Edwin’s gauntleted hand reached out, grasped hold of the older man’s. “What about you, Pax?” Edwin asked at length. “Will the bards sing about you?”
Pax chuckled again, but his eyes were wistful. “I doubt it,” he replied. “In the tales, there aren’t many dragon-slayers who’ve seen eighty summers. But you never know, do you?” Wobbling slightly, he pushed himself back to his feet and laid his hand on Edwin’s forehead. “Keep believing, young man,” he said, and walked away.
Edwin looked to the bier, toward where Paladine’s altar had once stood. He was surprised to see the first gray light of dawn beginning to shine through the shutters on the narrow windows behind the bier.
A loud, rattling cry sounded from the window, rousing the other young knights from their dazed slumber. Edwin caught his breath. The shutters had blown open. On the sill perched a kingfisher, its blue feathers glistening with rainwater, its head angling this way and that as it studied the knights. It opened its beak to utter its harsh call again, then it was gone, flying out the window with a flash of blue wings.
Edwin nodded quietly to himself. “Thank you,” he whispered, and smiled.
*****
Morning came, a pale shadow. The knights watched and waited, most in hopeless despair. Even old Pax, who stood sword-in-hand near the Northeast Tower, looked weary and preoccupied. Once more, there was nothing to see upon the storm-lashed plains, hour upon hour. Gloomily, Derek told Aran things could scarcely get worse. Then at midday, the storm ceased.
The wind slackened enough for Aran to take up his bow once more. The rain turned to drizzle, and the inky thunderheads gave way to brighter overcast. The knights peered edgily to the southeast, the tips of their halberds quivering, expecting to see the dark shapes of the foe’s armies marching across the plains. Derek, who had come down to the inner ward to speak with Winfrid, touched his sword and eyed the sky warily. Aran, at the Southeast Tower, fitted an arrow onto his bow-string and waited.
The chapel door opened. Edwin stepped out, blinking in the light. His armor, shield and sword gleamed in the muted daylight. Behind him, squinting like newborn rabbits leaving the warren for the first time, came five young knights. Derek turned and glowered at them.
“I was right, Derek,” Edwin said. The serenity in his voice made the older knight’s scalp prickle. “I was right to believe the tales. Pax told me.”
Derek scowled. “What are you talking about?”
“Paladine gave me a sign in the chapel last night,” Edwin repeated. “I was right, Derek-I understand that now.”
“Stop this, Edwin,” Derek snapped, irritated and embarrassed. “You’re talking nonsense. Get those men back to their posts. I’ll discipline them later.”
“But-”
”Now, Edwin!” Derek shouted. He turned away. After a moment, he heard Edwin heave a quiet sigh and march off, the five young knights following.
“What do you suppose that was about?” asked Sir Winfrid.
Derek shrugged. “Maybe he fell asleep. It’d be just like Edwin not to know the difference between a dream and-” He stopped, seeing Winfrid’s gaze shift. “What is it now?”
“Your brother,” Sir Winfrid answered. “He’s going up into the Northeast Tower.”
Derek swore silently. He turned just in time to see Sir Pax step aside as Edwin and the five young knights- Edwin’s knights, to all appearances-marched across the inner wall and entered the tall tower. They emerged at the top of the spire and raised their swords. The rest of the men watched, fascinated, as Edwin took his place beneath the Crownguard banner that flapped atop the tower.
“The damned fool,” Derek cried, Edwin raised Trumbrand to his lips and kissed its hilt.
And a nightmare dropped through the clouds.
The dragon was huge, almost half as long as Castle Crownguard was wide. Its scaly body, borne on tremendous, azure wings, gleamed like an enormous, flawed sapphire. Wickedly curving claws flashed. Eyes as red as the fires of the Abyss stared from its death mask face. Row upon row of swordlike fangs jutted from its gaping maw. Its great, serpentine tail trailed behind it.
The knights dropped their weapons and fled.