Sword of Camelot

by Gilbert L. Morris

  With a disgruntled look he walked away and sat down, putting his back to a tree. The birds were singing a rather sad, mournful song far off in the forest, and overhead he saw a hawk circling, crossing the blue skies in a searching pattern. The smell of pine and fir was rich in his nostrils, and he took a deep breath. “This is the kind of life for me. I wish I had done this a long time ago.”

  “I wish you had too, Sir Reb.”

  “What!” Reb leaped to his feet, his hand on his sword. Then he relaxed as he saw a smiling Mogen emerging from the trees. “You hadn't ought to sneak up on a fellow that way, Mogen,” he said reproachfully. “Back in Arkansas a fellow could get hurt doing a trick like that.”

  “I'm sorry” Mogen said contritely, “but I did want to see you one more time.”

  “Wait a minute.” Reb suddenly turned and looked across at Wash, who had not moved. “Hey, Wash, wake up. You didn't believe what I told you. Now you can see for yourself.”

  When Wash did not stir, Reb walked over and rolled him onto his back. “Wake up, I said.” Then he looked at Mogen with a surprised expression. “Something's wrong with him. He won't wake up.”

  “He'll be all right as soon as I leave,” Mogen said, a strange smile on her lips. She looked very beautiful. She moved to stand beside Reb. “I just helped him to sleep a little bit because I wanted to talk to you alone, Reb.”

  She put her hand on his arm, and a thrill ran through the boy. He hadn't been around many girls, and this young woman was far more beautiful than any girl he had ever seen. Mogen's voice was soft, and she almost whispered as she said, “I'm proud of you. Sir Reb, and so will everyone else be.”

  Reb cleared his throat. He could smell the exotic perfume that Mogen wore. He breathed deeply and it seemed to make him sleepy. Yet, at the same time, it strangely excited him. “Well,” he mumbled, “I don't know about that.”

  Mogen reached up and put her hands on his shoulders. He was tall enough that she had to look up at him. Her lips were rich and red. “All of Camelot will be proud of you when you rescue the Princess Elaine. And here is a reward in advance.”

  She pulled his head down and kissed him lightly on the lips, then she stepped back, her eyes Reaming. “Now, that will give you something to think about.”

  Reb's throat was thick, and he had to clear it before he said, “Well, why'd you do that?” And then he muttered, “Never mind. But what I want to know is, how do I find the princess and how do I beat this guy Sir Melchior?”

  “That is why I've come to you this morning,” Mogen said. “Now listen carefully.” She instructed him how to find his way through the woods, and when she had finished, she said, “You'll be challenged, Sir Reb, and, when you are, do not trust in your own strength.”

  Reb blinked in surprise. “What else would I trust in?”

  “Trust in this.” Mogen leaned forward and laid her hand over the medallion. She whispered, “This will save you. Hold it up and repeat the words that I will now give you.”

  Sir Reb was confused. The strange perfume seemed to befuddle him, and the touch of her hand on his chest burned like fire. He listened as she repeated a formula—just a few words. Then, when she stepped back, he swallowed and said. “That's all?”

  Mogen smiled mysteriously. “That will be enough,” she whispered. “You will see.” Then she turned and left abruptly.

  Reb was staring after her when Wash's voice came to him. “Well, I didn't mean to sleep so long.”

  Reb turned to see Wash getting up, rubbing his eyes.

  “I guess we'd better be on our way” Wash said.

  “You didn't see—”

  “I didn't see what?” Wash asked as he started clambering into his saddle. “I was asleep, Reb. So were you, weren't you?”

  Reb didn't answer, for he saw at once that Mogen's spell had kept his young friend from seeing her. He wondered about this, but the medallion burned against his chest, and he said roughly, “Come along. It's time to get down to business.”

  * * *

  The challenge came almost without warning. Three knights, dressed in black armor, crested the hill in front of them.

  Reb whispered, “Hey Wash. This looks like trouble!”

  “Who are you, and what are you doing in this place?” The tallest of the knights had his visor back, and his cold, gray eyes seemed alive with fire. “Give us your name, boy, and then we will take you captive.”

