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The Story Continues
Lifwin smiled solemnly, but there was no grimness in his face. "You will have help. You will go into the forest and find a beast that will attack you. You will strike it down and release it from the evil enchantment of Grenfendel. When it assumes its natural shape, it will bestow upon you the great sword Egamond, the Sword of Goodness. You will go to the west, into the Baelwood, deep into the forest to the bog where Grenfendel lives, and kill him, and then return with Egamond to your king."
"Very simple," thought Meek, "when you hear it all said out like that, all begun and done and ended. But to go deep into the Baelwood and to seek out Grenfendel! Even another piece of pie could not banish the vision of that dark and dreadful place, full of bogs and foul marshes and mist, where the sun does not shine and birds never sing.
Lifwin supplied them with fresh water and a generous bag of meat pie and fruit, and he sounded very encouraging when he said he'd see them at the castle when their job was done.
Meek muttered unhappily to himself as he tried to keep up with Grimhelm, who sat serious and silent. Meek noticed that the birds had stopped singing and the rabbits were hiding somewhere. The sun still filtered bravely through the heavy branches as if to protect them from the darkness as long as it could. But the silence grew thick, and Meek felt a curious prickling on his neck. Suddenly they heard a roar, a crash, and a horrible bellowing cry. Through the trees came a large fearsome beast with a lion's head and a bear's body, and great hideous claws. Was this Grenfendel?
Meek felt his heart sink into his boots, and he clutched at the saddle so he would not fall. But Grimhelm drew his sword and rushed at the beast with a cry, piercing the throat of the awful animal. There was a cloud of smoke, and Grimhelm drew back beside Meek as the spell was broken. .
"This was the first beast, the one our sorcerer Lifwin warned would be our first test, Grimhelm murmured.
As they watched, the smoke cleared, and there stood a lovely white unicorn with a beautiful lady on its back. She was dressed in white and was as fair as the morning. In her arms, she held a great scabbard.
"Come, Sir Grimhelm. Come, Squire Meek. This is yours to use in the service of your king. It is Egamond, the great Sword of Goodness, and it is the only weapon that will slay the evil Grenfendel. Take it and look upon it."
Sir Grimhelm took the handle of the sword and pulled it from its leather scabbard. Even in the dim light of the forest, it shone like the sun. The great blade was clean and sharp, and the handle was worked with designs of great beauty. Meek sat on his little horse, dazzled by the strength of the blade. The young squire longed to hold it, but he was unworthy, for he was untested and untried. He was useful to his knight and often able, suited for polishing armor and repairing saddles and fixing boots. But his heart swelled as he looked upon the shining hilt.
"Good luck and good hunting." The lady smiled, and sunshine touched the two men for a moment. Then she and the unicorn disappeared, and Meek touched Grimhelm's arm.
"Where, exactly, is Grenfendel, my lord?"
"He is two hours journey west, in a cave, Meek. He is waiting for us."
That Grenfendel was waiting for them filled Meek with dread. An unsuspecting monster seemed less dangerous than one who waited, grim as fate.
Meek shivered, and Grimhelm put his hands upon the round shoulders of his squire. "Are you afraid, my lad?"
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