The crowd suddenly broke apart before her, and Julia stumbled to a halt as King John stepped out of the crowd to block her path. Harald stood at the King’s side, carrying a huge sheathed longsword in his arms as though it were both infinitely precious and utterly repellent. Julia eyed Harald and the King warily as they bowed to her. They were being polite and formal, which could only mean that they were up to something. She watched their faces change as they realised she was no longer wearing formal Court robes, and smiled politely at them, daring them to say anything. She’d had to search half the Castle laundry to find the sensible, hard-wearing clothes she’d worn in the Forest during her time with Rupert, but it had been worth it. For the first time in months, she felt comfortable.
Besides, she couldn’t use a sword properly while wearing formal robes.
“Princess Julia,” said the King slowly, “your garments are hardly suitable for a Lady of the Court.”
“Probably not,” said Julia. “But they’re quite suitable for wearing during a battle. If you think I’m going out to fight demons wearing high heels and a long flowing gown, you’re crazy. Now, did you have something in particular you wanted to say to me, or were you just indulging in a little fashion criticism?”
“We have something for you,” said Harald.
“Oh yes?” said Julia suspiciously. “And what might that be?”
“A sword,” said Harald. “It’s called Wolfsbane.”
He held out to her the long silver scabbard he was carrying, and Julia looked at it for a long moment before finally taking it from him. Despite its seven feet and more of length, the sword seemed practically weightless in her hands. The scabbard was covered in ancient, deeply etched runes that teased her eyes with hints of meaning. I don’t like this sword, thought Julia suddenly. It feels … unhealthy. She started to hand the sword back to Harald, and then stopped as she realised both he and King John were wearing similar swords strapped to their backs. The long leather-bound hilts peered over their shoulders like watchful eyes. And that was when Julia remembered the name Wolfsbane.
“This is one of the Infernal Devices,” she said slowly. “One of the most powerful and evil swords ever created. And you expect me to use this?”
“They’re our only hope now,” said the King. “We need their power.”
“Wait a minute,” said Julia suspiciously. “Why are you offering me this sword, and not Rupert?”
“He didn’t want it,” said Harald.
“Why not?”
Harald smiled slightly. “Perhaps he was afraid of its power.”
“Perhaps,” said Julia, “he had reason to be.”
The King shifted uncomfortably as Julia turned her searching gaze on him. “We did offer him the blade, Julia, but he refused to take it. He said … he said he didn’t trust magic swords any more. Do you understand what he meant by that?”
Julia frowned, and worried her lower lip between her teeth. “No,” she said finally. “I don’t.” She hefted Wolfsbane in her hand, and made as though to draw it. Harald and the King both sucked in a breath, and stepped back a pace.
“I wouldn’t,” said King John quickly. “You might unleash the sword’s attribute.”
Julia studied the sheathed sword, and frowned thoughtfully. “Three Infernal Devices, each with a different attribute. I remember the stories my father told me, when I was very young. Of three magic swords, and the evil and destruction they caused before they could be brought under control. Rockbreaker. Flarebright. Wolfsbane. I never thought I’d hold a legend in my hand. What is Wolfsbane’s attribute? What does it do?”
“We’re not actually sure,” said the King. “It’s been so long since anyone dared draw any of the blades …”
“Great,” said Julia. “Just great. All right, what do you know about the Infernal Devices?”
“They like blood,” said Harald quietly. “And they love to kill.”
Julia looked at him sharply. There had been something in Harald’s voice … something that might have been fear, or loathing …
“But why me?” she said suddenly. “All right, Rupert wouldn’t take the sword, but why does it have to be me? Why not the Champion, or the Astrologer, or …”
“You’re of Royal blood,” said the King.
Julia smiled wryly. “Of course. A sword like this could make any man a King, and there’s no one else you can trust with that kind of power.”
“That’s right,” said the King. “No one, but you.”
“And I’ll bet that sticks in your craw something fierce,” said Julia. “A woman with a sword, what is the world coming to? All right, I’ll use Wolfsbane. But only if I have to. I don’t trust magic swords either.”
She slung the scabbarded sword over her left shoulder, and buckled it securely into place. Harald moved forward as though to help, but stopped short when Julia fixed him with a scornful eye.
“Has either of you seen Rupert around?” she asked, her voice carefully casual.
“I’ve no doubt he’s here somewhere,” said the King. “But I haven’t seen him since Darius died.”
“Yeah, right,” said Julia. “I heard about that. Good to know Darius finally got what was coming to him.”
“Quite,” said Harald. “I haven’t seen Rupert at all, but then, he hasn’t had much to say to me since I told him he was still going to be best man at your wedding to me.”
Julia looked at him, and then at the King. “You can’t leave him alone, can you? Even now, you can’t leave him any peace, or hope of peace. You’re beneath contempt, both of you. Get out of my sight.”
“Julia …” said the King.
“Get away from me, damn your eyes!”
