FIERCE: Sixteen Authors of Fantasy

by Mercedes Lackey

  Thor suddenly realized: he was Erec’s only squire now. He gulped. What was he supposed to be doing? He was not prepared for this. And the whole kingdom was watching.

  The two knights attacked each other viciously, going blow for blow. Clearly the McCloud knight was much stronger than Erec—yet Erec was the better fighter, faster and more agile. They swung and slashed and parried, neither able to gain advantage.

  Finally, King MacGil stood.

  “Long spears!” he called out.

  Thor’s heart pounded. He knew this meant him: he was on duty.

  He spun and looked at the rack, taking down the weapon that seemed most appropriate. As he grabbed its leather shaft, he prayed he chose correctly.

  He burst onto the lane and could feel thousands of eyes on him. He ran and ran for all he was worth, wanting to reach Erec as quickly as possible, and finally placing the spear into his hand. He was proud to see he reached him first.

  Erec took the spear and spun, prepared to face the other knight. Being the honorable warrior that he was, Erec waited until the other knight was armed before attacking. Thor hurried off to the side, out of the men’s way, not wanting to repeat Feithgold’s mistake. As he did, he dragged Feithgold’s limp body out of harm’s way.

  As Thor watched, he sensed something was wrong. Erec’s opponent took his spear, raised it straight up, then began bringing it down in a strange motion. As he did, suddenly, Thor felt his world go into focus in a way it never had. He intuited that something was wrong. His eyes locked on the McCloud knight’s spearhead, and as he looked closely, he noticed it was loose. The knight was about to use the tip of his spear as a throwing knife.

  As the knight brought down his spear, the head detached and sailed through the air, end over end, heading right for Erec’s heart. In seconds, Erec would be dead—there was no way he could react in time. From the looks of its jagged blade, it appeared to be armor-piercing.

  In that moment, Thor felt his whole body warming. He felt a tingling sensation—it was the same sensation he’d experienced back in Darkwood, when battling the Sybold. His whole world slowed. He was able to see the tip spinning in slow motion, was able to feel an energy, a heat, rising within him—one he didn’t know he had.

  He stepped forward and felt bigger than the spearhead. In his mind, he willed it to stop. He demanded it to stop. He did not want to see Erec hurt. Especially not this way.

  “NO!” Thor shrieked.

  He took another step and held out his palm, aimed at the spearhead.

  It stopped and hung there, in midair, right before reaching Erec’s heart.

  It then dropped harmlessly to the ground.

  The two knights both turned and looked at Thor—as did the two kings, as did the thousands of spectators. He felt the whole world staring down at him, and realized they had all just witnessed what he did. They all knew he was not normal, that he had some sort of power, that he had influenced the games, had saved Erec—and changed the fate of the kingdom.

  Thor stood rooted in place, wondering what just happened.

  He was now certain he wasn’t the same as all these people. He was different.

  But who was he?

  Chapter IX

  THOR FOUND HIMSELF SWEPT UP, ushered through the crowd by Reece, the King’s youngest son and his newfound sparring partner. Ever since the jousting match, it had been a blur. Whatever he had done back there, whatever power he had used to stop that spearhead from killing Erec, it had caught the attention of the entire kingdom. The match had been stopped after that, called off by both Kings, and a truce called. Each knight retired to his side, the masses broke up in an agitated stir, and Thor had been taken by the arm and ushered off by Reece.

  He’d been swept away in a royal entourage, cutting the back way through the masses, Reece tugging at his arm the whole way. Thor was still shaking from the day’s events. He hardly understood what he had just done back there, how it had influenced things. He had just wanted to be anonymous, just another one of the King’s Legion. He had not wanted to be the center of attention.

  Worse, he didn’t know where he was being led, if he was going to be punished somehow for interfering. Of course, he had saved Erec’s life—but he had also interfered with a knight’s battle, which was forbidden for a squire. He wasn’t sure if he would be rewarded or rebuked.

  “How did you do that?” Reece asked, as he yanked him along. Thor followed blindly, trying to process it all himself. As he went, the masses gawked, staring at him as if he were some kind of freak.

