in and out on the way out of the wood, back down the road to the castle. It didn't seem to bother the horse.
Approaching the stable, he saw a familiar form.
"Henry."
"Harald. I heard you were here."
"Hurt myself riding; need your help."
The guard captain took in the bound arm, the color of Harald's face, reached up. Harald swung his right foot up and over the saddle, slid into his arms.
"I'll get a groom for the horse."
"Better deal with it yourself."
Henry gave him a puzzled look, followed Harald's glance down at the horse's forefoot.
"Yes. I'll get one of my men to help you back. Where have they put you?"
"Karl's old room, against the wall by the New Tower."
The arm resplinted with help of another friend from the barracks, Harald rested, trying to ignore the pain. Outside the unbarred door he heard Henry's voice. Another. He relaxed, called out: "Come in."
The lady Elen came through the door, eyes wide.
"I heard you were hurt, Excellency."
"Most folk call me Harald."
"My lady always . . ."
"Lady Anne calls me 'Excellency' because His Majesty does. His Majesty uses the title in hopes I'll forget who I am and where I come from, decide the North Vales are really a province of his kingdom and I'm their lord. His father got most things right, that included, not all."
"Can I get you anything?"
"You can get me a pitcher of beer and two mugs, then sit here and let me tell you the rest of Saemund's tale, help me forget what my arm feels like. If you would, leave word for the King I won't be at Council tonight and why."
When she returned, with pitcher, mugs, and a servant carrying a stool, he was asleep.
The next morning he was still light-headed and the arm had swollen. Elen having brought him breakfast, he let her help him retie the splints, then told her the first part of Saemund's tale. Later Stephen arrived with news of the previous evening's Council meeting. The King had again proposed calling out a part levy to deal with the Order. Stephen, backed by Brand, had pointed out that the more men were called to their month's service now, the fewer would be available later, when and if Imperial troops crossed the Borderflood into their provinces. He proposed instead that Harald, with friends in both camps, be asked to try to negotiate a settlement with the Order. The meeting had broken up with no decisions made. Harald gave Stephen a complete account of the previous day and sent him off to collect rumors.
It was most of a week before Harald felt well enough to consider the trip back over the mountains. He spent most of it in bed, gossiping with friends, entertaining a surprising diversity of visitors with stories from the Vales and beyond. The day he decided it was time to be up and about, the King came to visit.
"I hope my people have been taking good care of you."
"Concerning the hospitality in your castle I have no complaints, Majesty. I hope not to impose on it much longer."
"What do you mean? You can't leave now."
Harald looked at him curiously.
"I still need your counsel. Besides, you can't cross the width of the Kingdom and the high pass until your arm is healed."
"Your Majesty can have my counsel now; it is simple enough. So far as the Order, your choice is war or peace. War, lose or win. Lose, the matter is ended, at least for you. If a half levy suffices to win, you then have the Empire to deal with—no allies, half the provincial levy spent. Two thousand of your own men, fewer after dealings with the host. Three thousand from the provinces. Your lady cousin and fifteen of her ladies. Again, that ends the game for you. I invite such of my friends as can to come over the pass and help settle Newvale, garrison Northgate, learn to live with the Empire east as well as north.
"Peace is simpler still. Give back the holdings your men have seized. Pay the Order blood money for Ladies killed. Turn loose the Lady Commander—she can see over the Borderflood as well as I can.
Approaching the stable, he saw a familiar form.
"Henry."
"Harald. I heard you were here."
"Hurt myself riding; need your help."
The guard captain took in the bound arm, the color of Harald's face, reached up. Harald swung his right foot up and over the saddle, slid into his arms.
"I'll get a groom for the horse."
"Better deal with it yourself."
Henry gave him a puzzled look, followed Harald's glance down at the horse's forefoot.
"Yes. I'll get one of my men to help you back. Where have they put you?"
"Karl's old room, against the wall by the New Tower."
The arm resplinted with help of another friend from the barracks, Harald rested, trying to ignore the pain. Outside the unbarred door he heard Henry's voice. Another. He relaxed, called out: "Come in."
The lady Elen came through the door, eyes wide.
"I heard you were hurt, Excellency."
"Most folk call me Harald."
"My lady always . . ."
"Lady Anne calls me 'Excellency' because His Majesty does. His Majesty uses the title in hopes I'll forget who I am and where I come from, decide the North Vales are really a province of his kingdom and I'm their lord. His father got most things right, that included, not all."
"Can I get you anything?"
"You can get me a pitcher of beer and two mugs, then sit here and let me tell you the rest of Saemund's tale, help me forget what my arm feels like. If you would, leave word for the King I won't be at Council tonight and why."
When she returned, with pitcher, mugs, and a servant carrying a stool, he was asleep.
The next morning he was still light-headed and the arm had swollen. Elen having brought him breakfast, he let her help him retie the splints, then told her the first part of Saemund's tale. Later Stephen arrived with news of the previous evening's Council meeting. The King had again proposed calling out a part levy to deal with the Order. Stephen, backed by Brand, had pointed out that the more men were called to their month's service now, the fewer would be available later, when and if Imperial troops crossed the Borderflood into their provinces. He proposed instead that Harald, with friends in both camps, be asked to try to negotiate a settlement with the Order. The meeting had broken up with no decisions made. Harald gave Stephen a complete account of the previous day and sent him off to collect rumors.
It was most of a week before Harald felt well enough to consider the trip back over the mountains. He spent most of it in bed, gossiping with friends, entertaining a surprising diversity of visitors with stories from the Vales and beyond. The day he decided it was time to be up and about, the King came to visit.
"I hope my people have been taking good care of you."
"Concerning the hospitality in your castle I have no complaints, Majesty. I hope not to impose on it much longer."
"What do you mean? You can't leave now."
Harald looked at him curiously.
"I still need your counsel. Besides, you can't cross the width of the Kingdom and the high pass until your arm is healed."
"Your Majesty can have my counsel now; it is simple enough. So far as the Order, your choice is war or peace. War, lose or win. Lose, the matter is ended, at least for you. If a half levy suffices to win, you then have the Empire to deal with—no allies, half the provincial levy spent. Two thousand of your own men, fewer after dealings with the host. Three thousand from the provinces. Your lady cousin and fifteen of her ladies. Again, that ends the game for you. I invite such of my friends as can to come over the pass and help settle Newvale, garrison Northgate, learn to live with the Empire east as well as north.
"Peace is simpler still. Give back the holdings your men have seized. Pay the Order blood money for Ladies killed. Turn loose the Lady Commander—she can see over the Borderflood as well as I can.
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