"You have abided in faith, though you suffered in loneliness," Alisande cried. "To you belongs the honor."
But the old don shook his head and held out his hand. Yverne stepped up and took it; then both turned to Alisande, with a curtsy and a bow, and stepped aside.
She looked from the one to the other, then back at the people. "They will have me speak for them. Look, then, upon the faithful lords who are left to you! Lords, look upon your people! O faithful of Ibile, who have kept troth with your God and your royal line through centuries of adversity, look now upon your king!"
She turned, one hand outspread, and the choir burst into song.
Rinaldo sat then, ramrod straight, hands gripping the throne, eyes on his people—as the Archbishop took the crown from Matt and lowered it onto the prince's head.
Then Yverne turned and knelt before the throne, took Rinaldo's hand, and swore fealty to him, acknowledging him as her suzerain.
The celebration was still going on, and the new king had to wave to the cheering throngs that lined the way as he rode with Sir Guy and Yverne to the great gates that guarded the town. At his signal, the porters opened the huge leaves. Then the king, who had been Fadecourt, took the maiden's hand. "I had liefer you stayed to rule with me, a queen of Ibile."
"I thank your Majesty." Yverne lowered her eyes. "I will ever be your true vassal and will come if you have need of me—but my destiny lies elsewhere."
"I had feared as much." King Rinaldo turned to clap Sir Guy on the shoulder. "I need not bid you ward her well—she could have no more stalwart a guardian. But I can bid you find a priest together, ere you have journeyed too far along your road." For a moment, Fadecourt's insouciance lit his eyes again. "Or I'll pry you out of your armor with my own hands!"
"I warrant your Majesty." Sir Guy inclined his head gravely.
"Farewell, comrade-at-arms!" Rinaldo clasped him by the shoulders. "I will miss your wise council, your good cheer!" He turned to Yverne. "Farewell, milady! Whom I shall never leave off missing."
"I pray," she said softly, "that there shall come a one who shall make you forget me."
He only gazed at her, as if to say it was impossible; but all he said aloud was, "Farewell, good friends both!"
Alisande nodded to her heralds, and the trumpets pealed. Sir Guy and Yverne rode forth beyond the gate, turned back to wave once, then rode away side by side.
Now Rinaldo turned to the two huge monsters who stood flanking the gate. "You need not go, lordly ones! Ever will there be welcome for you, in Orlequedrille!"
"I thank your Majesty," Stegoman rumbled, "but we must needs see the knight and his lady safely to the mountains, that none of the Free Folk seek to harm them as they pass through—and I must needs take this orphan back to his long home, that his people may honor him as ever they should have done."
"Orphan!" Narlh said indignantly. "So what are you, my papa?"
And your mother, too, if ever thou hast need of our care," Stegoman returned, "though I would liefer be your brother."
"Yeah, I'd love it." But Narlh's eye glinted. "Gonna find someone to be my godfather?"
"I do not doubt that my sire will delight at the honor. You shall be acclaimed as the dragon you are, and all shall hail your name, for my kin have gone before us to the land of the Free Folk, to spread word of your glory."
Matt wondered about sibling rivalry.
Stegoman's jaw lolled open in a grin. "Come, good-sib! The road is long, and already the knight and lady have the long start! Majesty, farewell! And Majesty of Merovence—again, till I see thee once more, God be with thee!"
Then, wonder of wonders, both monsters managed something resembling a bow. They rose, turned, and went off after the couple on horseback, as the trumpets rang out once again. Alisande signaled, and the huge portals closed.
King Rinaldo turned back, blinking only twice, and saw Robin Hood and his band standing before him. "Will you, too, leave me?"
"Aye, when we weary of peace and soft living." Robin smiled. "Yet we will accept your hospitality some little while longer, till we see you secure with a loyal band of knights and men about you, and lords to keep your countryside secure."
Rinaldo clasped the outlaw on the shoulder. "Why, then, I shall have to see to the fomenting of rebellions! Maid, I thank you for your good intercession."
"Pooh, Majesty," Marian answered. "He would have thought of it himself, in time."
Rinaldo turned to Alisande. "You, though, I cannot importune. Your kingdom cannot endure too long without you."
"Even so," she agreed. "Another day, and I, too, must leave you."
"Ibile shall ever be friend to Merovence, while I live!" Rinaldo swore. "I cannot repay what you have done for me!"
"There shall come a chance," she said evenly. "For the nonce, you might speak to your comrade of the duties he owes his sovereign."
"Duties!" Matt squawked. "When have I ever been less than totally faithful to you? When?"
She favored him with her best glare. "Why, when you went dancing off to Ibile and left me to mourn!"
Matt's defenses melted. "Well. I'm glad to know you weren't celebrating."
"Celebrating! My love and my life! How could I ever be aught but grim, when you are not by me!"
Matt bowed his head, then looked up with a forced and weary smile. "It's not that I don't believe you..."
Alisande's face hardened. "A queen cannot lie!"
"Not about public matters, no..."
"Majesty," Prince Rinaldo said softly.
She froze, then turned to him slowly. "Aye, Majesty?"
"If you love him," one of her few peers in the whole world said, "why do you not marry him?"
She stared at him so long that Matt was afraid the silence would crack. But she finally answered, low-voiced, "You know well, sovereign Majesty, that we of royal blood may not marry as we choose. I cannot wed a man who was not born a lord."
"Not so," the king contradicted, with Fadecourt's old glint in his eye. "Your duty as queen is to marry so as to strengthen your kingdom—and to give your heirs noble blood, that will make them worthy monarchs."
She stared at him, paling—but she nodded slowly. "Even so. Thus much do we learn at our sires' knees."
"And Lord Matthew's magic strengthens Merovence," Rinaldo said. "Indeed, who should know that better than I, who was a gnarled cyclops, a creature of contempt, but who am now made a king, through his wizardry and your force of arms? And how should Merovence fare without his enchantments?"
Alisande seemed suddenly unsure; she glanced at Matt out of the corner of her eye.
"To wed him would be a diplomatic victory unparalleled," the king murmured, "for it would bind him to the service of Merovence for all his life."
Alisande bit her lip, suddenly vulnerable, suddenly very much a woman. "There is merit in what you say. But all of tradition, the weight of common law—"
Rinaldo saw her uncertainty. "Good friar!" he called.
Friar Tuck looked up, surprised. "Aye, Majesty?"
"This poor woman stands in need of such magic as her wizard cannot provide—the more so since he is the source of her quandary. Do you give her aid!"
"Why, that I will." Tuck joined his hands and raised his eyes to Heaven. "Father above, help this poor woman to know both her heart, and Your will! Send her some sign that will show us her fate!"
There was a clap of thunder, and everyone drew back in horror—for three women stood between the two monarchs suddenly, one spinning, another measuring, and a third standing with shears poised—but all three had young, beautiful faces now.
"What!" Clotho cried, staring at Matt. "Is it not enough that you have repaired the damage you did us! Must you torture us again? We shall not brook more of your impudence, I warn—"
"Sister." Atropos nudged with her elbow. " 'Tis not he who seeks us, but the woman."