The Letter for the King Page 2

  Tiuri could find no argument to counter his words. He tried again to make out the stranger’s features, but it was still too dark. “So this letter is of great importance?” he said.

  “Of more importance than you could ever imagine!” whispered the stranger. “Come, you must hesitate no longer,” he continued, his voice trembling. “We’re wasting too much time! Near this place, behind the chapel, there is a horse in a meadow. If you take it, you can be at the inn within three hours – sooner if you ride quickly. It is about quarter past one now. You can be back by seven, when King Dagonaut’s men will come to fetch you. Please, do as I ask!”

  Tiuri knew he could not refuse. The rules that a future knight had to follow were important, but this appeal for his assistance seemed to matter even more.

  “I will do it,” he said. “Give me the letter and tell me how to find the inn.”

  “My thanks!” sighed the stranger. He quickly continued, in a whisper, “The place where he is to be found is called the Yikarvara Inn. Do you know King Dagonaut’s hunting lodge? Behind it, there is a track that heads north-west. Ride along it until you reach a clearing in the forest. Two paths run on from there. Take the left-hand path and it will lead you to the inn. As for the letter, you must promise me on your honour as a knight that you will guard it as you would your own life and give it to no one other than the Black Knight with the White Shield.”

  “I am not yet a knight,” said Tiuri, “but if I were, I would promise it on my honour as a knight.”

  “Good. If someone tries to steal the letter, you must destroy it, but only if it is absolutely necessary. Understood?”

  “Understood,” said Tiuri.

  “And mark this well: when you find the Black Knight with the White Shield, you must ask him: Why is your shield white? And he will respond: Because white contains every colour. Then he will ask you: Where do you come from? You must answer: I come from afar. Only after that exchange should you hand over the letter.”

  “Like a password,” said Tiuri.

  “Exactly. A password. Do you understand exactly what you need to do?”

  “Yes,” said Tiuri. “Please give me the letter.”

  “One last thing,” said the stranger. “Be careful. You must make sure that you are not followed. Here is the letter; guard it well.”

  Tiuri took the letter. It was small and flat and he could feel, in the darkness, that there were seals on it. He slipped it under his shirt, close to his chest.

  “You won’t lose it if you keep it there, will you?” asked the stranger.

  “No,” Tiuri replied. “That’s the safest place.”

  The stranger grasped his hands and shook them firmly. “Then go,” he said. “And God bless you!” He let go of Tiuri’s hands, turned around and slipped back into the darkness.

  Tiuri waited for a moment and then walked, quickly and quietly, in the opposite direction. He looked over at the dimly lit windows of the chapel, where his friends were still keeping their vigil before the altar. “Come on,” he whispered to himself, “You have to hurry.”

  And he went in search of the meadow where the stranger had told him he would find a horse waiting.

  3 THE RIDE TO THE INN

  It was a beautiful summer’s night and the sky was full of stars. Tiuri found the horse behind the chapel, as the stranger had said he would. It was tied to a fence, but it had neither bridle nor saddle.

  It’s just as well I’ve ridden bareback before, he thought, as he undid the rope, his fingers trembling slightly. The rope was tightly fastened with lots of knots and he wished he had brought his knife. In fact, he had no weapons with him at all, as he had left everything behind in the chapel.

  The horse whinnied quietly, but it sounded so loud in the stillness of the night. Tiuri glanced around. His eyes had become accustomed to the darkness and he could see a building nearby, probably the house of the farmer who owned the meadow.

  Finally, Tiuri managed to get the rope untied.

  “Come on, horse,” he whispered. “Come with me.”

  The animal whinnied again. A dog barked and a light shone out from the farmhouse. Tiuri climbed up onto the horse and clicked his tongue. “Come on!” The horse slowly started walking.

  “Hey!” someone shouted. “Who’s there?”

  Tiuri wasn’t about to answer him.

