The Eternal Champion

But enough of this. All I should say is that although we were both deeply in love at this point, we did not sleep together-we did not even discuss the matter, though it was often on the tip of my tongue…

What, in fact, began to happen was, oddly, that my lust began to wane. My love for lolinda remained as strong-if not stronger-than ever, but I did not feel any great need to express it in physical terms. It was not like me. Or perhaps I should say that it was not like John Daker!

However, as the day of departure came closer, I began to feel a need to express my love in some way and, one evening as we wandered through the balconies, I paused and put my hand under her hair and stroked the back of her neck and gently turned her to face me.

She looked sweetly up at me and smiled. Her red lips parted slightly and she did not move her head as I bent my own lips to hers and kissed her softly. My heart leapt. I held her close against me, feeling her breasts rise and fall against my chest. I lifted her hand and held it against my face as I looked down at her beauty. I thrust my hand deep into her hair and tasted her warm, sweet breath as we kissed again. She curled her fingers in mine and opened her eyes and her eyes were happy-truly happy for the first time. We drew apart.

Her breathing was now much less regular and she began to murmur something but I cut her off short. She smiled at me expectantly, with a mixture of pride and tenderness.

'When I return,' I said softly, 'we shall be married.'

She looked surprised for a moment and then she realised what I had said-the significance of what I had said. I was trying to tell her that she could trust me. It was the only way I could think of to do it. Perhaps a John Daker reflex, I don't know.

She nodded her head, drawing off her hand a wonderfully worked ring of gold, pearls and rose-coloured diamonds. This she placed on my little finger.

'A token of my love,' she said. 'An acceptance of your proposal. A charm, perhaps, to bring you luck in your battles. Something to remind you of me when you are tempted by those unhuman Eldren beauties…' She smiled when she made this last retort.

'It has many functions,' I said, 'this ring.'

'As many as you wish,' she replied.

'Thank you.'

'I love you, Erekose,' she said simply.

'I love you, lolinda.' I paused, then added, 'But I am a crude sort of lover, am I not? I have no token to give you. I feel embarrassed and a bit inadequate…'

'Your word is enough,' she said. 'Swear that you will return to me.'

I looked at her nonplussed for a second. Naturally I would return to her.

'Swear it,' she said.

'I'll swear it. There is no question…'

'Swear it again.'

'I'll swear it a thousand times if once is not enough. I swear it. I swear that I will return to you, lolinda, my love, my delight…'

'Good.' She seemed satisfied.

There came the sound of hurried footsteps along the balcony and we saw a slave I recognised as one of my own rushing towards us.

'Ah, master, there you are. King Rigenos has asked me to bring you to him.'

It was late. 'And what does King Rigenos want?' I asked.

'He did not say, master.'

I smiled down at lolinda and tucked her arm in mine. 'Very well. We shall come.'

CHAPTER SEVEN THE ARMOUR OF EREKOSE

The slave led us to my apartments. They were empty of anyone save my retinue.

'But where is King Rigenos?' I asked.

'He said to wait here, master.'

I smiled at lolinda again. She smiled back. 'Very well,' I said. 'We shall wait.'

We did not wait long. Presently slaves began to arrive at my apartments. They were carrying bulky pieces of metal wrapped in oiled parchment and they began to pile it in the weapons room. I watched them with as little expression as possible, though I was greatly puzzled.

Then at last King Rigenos entered. He seemed much more excited than usual, and Katorn was not, this time, with him.

'Greetings, Father,' said lolinda. 'I…'

But King Rigenos raised a hand and turned to address the slaves. 'Strip off the coverings,' he said. 'Hurry.'

'King Rigenos,' I said. 'I would like to tell you that…'

'Forgive me, Lord Erekose. First look at what I have brought. It has lain for centuries in the vaults of the palace. Waiting, Erekose-waiting for you!'

'Waiting…?'

Then the oiled parchment was torn away and lay in curling heaps on the flagstones, revealing what was to me a magnificent

'This,' said the king, 'is the armour of Erekose. Broken from its tomb of rock deep beneath the palace's lowest dungeons so that Erekose can wear it again.'

The armour was black and it shone. It was as if it had been forged that day and forged by the greatest smith in history, for it was of exquisite workmanship.

I picked up the breastplate and ran my hand over it.

Unlike the armour, worn by the Imperial Guard, this was smooth, without any kind of raised embellishment. The shoulder pieces were grooved, fanning high and away from the head, to channel a blow of sword, axe or lance away from the wearer. The helmet, breastplates, greaves and the rest were all grooved in the same manner.

The metal was light, but very strong, like that of the sword. But the black lacquer shone. It shone brightly-almost blindingly. In its simplicity, the armour was beautiful-as beautiful as only really fine craftsmanship can be. Its only ornament was a thick plume of scarlet horsehair which sprang from the crest of the helmet and cascaded down the smooth sides. I touched the armour with the reverence one has for fine art. In this case it was fine art designed to protect my life and my reverence was, if anything, that much greater!

'Thank you, King Rigenos,' I said-and I was honestly grateful. 'I will wear it on the day we set sail against the Eldren.'

'That day is tomorrow,' said King Rigenos quietly.

'What?'

'The last of our ships has come in. The last member of the crew is on board. The last cannon has been fitted. It will be a good tide tomorrow and we cannot miss it.'

I glanced at him. Had I been misled in some way? Had Katorn prevailed upon the king not to let me know the exact time of sailing? But the king's expression showed no sign of a plot. I dismissed the idea and accepted what he said. I turned my gaze to lolinda. She looked stricken.

'Tomorrow…' she said.

'Tomorrow,' confirmed King Rigenos.

I bit my lower lip. 'Than I must prepare…'

She said: 'Father…'

He looked at her. 'Yes, lolinda?'

I began to speak and then paused. She glanced at me and was also silent. There was no easy way of telling him and suddenly it was as if we should keep our love, our pact, a secret. Neither of us knew why.

Tactfully, the king withdrew. 'I will discuss last minute matters with you later, Lord Erekose.'

I bowed. He left.

Somewhat stunned, lolinda and I stared at each other and then we moved into each other's arms and we wept.

John Daker would not have written this. He would have laughed at the sentiments, just as he would have scoffed at anyone who considered the arts of war important. John Daker would not have written this, but I must:

I began to feel a rising sense of excitement for the coming war. The old exultant mood started to sweep through me again. Overlaying my excitement was my love for lolinda. This love seemed to be a calmer, purer love, so much more satisfying than casual, carnal love. It was a thing apart. Perhaps this was the chivalrous love which the Peers of Christendom were said to hold above all other.

John Daker would have spoken of sexual repression and of swords as substitutes for sexual intercourse and so forth.

Perhaps John Daker would have been right. But it did not seem to me that he was right, though I was well aware of all the rationalist arguments that supported such a view. There is a great tendency for the human race to see all other times in its own terms. The terms of this society were subtly different-I was only dimly aware of many of the differences. I was responding to lolinda in those terms. It is all I can say. And later events, I suppose, were also played out in those terms.