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CHAPTER FIVE

THE PRINCESS AND THE BEAST




Suddenly it was evening, and I was splashing through ankle-deep waters while treacherous mud did its best to slip out from under my feet. Amanda was walking ahead of me, having no trouble keeping her balance. A gusting wind had the feel of winter on its way. Wide-open marshland stretched off into the distance, in shades of bile and bitter green, under a grim grey sky. Everywhere I looked it was stubby grass and mud flats and half-submerged land, with large areas of standing water. Patches of weeds thrust up like drowned men’s fingers. A cold, empty, desolate scene. I glowered at Amanda’s back.

“Where the hell are we, this time? And what are we doing here?”

“I thought you should see the other side of the magical world,” she said, without so much as a backward glance. “It’s not all rainbows and unicorns.”

“I would have been perfectly happy to take your word for that,” I said, and she laughed.

There was no road through the marshes, but we soon came to a series of flat stones, heading off in something that aspired to be a straight line. Amanda skipped lightly from one stone to another, leaving me to follow on behind as best I could. The stepping stones were only marginally less slippery than the muddy waters, and I had to fight to stay upright.

“Where exactly is this, Amanda?” I said, just a bit plaintively.

“The eighth century,” she said. “In what will eventually be part of England.”

“But not the history I know?”

“Got it in one,” she said cheerfully. “This is an age of magic and monsters, when people learned how to become great, by overcoming great difficulties. But even with the best will in the world, people can still make mistakes. And then someone has to come along to put things right.”

“And that’s why we’re here?” I said.

“There’s someone I want you to meet,” said Amanda. “You’ll find it very instructive.”

I waited, until it became clear she had nothing more to say.

“You’re just full of secrets, aren’t you?” I said finally.

“Oh, lots and lots,” she said brightly. “Don’t worry; all will become clear as we go along. Apart from the bits that don’t.”

“You know,” I said. “At some point you’re going to have to start trusting me.”

She stopped abruptly, and turned to face me. The gusting breeze wrapped her hair about her face, hiding her expression.

“I do trust you, Jack,” she said. “More than you know.”

“Then tell me something,” I said. “Throw me a bone! Like, why choose me of all people to help you change history back?”

She smiled suddenly. “Because you’re worth it.”

And in that moment I felt a spark between us, an attraction I had no right to expect given how short a time we’d known each other. I’d never felt anything like it before, and never expected to, but I thought, I hoped, she felt the same way about me. We stared at each other, and I never wanted to look away. For a moment I thought she might be about to say something, but instead she turned and set off again, skipping lightly across the stepping stones. And I followed after her, as best I could.


Some time later I looked out across the marshes and spotted my first sign of civilisation. A great stone hall, standing on its own in the middle of nowhere, half silhouetted against the lowering sky. A stark and brutal structure that made no effort at all to blend in with its surroundings. Bright lights shone through barred windows, and the only door was closed. The whole affair looked about as welcoming as a fist in the face. Amanda waited patiently for me to catch up with her, and then gestured grandly.

“Behold, the hall of King Hrothgar. His people are currently being plagued by a monster called Grendel. It comes to this hall again and again, to kill the people it finds there, and so the king has sent for a great hero to come and slay it.”

“Beowulf,” I said. “I know the story.”

“You know the legend,” said Amanda. “This is the history.”

“Is it very different?” I said.

“The past that used to be was always magical,” said Amanda. “But never perfect. Magic has its dark side. Monsters, as well as marvels.”

“Then why should I help bring things like that back?” I said.

“Because people need monsters to fight.”

“To prove they can win?”

“To prove they have what it takes to stand against them,” said Amanda. “Sometimes, it takes a monster to make a hero.”

She set off again, heading for the hall. It had the look of a place under siege, but when Amanda and I finally came to a halt before the closed door the first thing I noticed was that there weren’t any guards.

“If there’s a monster lurking in the neighbourhood, shouldn’t someone be minding the store?” I said.

“All the armed guards in the world couldn’t keep Grendel out,” said Amanda. “The only protection these people have is safety in numbers.”