  Reb swallowed hard. He knew that any one of them would be more than a match for him, but he could not back down. There was something in him that would not be still. And as the medallion burned his chest he shouted, “You'll not stop me. I've come to get the Princess Elaine. Now give her up, and I'll let you go.”

  The three knights laughed loudly and one of them said to their leader, “Let's feed him to the vultures.”

  “Right. He'll be fit food for them,” the tall leader said. “Come!”

  The three knights at once leveled their lances and spoke to their horses. They came thundering across the plain.

  “Come on, Reb, let's get out of here!” wish shouted.

  Reb had little time to think, but the words of Mogen came back to him, and with a swift gesture he pulled the medallion film beneath his shirt and held it high. He shouted the words that Mogen had given him, then stared amazed.

  The knights tumbled out of their saddles as if they had been struck with a club. They hit the ground with a crashing, clanging noise, rolled over and over, and lay still. The dust rose from the ground. Their horses bolted, uttering frightened, neighing sounds.

  Wash, who had already half turned his horse, said, “What in the world—”

  Fear came upon Reb then, and he galloped forward, thinking that the three might be dead. But he discovered that they were still breathing, and he sighed in relief. At the same time, a fierce pride touched him, pride such as he had never known before. Holding the medallion high, he cried out the strange phrase again.

  The three knights climbed to their feet and backed away with terror in their eyes. Then they whirled and ran, crying for mercy.

  Wash advanced slowly, his eyes fixed on Reb. He was trembling—he had been afraid of the large armed knights. Now he whispered, “Reb, what happened?”

  Reb held up the medal, his eyes glinting with triumph. “Just what I said would happen. I had power I never knew I had before, and now I can take on any knight the Dark Lord sends against me.”

  Reb's eyes were glowing with some sort of strange light that had never been there before, and his mouth was twisted in a smile that was not a smile.

  “I don't like it, Reb,” Wash said abruptly. “Whatever it is, it's not right. Let's get out of here.”

  Reb glared at him. “You may as well go back to Camelot, Wash,” he said contemptuously. “But I'm going to get the Princess Elaine.”

  He turned his horse and spurred away.

  Wash stared after him. “Ain't nothing good gonna come out of this—I know that much! But I've come this far, and I reckon Goel would have me go the rest of the way. So come on, horse, let's go!”

  * * *

  Elaine sat in the small room where she was held by Sir Baloc. When he first took her, she had been filled with blind panic, and even now, men the huge knight came around, she felt fear rise in her throat. But she refused to let him see that fear.

  She looked up now as he entered, his dark eyes fixed on her. “Well, Princess,” he said, “are you ready to agree to marry me?”

  “Never,” Elaine said firmly lifting her chin. “I demand that you take me home immediately.”

  Baloc threw his head back and laughed. “That will never happen. But I'll tell you what will happen. That shallow young stripling you were so fond of, or so I hear—what's his name? Reb?—he's on his way to rescue you.”

  She started at that, and he grinned. He drew his sword, held it up, and tested the edge. “When I get through with him, his shoulders will be lonesome for his head!”

  “My father will
send the whole army of his knights to get me!”

  “No, he's afraid, because he knows how strong we've gotten. So he sent one challenger.” Again Baloc laughed. “And I can't think of a better one. If they'd sent some of the older knights, we may have had trouble—but not with this weak-kneed foreigner. Come on!” Sir Baloc grabbed Elaine's wrist and dragged her, effortlessly, out of the room.

  “Where are we going? Where are you taking me?” She fought against him, but he merely looked at her as he would at a feeble kitten. “I'm putting you outside for bait. I want Sir Reb to get a good look at you. My men tell me he's just over the hill.”

  Elaine felt great hope, and yet at the same time doubt came, for she knew the power of the man who held her. Reb will never stand a chance against him. Very few of my father's knights could stand up to Baloc.

  He yanked her along and stopped under a tree. “There he is,” he said suddenly “Now watch this, my lady”

  Elaine watched Sir Baloc walk over to where his groom had his battle horse ready. He was lifted into the saddle, and he put the crested helmet over his head. Then he took the lance.

