one of the knights. "There is no other place for ten miles on either side."
"But you shall not pass," added the other knight.
"I beg your pardon?" replied Roger.
The first knight explained. "It is the custom of this ford that no knight shall cross save he fight with one of us first."
Lynet guided her mare forward. "Well, that's all right, then," she said. "We have no knights here."
"What do you call that?" demanded the second knight, pointing at the armored Beaumains.
"I know it looks like a knight, but don't be deceived by appearances. That's just a kitchen boy in borrowed armor. Not worth your bothering with."
"He holds a lance like a knight," said the first knight.
"Yes, he looks very grand," Lynet said patiently. "But trust me, he'd be much more comfortable with a soup ladle."
The two knights looked at each and seemed to hesitate, but at that moment Beaumains spoke. "I need no lady to speak for me! Sir Knights, I accept your challenge!"
Lynet twisted sharply in her saddle. "Will you shut up?" she hissed. "They were about to let us across."
"I fear no knight alive, except it be the great Sir Lancelot du Lac, who knows no peer in the knightly courtesies and arts!"
The two knights across the river again exchanged glances, then laughed coarsely. "Come on, then, kitchen
boy!" said one. "Which of us shall you try?"
"Why both at once, if you be not afeared," Beaumains replied calmly.
"Are you crazy?" Lynet gasped. "Of course you are. I mean, are you determined to kill yourself? These are not peasant thieves with sticks, like the last batch. These are knights! They'll turn you into mincemeat!"
"Beaumince," murmured Roger.
"You're not helping!" Lynet snapped at the dwarf.
"Very well!" shouted the knights. "Both at once! Come on across!"
While Lynet fumed helplessly, Beaumains guided his horse into the river. The water was just up to the pommel of his saddle, and he had to walk slowly so as not to lose his balance in the current. When he reached the middle of the river, he stopped. "Now it is your turn. I have come halfway, and if you be not craven and spineless knights, you will come the rest of the way! Meet me here in the river, cowards!"
At once the two knights spurred their horses into the river. Lynet shook her head and asked, "Do all men act like fools when they're called cowards?"
Roger nodded absently. "Very clever, my Beau," he said softly.
"What do you mean?" Lynet asked.
"Look. In the water, their lances are no good. They can't get enough speed to knock him off the horse, so
their spears become awkward. He can fight with his sword. See?"
Sure enough, Beaumains had cast aside his lance and drawn his sword. "It must be just luck," Lynet said. "He couldn't have thought of that himself."
"I certainly didn't think of it," replied Roger.
The battle was short. Beaumains attacked the first figure with his sword, and with his second blow managed to knock him off his horse into the river. The second knight shouted "Brother!" and drew his own sword. He struck and then struck again, but Beaumains parried every blow. At last, Beaumains drove forward and buried his sword's blade in the knight's helm. The knight fell lifeless into the river.
"The other knight hasn't come up yet," Lynet whispered.
"Belike it's hard to swim in armor," Roger said. "Come on, my lady."
When they rose dripping from the water, Beaumains had already removed his helm. His handsome face wore a new expression. His lifted chin indicated a new pride, and his thin-lipped smile spoke of a smug self-satisfaction that irked Lynet to her core.
"Luck!" she said briskly.
Beaumains blinked, then said, "Have ye still no gentle words for me, my lady?"
Something, perhaps pity, stirred in Lynet's heart,
and she said grudgingly, "It was a good idea to meet them in the river." All of Beaumains's smugness returned in a flash, and Lynet added, "Because you needed another bath anyway."
V. The Knight of the Black Woods
Lynet had difficulty
"But you shall not pass," added the other knight.
"I beg your pardon?" replied Roger.
The first knight explained. "It is the custom of this ford that no knight shall cross save he fight with one of us first."
Lynet guided her mare forward. "Well, that's all right, then," she said. "We have no knights here."
"What do you call that?" demanded the second knight, pointing at the armored Beaumains.
"I know it looks like a knight, but don't be deceived by appearances. That's just a kitchen boy in borrowed armor. Not worth your bothering with."
"He holds a lance like a knight," said the first knight.
"Yes, he looks very grand," Lynet said patiently. "But trust me, he'd be much more comfortable with a soup ladle."
The two knights looked at each and seemed to hesitate, but at that moment Beaumains spoke. "I need no lady to speak for me! Sir Knights, I accept your challenge!"
Lynet twisted sharply in her saddle. "Will you shut up?" she hissed. "They were about to let us across."
"I fear no knight alive, except it be the great Sir Lancelot du Lac, who knows no peer in the knightly courtesies and arts!"
The two knights across the river again exchanged glances, then laughed coarsely. "Come on, then, kitchen
boy!" said one. "Which of us shall you try?"
"Why both at once, if you be not afeared," Beaumains replied calmly.
"Are you crazy?" Lynet gasped. "Of course you are. I mean, are you determined to kill yourself? These are not peasant thieves with sticks, like the last batch. These are knights! They'll turn you into mincemeat!"
"Beaumince," murmured Roger.
"You're not helping!" Lynet snapped at the dwarf.
"Very well!" shouted the knights. "Both at once! Come on across!"
While Lynet fumed helplessly, Beaumains guided his horse into the river. The water was just up to the pommel of his saddle, and he had to walk slowly so as not to lose his balance in the current. When he reached the middle of the river, he stopped. "Now it is your turn. I have come halfway, and if you be not craven and spineless knights, you will come the rest of the way! Meet me here in the river, cowards!"
At once the two knights spurred their horses into the river. Lynet shook her head and asked, "Do all men act like fools when they're called cowards?"
Roger nodded absently. "Very clever, my Beau," he said softly.
"What do you mean?" Lynet asked.
"Look. In the water, their lances are no good. They can't get enough speed to knock him off the horse, so
their spears become awkward. He can fight with his sword. See?"
Sure enough, Beaumains had cast aside his lance and drawn his sword. "It must be just luck," Lynet said. "He couldn't have thought of that himself."
"I certainly didn't think of it," replied Roger.
The battle was short. Beaumains attacked the first figure with his sword, and with his second blow managed to knock him off his horse into the river. The second knight shouted "Brother!" and drew his own sword. He struck and then struck again, but Beaumains parried every blow. At last, Beaumains drove forward and buried his sword's blade in the knight's helm. The knight fell lifeless into the river.
"The other knight hasn't come up yet," Lynet whispered.
"Belike it's hard to swim in armor," Roger said. "Come on, my lady."
When they rose dripping from the water, Beaumains had already removed his helm. His handsome face wore a new expression. His lifted chin indicated a new pride, and his thin-lipped smile spoke of a smug self-satisfaction that irked Lynet to her core.
"Luck!" she said briskly.
Beaumains blinked, then said, "Have ye still no gentle words for me, my lady?"
Something, perhaps pity, stirred in Lynet's heart,
and she said grudgingly, "It was a good idea to meet them in the river." All of Beaumains's smugness returned in a flash, and Lynet added, "Because you needed another bath anyway."
V. The Knight of the Black Woods
Lynet had difficulty
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