  The barking grew loud and fierce, as a man dashed out of the farmhouse with a lantern in his hand. “Thief!” he shouted. “Stop right there! Jian, Marten, get out here! A thief’s making off with my horse!”

  Tiuri gasped. A thief? He hadn’t meant to steal anything. But there was no time to lose. He leant forward and urged the horse on. The animal started trotting.

  “Faster!” Tiuri whispered urgently. “Faster!”

  Behind them, there was a commotion of shouting, yelling and furious barking. The horse flattened its ears and ran off as fast as the wind.

  I’m sorry I had to borrow your horse, Tiuri imagined himself saying to the poor farmer, who was still shouting after him. I’m not really stealing it. I promise to bring it back soon.

  When he looked back, the farmhouse was already a long way behind him and there was no sign of anyone following. All the same, he kept racing onwards at the same speed.

  Tiuri thought the stranger really should have mentioned that the horse belonged to someone else, no matter how important the letter was and how secret its contents were. He reined in the horse and checked that the precious document was safe. Yes, there it was, still in the same place. He looked around cautiously, remembering that the stranger had mentioned that enemies might be on the lookout. But Tiuri saw no one. He gazed back towards the city, which was almost completely in darkness, and looked up at the chapel, dimly visible on the hillside, small and white.

  Then he rode towards the forest.

  The forest was not far from the City of Dagonaut. It covered a large area and there were places within it where no human had ever set foot. Tiuri knew the way to the lodge, as he had hunted in the king’s retinue on many occasions.

  It was much darker in the forest, but the road was wide, so he could keep riding at a quick pace. Now and then, he slowed the horse and took a good look around. He saw no one, but he felt as if the forest was full of men lurking and spying on him, just waiting to attack.

  He reached the hunting lodge without incident and had no trouble finding the track that the stranger had mentioned. It was narrow and winding, which forced him to ride more slowly.

  I hope I’ll be back in time, he thought. Just imagine not being there when the king’s knights come to fetch us for the ceremony! But the stranger said I should be able to reach the inn in three hours.

  He thought about the Black Knight with the White Shield, the man to whom he was supposed to give the letter. He had never heard that knight’s name before. Who was he? Where did he come from? None of King Dagonaut’s knights wore those colours, so he was probably one of King Unauwen’s men. Why he was here, so far from his own country, was a mystery. Tiuri had heard stories from travellers who had met Unauwen’s knights. They sometimes rode along the Great Southern Road on their way to Eviellan, the hostile land on the other side of the Grey River, where one of Unauwen’s sons ruled.

  Tiuri wondered how long he had been riding. An hour? That would make it quarter past two. Maybe it was even later than that – it seemed such a long time since he’d been kneeling in the chapel and had heard the voice asking him to open the door.

  There were more hills now and the track went up and down. The horse seemed able to see better in the dark than Tiuri. Sure of foot, it kept on going.

  The forest was quiet at night, but not as quiet as the chapel. Tiuri could hear all sorts of strange, soft noises, probably animals. There was the sound of leaves rustling, and the steps of the horse, and dry twigs and branches snapping as he rode by. Something flew into his face and gave him a fright, but it was just a moth or some other insect.

  The track led uphill a
gain, and the sky was growing lighter. The trees and undergrowth became less dense. I must be close to the clearing now, Tiuri thought.

  And indeed, he soon came to a treeless glade. It had to be the place that the stranger had mentioned. Tiuri knew he should take the path to the left.

  As he rode across the clearing, he heard more noises, noises that were unlike anything he’d heard so far during his ride. Horses neighing and the clatter of hoofs!

  From his high vantage point, he could see out over the forest and, in the distance, he made out dark figures and the gleam of weapons. A group of horsemen was passing swiftly through the forest.

  Tiuri retreated to the trees, wondering who the horsemen were and what they were doing in the forest in the middle of the night. When he finally ventured back out into the clearing, there was neither sight nor sound of the riders. It was as though he had been dreaming. However, he did not stay there puzzling about it for long, but took the path to the left, which led down from the clearing.

