No. 103: The legacy

[Lynet]

Entering Royden was like entering a cemetery. There were people, but only a few, moving like ghosts in the shadows between buildings that leaned as crookedly as old gravestones. I passed the tavern where Harcourt and I had eaten and talked until late in the evening just before I returned to Kate. The tavern windows were boarded up. I was thoroughly depressed by it all even before I got to the ruins of the castle.

I took the horse into a patch of weeds far enough off the road where he wouldn’t be seen by anyone who happened to be passing by. I carried no lantern. By the light of the moon I walked around the ruins for a while, thinking back to the huge old building with its bright pennants and grand staircases.



I knew about the path to Harcourt’s sarcophagus from Ironsides’ description of it. He’d given me a few more details after he arrived back at Joe’s camp, but not until after a break to recharge in the afternoon sun followed by a long tale of scrambling up and around the walls of Hagen’s castle setting fires everywhere.



None of the fires did much damage but most were hard for the troops to reach and put out. He was sighted more than once but managed to elude them because of his talent for climbing stone walls. Eventually, figuring we’d all had time enough to get far away, he climbed over the outer wall and ran. I was thinking about all of this, the robot’s adventures, when I came up on the tomb.



There were candles in an iron stand sitting on it but I had no matches to light them. Didn’t matter. The moon gave enough light.

No ghosts, if you‘re wondering about that. No image of any kind, just the long stone sarcophagus sitting in a small hollow. The whole place--the ruins, the town, all of it--was completely quiet. I walked down to the coffin and thought about things for a moment, then said, “This is hard, old friend, seeing you this way, but I had to come and say goodbye. That‘s all.”



I looked around at the black remains of his castle, “But I have to say, Harcourt, you sure made a mighty big exit. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a more spectacular ending than this one. Must have been something to see.“ I stood for a while longer, staring at the mountains, then went back to the horse and walked him quietly out of town, trailing memories every step of the way. Most of them put a smile on my face, and what better legacy can a man leave behind for his friends.



Next chapter

[Lynet]

Errol's memories of Iven Harcourt, the I,Sim adventure, and the Harcourt Castle

Iven Harcourt