The War Of The Lance (34 page)

Here's how it happened that I had his pack. I had stepped out from behind the tree, ready
to surprise him. I caught hold of the pack, which had been tied (not very well) onto the
back of the saddle. Suddenly the pack bounced loose and came off in my hand. I would have
said something to him then, but he was talking again and it wouldn't have been polite to
interrupt. So I took the pack and stepped back behind the tree and looked inside it to see
if it was really his and not someone else's by mistake.

“But the knights won't do anything except wallow in the past,” Tanis was saying. “Mark my
words. Have you heard that latest song they've made up about Sturm? Some minstrel sang it
for us the other night, before we left. I laughed out loud.”

“You deeply offended him,” said Laurana. “He wouldn't even stay the night. And there was
no need to follow him out to the gate, yelling at him.”

“I told him to sing the truth next time. Sturm Brightblade wasn't a paragon of virtue and
courage. He was a man and he had the same fears and faults as the rest of us. Sing about
that!”

Tanis sneezed again. “Blast this damp! The cold eats into the bone. And we'll be spending
the night on our knees in a mouldy old tomb. Where the blazes did I put my handker - ”

Well, of course, it was in his pack.

“Is this it, Tanis? You dropped it,” I said, coming out of the fog.

Once they were over being amazed, they were all very happy to see me. Laurana hugged me
(she is so beautiful!) and they asked me where I was going and I told them and then they
didn't look so happy.

“You were supposed to invite him to come,” said Laurana.

(She either said that or “You WEREN'T supposed to invite him to come.” I wasn't certain.
She was talking so softly I had to strain my ears to hear.)

“I didn't,” said Tanis, and he glared at Caramon. “Not me!” said the big man emphatically.
“Oh, don't worry,” I said, not wanting them to feel bad

that they'd each forgotten to invite me. “I have my own invitation. It found me, so to
speak.” And I held it up.

They all stared at it and looked so amazed and astonished that I thought I better not say
who had sent it to me. Like I said, Tanis always groans whenever I mention Fizban.

Tanis said something in a low voice to Caramon that sounded like, “It will only make
things worse if we try to get rid of him . . . follow us ... this way, keep an eye on him.”

I wondered who it was they were talking about.

“Who are you talking about?” I asked. “Who'd follow you? Keep an eye on who?”

“I'll give you three guesses,” Tanis growled, holding out his hand to me and pulling me up
to ride behind him.

Well, I spent the rest of the trip to the Silver Dragon Mountain guessing, but Tanis said
I never got it right.

“I asked you not to bring the kender,” said Lord Gunthar.

He thought he was talking in a low voice, but I heard him. I looked around, wondering
where this other kender was that they were talking about.

I knew it couldn't be me, because I'm one of the Heroes of the Lance.

We were standing in the Upper Gallery that is inside the Silver Dragon Mountain. It is a
large room with

dragonlances all around one end and it is meant for formal celebrations like this one. We
were all of us dressed in our very best clothes because, as Tanis said, this was a
reverent and solemn occasion. (I was wearing my new purple leggings with the red fringe
that Tika sewed for me and my buckskin shirt with the yellow and orange and green bead
work that was a gift from Goldmoon.)

There were lots of knights in their shining armor and Caramon (Tika was home with the
babies) and Laurana were there and some other people I didn't know. Lady Crysania was
expected any minute. It was very exciting, and I wasn't the least bored, or I wouldn't
have been if I could have walked around, talking to people. But Tanis said I was to stay
close to him or to Caramon or Laurana.

I thought it was sweet that they wanted me close by them that much, and so I did what
Tanis said, though I pointed out that it would be more polite if I were to mingle with the
other guests.

Tanis said that on no account was I to mingle.

“I didn't bring him,” Tanis was telling Lord Gunthar. “Somehow or other he got hold of an
invitation. Besides, he has a right to be here. He's just as much as hero as any of us.
Maybe more.” Again I wondered who Tanis was talking about. This person sounded like an
interesting fellow to me. Tanis was going to say more except he sneezed. He must have
caught a really nasty cold out there in Foghaven Vale. (I've often wondered why we say
“you've caught a cold.” I mean, no one I ever knew went out after a cold. And I never
heard of anyone going cold-chasing. It seems to me that it would make more sense to say
the cold's caught you.)

“Bless you,” Lord Gunthar said, then he sighed. “I suppose there's no help for it. You'll
keep an eye on him, won't you?”

Tanis promised he would. I gave him his handkerchief. Odd, the way he kept losing it. Lord
Gunthar turned to me.

“Burrfoot, my old friend,” he said, putting his hands behind his back. A lot of people
have a habit of doing that when we're introduced. “So glad to see you again. I hope the
roads you travel have been sunny and straight.” (That is a polite form of greeting to a
kender and I thought it

very fine of the knight to use it. Not many people are that considerate.)

“Thank you, Sir Gunthar,” I said, holding out my hand.

He sighed and shook hands. I noticed he was wearing a very nice set of silver bracers and
a most elegant dagger.

