only about a half-day's light left to us now, and that means noon or better of the second day before we can see the gates of Castle Malvern. So, shall we?"
"Hold on a minute," said Jim. "You're talking about both of us going to this Castle Malvern. Why?"
"My good sir, I explained why," said Sir Brian with a touch of impatience, reining his horse about so that it faced to the east. "The Lady Geronde must give her permission, first. After all, my first duty's to her."
Jim stared.
"I still don't follow you," he said, at last. "Permission for what?"
But Brian was already walking his horse away from the ocean. Jim hurried to catch up with him.
"Permission for what?" he repeated.
"Sir James," said Brian, severely, turning his head to look Jim squarely in the eyesâon horseback, his head was just about level with Jim's as Jim walked on all fours. "If this continued questioning is a jest of some sort, it is in sorry taste. What else could I seek my lady's permission for, than to accompany you on your quest and make one of the Companions you told me you were seeking?"
Chapter Eight
They went along silently, side by side. Brian stared straight ahead as he rode, looking somewhat stiff-faced and offended. Jim was busy adjusting to the idea of the knight as a Companion.
He had not really paid that much attention when Carolinus had echoed the watchbeetle in saying that Jim would gather Companions to aid him in rescuing Angie and facing up to the Dark Powers. But as far as he had thought about it, he had assumed he would be selecting those who would join him. He had not really envisioned them thrusting themselves upon him.
Obviously, Brian was not likely to be a liability as a Companion. Plainly, he had no lack of courage and his appearance testified to some experience in combat. But beyond these things, what did Jim really know about the man? Nothing, in fact, except for the meager facts of his name, arms, and the identity of his lady.
On the other hand, was it wise to look a gift horse in the mouth? Carolinus had spoken of forces at work and given the impression that inhabitants of this world were about to be divided by them into two campsâthat of the Dark Powers and that of those who, like Jim, were in opposition to them. If that was the case, then it ought to be possible to identify the camp to which any particular individual belonged by watching to see who and what he lined up with.
Brian had lined up with Jim. Therefore, he ought to be in the camp of those opposing the Dark Powers, by definitionâ¦
Jim came up out of his thoughts to realize that the knight was still riding alongside him stiffly, with a very obvious, if invisible, chip on his shoulder. A small apology might be in order.
"Sir Brian," said Jim, a little awkwardly. "Excuse me for not understanding that you were offering yourself as a Companion. The truth of the matter is, things are different where I come from."
"Doubtless," said Brian, unsmilingly.
"Believe me," said Jim, "there was no jest of any kind involved. It was just my own lack ofâerâwit, that kept me from understanding what you were talking about."
"Ah," said Brian.
"Naturally, I couldn't ask for a better Companion than a gentleman like yourself."
"Quite."
"And I'm overjoyed to have you with me."
"Indeed."
Jim felt like someone knocking on the door of a house in which the owner was home but obstinately refusing to answer. A touch of annoyance tweaked at him; and on the heels of this came an idea at which he nearly smiled visibly. Ignorance of other people's customs could work both ways.
"Of course, if only I'd known your Social Security number right from the start," he said. "It would have been different."
Brian's eyes flickered. They continued to travel on side by side in silence for perhaps another full minute before the knight spoke again.
"Number, Sir James?"
"Why, yes," said Jim, raising his eyebrows. "Your Social Security number."
"What bloody number is that
"Hold on a minute," said Jim. "You're talking about both of us going to this Castle Malvern. Why?"
"My good sir, I explained why," said Sir Brian with a touch of impatience, reining his horse about so that it faced to the east. "The Lady Geronde must give her permission, first. After all, my first duty's to her."
Jim stared.
"I still don't follow you," he said, at last. "Permission for what?"
But Brian was already walking his horse away from the ocean. Jim hurried to catch up with him.
"Permission for what?" he repeated.
"Sir James," said Brian, severely, turning his head to look Jim squarely in the eyesâon horseback, his head was just about level with Jim's as Jim walked on all fours. "If this continued questioning is a jest of some sort, it is in sorry taste. What else could I seek my lady's permission for, than to accompany you on your quest and make one of the Companions you told me you were seeking?"
Chapter Eight
They went along silently, side by side. Brian stared straight ahead as he rode, looking somewhat stiff-faced and offended. Jim was busy adjusting to the idea of the knight as a Companion.
He had not really paid that much attention when Carolinus had echoed the watchbeetle in saying that Jim would gather Companions to aid him in rescuing Angie and facing up to the Dark Powers. But as far as he had thought about it, he had assumed he would be selecting those who would join him. He had not really envisioned them thrusting themselves upon him.
Obviously, Brian was not likely to be a liability as a Companion. Plainly, he had no lack of courage and his appearance testified to some experience in combat. But beyond these things, what did Jim really know about the man? Nothing, in fact, except for the meager facts of his name, arms, and the identity of his lady.
On the other hand, was it wise to look a gift horse in the mouth? Carolinus had spoken of forces at work and given the impression that inhabitants of this world were about to be divided by them into two campsâthat of the Dark Powers and that of those who, like Jim, were in opposition to them. If that was the case, then it ought to be possible to identify the camp to which any particular individual belonged by watching to see who and what he lined up with.
Brian had lined up with Jim. Therefore, he ought to be in the camp of those opposing the Dark Powers, by definitionâ¦
Jim came up out of his thoughts to realize that the knight was still riding alongside him stiffly, with a very obvious, if invisible, chip on his shoulder. A small apology might be in order.
"Sir Brian," said Jim, a little awkwardly. "Excuse me for not understanding that you were offering yourself as a Companion. The truth of the matter is, things are different where I come from."
"Doubtless," said Brian, unsmilingly.
"Believe me," said Jim, "there was no jest of any kind involved. It was just my own lack ofâerâwit, that kept me from understanding what you were talking about."
"Ah," said Brian.
"Naturally, I couldn't ask for a better Companion than a gentleman like yourself."
"Quite."
"And I'm overjoyed to have you with me."
"Indeed."
Jim felt like someone knocking on the door of a house in which the owner was home but obstinately refusing to answer. A touch of annoyance tweaked at him; and on the heels of this came an idea at which he nearly smiled visibly. Ignorance of other people's customs could work both ways.
"Of course, if only I'd known your Social Security number right from the start," he said. "It would have been different."
Brian's eyes flickered. They continued to travel on side by side in silence for perhaps another full minute before the knight spoke again.
"Number, Sir James?"
"Why, yes," said Jim, raising his eyebrows. "Your Social Security number."
"What bloody number is that
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