  The path was not a clear track, but more like an overgrown trail. Tiuri sighed, because it was going to slow him down even more. He was soon forced to dismount and lead the horse on foot, following the path one hesitant step at a time and constantly worrying that he would lose his way altogether. Branches whipped at Tiuri’s face, and the dew on the long grass soaked his feet and legs.

  Tiuri kept wondering about the time. The path was so tricky to navigate that he feared he would not get back to the chapel by seven o’clock.

  By then, the sky was much lighter and, here and there, birds were starting to sing.

  Tiuri was relieved when the path finally improved and he could climb back onto his horse.

  In the grey moment just before daybreak, he came upon another clearing. A small wooden building stood in the middle – it had to be the inn.

  4 THE YIKARVARA INN

  Tiuri climbed down from his horse, tied it to a tree, and ran to the inn. It was silent and dark, and all of the doors and windows were closed. He rapped the knocker on the front door; it made a loud, resounding bang that was sure to wake up everyone within. But no one answered. He rattled the door, but it was locked. Impatiently, he banged the knocker again. This time, a window opened upstairs. A man wearing a nightcap leant out and asked in a sleepy voice what Tiuri wanted.

  “Is this the Yikarvara Inn?” asked Tiuri.

  “Yes, this is it,” the man replied. “Did you really need to wake me to ask that, and probably my guests too? We’ve had little enough rest tonight!”

  “Are you the innkeeper?” asked Tiuri. “I’d like to speak to one of your guests.”

  “In the middle of the night?” spluttered the man. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible, young man! You’ll have to come back tomorrow.”

  “This is important!” Tiuri said in an urgent tone. “Please… don’t close the window.”

  The man leant out further. “Who are you?” he asked. “And who do you want to speak to?”

  “It doesn’t matter who I am,” Tiuri said. “I’m looking for the Black Knight with the White Shield.”

  The man made a strange noise. Tiuri couldn’t quite tell whether it was anger or surprise. Either way, all traces of sleepiness had gone from his voice when he answered. “Wait there a moment, I’m coming down.” The head disappeared from the window, and soon Tiuri heard the bolts of the door sliding aside. Then the door opened and the man was standing there, wearing a nightshirt and carrying a candle.

  “Well, then,” he said, looking Tiuri up and down. “Yes, I’m the innkeeper. And now you can tell me why you’ve got me out of bed.”

  “I’ve come to see the Black Knight with the White Shield,” answered Tiuri. “I have to speak to him immediately.”

  “You’re the second one tonight,” said the innkeeper. “But you won’t be able to speak to him right now.”

  “Can’t you wake him up?” said Tiuri.

  “I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” the innkeeper said again. “The Black Knight with the White Shield isn’t here. He left earlier tonight.”

  Tiuri gasped. “No!” he said. “He can’t have done!”

  “And why not?” the innkeeper responded calmly.

  “Where did he go? Quickly, tell me!” said Tiuri.

  “If I knew, I’d tell you,” replied the innkeeper. “But I don’t have a clue.” He seemed to have realized how anxious Tiuri was, because he added, “He should be back before long, at least if he’s as good a knight as he seems to be. What is it that you need to say to him so urgently?”

  “I can’t tell you that,” said Tiuri. “But it’s urgent. Do you know when he’ll be back?”

  “Again, if I knew, I’d tell you,” said the innkeeper, “but I don’t know that either. In fact, I don’t know anything at all about that knight. It’s a strange business.” He scratched his head so hard that his nightcap fell off.

  “You must know something!” said Tiuri. “When did he leave and why? And which way did he go?”

  “That’s too many questions at once,” said the innkeeper. He slowly stooped to pick up his cap. “Come in,” he said. “I’m not keen on this damp morning air. It’s not good for my stiff joints.”

  When they were inside, he placed his candle on the table and put his nightcap back on. Tiuri asked impatiently, “So which way did the Black Knight go?”

