Dragon King 03 - The Sword and the Flame by Stephen Lawhead

Author:Stephen Lawhead
Language: bul
Format: epub

Dragon King 03 - The Sword and the Flame

The knowledge stung Ronsard like the blow from the flat of a sword. The King! He was talking about the King! Quentin was the “he” this Longbeard mentioned.

But how was this possible? It was improbable that this white-bearded old stranger had been allowed to see the King. The Dragon King had shut himself in his rooms and would see no one—not even his closest friends, as Ronsard well knew. Yet, the implication was plain: I have been to see the King and he will not change his mind. Change his mind about what? What game was this twisted old root playing? What was his aim?

I must speak to him alone, thought Ronsard. I must get him out of here some way and take him where we can talk without being overheard. There are too many people here. The situation could get out of hand.

But before Ronsard could form a plan in his mind, someone shouted, “Tear the King’s temple down!”

“By all the gods, yes! Tear it down!” answered another.

Other voices took up the shout and added their agreement. Benches were thrown over as men jumped up. In an instant every man in the room was on his feet, fists in the air, crying for the destruction of the King’s Temple.

This, then, is the spark that ignites the flame, thought Ronsard. But there must be a way to stop it. He glanced around for a place to stand, saw an empty table nearby, and jumped up on it.

“Friends!” he cried in his sternest, most authoritative tone. “Friends, listen to me!” The clamor which shook the inn died down somewhat. “Listen to me!” He held up his hands for silence and looked around him at the upturned faces. He had their attention now.

“Friends, what you propose to do is wrong. It is very dangerous as well. Some of you could get hurt—bun very badly. Maybe even killed. It is no small thing to go against the King. Do you think he will not defend his temple? How many of you would make your wives widows this night?”

Ronsard noticed that some of the eyes slid away from his uneasily. Good, he thought, this is working. But I must give them something now.

“Let us instead send a petition before the King,” suggested the knight. “We will demand that he account to us for the raising of this temple. The petition can be our voice.”

There were mutters of agreement all around. Hot heads were cooling under Ronsard’s sobering logic. He drew a sleeve across his face to wipe away the sweat.

“Please,” he continued in a more reasonable tone, “for your own sakes, and for your families, let us all sit down together and draw up the petition.”

“When?” said someone close by.

“At once—here and now!”

“And then?” the same voice asked.

“And then I will take it to the King personally.” Yes, thought Ronsard, this is working. A disaster has been averted tonight.

But just as he framed the thought, there came a shout from across the room.

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