Now We Are Free

20

"He's only a child," Puddleglum said. "The woman and the man have done you two no harm."

The taller Black Knight pointed his sword at Puddleglum. "Do you want to die instead?"

"Not especially, but if it is a choice between me, a child and an innocent man and woman, you'd better kill me."

The Black Knights laughed sarcastically. "Oh, that's funny." They thrusted their swords into the door inches from Puddleglum's face and held them there a moment before pulling them out.

Eustace and Jill stood and Evreux and Marina continued standing in front of them.

The taller Black Knight continued. "If you were not so young a warrior, you and I would have fought on this." He sheathed his sword, as did she. "But I would hear no word against my lady's honour. Whatever she said to you, be sure it was a good intent."

"Couldn't be," Jill said. "If you-"

"Silence! She's a nosegay of all virtues." They sat in their chairs. "But you shall know and love her hereafter. Meanwhile-" He jerked slightly and held a hand up, telling the five to stay back.

The five moved slightly closer to the Black Knights. Jill and Marina walked closer to them while Eustace, Evreux and Puddleglum stood back.

"What is your errand in the Deep Lands?" the smaller Black Knight asked.

"Please," Jill replied. "We are trying to find Princess Elissa and Rilian of Narnia. They're greatly important to Marina and Evreux." She gestured to Marina and Evreux and they gave a small nod.

The Black Knights looked at Marina and Evreux, then back to Jill as the smaller one continued. "Elissa? Rilian? Narnia? Marina? Evreux? Strange names. Narnia. What land is that? He and I've never heard the name before. Must be a thousand leagues from those parts of the Overworld that we know."

Marina stepped closer and studied the young woman. "It's not as strange as you might think. Your eyes. They hold a familiarity I couldn't soon forget."

Evreux studied the man. "Like she said, there's a familiarity I recognise."

The Black Knight stared back at her before saying, "What a strange fantasy to come searching from, how do you call it? Billion? Trillion? In my lady's realm, to my certain knowledge, there's never been such a woman or a man here."

Eustace began moving closer as he said, "We've been told to look for a message on the stones of the city's ruins," he glanced back at Puddleglum, then faced forward again, "and we saw the words "under me"."

"And under it is; more or less," Puddleglum added.

"You were the more deceived," the taller Black Knight told them. "My lady could have given you better counsel had you had the sense to ask her." He paused a moment. "Those words are all that is left of a longer script from ancient times, which she well remembers." The two abruptly stood. "Expresses this verse." He began walking and Eustace and Evreux ushered Jill and Marina closer. The two of them moved back towards Eustace and Evreux and the five companions stood together once again. ""The one death and thronerous now I be. Yet while I lived-" Or what was it?"

The Black Knights faced the five before the taller of the two said, "You must know that I'm a man under a most strange affliction. My lady the Queen has said that none may see her face or my face until the bewitchment is broken. Yet one of you recognises her eyes." He rushed to the door and opened it before yelling, "Hey, guards! Bring wine and lots of food for my guests. Please, you be seated gentlemen."

Marina and Evreux continued staring at the man and woman they were praying was her daughter and his son and she sat at the end next to Jill while the Black Knights sat across from them. Eustace, Evreux and Puddleglum sat opposite each other, next to Jill, Marina and the Black Knights.

The taller Black Knight spoke again. "You must understand my friends, that she and I know nothing of who we are or who we were in our past life. We remember no time when we were not dwelling at the court of this Queen." He leaned forward. "But my thought is that she brought me and her hither to save us from the evil enchantment." He jerked towards Puddleglum who looked at him with barely hidden fear. "An empty cup. It would suffer me to refill it." He filled Puddleglum's cup and slammed the pitcher down. "The Queen, my fellow Knight and I arrived sometime in the Overworld to accustom our eyes to the sunlight, but we must go with our visors down and may never speak lest the spell be broken."

"But what is this evil enchantment you're under?" Eustace asked. "And why do Ma- my friends seem so concerned?"

"She and I know not. Only that at a certain time every evening I become a changed man and she becomes a changed woman. We grow in fury and rage, and would kill even our dearest friend if they came close to us."

Puddleglum let out a small sigh. "And that is a spell with all the marks of a witch upon it."

"But by her Majesty's heart he and I shall be free from these accursed masks and the bewitchment the moment she has made us King and Queen of that land and given him her hand in marriage in the Overworld above," the smaller Black Knight said.

"As a matter of interest," Jill began, "where is the Queen now?" She avoided looking at Marina and Evreux lest she give away their true identity.

The Black Knights stood and Jill looked at him curiously while Marina and Evreux's gaze turned to one of concern.

The taller Black Knight began walking as he said, "At that very place," he picked something up, "inspecting the diggings." He set the object down and leaned closer to Jill. "Soon a thin roof of Earth will be broken through and with her to guide me, and a thousand Earthmen at my back, I shall ride forth in arms, slay my enemies chief man and doubtless be their crowned King within four and twenty hours."

Eustace leaned towards Puddleglum and said quietly, "Bit rough luck on them, isn't it?"

The Black Knight grabbed Eustace by the shoulders, causing him to suck in a breath.

Marina immediately stood, pointing her sword at the Black Knight as she ordered, "Let the boy go."

The Black Knight ignored her and continued staring down at a terrified Eustace as he said, "Thou art a lad with a wondrous quick-working wit. For on my honour I'd never thought of it before. I see your meaning." He let a hand slide across Eustace's cheek to his ear before letting him go and turned to Marina. "Don't test my temper."

"Test not mine. My first mate and I am not to be trifled with. Do not harm the Marsh-wiggle or the children."

The two shared an intense look before the Black Knight sat back down. "Isn't it comical to think of them going about their business and never dreaming that under their peaceful fields and floors only a fathom down is a great army about to break out upon them like a fountain." He chuckled.

Jill stared angrily at the Black Knight as she said, "I don't think it's funny at all. You sound to me as though you'll be a wicked tyrant."

The Black Knights stood and he knocked a cup to the floor, causing a metallic clatter. "What?!" They rushed towards Jill. "Is the little maid a politician?!" He held Jill's face in his hands and looked at her. "Never fear, sweet one. I shall rule that land by the counsel of my lady who will then be my Queen, too. Her word will be my law. As it will be my fellow Knight's."

Marina pushed the Black Knights away. "Please. Whatever spell you're under, you're scaring the children. I beg of you. Stop."

"I wish I could." They sat in their chairs once again and seemingly fell asleep. When their eyes opened again, they saw the five staring at them with concern.