Page 80 of The Robber Knight
“I would say they are rather hard to miss,”she pointed out.
“We must surrender immediately!”
“Must we?” She raised an eyebrow. “I wasunder the impression that I am the one in charge here.”
“Now look here, girl,” Waldar chucklednervously. “You can't honestly expect us to fight this many men.Quit this silly game and tell this Sir Luca you'resurrendering.”
Behind the two men, Ayla could see a massiveiron-clad figure leaving Isenbard's tent. He moved slowly, but heldhimself perfectly erect.Thank theLord!
Returning her attention to her other twovassals, she fixed them with a death-stare. “I do not considerprotecting the lives of my subjects a silly game, Sir Waldar,” shesaid. “And when conversing with me, you will kindly use the properform of address. Listen closely now. I have no intention ofsurrendering my land and my people to some villainous invader! Ihave commanded you to defend those lands, and you are sworn todefend me. If you choose to break that vow, then you had better goto the castle dungeons and lock yourselves in, traitors that youare. I have not the men to spare to do it for you!”
She let her gaze wander from one to theother. Behind them, the iron-clad figure of the knight took up hisposition and gripped his sword. “Now are you two going to follow myorders, yes or no?”
Sir Rudolfus swallowed, hard. “I will do myduty, as you command, Milady. Though I do not know what use I willbe in battle.”
“That we will have to see. Sir Waldar?”
The fat man's three chins worked for amoment. And for a moment longer. And longer. A deep sound came outof his throat. It took Ayla a moment to realize it was laughter,getting louder and louder.
“Ha!” the fat man boomed. “Haaahahaha! You'rea good one! All right, Milady! I've never avoided a drunken brawl,maybe it's time I get into one while I'm sober! Let's go show thesesons of bitches what stuff we're made of!”
Ayla breathed out in relief. “An admirableattitude, Sir Waldar. Though I would appreciate it if you couldmoderate your language. Then we are decided?”
The two men nodded.
“Very well. Sir Isenbard?”
Both Sir Waldar and Sir Rudolfus whirledaround, and then flinched at the sight of the imposing knight, hishand on his sword. Neither of them, so it seemed, had been awarethat he had been standing behind them the whole time.
“Yes, Milady?” A deep and strangelyunfamiliar metallic voice came from behind the visor.
“I hereby appoint you supreme commander ofall our armed forces. Defend us as you see fit. All our lives arein your hands, all my vassals at your command.” She threw asignificant look at Sir Waldar and Sir Rudolfus. Theyunderstood.
Sir Isenbard bowed. “As you wish, Milady. SirWaldar? Sir Rudolfus? Please call your men and follow me.”
She watched them march down towards thebarricade. Under Sir Isenbard's orders, the force of about fiftymen, consisting of the three knights' warriors and her own castleguards, positioned themselves behind the barricade. At a beckon ofIsenbard's armored fist, five of his own men climbed onto the guardwalk, stationing themselves atop the barricade shoulder toshoulder. With a shiver, Ayla realized that they would have to dealwith the brunt of the attack.
Across the river, the horn blew again,drawing her eyes.
There he was. The red robber knight, in fullarmor. Now that Isenbard had shown her, she knew what wearing fullarmor meant. And now that she wasn't looking down on him from atopa barricade, she could fully appreciate the monstrous thing he waswearing. In the light of the morning sun, his armor glinted, asevil and impenetrable as the scales of a dragon.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching andwhirled around, gripping one of the surgical knives she had broughtwith her. But it was only Dilli. Relieved, Ayla clutched at herheart.
“Mary Mother of God, Dilli, you scared thewits out of me! I thought you were an attack from the rear! What onearth are you doing out here?”
The maid eyed the knife in her mistress' handapprehensively. Quickly, Ayla put it away and repeated herquestion: “What are you doing here?”
“I have a favor to ask, Milady.”
Ayla looked back to the red knight.
“Men!” he shouted, his deep, strangelyaccented voice carrying all the way over the river and to the twowomen beside the tents. “Today we will win a great victory! We willtriumph over this nanny who calls himself a knight and does awoman's bidding!”
A roar went up from the assembled soldiers asthey raised their spears and axes.
“Err... I'm happy to help you any way I can,Dilli,” Ayla replied, not letting Sir Luca out of her sight. “Onlynot just now, maybe? As you see, I'm a little bit busy.”
“Forward,” the red fiend shouted. “Forward tohonor and victory!”