  “This won't take long.” He gave a loud cry and said, “Now, Sir Reb, you'll see what it means to meet the powers of the Dark Lord's servants!” He touched his spurs to the horse and galloped straight at Reb.

  Elaine did not see clearly what happened, but she saw Reb hold up something that caught the glint of the sunlight and heard him cry out some strange words. At the same time Sir Baloc pulled his horse up sharply. Then he uttered a hoarse cry, turned, and galloped away as if all the knights of the kingdom were after him.

  Elaine gasped and shock ran over her.

  Then, suddenly Reb was there! He leaned from his horse and said. “Princess Elaine, are you all right?”

  “Oh, yes,” she said quickly Then she looked after the fleeing Baloc in bewilderment. “But what happened? Why did he run away?”

  “He was afraid that he would die, so he ran—like the coward that he is.” He laughed aloud, and there was a note of victory in his voice as he said, “Come along, Princess. I'll get you a horse, and we'll get you back to your family.”

  * * *

  When Sir Reb led the Princess Elaine through the gates of Camelot, a cry went up such as had not been heard in many a year. The air was filled with hats thrown up by jubilant men, and a pressing throng surrounded the pair as they made their way toward the castle.

  Reb had removed his armor, and Wash was following far behind with the pack animal.

  Wash was joined almost at once by Elendar, who appeared out of nowhere. “How did this happen, my son?” Elendar demanded.

  Wash shook his head. “I don't know. I never saw nothing like it.” He related how the three knights had fallen from their saddles and Sir Baloc had run in fear. “And it's all that medallion he wears around his neck and the funny words he says. And he keeps talking about this woman named Mogen who's taught him how to do all this.”

  “Mogen, you say?” Elendar's eyes glinted fiercely. “I don't like the sound of that.”

  “I did the best I could,” Wash said miserably, “but he wouldn't listen to me. I wish you'd been there, Elendar.”

  Elendar's hand fell on the boy's shoulder, and he clasped it firmly. “Never mind. You have a good spirit, my boy Now we must be very careful to see that your friend doesn't take harm from this.”

  Wash looked at the crowds who were screaming Reb's name and saw the pair dismount in front of the king and queen. Elaine rushed forward and was embraced by her parents, who, in turn, fell upon Sir Reb and seemed to be crying.

  Wash wagged his head. “It looks to me like Reb is in pretty solid. He rescued the princess, and that's what's important, isn't it?”

  “Winning is not always important,” Elendar said slowly. He looked tired and suddenly bowed his shoulders. “It's how we win that counts—and I very much fear that we have not seen the last of all this.”

  “Who is Mogen, and what's this thing that gives Reb all that power?” Wash asked. “Is it from Goel, do you think?”

  “No, never from Goel. He doesn't use magic. He uses men and women—and young people,” he added as he put his hands on Wash's shoulders again.

  “Then what's wrong?”

  Elendar did not answer for a long moment, and when he did his voice was so low that Wash barely heard it. “Sometimes the dark forces of this world use people as well.”

  13

  The Curse of the Dragon

  You know, Jake, Reb always was stubborn. But ever since he brought Princess Elaine back, he's been different.”

  Jake Garfield was standing beside Josh, his hands in his pockets. He looked small beside the tall boy, and his red hair and brown eyes formed a vivid contrast.

  Jake agreed. “That's right. He's just not the same guy we've always known and liked.”

  “Oh, you two are just jealous.” Abbey sniffed. She looked over to where Reb and Princess Elaine were talking underneath a brilliant banner. They stood on the jousting field, and Reb had just toppled another of the king's ablest knights. Abbey sighed and rolled her eyes. “He's so strong. But I don't see how he stands up to those big men the way he does.”

  Sarah gave her a critical glance. “I think there's a little more to it than we know,” she said. “Wash, I've never believed that you told us everything about how you two managed to get Princess Elaine back. And Reb won't say anything either. What actually went on?”