King John bowed stiffly to her, and turned and walked away. Harald opened his mouth to say something. Julia rested her hand on the pommel of her sword. Harald smiled politely, and followed his father into the crowd. Julia watched him go, and was surprised to find herself shaking with the strength of her emotions. She breathed deeply, filling her lungs with the freezing courtyard air, and slowly some of her calm came back to her. Rupert, my dear… what are we going to do? She shook her head slowly, and then started as a long, leather-wrapped swordhilt suddenly appeared at the corner of her eye. Julia scowled, and looked away. Wolfsbane was a solid, uncomfortable presence at her back, for all its lightness, and she wasn’t at all sure she’d done the right thing in accepting it. She felt happier with the blade she knew, hanging in its usual place at her left hip; the sword Rupert had given her, long ago, in a Darkwood clearing when all had seemed lost …
Julia looked around the packed, milling courtyard. Wherever you are, Rupert, watch your back. She sighed tiredly, once, and then strode off into the crowd, heading for where her troop of women were waiting for her. And the Infernal Device on her back seemed to grow a little heavier with every step.
Rupert stood in the shadows of the stable doors, watching Julia drill her troop of women. Swords and spears and hand-axes gleamed in the torchlight as the women stamped and lunged, their movements still somehow graceful despite the cumbersome chain-mail they all wore. Julia strode back and forth before them, stopping briefly to smile and encourage, or demonstrate a difficult cut or parry. As she moved through the flickering, uncertain light, sword in hand, her tall, lithe form seemed like that of some ancient warrior goddess, teaching the arts of war to her worshippers.
She was dressed as she had been when Rupert first knew her, and he wasn’t sure why that hurt him as much as it did. With her old clothes, and her long blond hair tied back in two simple, functional braids, she was like a bitter accusing memory of the time they’d had together, before he’d brought her back to Forest Castle. He’d been so happy, then.
“I wish you’d go and talk to her,” said the unicorn. “You’re getting on my nerves, standing there all frowning and broody.”
“There’s nothing left to say,” said Rupert quietly. “She’s marrying Harald, of her own free will.”
“Yea
h,” said the unicorn. “And demons are vegetarians. You’re too hard on the girl, Rupert. If she’s marrying Harald, it’s only because the Court pressured her into it. It’s not as if she had any choice in the matter, now is it?”
“I don’t know,” said Rupert tiredly. “I don’t know anything any more.”
“Buck up,” said the unicorn gruffly. “We’ll be going out into the dark soon. Think of all the fun you can have, taking out your troubles on the demons. They won’t know what’s hit them.”
“Yeah. Sure.”
Out in the courtyard, Julia turned suddenly to face the stables, and Rupert backed quickly away from the doors before she could see him. He didn’t know why he was so angry. It was her life, and she had a right to live it as she chose. He hadn’t even known her long. They’d spent a few months together, and then he’d had to leave her at the Castle while he went off in search of the Dark Tower. After so many months apart, with every reason to suppose him dead, it was only to be expected that Julia would turn to somebody else. And Harald always was a charming bastard. Their marriage had been all but inevitable.
That’s as may be, thought Rupert grimly. But I’m still not going to be the bloody best man!
He turned his back on the open stable doors and tugged irritably at his new chain-mail. The vest had obviously been fashioned for someone a few inches taller and a great deal broader than he was, and in the few places where it did fit, it chafed him unmercifully. The arms were too long, the leggings were baggy, and the waistline was a joke. And to top it all, his hood kept falling forward over his eyes. Rupert stomped back and forth between the stalls, trying to get the feel of the armour, but soon gave up in disgust. It could take weeks to get a new suit of chain-mail fitting just right, and he didn’t have weeks. It would just have to do as it was.
“Typical,” he said finally.
“What is?” asked the unicorn.
“Well, here I am, all dressed up in bright new armour, about to go back into the dark and fight evil, and all I can think of is how much I need to visit the jakes!”
The unicorn sniggered unfeelingly. “It’s just nerves, lad. Think about something else.”
“It’s all right for you. You can take a piss any time you feel like it. I have to unbuckle half my damn armour first.”
“Don’t worry,” said the unicorn. “Once we get outside the gates, one look at the demon horde will undoubtedly scare the piss right out of you.”
“You’re a great help.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Ah, to hell with it,” said Rupert suddenly and, before the unicorn’s startled gaze, he began unbuckling his chain-mail.
“Rupert, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“First, I’m going to get rid of this damn armour, and then I’m going to empty my bladder. Any more questions?”
“Just the one—how long do you think you’re going to survive out there without any armour? They’ll rip you to pieces!”
“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”
“As I recall,” said the unicorn, watching interestedly as piece after piece of chain-mail fell to the stable floor, “The last time you threw away your armour, we were immediately ambushed by a bunch of goblins, and you terrorised the lot of them. Who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky again.”
“I fight better without armour anyway,” growled Rupert, gazing vacantly into space as he emptied his bladder against a convenient wall post. “Chain-mail’s not as bad as plate armour, but this stuff fits like a sack, and just gets in the way. I’ll keep the vest, I’m not entirely daft. Did you say something, unicorn?”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Rupert sniffed, and walked back to the unicorn, readjusting his sword belt.
“Feeling better now?” asked the unicorn.