She snapped her fingers at the door, and there was the sound of locks unlocking and heavy bolts sliding back. The door swung open on its own and I nodded to Amanda, careful not to seem too impressed.

“Nice trick.”

“I practice,” said Amanda.

“Why would you need to?” I said.

“People aren’t always pleased to see me.”

“I can’t think why.”


Inside the hall, a great crowd of people were standing very still, struck silent by our unexpected entrance. Open hostility filled their faces, and quite a few drawn swords were pointing in our direction. Everyone seemed to be wearing long woollen robes under heavy leather armour, which couldn’t have been very comfortable given the muggy atmosphere filling the tightly packed hall. I thought they’d all relax once they realised we weren’t the Grendel monster, but everyone was staring at Amanda as though they knew her, and not in a good way.

She walked straight at them, and the crowd separated and fell back to form a narrow avenue. My back muscles crawled with tension as I walked alongside Amanda. I wasn’t seeing any of the grudging respect we’d found at Queen Boudicca’s court; instead, the complete lack of welcome at Hrothgar’s hall seemed to have its roots in some deep-seated anger. As though Amanda was an infamous criminal who had dared to return to the scene of her crimes. The few glances that came my way were simply accusing, for daring to be with Amanda. So I made a point of smiling easily about me and bestowing a convivial gaze on one and all, because a confident I know something you don’t smile can be better protection than any armour.

Amanda and I finally came to a halt before a great stone throne, set on its own raised dais at the far end of the hall. A basic stone seat with a tall back, it looked like it had been carved from a solid block rather than constructed. Angels and demons had been crudely etched into the stone, so they could glare ferociously at everyone who appeared before them. Amanda nodded pleasantly to the old man sitting stiffly on the throne.

“Hello, Hrothgar. Been a while, hasn’t it?”

A tall stick-figure of a man hovering protectively beside the throne leaned forward to glare at Amanda. He was wearing a long apron of mail over leather armour and had the kind of face that leant itself to scowls.

“You will address the king with proper respect! Kneel, and bow your head!”

“Not on the best day you ever had,” said Amanda. “Hello, Mathias; how’s your back these days?”

The man dropped a hand to the sword at his side, and I got ready to leap up onto the dais and do something undiplomatic, but the king silenced his man with a gesture.

“Enough, Steward. The lady Amanda will go her own way, because she always does.”

“It’s part of the job description,” Amanda said calmly.

The king studied her for a while. “I wondered if I would ever see you again. Didn’t you do enough damage, the last time you were here?”

“I did what you asked,” said Amanda.

“But not what I wanted.”

“Yes, well, that’s life,” Amanda said briskly.

“Where have you been, these last twenty years?” said the king.

“Keeping busy.”

“I have lost good people to the beast Grendel! I could have used your help long before this.”

“Kings are supposed to solve their own problems,” said Amanda.

Hrothgar slumped back on his throne, as though just the force of the argument had worn him out. He had a deeply lined face, and strands of thin grey hair poked out from under his plain golden crown. He looked like he might have been a big man once, but time and hard use had scoured most of that away. His long white robe looked like the finest cloth, and he wore a heavy gold medallion over his breast, but otherwise he was just a tired old man worn down by years and circumstance.

The steward hovering at his side looked to be much the same age, but a stubborn energy kept his back straight and his gaze fierce. He sniffed loudly, and produced a heavy fur cloak from behind the throne.

“Lean forward, so I can wrap this around you,” he said to the king. “You know the draughts in this place play merry hell with your joints. I’ll have to get the rubbing alcohol out after we’re done here.”

“Stop fussing, Steward,” said the king. “I’m not an invalid.”

“One of us has to be sensible and it isn’t going to be you, is it?” said the steward. “Do you want some hot soup, to keep out the chill? There’s some leftover bits of chicken and bacon I could throw in.”

“I don’t need anything, Steward! Leave off your mithering, so I can hear myself think.”

The steward dropped the cloak over the back of the throne. “Well, it’s there if you want it. Catch your death of cold, see if I care.”

“You have to excuse him,” the king said to Amanda. “Though I sometimes forget why. I suppose I should thank you for showing up at all.”

“The last time we spoke, you banished me forever and a day,” Amanda said sweetly.

