressed on. "The break between him and the lady is his own fault, as he'll be the first to admit. He betrayed her trust. He did it out of foolishness, not from ill intent, but it makes no difference. Now he is too ashamed even to ask for her forgiveness."
Laudine looked seriously at Ywain. "But how can your lady forgive you if you do not ask?"
Ywain hesitated, and Luneta said, "Would you, as a woman, help him? Will you take his cause and plead for him?"
Laudine nodded decisively. "I will. I promise you this, O Knight, that if it is in my power to procure your forgiveness, I will do so. Who is the lady?"
Slowly, Ywain sank to his knees before Laudine. Then he reached up and, with trembling fingers, removed his helm. "Her name is Lady Laudine," Ywain said. "Can you forgive me?"
Laudine's eyes grew round and bright. "I have been waiting to do so for an eternity."
After that, everything was kissing and murmuring apologies and tender nothings to each other. It was appalling stuff, for the most part, and Luneta had to turn away and concentrate hard so as not to hear any of it with her inner ear. As soon as they could break in, she and the others made their excuses and left the lovers alone, even taking Lass with them. Out in the hallway, Luneta sighed with relief. "Whew!" she said. "I can see it's going to be excessively dull around here for a while."
"Oh?" Luneta's mother asked. "Do you find love so uninteresting?"
"Don't you?" Luneta said.
Luneta's father took Luneta's arm. "You put your mother in an awkward position," he said. "Even supposing that she agrees with you, she can hardly say so in front of me. It would hurt my feelings."
"Oh, you know I don't mean that," Luneta protested. "I meant all that snuggling and kissing that young lovers do."
Her father's lips quivered, but he managed to control his countenance as he replied, "I see. Whereas the sort of love that decrepit specimens like your mother and I might have is less disgusting to you." Luneta started to answer indignantly, but he waved away her protests and led them out of the hall and into another room. "It doesn't matter, really, my dear. Because I agree with you—we should leave Ywain and Laudine as soon as we are able. But I was wondering, where would you like to go?"
Luneta hesitated. Knowing what she wanted and saying it aloud were two different matters.
"Because," her father continued, "I thought I might invite your friend Rhience to come back to Orkney with us to see the estate, and it would be nice if you'd come along to help us entertain him."
A warm feeling filled Luneta's breast, but the pleasant sense came abruptly to an end when Rhience said, "Very kind of you, Sir Gaheris, but I'm not sure that I can accept."
"Oh?" Luneta's father asked, surprised. "You've other plans?"
Rhience nodded. He looked apologetically at Luneta and said, "You see, I've a secret that I haven't told anyone in all the past months when I've been cavorting about in my fool's clothing."
"Something terrible, I imagine," Luneta's mother said placidly, sitting in an armchair.
"Indeed, I almost think it is, Lady Lynet," Rhience said. "At least in light of some recently expressed opinions. You see, my lady, I—like my friend Ywain—am in love."
Luneta's heart shrank and withered, and for a moment she felt dizzy. "Really?" she asked brightly. "But you never said anything about this lady at all."
"Fancy that," Luneta's mother murmured.
"No, I didn't," Rhience said. "I thought it might cause some awkwardness as we rode."
"Of course," Luneta said. "It would have been cruel to speak of love in front of Ywain."
"Just so," Rhience said soberly.
Feeling the need to keep talking so that her own despair wouldn't show, Luneta said, "And who is this lucky lady? Does she know of your love?"
"I don't think so," Rhience replied.
"Well, does she love you?"
"I've never seen any sign of it."
A faint hope rose in Luneta's breast: maybe this unknown lady, whom she already hated, would turn Rhience down. But she forced herself to continue speaking calmly. "Well, haven't you learned anything from Ywain? If you love this woman, you should tell her so."
"Ah, but that's where my problem comes in. Terrible shy around ladies, I am. So I was wondering...," he trailed off hesitantly.
"Yes?" Luneta asked.
"I thought maybe I could get you to put in a good word for me. You see, you did such a good job just now getting Ywain and Laudine together—in fact, you've done it twice."
"I thought you disapproved of my interfering in other people's lives," Luneta said quickly.
"But I love this lady so much," Rhience said. "I don't know what I'd do if she turned me down. No, I won't think of it. The idea's too horrible."
Luneta swallowed. This was Rhience, and if she could do something to make him happy, then she would. "All right," she said in a small voice. She looked at the floor between them, and with an effort said, "I'll do whatever I can for you."
Then, to her surprise, Rhience took her hand. Startled, she looked up. Rhience's eyes were glowing as he looked into hers. "Do you promise?" he said softly.
The world began to whirl, and Luneta nodded, suddenly understanding but unable to speak for joy. The silence was broken by her father. "Lynet, my love, I believe it's time we went to the other room."
"Don't be ridiculous, Gary. It's just now getting interesting."
"All the same, I think we are in the way here and should go away," Luneta's father said firmly.
Her mother sighed. "But I wanted to see my hoity-toity daughter snuggling and kissing and all that boring stuff," she complained as she rose to her feet. "Oh, well—I'm sure I'll have other opportunities."
Then Rhience kissed Luneta, who found it not at all dull. When they parted, she looked up into Rhience's face. "I love you," she whispered.
"Excuse me," came the voice of Luneta's father from the door. "We're just leaving, I promise, but I was wondering, would you like me to take the lioness out with me?"
"Which one?" Rhience said, his eyes still on Luneta but his lips curving into a gentle smile.
"The four-legged one, of course," Luneta's father replied. "The other one's far too dangerous."