Greenwood Knight

Chapter 45

Meanwhile, back at the Abbey, shortly after Gil and Gwyn departed...

The first thing Erec noticed, aside from Gwyn's absence, was an immediate and slightly disturbing change in Robin's behavior. Like a humming bird, the boy flitted about but did not light anywhere for more than a moment or two. If Robin were not suffering so, Erec would be tempted to laugh. Instead, he decided it was past time to do a little bonding with the boy.

"Robin, know you how to play chess?" He asked the boy when next he passed by in his aimless wanderings.

"Nay, milo—Sir." Robin shrugged. Erec frowned. Robin blushed as he tensed, ready to flee.

Erec cleared his throat.

"I am not displeased." He began as Robin regarded him carefully. "In point of fact, I am greatly pleased. I should like to be the one to teach my new son how to best everyone but me at the game."

"Why not you?" Robin asked with a cheeky grin.

Erec laughed.

"We shall see." Erec managed with a last chuckle. Still smiling he went on to instruct the boy to bring the little table and chair along with the chess game.

Several hours later Dermot came in and laughed at the sight of Robin bent in concentration over the game board.

"Has he got you into his snare then, Master Robin?"

"What?"

"He has bested all others here and nary a one of us will give him a game except in case of extreme boredom, which ne'er happens so often to please him."

"I was to learn, that is to say that my brother was to teach me but he..."

"Ah. In that case, I leave you to learn the game. And learn it well, Master Robin, for the man needs a good thrashing."

"So, you might wish it," One side of Erec's mouth tugged up in a cocky grin, "Check-mate."

"No!" Robin threw up his hands in defeat. "How did you do that so fast?"

Dermot laughed as he left Erec to his chess tutelage.

---

"Slowly!" Robin scolded. "If you fall you shall have to stay upon the ground as I cannot lift you."

"I shall not fall." Erec snapped, more to himself than to Robin. His bones might well have turned to paper for all the help they were to keep him upright. "I apologize, son. I should not snap at you thusly. It is only that I am unused to being so helpless. It chafes me to no end."

"Do not worry," Robin said determinedly as they moved one slow shuffling step at a time. "I promised you that I should help you walk again. And I promised you that I shall be silent about it. I know as well as you do that Mama would take both of us to task, were she here to see us."

Erec chuckled as sweat popped on his brow. His many weeks abed had allowed him to heal, and thus to live, but they robbed him of his strength.

...a thing he meant to remedy at once.

There was evil afoot, this he knew to be fact. But in his heart of hearts, he knew also that Gwyn and Gil would return with ill tidings.

As he knew that things would not go well at Brecken...

"Another thing," Erec said to take his mind off from his irritation as he pushed himself one step further wondering all the while that his tremulously shaking legs did not give out on him, "Do you know how to fight? How to wield a sword or knife?"