  Wash wanted to tell, but Elendar had sworn him to silence. “I guess I'll have to let Reb do the talking—if he wants to,” he said finally.

  Dave Cooper came up just in time to hear this. He looked over toward Reb, and there was bitterness in his eyes. He was fully as tall and even stronger than Bob Lee Jackson, but he had been cast into the background by the accomplishments of the young Southerner. “Well, I think he's going to have to be taught a lesson. He's gotten so proud he's not the same guy we once knew.”

  A murmur went around the group, but Josh said, “Wait a minute. We can't lose control of this thing. I know Reb has been a little hard to get along with, but most of us would be if we'd gotten the kind of attention that he's gotten. After all, he came out of nowhere to become the king's favorite.”

  “That's what I say,” Abbey agreed. She looked at Reb again and sighed. Always the romantic, she added, “Wouldn't it be something if Reb married the Princess Elaine and became king of Camelot?”

  “Nobody's going to become king of anything unless the Dark Lord is stopped. I don't know what happened, but I'm going to find out,” Josh snapped. He looked over at the couple, then shrugged. “No sense trying to talk to him. If he won't listen to Elendar, he won't listen to anyone.” He scratched his head and said, “It's like he's been—bewitched! But we'll have to do the best we can. Goel sent us here to do something, and at least Reb's gotten the princess back. I'll give him that much.”

  * * *

  At that moment Princess Elaine was saying, “Reb, I wish I could tell you how grateful I am for what you've done. I'd just about given up hope. That awful Baloc!” She shivered. “It makes me almost sick to think about him.”

  Reb smiled and patted her shoulder with a freedom he never would have used at an earlier date. “You don't have to worry about him anymore,” he said loftily. “If he does show up, I'll put the run on him.”

  “Put the run on him?” Elaine stared. “What does that mean?”

  “Oh, just a saying we had back in Arkansas. Means I'll run him out of here.”

  Elaine chewed her lower lip. “I still don't understand what happened. Can't you tell me about it, Reb?”

  Reb hesitated, then shook his head. “I suppose some things are better not talked about,” he said grandly.

  The truth was that he had had more visits from Mogen, and she had cautioned him not to speak of what they did together. Each time she had come, he felt the power flow out of her hands, and when she spoke strange words over him he felt tall enough to smite the sun
.

  Now he looked down at Elaine. “I don't want you worryin, Princess. Whatever that Dark Lord throws at us, I'll throw right back in his face.”

  Elaine watched Reb carefully as he moved away. Something about him was different. Something that she didn't understand. “He's not the same as he used to be,” she whispered to herself. “Somehow he's stronger—and yet he's weaker too. I just don't understand it. Maybe Elendar can explain.”

  She went to find Elendar, and as she did so she was aware that she was somehow disappointed in Reb and afraid for him even after all he had done.

  * * *

  As Reb was proclaiming what he would do to the servants of the Dark Lord, Sir Melchior was receiving a visit from one he was not happy to see.

  He had been dozing in his chair, almost asleep, in the privacy of his quarters, when without warning a figure materialized in front of him.

  “What!” Melchior leaped to his feet and grabbed at a sword that hung on the wall. Flipping it out of its sheath, he turned to face the figure, who was clothed from head to foot in a long gray cloak.

  “Who are you?” he challenged. “And how did you get past my guards?”

  A deep, mellow voice answered, “You need not blame the guards, Melchior. They could not have stopped me in any case.”

  Melchior blinked at the assurance of the voice, took one step forward, and lifted his sword. “Who are you? Quick, or I'll have your head from your body!”

  “My name is not important. What is important is the one I serve—the same one that you serve.”

  Melchior swallowed and lowered the point of his blade. “The Dark Lord?” he whispered, and a chill suddenly went over him, for he could feel the piercing glance of the eyes that were almost hidden by the cowling. “What is your message?”

  “You will come with me, and I will show you.”

  Melchior had little desire to go with such a deadly visitor. But he knew enough of the Dark Lord to understand that protests would be futile. “Very well,” he said, trying to put assurance into his voice, “I'll call my guards.”