“I had reason,” said the king.

Amanda’s smile was suddenly a cold and implacable thing. “Always remember, Hrothgar, that I am not one of your people. I was here before you, and I will still be here long after you and your kingdom are gone.”

The watching crowd made a low unhappy sound. Amanda shot them a glance, and they all went quiet. The steward started to say something, but the king stopped him with a gesture and stared at Amanda.

“Let the past stay in the past,” he said flatly. “My only concern now is the beast. Unseen for centuries, the legendary monster of the marshes has returned to plague us. Can you save my people from the curse of Grendel?”

“No,” said Amanda. “But I’ve brought you a man who can.”

All eyes turned in my direction. I did some of my best smiling and nodding, but no one seemed particularly impressed. The king looked me over carefully, trying to see what Amanda saw in me.

“And this is?” he said finally.

“Jack Daimon, the Outsider,” Amanda said grandly. “He slays monsters, among other things.”

The king nodded to me gravely. “Then be welcome in my court, monster-killer. There is work for you here.”

I nodded to him, and deliberately adopted a calm and casual tone, just to make it clear I was my own man. Never give an authority figure an advantage or they’ll walk all over you.

“I’ll do what I can, but I have to ask: what possessed you build a hall in the middle of nowhere in the first place?”

The steward looked like he wanted to yell at me for speaking so bluntly to the king, but knew there wasn’t any point. The king just nodded judiciously.

“A fair question, sir Outsider. I needed to make it clear to my neighbouring monarchs that while these marshlands might show as disputed territory on the maps, I still rule here.”

“From what I’ve seen,” I said, “There’s nothing out there worth fighting over.”

“Land matters,” the king said heavily. “Because what there is, is all there is. The extent of a king’s land defines his power. And besides, this hall was a gift to my daughter, the Princess Jann. She has always loved these marshes, and the wildlife to be found here. It’s the one place she seems content, away from the noise and bustle of my court.

“I thought she’d be safe enough, guarded by a handful of my most trusted men. But then Grendel appeared, and killed all the guards. My daughter was lucky to escape with her life. I didn’t want her to come back here, but I couldn’t leave the hall abandoned in the face of my enemies, so now here we both are, along with the fiercest warriors of my realm. To finish off the beast once and for all.”

There was a general growl of agreement from the crowd. I looked them over carefully. They seemed a violent enough bunch, just waiting for the monster to make an entrance so they could jump all over it. I turned back to the King.

“How many people have you lost to Grendel?”

“Too many,” the steward said flatly. “It’s pride, not strategy, that brings us here.”

“It’s up to you, steward,” the king said mildly. “You can hold your tongue, or I’ll find someone to hold it for you.”

The steward just sniffed. “Do you want some of that soup or not?”

The king sniffed. “I’d rather eat a dog’s testicles.”

“They are part of the recipe,” the steward admitted.

The king almost smiled, and turned his attention back to me. “Brave men died defending this hall. To abandon it now would dishonour their sacrifice. So to aid us I have summoned the great hero Beowulf, fabled slayer of monsters.”

A warrior more impressive than everyone else put together came striding through the crowd to join us. Broad-shouldered, with a barrel chest, he was wrapped in well-polished but well-worn mail, and the sword at his side looked big enough to turn any monster into bite-sized chunks. Beowulf had a handsome face, with piercing blue eyes and a great mane of blond hair, along with bulging muscles and more than his fair share of scars. Every inch a fighter, Beowulf gave the impression of being utterly confident in his abilities. He took up a relaxed stance before the throne, nodded briefly to the king in the manner of someone who’d met a lot of kings in his line of work, and favoured Amanda with a winning smile.

“So, you’re the famous sorceress who traumatised the kingdom twenty years ago. They’ve been telling me stories about you that would give white hairs to a rabid wolf. They said you were beautiful, and they were right, but I thought you’d be scarier.”

“I am,” said Amanda.

Beowulf thought about that, and then turned his smile on me. It was wide and easy and full of bluff charm, and would probably have worked on anyone else.

