The way Sir Johan of Ampherae ran diverged from that which Sir Clovis chose in that it was barren for longer. He passed no farms such as the other knight did, nor any sheep or cattle that seemed to wander freely and rule hills and pastures but had men over them all the while. What grew in number as he raced, and in their size as well, were pillars of bark that undergirded no leafy roof or spread their roots where they wanted. Rather than that, they suffered the sun to shine through the gaps among their leaves on their lesser cousins, the grasses, shrubs, and flowers loved by bees. Doubtless some dwellers nearby who thought on their livelihood for decades to come, and that of their children as well, raised trees that they should fell them for their wood, useful to men as logs for the fire and the hulls of wave-cleaving ships. Those men set them evenly apart that each might grow enough to be worth the ax rather than allowing the forest to settle as it wished in some disordered way.
The ground there, checkered by light and the dark shadows of waving leaves, would please a traveler in peace, Sir Johan judged. He had slowed then to view it better, had he not heard behind him the breaths of running brigands with ears trained to pick out what warlike men did from all other sounds. Instead he ran all the harder and gained on them who seemed less bold than they had before, though he knew not the why of it. No aid did he see to the left, no succor to the right, and nothing anywhere of dreadful beasts to lessen the ardor of brigands who liked an uneven fight.
The well-branched gallery had its end in a lawn cleared of all but grass which ringed walls. Those were high and full of stones fitting one against the other full tightly, but not washed so well as they might have been. Sir Johan ran all the faster when he saw that, but the brigands for their part had a dispute among them as to the best plan, all without speech for they had no wind for it. Some slowed, hesitant, while others hurried to catch the knight before he found the gate. Too late, for he reached it, wide and iron-wrought, before they reached him. But it was shut.
“Ware below!” A man said that who walked the walls above the gate, looking all over for threats, armed. He threw down his shield first, which Sir Johan picked up, and unbuckled next his scabbard and dropped it down before he left to raise the cry and open the gate, but already the swiftest brigand had come.
That robber sought with his spear to keep the knight from the sword, and he did not miss or waste a blow against the flank-guarding shield. The wood-fixed point drew blood from Sir Johan's side who cared nothing for that so long as a chance he had to unsheathe the sword and use it, which he did. With that brand he cut the brigand's right arm and did it such hurt that the foe's weapon dropped from unfeeling fingers. The brigand drew his dagger with the hand that yet had strength, but a second blow from Sir Johan struck that arm too so that nothing hindered the third, and it took the foe's life.
The closest brigand after that bethought himself whether his haste was to his good, and therewith he slowed to wait for his allies. He learned a wise course delayed is no better than a foolish one followed promptly when Sir Johan ran to him, stabbed his unguarded thigh, and opened his throat with his blade.
The three behind did not bear that, but gathered together for the attack. They moved to encircle the lone knight, but he was not minded to allow that. He charged the robber to his right and hoped thereby to lower three to two, a number better for him, but failed. For that brigand made space with his spear and stepped away when the knight stepped forward like an unwed girl who neither says yes to a suitor nor turns away, watching what he does and thinking over it.
Sir Johan was undone then when the spears closed in but for that the screeching gate swung open and four men sallied who had shields, shining swords, and no love of blood-eager brigands, and neither did they like to do nothing in the fight. One foe was taken in the back by them and shed his life in a stream that flowed far away. Another turned to meet the threat but was encircled, and though he made a shoulder of a foe to feel the tip of his spear, he did no more, that day or ever again.
As for the last, he was no skilled man who knew battle and war. He had not done what he ought when the gate opened, which was to keep his spear and his mind both firm and ready. That brigand watched the gate instead, and because of that Sir Johan buried his borrowed sword in his chest.
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“I am Johan of Ampherae and I thank you for your aid,” the knight told the castle-dwelling men, and one among them said this.
“You are welcome, sir knight, as all are to Bevim Manor by order of our master, Baron Onophrio, unless they are scoundrels as these men prove themselves to be.”
“Bevim Manor?” Sir Johan looked again at the walls, uneven at the top but given those gaps with sure purpose, and wondered. “Are castles called such in this country? We are far from Ampherae, I allow, but I have seen castles elsewhere.”
“Sir knight, in Esteril that has our master as its baron, a manor house without some such defense will soon be taught the value of it. But you will learn more of that if you stay here for the night, or longer, which Baron Onophrio would wish were he here. Before you say yes or no to that, I am obliged to tell you of our custom. We are sworn to obey the master's will that guests are to have what he is given. And I warn not all are pleased with that, for Esteril is a poor country, and humble. We have not the ease which some lands enjoy by dint of greater wealth.”
“I will recall if minded to complain that I heard and agreed to it. Now I like nothing more than the chance to rest somewhere, for the day has been hard. As for ease, well, I am a knight, not always in the city.” So he said, and he followed the men, chief among them Gualter who had spoken and was chamberlain there. Inside the walls was no keep or great tower such as the knight had thought, as when children chase after a shell they see from far off, grand to their eyes, that must be a long-lived turtle, a granter of wishes, but meet a snail instead. In all that court nothing had been built taller than two stories, and few so high as that.
A guest ruder than Sir Johan might have judged Gualter a liar then, for inside the largest building all was crafted so well and solid that any but a lord or merchant who had fared well in his undertakings would wish in vain to have such furniture as that. And if there were few paintings or glass set in frames rich with fine detail through which could be viewed beds of flowers arranged for that and no other purpose, not all men liked to view from inside what they might see for themselves, traveling about with legs that never tired so long as they were in no doubt as to where they would have their sleep when night urged it.
Sir Johan gave back the sword and shield he had borrowed to the ill of robbers. Then Gualter equipped him better with a sword and mace not in use, and a shield that bore a cover on it to hide a badger with one paw raised, the sign of the baron, and a helmet and greaves as well, though he was sorry for this, that they had no mail for the knight. Some servants saw about changing the size of the vest worn by the brigand closest in height and build to him for his use. Sir Johan, weary from all he had done that day, which was two might-testing battles, and between those digging and a race harder than most, and because of the wound that he had which had ceased to pour out his vigor but still did him hurt, sat. Not long though, for he heard some din that startled him.
“Is the main force of bandits come?” So the knight asked as he stood and did on the arms he had been given. He then saw none else did aught and was calmed.
“Not so, sir knight,” said Gualter. “That is a bull of a kind we know well here, for every month some lord of the fields and woods challenges the manor's master and calls him to battle by battering his broad head and bright horns against the gate, which contest the baron is never shy to enter. By that means we have our meat, and in no other way since Baron Onophrio never troubles his subjects for it with fees and fines, who are poor. He refuses at times to fight the bull for this reason only, that a guest stays here, for it is the rule of this house as I said that the guest is given the same as the host. Therefore the guest must go against the bull.”
Sir Johan pondered that. The custom was unlike what he knew at home in Ampherae, but not everything done there he thought the best. Moreover, he had the lord's shield and sharp sword, and judged it shameful to do less with them than another man was able, though a baron.
“I will fight the bull, if that is the rule,” he said, and Gualter showed him javelins the master used against the snorting beast when he came. So armed, Sir Johan forged with his wit a plan suited for the place, which was to stand on the walls where he might hurl missiles, whatever he wished, the baron's javelins and stones as well if he found any. Trusting in that, he went into the court and walked toward the stairs that were the way up the wall, but the bull's plan was better. That king of grazed pastures brought his might against bars which withstood it not at all so that the gate twisted and pulled at the stones that kept it firm. All the frame that held the gate was wrenched apart and the wall fell in that spot, overcome by a matchless beast. Over the ruin the bull leapt and came against the knight, who was alone.