  “I don’t know,” Thor answered truthfully. “I just wanted to help him and…it happened.”

  Reece shook his head.

  “You saved Erec’s life. Do you realize that? He is our most famed knight. And you saved him.”

  Thor felt good as he turned Reece’s words over in his head, felt a wave of relief. He had liked Reece from the moment he’d met him; he had a calming effect, always knowing what to say. As he pondered it, he realized maybe he was not in for punishment after all. Maybe, in some ways, they would view him as a sort of hero.

  “I didn’t try to do anything,” Thor said. “I just wanted him to live. It was just…natural. It was no big deal.”

  “No big deal?” Reece echoed. “I couldn’t have done it. None of us could have.”

  They turned the corner and Thor saw before them the King’s castle, sprawled out, reaching high into the sky. It looked monumental. The King’s army stood at attention, lining the cobblestone road leading over the drawbridge, keeping the masses at bay. They stepped aside to allow Reece and Thor past.

  The two of them followed the road, soldiers on either side, up to the huge arched doors, covered in iron bolts. Four soldiers pulled it open and stepped aside, at attention. Thor could not believe the treatment he was receiving; he felt as if he were a member of the royal family.

  As they entered the castle, the doors closing behind them, Thor was amazed at the sight before him: the inside was immense, with soaring stone walls a foot thick and vast, open rooms. Before him milled hundreds of members of the royal court, rambling about in an excited stir. He could sense the buzz and excitement in the air, and all eyes turned and looked at him as he entered. He was overwhelmed by the attention.

  They all huddled close, seemed to gawk as Thor went with Reece down the castle corridors. He had never seen so many people dressed in such finery. He saw dozens of girls of all ages, dressed in elaborate outfits, locking arms and whispering in each other’s ears and giggling at him as he went. He felt self-conscious. He couldn’t tell if they liked him, or if they were making fun of him. He was not used to being the center of attention—much less in a royal court—and hardly knew how to handle himself.

  “Why are they laughing at me?” he asked Reece.

  Reece turned and chuckled. “They’re not laughing at you,” he said. “They have taken a liking to you. You’re famous.”

  “Famous?” he asked, stunned. “What do you mean? I just got here.”

  Reece laughed and clasped a hand on his shoulder. He was clearly amused by Thor.

  “Word spreads faster in the royal court than you might imagine. And a newcomer like yourself—well, this does not happen every day.”

  “Where are we going?” he asked, realizing he was being led somewhere.

  “My father wants to meet you,” he said, as they turned down a new corridor.

  Thor swallowed.

  “Your father? You mean…the King?” Suddenly, he was nervous. “Why would he want to meet me? Are you sure?”

  Reece laughed.

  “I am quite sure. Stop being so nervous. It’s just my dad.”

  “Just your dad?” Thor said with disbelief. “He’s the King!”

  “He’s not that bad. I have a feeling it will be a happy audience. You saved Erec’s life, after all.”

  Thor swallowed hard, his palms sweaty, as another large door opened and they entered a vast hall. He looked up in awe at the arched ceil
ing, covered in an elaborate design and soaring high. The walls were lined with arched stained-glass windows, and if possible, even more people were crammed into this room. There must have been a thousand of them, and the room positively swarmed. Banquet tables stretched across the room as far as the eye could see, people sitting on endlessly long benches, dining. Between these was a narrow aisle with a long, red carpet, leading to a platform on which sat the royal throne. The crowd parted ways as Reece and Thor walked down the carpet toward the King.

  “And where do you think you’re taking him?” came a hostile, nasally voice.

  Thor looked up to see a man standing over him, not much older than he was, dressed in a royal garb, clearly a prince, blocking their way and scowling down.

  “It’s Father’s orders,” Reece snapped back. “Better get out of our way, unless you want to defy them.”

  The prince stood his ground, frowning, looking as if he’d bitten into something rotten as he examined Thor. Thor did not like him at all. There was something he did not trust about him, with his lean, unkind features and eyes which never stopped darting.

