Facing them, in the Great Hall of Castle Uth Wistan, were twenty other Knights of Solamnia who had been hastily gathered from all parts of Sancrist to sit .as witnesses to this Knights Trials-as prescribed by the Measure. These now muttered and shook their heads as their leaders conferred.
From a table directly in (rant of the three Knights Seated in Judgment, Lord Derek rose and bowed to Lord Gunthar.His testimony had reached its end. There remained now only the Knight's Answer and the Judgment itself. Derek returned to his place among the other knights, laughing and talking with them.
Only one person in the hall was silent. Sturm Brightblade sat unmoving throughout all of Lord Derek Crownguard's damning accusations. He had heard charges of insubordination, failure to obey orders, masquerading as a knight-and not a word or murmur had escaped him. His face was carefully expressionless, his hands were clasped an the top of :he table.
Lord Gunthar's eyes were on Sturm now, as they had been throughout the Trials. He began to wonder if the man was even still alive, so fixed and white was his face, so rigid his posture. Gunthar had seen Sturm flinch only once. At the charge of cowardice, a shudder convulsed the man's body. The loos on his face . . . well, Gunthar recalled seeing that same look once previously-on a man who had just been run through by a spear. But Sturm quickly regained his composure.
Gunthar was so interested in watching Brightblade that 6.e nearly lost track of the conversation of the two knights next to him. He caught only the end a6 Lord Alfred's sentence.
". . . not allow Knight's Answer:'
.'Why not?" Lord Gunthar asked sharply, though keeping his voice low. "It is his right according to the Measure:'
"We have never had a case like this;" Lord Alfred, Knight of the Sword, stated flatly. "Always before, when a squire has been brought up before the Council of the Order to attain his knighthood, there have been witnesses, many witnesses. He is given an opportunity to explain his reasons far his actions. No one ever questions that he committed the acts. But Brightblade's only defense-"
"Is to tell us that Derek lies;` finished Lord Michael Jeoffrey Knight of the Crown. "Arid that is unthinkable. To take the word of a squire over a Knight of the Rose!"
"Nonetheless, the young man will have his say;" Lord Gunthar said, glancing sternly at each of the men. "That is the Law according to the Measure. Do either of you question it?"
"No, of course not. But-"
– very welclass="underline" ' Gunthar smoothed his moustaches and, leaning forward, tapped gently on the wooden table with the hilt of the sword-Sturm's sword-that lay upon it. The other two knights exchanged looks behind his back, one raising his eyebrows; the other shrugging slightly. Gunthar was aware of this, as he was aware of all the covert scheming and plotting now pervasive in the Knighthood. He chase to ignore it.
Not yet strong enough to claim the vacant position of Grand Master, but still the strongest and most powerful of the knights currently seated an the Council, Gunthar had been forced to ignore a great deal of what he would have-in another day and age-quashed without hesitation.. He expected this disloyalty of Alfred MarKenin-the knight had long been in Derek's campbut he was surprised at Michael, whom he had thought loyal to him. Apparently Derek had gotten to him, too.
Gunthar watched Derek C:rownguard as the knights returned to their places. Derek was the only rival with the rroney and backing capable of claiming the rank of Grand Master. Hoping to earn additional votes, Derek had eagerly volunteered to undertake the perilous quest in search of the legendary dragon orbs. Gunthar was given little choice but to agree. If he had refused, he would appear frightened of Derek's growing power. Derek was undeniably the most qualified-if one strictly followed the Measure. But Gunthar, who had known Derek a long time, would have prevented his going if he could have-not because he feared the knight but because he truly did not trust him. The man was vainglorious and powerhungry, and-when it came down to it-Derek's first loyalties lay to Derek.
And now it appeared that Derek's successful return with a dragon orb had won the day. It had brought many knights into his camp who had been heading that direction anyway and actually enticed away some in Gunther's s own faction. The only ones who opposed him still were the younger knights in the lowest order of the Knighthood-Knights of the Crown.
These young men had little use for the strict and rigid interpretation of the Measure that was life's blood to tire older knights. They pushed far change-and had been severely chasr tened by Lard Derek Crownguard. Some came close to losing their knighthood. These young knights were firmly behind Lord Gunthar. Unfortunately, they were few in number and, for the most part, had more loyalty than money. The young knights had, however, adopted Sturm's cause as their own.
But this was Derek crownguard's master stroke, Gunthar thought bitterly. With one slice of his sword, Derek was going to get rid of a man he hated and his chief rival as well.
Lord Gunthar was a well-known friend of the Briightblade family, a friendship that traced back generations. It was Gunthar who had advanced Sturm's claim when the young man appeared out of nowhere five years before to seep his father and his inheritance. Sturm bad been able, with letters from his mother, to prove his right to the Brightblade name. A few insinuated this had been accomplished on the wrong side of the sheets, but Gunthar quickly squelched those rumors. The young man was obviously the son of his old friend-that much could be se-en in Sturm's face. By backing Sturm, however;, the lord was risking a great deal.
Gunthar's. gaze went to Derek, walking among the knights= smiling and shaking hands. Yes, this trial was making himLord Gunthar Ugh Wistan-appear a foal.
Worse still, Gunthar thought sadly, his eyes returning to= Sturm, it was probably going to destroy the career of what he believed to be a very fine man, a man worthy o$ walking his father's path.
"Sturm Brightblade;" Lord Gunthar said when silence descended on the hall, "you have heard the accusations made against you?"
"I have, my lord," Sturm answered. His deep voice echoed eerily in the hall. Suddenly a log in the huge fireplace behind Gunthar split, sending a flare of heat and a shower of sparks up the chimney. Gunthar paused while the servants hustled in efficiently to add more wood. When the servants were gone, he continued the ritual questioning.
"Do you, Sturm Brightblade, understand the charges made against you, and do you further understand that these are grievous charges and could cause this Council to find you unfit for the knighthood?"
"I do;" Sturm started to reply. His voice brake. Coughing, he repeated more firmly, "I do, my lord:'
Gunthar smoothed his moustaches, trying to think how to lead into thus, knowing that anything the young man said against Derek was going to reflect badly upon Sturm himself.
"How old are you, Brightblade?" Gunthar asked.
Sturm blinked at this unexpected question.
"Osier thirty I believe?" Gunthar continued, musing.
"Yes, my lard," Sturm answered.
`And. from what Derek tells us about your exploits in Ice Wall Castle, a skilled warrior-"
I newer denied that, my lord;' Derek said, rising to his feet once again. His voice was tinged with impatience.