"Oh, help yourself," Shiara said crossly. "Daystar, are you going to take that stupid sword?"
I hesitated, then reached out and took hold of the hilt. The blade flashed once, and a brief shock ran through me as the hilt came to rest. I ignored the feeling and pulled at the scabbard. It came free almost at once, and the water closed silently behind it. I took a closer look at the bottom part of the sheath. I wasn't even surprised when I saw that it wasn't wet.
I looked up. The Princess had just about stopped crying. I looked at the sword. Then I looked back at the Princess. "Are you sure you don't want this?" I asked finally.
"Daystar!" Shiara sounded like she wasn't sure whether to be mad or horrified.
The Princess didn't seem to hear her at all. "I cannot take it!" she cried. "Oh, indeed, I cannot! Alas! That I am so helpless in my time of need!"
"Well, if you didn't want the sword, why did you ask for it in the first place?" Shiara said angrily.
"I fear I have deceived you," the Princess said tragically. "Yet I myself have been misled. Alas! I beg of you, forgive me! For indeed, I am-I am in great distress."
"Distress? Ha!" said Shiara. "You better tell us the truth, right now, or you'll find out what distress is."
"Shiara-" I began.
Shiara turned. "You shut up. You obviously don't know anything about handling princesses, so let me do it. Now," she said to the Princess, "explain.
And it better be good."
"I am a king's daughter," the Princess said. "My father would have me wed the prince of a neighboring kingdom, to bring us wealth. Yet I could not, for I love not him but another. My father listened not, for all my pleading, so my love and I fled into the forest. We wandered far, and great was our suffering, yet we were happy, for we had each other. But I, being unused to travel, became tired, and my love at last set me here and bade me wait for him. And here have I stayed these two long days, and I fear me some evil may have befallen him.
Alas! That we are parted!"
"What," said Shiara, "does all this have to do with Daystar's sword?"
The Princess sighed again. "I was seated here, as you see me, bewailing my bitter fate, when lo! a man appeared, most wise and powerful of aspect.
He told me my love was imprisoned by a mighty sorceress, and at that news I wept bitterly. Then he bade me desist from my grief, for the means of delivering my love was at hand, to wit, a sword most magical.
And he himself made promise of aid, if I would but attain the sword.
And this have I attempted, and I have failed. Alas, and woe is me!"
"I don't think I understand," I said. "Why didn't you tell us this to begin with?"
The Princess began to weep again. "My unknown friend instructed me in what I was to say and told me that all would be well once I had the sword in my own hands. And in this he deceived me, for the touch of the sword burned so that I cannot hold it. And the cause is that I deceived you, and tricked you into offering me the sword, and the sword knew, and it will not abide in my hand, and now am I utterly without hope."
"What did this person look like?" Shiara asked unsympathetically.
"The one you were going to give the sword to."
The Princess seemed a lot more interested in explaining how wise and powerful and helpful the man had been than she was in giving a simple description, but eventually we managed to get some idea what he looked like. Tall, dark haired, blue eyed, and carrying a staff"It sounds a lot like Antorell," I said finally.
"Antorell?" Shiara asked.
"The wizard that Mother melted. She said he might try to make trouble for me in a day or two."
"Oh, great. All we need is another wizard looking for us."
The Princess didn't seem to be following the conversation at all.
"Alas!" she said finally. "There is nothing left for me but grief. I have no means now to save my love, so I shall die with him. I shall fling myself in yonder stream and make an end."
"You are even dumber than Daystar," Shiara informed her. "That stream isn't deep enough to drown in. You'll only get wet. Besides, if that stupid wizard lied about the sword, how do you know he didn't lie about your love? Who is this person you ran off with, anyway?"
"He is a knight," the Princess said, her eyes lighting up. "Poor in goods, yet rich in spirit, of most pleasing aspect. His eyes are a hawk's, his arms are mighty, and his sword is bright and-" "He sounds like he can take care of himself," Shiara said. "I don't think you have to worry about him."
Shiara's words had a marvelous effect on the Princess. "Truly, you believe this?" she said, and her face lit up even more. "Then here will I await his coming, for surely he will return to me. Ah, joy! That we shall soon be once more together!"
Shiara looked disgusted. "I'm sure you'll be very happy. Come on, Daystar, let's go." She stood up.
"I don't think we should leave her here by herself," I said.
"Daystar, you're impossible!" Shiara was still mad. "She tried to trick you! Besides, she's been here two days already, and nothing's happened to her yet."
"Alas! I did indeed attempt to deceive you," the Princess said. "And for that I beg forgiveness. Yet consider my unhappy plight, and be not harsh with me."
"Oh, shut up," Shiara told her.
"What if Antorell comes back?" I said. "Somebody ought to take care of her. Besides, I made a promise."
"Well, I didn't!" Shiara said. "And I'm not going to sit here doing nothing just because of a stupid princess! I'm leaving."
"You can't do that?" I said. I was really upset. Shiara didn't know very much about the Enchanted Forest, and she was going to go tramping off into the middle of it with no one but Morwen's kitten. I couldn't let her do that, but I couldn't leave the Princess sitting there alone, either.
"Want to bet?" Shiara said. She picked up the bundle Morwen had given her. "Come on, Nightwitch. Let's go."
"Nightwitch? What an unusual name for a cat," said a new voice.
Shiara stopped and both of us turned. An old man was standing at the edge of the clearing, in front of a clump of scruffy lilacs that were almost tall enough to be considered trees. His beard and what was left of his hair were quite white, and he was stooped over and leaning on a staff. Even without the way my skin prickled, I knew he was a wizard.
The Princess was the first to recover from the surprise of seeing him there. "Ah, sir, have pity on my sad state!" she said. "Have pity, and if you have seen a knight, bright armored, hawk eyed, most fair and pleasing in speech and semblance, then tell me speedily where he may be found. For he is my love, and we are parted, and thus am I in great distress! Alas!"
"That's quite all right, my dear," the wizard said in a kindly tone.
"You've nothing to worry about. In fact, he should be here before very much longer. That's why I hurried. Just sit there and wait quietly, like a good girl."
"Oh, joy! Oh, bliss!" said the Princess rapturously. "To be with my love again? She started happily explaining how strong and handsome and generally wonderful her missing knight was. Since she didn't seem to be speaking to anyone in particular, the rest of us ignored her.
Shiara, Nightwitch, and I were edging backward. I had my right hand on the hilt of my sword, and my whole side was tingling with the feel of the wizard's magic. The wizard noticed us and smiled.
"Take your hand from your sword," he said, looking at me. "I am not here to engage in a vulgar physical contest with you."
"Are you from the Society of Wizards?" Shiara demanded. Her voice sounded a little shaky, but I don't think anyone who didn't know her would have noticed.