“Much,” said Rupert.
“Then perhaps you’d like to tell me just what you think our chances are of coming out of this mess alive.”
Rupert looked away from the unicorn, and shrugged tiredly. “I don’t know, Breeze. We’ve got the High Warlock on our side, if he sobers up in time. And the Infernal Devices should make quite a difference, if we can keep them under control. Our own chances… aren’t particularly good, but we’ve beaten long odds before, haven’t we?”
“In other words,” said the unicorn quietly, “we’re going to die out there.”
“It looks like it,” said Rupert finally. “We’ve pushed our luck as far as it will go, my friend. Only a miracle will get us out of this one. Still, at least this way we have a chance to take some of the demons with us.”
“Then that will have to do,” said the unicorn.
“Rupert …” Julia’s voice was quiet, hesitant. “I need to talk to you.”
Rupert looked round quickly. Julia was standing half-silhouetted in the stable doorway. She moved slowly forward into the lanternlight, and Rupert didn’t know whether to smile or bow or turn and run. In her old familiar clothes, she looked just the way she used to be, and he didn’t want to be reminded of that.
“I’m busy right now, Julia. Can’t this wait?”
“No,” said Julia. “It can’t.”
She studied Rupert in silence, taking in the dark bruises of fatigue beneath his eyes, and his watchful, wary stance. There was a grim, defeated look to him that she’d never seen before, and for a moment it was like looking at a stranger. The moment passed, and Julia smiled suddenly. When in doubt, go to the heart of the matter.
“I love you, Rupert.”
He flinched as though she’d hit him. “Of course you love me. That’s why you’re marrying Harald.”
“No, Rupert. They can threaten and plead, and they can drag me kicking and screaming to the altar, but they can’t make me marry him.”
“Sure.” Rupert couldn’t seem to raise enough strength to be angry, he was too tired to be anything but bitter. Julia reached out and put a hand on his arm, and it seemed heavy even in its gentleness.
“Rupert, I don’t want you to go off into battle believing a lie. I don’t give a damn for Harald, or being a Princess, or anything but being with you.”
“I saw you in the Court,” said Rupert thickly. “I saw you with Harald…”
“I was angry,” said Julia. “I wanted to hurt you, to make you jealous, because …oh, Rupert …”
She moved forward and took him in her arms. He clung to her desperately, like a drowning man, his face buried in her neck. She hugged him fiercely back, not flinching even when his strength hurt her.
“Don’t leave me,” Rupert said hoarsely into her neck. “You’re all I’ve got left.”
“I’ll never leave you,” Julia promised him quietly. “Never again, my love.”
“Me neither,” said the unicorn, butting them gently with the side of his head. Without looking round, Rupert reached blindly out with one arm and hugged the unicorn’s neck.
After a while, Rupert regained control of himself and straightened up. Julia immediately let go of him, and brushed at his clothes and pulled his chain vest straight, so that she wouldn’t have to see his face while he composed himself again. Rupert was funny about things like that.
“How long before they open the gates?” she asked, her voice carefully calm and steady.
“Not long now,” said Rupert. He smiled at Julia as she fussed over him, and then frowned suddenly as he caught sight of the leather-bound swordhilt standing up behind her left shoulder. “Julia, where did you get that sword?”
Julia heard the tension in his voice, and stepped back a pace so that she could face him squarely.
“The King wanted me to have it. He said you’d turned it down.”
“That’s right, I did. I wish you had too. ”
“It’s only a sword, Rupert.”
“No it isn’t! That thing on your back is an Infernal Device, an evil so great my ancestors kept it locked away in the Armoury for over five hundred years rather than risk using it.”
“
How can any sword be that evil?”
Rupert looked at her steadily. “According to legend, the swords are alive. And they corrupt the souls of those who bear them.”
Julia shook her head impatiently. “A sword is a sword. All right, it feels … wrong, somehow. But as long as it kills demons, I’ll have a use for it. Anyway, you carry a magic sword yourself.” Julia stopped suddenly, and looked at Rupert thoughtfully. “The rainbow sword, I’d forgotten all about it. Why can’t we use that against the darkness? It worked before, remember?”
Rupert shook his head. “I’ve already tried, Julia. It doesn’t work any more.” Julia’s face fell, and for a moment they stood together in silence. Julia glanced out of the stable door. “Rupert, I can’t stay much longer. My women are waiting for me.”
“Yes, I watched you drilling them. They looked … promising.” Rupert smiled suddenly. “I don’t know, lass, it hardly seems fair to send you out into the dark, carrying an Infernal Device and leading a company of fighting women. I mean, we just want to kill the demons, not terrorise them.”
Julia laughed. “I’ll make you pay for that, after the battle’s over.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
They looked at each other steadily. Rupert reached out and took Julia’s hands in his.
“Julia, whatever happens … I love you, lass. Never doubt it.”
“I love you, Rupert. You watch your back, when we finally get out there.”
“Right. And after we’ve won …”
“Yes,” said Julia. “There’ll be time for lots of things, after we’ve won.”
Blue Moon Rising Page 46