  “This is not a hall for commoners,” the prince replied. “You should leave the riffraff outside, where it came from.”

  Thor felt his chest tighten. Clearly this man hated him, and he had no idea why.

  “Shall I tell Father you said that?” Reece defended, standing his ground.

  Grudgingly, the prince turned and stormed away.

  “Who was that?” Thor asked Reece, as they continued walking.

  “Never mind him,” Reece replied. “He’s just my older brother—or one of them. Gareth. The oldest. Well, not really the oldest—he’s just the oldest legitimate one. Kendrick, who you met on the battleground—he is really the oldest.”

  “Why does Gareth hate me? I don’t even know him.”

  “Don’t worry—he doesn’t reserve his hate only for you. He hates everybody. And anyone who gets close to the family, he sees as a threat. Never mind him. He is but one of many.”

  As they continued walking, Thor felt increasingly grateful to Reece, who, he was realizing, was becoming a true friend.

  “Why did you stand up for me?” Thor asked, curious.

  Reece shrugged.

  “I was ordered to bring you to Father. Besides, you’re my sparring partner. And it’s been a long time since someone came through my age here who I thought could be worthy.”

  “But what makes me worthy?” Thor asked.

  “It’s the fighter’s spirit. It cannot be faked.”

  As they continued to walk down the aisle toward the King, Thor felt as if he’d always known him—it was strange, but in some ways he felt as if Reece were his own brother. He had never had a brother—not a real brother—and it felt good.

  “My other brothers are not like him, don’t worry,” Reece said as people flocked around them, trying to catch a glimpse of Thor. “My brother Kendrick, the one you met—he’s the best of all. He’s my half-brother, but I consider him a true brother—even more than Gareth. Kendrick is like a second father to me. He will be to you, too, I am sure of it. There is nothing he would not do for me—or for anyone. He is the most loved of our royal family among the people. It is a great loss he is not allowed to become King.”

  “You said ‘brothers.’ You have another brother, too?” Thor asked.

  Reece took a deep breath.

  “I have one other, yes. We are not that close. Godfrey. Unfortunately, he wastes his days in the alehouse, with the commoners. He’s not a fighter, like us. He’s not interested in it—he’s not interested in anything, really. Except ale—and the ladies.”

  Suddenly, they stopped short as a girl blocked their way. Thor stood there, transfixed. Perhaps a couple of years older than him, she stared back with blue, almond eyes, perfect skin, and long, strawberry hair. She was dressed in a white satin dress bordered with lace, and her eyes positively glowed, dancing with joy and mischief. She locked her eyes on his and held him completely captivated. He couldn’t move if he wanted to. She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

  She smiled, displaying perfect white teeth—and as if he weren’t transfixed already, her smile held him there, lit up his heart in a single gesture. He never felt so alive.

  Thor stood before her, unable to speak. Unable to breathe. It was the first time in his life he’d ever felt this way.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce me?” the girl asked Reece. Her voice went right into Thor—it was even sweeter than her appearance.

  Reece sighed.

  “And then there’s my sister,” he said with a smile. “Gwen, this is Thor. Thor, Gwen.”

  Gwen curtsied.

  “How do you do?” she asked with a smile.

  Thor stood there, frozen. Finally, Gwen giggled.

  “Not so many words at once, please,” she said with a laugh.

  Thor felt himself redden; he cleared his throat.

  “I am…I… am…sorry,” he said. “I’m Thor.”

  Gwen giggled.

  “I know that already,” she said. She turned to her brother. “My, Reece, your friend certainly has a way with words.”

  “Father wants to meet him,” he said impatiently. “We are going to be late.”

  Thor wanted to speak to her, to tell her how beautiful she was, how happy he was to meet her, how grateful he was she had stopped. But his tongue was completely tied. He had never been this nervous in his life. So, instead, all that came out was:

  “Thank you.”

  Gwen giggled, laughing harder.

  “Thank you for what?” she asked. Her eyes lit up. She was enjoying this.

  Thor felt himself redden again.

  “Um…I don’t know,” he mumbled.

