out of the carcass, he wiped his hands upon Carr's silk doublet. From his little finger he took a ring and slipped it on the middle finger of my right hand. It fit perfectly.
Carr frowned, albeit he must have grown used to the king's generosity. It was well known throughout the land that His Majesty liked to dispense to his favorites pretty baubles and fine jewelry, also hills and rivers and castles. In one generous afternoon, he had created more than thirty knights, twelve barons, three dukes, two earls, and a handful of baronets.
"A princely gift," Carr explained. Then, taking my silence for ingratitude, he said, "Stand not like a little churl. Open your pretty mouth and thank His Majesty."
Summoning my breath and all my wits, I did so and made something of a curtsy besides.
"You will see," the king said, taking my hand, "that the ring you wear takes the form of a serpent. The serpent's coiled thrice round in a circle, thus depicting the soul from birth to ascension. You will also see that the jeweled eyes are half-closed. Do not be deceived. Neither night nor day, in all of life's strange maneuvers, do the eyes ever sleep. Beneath their hooded lids they silently observe, and upon what they observe, should it threaten your life, they quickly, act.
The king dropped my hand. It burned. My throat burned. My forehead burned.
"Guard the ring well," he said, "and it shall guard you."
"From what?" I stammered.
"From harm."
"From all harm? Forever?"
"Forever, but not from all. There are many harms, too many. Not from those that arise from jealousy and from greed, especially. Only from those that threaten your precious life shall my serpent guard you."
"And guard you it shall," Robert Carr said, aware that I was puzzled. "The serpent ring is the king's magic mark and sign."
His Majesty placed a hand upon my shoulder. It was a powerful hand, a sovereign's hand. His dark eyes rested upon me. No longer soft and wandering, they were the eyes of a king. He had changed. Had the blood of the slain stag changed him? Was it now coursing through his veins?
Silent under his spell, I stood transfixed. At last I opened my mouth. "Thank you, thank you, sire," I stuttered.
The king nodded and turned to Robert Carr. I made out little of what he said, for his words came rapidly, both in Latin and in French, mixed up with blood-tingling oaths.
He paused, wiped his beard, which he had drooled upon, and gave me a message for my mistress.
"We've changed our minds," he said with a sly smile for Robert Carr. "Let Arondon wait. Inform Countess Diana that we'll attend her masque."
Carr mumbled something under his breath, but the king went on.
"We'll be there if not pinked by an assassin's knife or befouled by a coven of witches. And tell the countess not to trouble herself about food and shelter.
Pavilions shall be brought for all. Victuals and varlets to prepare them. Robert will see to everything, won't you, dear boy?"
I desperately wanted to ask him when Anthony Foxcroft would be freed, but I thought the better of it. He had promised to come to the masque. Certainly he wouldn't come if Anthony were still in custody. I bowed, albeit my knees tried to betray me, and was about to leave when the king grasped my hand and pointed to the ring.
"You tend to be a fearsome lass," he said. "But fear no longer."
Struck dumb, I bowed and, without so much as a word of thanks, fled from his presence.
THREE
The shot the king had fired and his blue and green banners afloat in the meadow had brought the castle to life. Heads showed at every window as I ran up the path. Countess Diana herself was on the terrace, pacing back and forth, trailed by a crowd of servants.
I ran up the long flight of steps and arrived in her presence gasping for breath. "The king's in the meadow," I stammered. "I talked to him only two moments ago. Imagine talking to King James of England! He talked on and on, just like a person. He asked me questions. He admires my
Carr frowned, albeit he must have grown used to the king's generosity. It was well known throughout the land that His Majesty liked to dispense to his favorites pretty baubles and fine jewelry, also hills and rivers and castles. In one generous afternoon, he had created more than thirty knights, twelve barons, three dukes, two earls, and a handful of baronets.
"A princely gift," Carr explained. Then, taking my silence for ingratitude, he said, "Stand not like a little churl. Open your pretty mouth and thank His Majesty."
Summoning my breath and all my wits, I did so and made something of a curtsy besides.
"You will see," the king said, taking my hand, "that the ring you wear takes the form of a serpent. The serpent's coiled thrice round in a circle, thus depicting the soul from birth to ascension. You will also see that the jeweled eyes are half-closed. Do not be deceived. Neither night nor day, in all of life's strange maneuvers, do the eyes ever sleep. Beneath their hooded lids they silently observe, and upon what they observe, should it threaten your life, they quickly, act.
The king dropped my hand. It burned. My throat burned. My forehead burned.
"Guard the ring well," he said, "and it shall guard you."
"From what?" I stammered.
"From harm."
"From all harm? Forever?"
"Forever, but not from all. There are many harms, too many. Not from those that arise from jealousy and from greed, especially. Only from those that threaten your precious life shall my serpent guard you."
"And guard you it shall," Robert Carr said, aware that I was puzzled. "The serpent ring is the king's magic mark and sign."
His Majesty placed a hand upon my shoulder. It was a powerful hand, a sovereign's hand. His dark eyes rested upon me. No longer soft and wandering, they were the eyes of a king. He had changed. Had the blood of the slain stag changed him? Was it now coursing through his veins?
Silent under his spell, I stood transfixed. At last I opened my mouth. "Thank you, thank you, sire," I stuttered.
The king nodded and turned to Robert Carr. I made out little of what he said, for his words came rapidly, both in Latin and in French, mixed up with blood-tingling oaths.
He paused, wiped his beard, which he had drooled upon, and gave me a message for my mistress.
"We've changed our minds," he said with a sly smile for Robert Carr. "Let Arondon wait. Inform Countess Diana that we'll attend her masque."
Carr mumbled something under his breath, but the king went on.
"We'll be there if not pinked by an assassin's knife or befouled by a coven of witches. And tell the countess not to trouble herself about food and shelter.
Pavilions shall be brought for all. Victuals and varlets to prepare them. Robert will see to everything, won't you, dear boy?"
I desperately wanted to ask him when Anthony Foxcroft would be freed, but I thought the better of it. He had promised to come to the masque. Certainly he wouldn't come if Anthony were still in custody. I bowed, albeit my knees tried to betray me, and was about to leave when the king grasped my hand and pointed to the ring.
"You tend to be a fearsome lass," he said. "But fear no longer."
Struck dumb, I bowed and, without so much as a word of thanks, fled from his presence.
THREE
The shot the king had fired and his blue and green banners afloat in the meadow had brought the castle to life. Heads showed at every window as I ran up the path. Countess Diana herself was on the terrace, pacing back and forth, trailed by a crowd of servants.
I ran up the long flight of steps and arrived in her presence gasping for breath. "The king's in the meadow," I stammered. "I talked to him only two moments ago. Imagine talking to King James of England! He talked on and on, just like a person. He asked me questions. He admires my
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