“I hope your lady wife is well?” I asked, not to be outdone in politeness. This was, after
all, a Formal Occasion.

“Yes, thank you,” said Gunthar. “She . . . um . . . appreciated the Yule gift.”

“Did she?” I was excited. “I'm really glad she liked it. I always think of the time Fizban
and I spent Yule at your castle, right after ... er ... after . . .”

Well, I almost told the story I wasn't supposed to tell, right there! Which would have
been terrible 1 I caught myself in time.

“I - I mean right before the Council of Whitestone. When I broke the dragon orb. And
Theros smashed the rock with the dragonlance. Has she used it yet?”

“The lance?” Gunthar seemed somewhat confused. “No, no, the Yule present,” I corrected
him. “Well . . . that is . . .” Gunthar looked embarrassed.

“The wizard Dalamar advised us that we shouldn't. . .” “Ah, so it WAS magical.” I nodded.
"I had a feeling it

might be. I wanted to try it myself, but I've had a couple of experiences with magic rings
and while they've certainly been interesting experiences, I didn't feel like being turned
into a mouse or being magicked into the castle of an evil wizard just at that particular
time. It wasn't convenient, if you know what I mean."

“Yes,” said Lord Gunthar, tugging on his moustaches. “I understand.”

“Plus, I think we should share experiences like that. It's selfish to keep them all to
ourselves. Not that I'd want your lady wife to be magicked into the castle of an evil
wizard. Unless she really felt inclined for the trip, that is. It does make a nice change
of pace. For example, did I ever tell you about the time that I was - ”

“Excuse me,” said Lord Gunthar. “I must go welcome our other guests.”

He bowed, checked to see that he was still wearing his bracers, and left.

“A very polite man,” I said. “Give me the dagger,” Tanis said, sighing. “What dagger? I'm
not carrying a dagger.” Then I noticed I WAS carrying a dagger. An elegant

dagger decorated with roses on the hilt. Imagine my surprise!

“Is this yours?” I asked wistfully, because it was such a truly elegant dagger.

“No, it belongs to Lord Gunthar. Hand it over.”

“I guess he must have dropped it,” I said, and gave it to Tanis. After all, I have my own
dagger, which I call Rabbitslayer, but that's another story.

Tanis turned to Caramon, saying something about tying someone's hands and head up in a
sack. That sounded extremely interesting, but I didn't hear who it was they were talking
about because I suddenly saw someone I wasn't expecting to see.

Someone I didn't want to see. Someone I wasn't supposed to see. I felt very strange for a
moment, kind of like you feel

right after you've been clunked in the head and right before you see all the stars and
bright lights, then everything goes dark.

I looked at him very closely. And then I realized it couldn't have been him because he was
too young. I mean, I hadn't seen this knight for ten years and I guess he must have aged
during that time. So I was feeling a little better, when I saw the other knight. He was
standing a little ways behind the first man I'd seen. Then I realized that the younger man
must be his son. I still hoped I might be wrong. It had been ten years, after all.

I tugged on Tanis's sleeve.

“Is that Owen Glendower over there?” I asked, pointing.

Tanis looked. “No, that's Owen's son, Gwynfor. Owen Glendower is the one standing in back,
over by the lances.” Then he looked at me and he frowned. “How do you know Owen Glendower?
I didn't meet him until after the war was over.”

“I don't know him,” I said, feeling sicker than ever.

“But you just said his name and asked me if that was him.”

Tanis is thick-headed, sometimes.

“Whose name?” I asked, truly miserable. “Owen Glendower's!” I didn't think Tanis should
shout on a Formal

Occasion and I told him so. “Never heard of him,” I added. And then, to make

matters worse, in walked Theros Ironfeld! Do you know who Theros Ironfeld is? I'm sure you
do,

but I think I should mention it, in case you've forgotten. Theros is the blacksmith with
the silver arm who forged the dragonlances from the magical pool of dragonmetal that some
people think is under the Silver Dragon Mountain.

“Theros, tool” I was having trouble breathing.

“Yes, of course,” Tanis said. “It is the tenth anniversary of the Forging of the Lance.
Didn't you know that? It says so right on your invitation. We're meeting here to honor Sir
Owen Glendower, the first knight who ever used the dragonlance against a dragon.”

It didn't say that on MY invitation! I fished it out of my pouch and looked at it again.
My invitation said we were honoring SIR (Splot)OWER.

Well, let me tell you it was a wonder I didn't fall down on the spot in a state of nervous
prostration. (I'm not certain what that is, but it describes the way I felt.)

“I'm not feeling very good, Tanis,” I said, putting one hand to my forehead and the other
to my stomach, for they both were acting very queer. “I think I'll go lie down.”

I meant to leave, truly. I was going to get as far from that Silver Dragon Mountain as
possible. Only I didn't tell Tanis that, because he and Laurana and Caramon had all been
so glad to see me and were so nice about wanting me around. I didn't want to hurt their
feelings.

But Tanis took hold of my arm and said, “No, you're staying with me, at least until after
the ceremony.”

