PROLOGUE

Every action has an equal but opposite reaction.

That's Newton's Third Law, and it's what I learned way back in primary school science. Now, a secondary school teacher myself, I have to teach children "history" which is to say: the glorious and valiant fairytales that you get to write after you win, even if you win by lying, stealing, or exposing an entire continent of people to smallpox.

Anyway, roughly ten years ago, in 2023, we found an exception to Mr. Newton’s Second Law.

“Take out a piece of scratch paper,” stationery starts to tear from spiral notebooks and notepads, and pencils stand at attention like tiny yellow beefeaters guarding the Palace gates. "Every action has an equal but opposite reaction...except one."

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"That's science, innit?" one of my less intellectually agile students, Willard, asks.

"Yes, but it relates to history just the same, Willard."

There's a part of me that wants to call him dullard, but most days I like my job, no need to push my luck.

"What is the one thing to which this rule does not apply? We’ll discuss the answer on the bus tomorrow, but for now, please write your name and the answer on your scratch paper and put it on my desk on your way out. Correct answers will be awarded an additional five points on the exam.”

For the most part, kids aren't stupid. Give them the right opportunities – show them how to identify patterns, give them a firm grasp of the enjoyment of reading, nourish their curiosity – and there's nothing they can’t accomplish, no problem they can’t solve.

Shuffling through the answers, and am proven wrong almost immediately:

Gravity.

Wind.

Pulleys.

Puddings.

Yikes.

But then, the right answers start to outweigh the wrong ones:

The Sword.

Kingsword.

Feycleave (obscure, but I’ll allow it).

The Blessed Blade.

Excalibur.

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