Free Love And War by Various Page B

were called to fulfill our oath, one day.”
    “When you say we,” the stag said carefully, “I assume that you meant 'my men and I.' “ ”I was not specific. I did not mention you by name, but that does not mean he did not know you also were called to fulfill your oath.”
    “Did you tell him,” the stag inquired, “How long it has been since we first heard that
     call?”
    The king shifted, a move of discomfort in the living. “Discussing these things is not
     easy. Have you no understanding of how shameful it feels to rehearse a long-broken pledge?”
    “I have more feelings than I commonly show. Let us change the subject.”
    “I shall. Something troubles you.”
    “Of course. I am in love.” Even now the admission came hard.
    “That is always trouble. Unrequited, I assume.”
    “Strangely, yes. Can you imagine my love not being returned?”
    “By now, it is easier to imagine than it once was; habit and repetition make all realities
     seem more real.” Seeing the stag tense, the king added hastily, “But because it was true
     long ago, and for your feelings now, let us say it seems unimaginable.”
    “It does.” The stag tossed his head. “I will, of course, want revenge for my hurt
     feelings.”
    “Feelings?” The king struck one shadowy arm with another. The blow left no mark, and the
     king's expression did not change. “You can still speak of feelings?”
    “I can.” The stag looked away. “I prefer to speak of them, though I still have them.”
    “Time changes feelings. Time may change all things, even us.”
    “Time has not changed what we do, nightly.” The stag turned his head, briefly, to look at
     the north star. “I do not think it can change what I am, nor will it change what I do. I
     choose, again, to betray the one whom I - the one whom I should obey.”
    “Another might not so choose. Even you, after some consideration, might not.”
    When the stag did not respond, the king continued, “Tell me, though you have told me often
     before: is this a lover one could betray to hunters?” “One could. Does that surprise you?”
     “No more than it surprises me that you would.” Without warning the stag lashed out at a
     sapling with one of his front hooves. The kick left a sharp imprint in the wood. “How
     could she have refused me? How can she refuse me?“ He kicked again, splintering the small tree. ”How DARE she refuse me?”
    He stood trembling with anger, then mastered himself. “Excuse me,” he said to the king.
     “I'm not myself today.”
    The king said heavily, “I rather fear that even after ages of punishment, you are still
     yourself.”
    “Perhaps you are right. Still, I like to think I would not burst out so, except that I had
     rather a long night last night.”
    Peris nodded. “Your feelings have always been hard to contain; long ages of irony and
     veiled illusion cannot hide them. As for your night, all of our nights are long.” He added
     more slowly, “I have news that may interest you. A second band of strangers, seeking to
     kill the first, has entered Darken Wood. They are on the same path as the first were.”
    “And no sentries have stopped them? History repeats itself.”
    “It does, as we do. I am inclined to make an end to repetition.”
    The stag paid no attention to the king's last remark. “If these strangers are not
     invaders, might they be hunters?” the stag asked indifferently.
    “Hunters of men and of other bipeds. They might be lured to other hunts.” He added, “And
     as for invading, this band, too, is politically important, though they are - ” he
     hesitated.
    “Yes?”
    “Evil. One would not have thought more evil could be done to Darken Wood, but apparently
     so.”
    “After what you have received at the hands of Darken Wood, does that disturb you?”
    “It should,” Peris said with assumed indifference. He gave up the pose. “It does. The
     peace of a world is more important than my