That was awfully good of him, if inconvenient and uncomfortable for me. I decided maybe I
could get through the ceremony, especially if Owen Glendower didn't talk to me, and I
suspected that he wouldn't want to talk to me anymore than I wanted to talk to him. Tanis
said all I would have to do was go up with him when my name was called out by Lord Gunthar
as one of the Heroes of the Lance. I wasn't to say anything, just bow and look honored.

Then the knights would sing and go off to pray at Huma's Tomb and, since I wasn't
permitted to go there (which I don't know why since I was there several times before, as
you'll hear), I could leave and maybe we'd go have dinner.

I didn't feel at all hungry, but I told Tanis that would be fine with me. And I hid behind
Caramon (six kender could hide behind him), so that Owen wouldn't see me, and I hoped it
would all be over soon. I was so nervous I'd forgotten to ask Lord Gunthar about Fizban,
who hadn't come anyhow.

The ceremony started. Lord Gunthar and all the dignitaries lined up in front of the
dragonlances that stand all around the front end Upper Gallery. I heard the beginning of
Lord Gunthar's speech. This was it:

"We knights come to rededicate ourselves to continue the fight against the evil that
exists still in the world.

“For the Queen of Darkness wages unceasing eternal war against the powers of good. Though
her dragons have retreated to hidden places, they continue to ravage the land. Her armies
of goblins and draconians and ogres and other wicked creatures rise up from dark places to
slaughter and burn and plunder.”

This was interesting and I began to breathe easier, but right then he started going on
about the magic of the dragonlances that had been blessed by Paladine himself and how the
magic dragonlances had been responsible for defeating the Dark Queen's dragons. The more
Lord Gunthar talked like this, the worse the queer feeling in my stomach grew.

Then I was hot and cold, both at the same time, which might sound entertaining to you, but
I can assure you it isn't. Take my word. It's very uncomfortable. Then the room began to
bulge in and out.

Lord Gunthar introduced Theros Ironfeld and talked about how he forged the magical lance.
Then Lord Gunthar brought forth Sir Owen Glendower.

“The first knight ever to use the dragonlance in battle.”

And someone gave a kind of strangled choke and tumbled down on the floor in what Tanis
said was a fit, but which I think was a state of nervous prostration. At first I thought
it was me, but I realized it wasn't, because I

was on my feet. It was Sir Owen Glendower. That put an end to the ceremony real quick. I
could have left then, because Tanis let loose of me and

ran over to Owen. Everyone was running over to Owen - to see him having his fit, I
suppose. I'm sure it must have been exciting, to judge by the sounds he was making -
gurgling and thrashing about on the floor - and I would have liked to have seen it myself,
except I wasn't certain that I wouldn't be having a fit of my own any minute.

“Stand back!” cried Caramon. “Give him air.”

Poor Caramon. As if he thought we'd suck up all the air in that big chamber and not leave
any for Owen to have his fit with. But everyone did what Caramon said (they generally do,
I've noticed, especially when he flexes his arm muscles) and they all backed up, except
for Owen's son, who was kneeling beside his father and looking terribly worried and
anxious.

Lady Crysania . . . (Did I mention she was there now?) Anyway, Lady Crysania (she was
there) knelt down and put her hands on the knight's head and she prayed to Paladine and
Owen Glendower quit flopping around. But I couldn't see that he'd improved much. He was
lying still as death and his breathing sounded real funny - when he remembered to breathe
at all.

“He needs rest and quiet,” said Lady Crysania. “No, it would be better not to move him. We
must keep him warm. Make a pallet for him here.”

They all piled up cloaks and furs and Theros and Caramon lifted the knight very, very
gently and laid him on the pallet. Laurana covered him up with her own fur cape. Gwynfor
sat down beside his father and held his hand.

Tanis said something in a low voice to Lord Gunthar. Lord Gunthar nodded his head and
announced that this might be a convenient time for the knights to all go down to the tomb
and pray and rededicate themselves to fighting evil. The knights thought so, too, and off
they went. That cleared a lot of people out of the room.

Lord Gunthar next said that he thought all the other guests should go to dinner, and
Caramon saw to it that the other guests did, whether they wanted to or not. That cleared
out about everyone else. I couldn't go to the Tomb

and I wasn't hungry and my legs felt wobbly, so I stayed. “Will my father be all right?”
Gwynfor was asking

Lady Crysania. Theros Ironfeld was standing over Owen, looking down at the knight with the
grimmest expression I'd ever seen Theros wear.

“Yes, my lord,” Crysania said, turning in the direction of Gwynfor's voice. (Lady Crysania
is blind. That is another interesting story, only kind of sad, so I won't tell it here.)
“He is in Paladine's hands.”

“Perhaps we should leave,” suggested Tanis.

But Lady Crysania shook her head. “No. I would like you all to stay. There is something
very wrong here.”

I could have told her THAT!

“I've done what I could to heal him, but Sir Glendower's affliction isn't in his body.
It's in his mind. Paladine has given me to know that there is a secret locked inside the
knight, a secret he's been carrying by himself for a long, long time. Unless we can
discover the secret and free him of it, I'm afraid he will not recover.”