  “He got here yesterday morning,” said the innkeeper. “Bit of a peculiar fellow. Not that I doubt he’s a brave knight, oh no. In fact, he was most impressive. He was all alone. Didn’t even have a squire with him! He was wearing a pitch-black suit of armour, but the shield on his arm was as white as snow. He’d lowered his black visor and he didn’t raise it when he asked me for a room, or when he came into the inn. Well, I gave him a room, of course, and later in the day I took some food to the room, as he’d requested. I thought I’d see his face then, but no! He’d taken off his armour, including his helmet, but he was wearing a black silk mask, and all I could see were his eyes. Don’t you think that’s strange? He must have taken some kind of vow. Would you know anything about that?”

  “Which way did he go?” Tiuri asked again.

  The innkeeper looked a little irritated, but he continued. “I was just coming to that,” he said. “At about one or two in the morning, when I was already in bed, there was a loud knocking at the door. I looked out of the window and saw another black knight! ‘Open the door!’ he shouted. ‘Is the Black Knight with the White Shield within?’ Well, I told him that he was here, but I said it was a little late. And then this knight yelled at me to open the door or he said he’d knock it down. So I flew downstairs and opened the door. The knight was dressed in a pitch-black suit of armour too, but he had a shield that was as red as blood. Then he just barked at me! ‘Where is the Black Knight with the White Shield?’ he said. I told him he was asleep and he ordered me to wake him up. Said he had to speak to him and that I should be quick about it! Well, to be honest, he gave me a bit of a fright. But my guest was already coming down the stairs. He was dressed in his black armour and his helmet, and his visor was down. He was carrying his weapons and had the white shield on his arm. The Black Knight with the Red Shield walked towards him and then stopped, and they stood there, facing each other, right here in this very room. The Knight with the Red Shield pulled off his glove and tossed it onto the floor at the other man’s feet. The Knight with the White Shield picked it up and said, ‘When?’ And the Knight with the Red Shield said, ‘Now!’”

  The innkeeper stopped to catch his breath before finishing his tale, “And then, without saying another word, the two of them marched out of here and rode off together, into the forest.”

  “To fight a duel,” said Tiuri.

  “Yes, that’s what I thought too,” said the innkeeper. “And neither of them has returned as yet.”

  “So they left at about two?” asked Tiuri. “And what time is it now?”

  “Half four, or thereabouts,” said the innkeeper. “The sun�
�s coming up.”

  “Which direction did they ride in?” asked Tiuri.

  The innkeeper went outside with Tiuri and pointed out the path they had taken. “But I don’t know where exactly they were going,” he said.

  “I’ll try to follow their trail,” said Tiuri. “Thank you!” And before the innkeeper could ask any questions, Tiuri had run to his horse, jumped on and ridden away.

  5 THE BLACK KNIGHT WITH THE WHITE SHIELD

  The sky in the east glowed pink and orange; the sun was about to come up. The birds were chirping and whistling and twittering away, as if they were delighted to greet the beautiful day that was dawning. Tiuri, however, was not at all happy. He was annoyed because it was so late and he still had not delivered the letter. How was he ever going to get back to the chapel in time? But he carried on riding along the trail that the two Black Knights had left. He had promised to take the letter and he did not want to break that promise. But that didn’t stop him from grumbling and muttering to himself. He cursed the Black Knight with the Red Shield for challenging the Black Knight with the White Shield, and he resented the Knight with the White Shield for accepting the challenge. And he cursed both of them for riding straight through the forest instead of leaving clear tracks on a proper path.

  It must be five by now, he thought. It’s already light. Where on earth have they got to?

  He thought about how surprised Dagonaut’s knights would be when they arrived at the chapel to find he wasn’t there. And what would the king think when he found out Tiuri had run away on the night before the ceremony? And what about his friends and his parents, and everyone else? But he remembered the stranger’s words and sighed; he knew there was no other way he could have reacted. Then, with a jolt, he realized that he had lost the trail.