  Gwen laughed harder, and Thor felt humiliated. Reece elbowed him, prodding him on, and the two continued to walk. After a few steps, Thor checked back over his shoulder. Gwen still stood there, staring back at him.

  Thor felt his heart pounding. He wanted to talk to her, to find out everything about her. He was so embarrassed for his loss of words. But he had never been exposed to girls, really, in his small village—and certainly never to one so beautiful. He had never been taught exactly what to say, how to act.

  “She talks a lot,” Reece said, as they continued, approaching the King. “Never mind her.”

  “What is her name?” Thor asked.

  Reece gave him a funny look. “She just told you!” he said with a laugh.

  “I’m sorry…I…uh…I forgot,” Thor said, embarrassed.

  “Gwendolyn. But everyone calls her Gwen.”

  Gwendolyn. Thor turned her name over and over in his mind. Gwendolyn. Gwen. He did not want to let it go. He wanted it to linger in his consciousness. He wondered if he would have a chance to see her again. He guessed probably not, being a commoner. The thought hurt him.

  The crowd grew quiet as Thor looked up and realized they were now close to the King. King MacGil sat on his throne, dressed in his royal purple mantle, wearing his crown and looking imposing.

  Reece kneeled before him, and the crowd quieted. Thor followed suit. A silence blanketed the room.

  The King cleared his throat, a deep, hearty noise. As he spoke, his voice boomed throughout the room.

  “Thorgrin of the Lowlands of the Southern Province of the Western Kingdom,” he began. “Do you realize that today you interfered with the King’s royal joust?”

  Thor felt his throat go dry. He hardly knew how to respond; it was not a good way to begin. He wondered if he was going to be punished.

  “I am sorry, my liege,” he finally said. “I didn’t mean to.”

  MacGil leaned forward and raised one eyebrow.

  “You didn’t mean to? Are you saying you didn’t mean to save Erec’s life?”

  Thor was flustered. He realized he was just making it worse.

  “No, my liege. I did mean to—”

  “So then you admit you did mean to interfere?”


  Thor felt his heart pounding. What could he say?

  “I am sorry, my liege. I guess I just…wanted to help.”

  “Wanted to help?” MacGil boomed, then leaned back and roared with laughter.

  “You wanted to help! Erec! Our greatest and most famed knight!”

  The room erupted with laughter, and Thor felt his face flush, one too many times for one day. Could he do nothing right here?

  “Stand and come closer, boy,” MacGil ordered.

  Thor looked up in surprise to see the King smiling down, studying him, as he stood and approached.

  “I spot nobility in your face. You are not a common boy. No, not common at all….”

  MacGil cleared his throat.

  “Erec is our most loved knight. What you have done today is a great thing. A great thing for us all. As a reward, from this day, I take you in as part of my family, with all the same respects and honors due any of my sons.”

  The King leaned back and boomed: “Let it be known!”

  There came a huge cheer and stomping of feet throughout the room.

  Thor looked around, flustered, unable to process all that was happening to him. Part of the King’s family. It was beyond his wildest dreams. All he had wanted was to be accepted, to be given a spot in the Legion. Now, this. He was so overwhelmed with gratitude, with joy, he hardly knew what to do.

  Before he could respond, suddenly the room broke into song and dance and feasting, people celebrating all around him. It was mayhem. He looked up at the King, saw the love in his eyes, the adoration and acceptance. He had never felt the love of a father figure in his life. And now here he was, loved not just by a man, but by the King, no less. In one day, his world had changed. He only prayed that all of this was real.

  Gwendolyn pushed her way through the crowd, wanting to catch sight of the boy before he was ushered out of the royal court. Thor. Her heart beat faster at the thought of him, and she could not stop turning his name over in her mind. She had been unable to stop thinking about him from the moment she had encountered him. He was younger than her, but not by more than a year or two—and besides, he had an air about him that made him seem older, more mature than the others, more profound. From the moment she had seen him, she felt she had known him. She smiled to herself as she remembered meeting him, how flustered he was. She could see in his eyes that he felt the same way about her.