“Greetings, fellow monster-slayer, and welcome to Grendel’s feeding ground. I don’t see a sword at your side or an axe in your hand; would you like to borrow a weapon, or are you planning to just throw yourself into the beast’s jaws and choke it to death?”

I smiled easily back at him. “I thought I might reach down its throat and rip its heart out.”

Beowulf let out a brief bark of laughter. “I’d pay good coin to see that.”

“What do you know about this beast?” I said.

Beowulf folded his scarred arms across his massive chest and frowned hard, doing his best to look like an expert. “From what the Princess Jann has been telling me, barriers were no obstacle to Grendel. It just appeared out of nowhere, inside the hall. Inhumanly fast and deadly, none of the guards’ weapons had any effect on it. But this time, we will strike it down and trample it underfoot!”

He was talking loudly to make sure everyone in the hall could hear him and take comfort, but the courage and conviction in his voice sounded real enough. He turned back to Amanda, and showed her his most charming smile.

“You really are as comely as they said, lady sorceress.”

“While you are everything I imagined you would be,” said Amanda.

Beowulf’s grin widened. “So, are you doing anything after the battle?”

“Let’s see if we’re both still here,” said Amanda.

Beowulf laughed and Amanda smiled. I felt left out, so rather than watch them get down to some serious flirting I wandered off round the hall, to see what there was to see. And not because I was in any way jealous. Men and women in layers of armour, with heavy swords and axes at their sides, gathered around a series of wooden trestle tables, pounding down the drinks and ploughing through the food. The conversations sounded cheerful enough, and there was a lot of unforced laughter; there was nothing to suggest they were at all worried about the monster from the marshes. They were far too busy celebrating life, in defiance of death.

None of them seemed interested in talking to me, so I was a little surprised when a tall and well-made young lady suddenly emerged from the crowd to plant herself right in front of me and all but force a cup of drink into my hand. Dressed in an elegant green gown, with golden trimmings to match her long blonde braids, she was sharp-faced rather than pretty. She was also one of the few people in the hall who wasn’t carrying some kind of weapon. I accepted the cup from her, took a good sip, and pulled a face despite myself. The woman laughed.

“Uisge is a warrior’s drink.”

“You’d certainly have to be some kind of hero to drink this stuff voluntarily,” I said. “I’m thinking of spitting a mouthful of it at Grendel, just to see if it will poison the beast.”

The woman nodded solemnly. “I am the Princess Jann. Are you really another slayer of monsters?”

I’d never met a princess before, but I didn’t bow. I was the Outsider, after all.

“I’ve killed my share,” I said.

She looked me over critically, taking her time.

“You’re not as big as Beowulf.”

“Size isn’t everything.”

“You’re not even wearing a sword,” said Jann.

I hefted the backpack on my shoulder. “I have other things. I understand you’ve seen this beast in action?”

All the animation went out of her face, as bad memories haunted her eyes. “It was hard to see much. As though the beast has some power over your eyes, so no one can see it until it makes its move. My father had provided me with the very best guards, and the beast slaughtered them like cattle. Hopefully, my future husband will do better.”

“Future husband?” I said politely.

She nodded at Beowulf, still trying out his best smiles on Amanda. “My father has promised him my hand and half his kingdom, if he slays Grendel. The usual deal.”

“Don’t you get a say in the matter?” I said.

“I know my duty,” said the princess. “And he does look rather splendid, doesn’t he?”

“Tell me about the beast,” I said.

“I only really remember it in dreams,” she said slowly. “I saw my guards cut and slice at Grendel, but its wounds healed in a moment. It was huge and terrible, swift and merciless, and its teeth and claws tore through armour as easily as flesh.”

“Beowulf seems confident he can kill it,” I said.

“He’s Beowulf,” said Jann. “Because he’s always been able to kill monsters, he thinks he always will.”

Something in her tone caught my attention. “Would I be right in thinking he’s not the brightest button in the box?”

“He’s smarter than he looks,” said Jann.

“He’d have to be,” I said.

“Hush!” said Jann. But she couldn’t keep from smiling as she said it.

“Where does Grendel come from?” I said, getting us back on track.

“The beast must have a lair somewhere in the marshes,” said Jann. “But no one has been able to find it. My father sent out search parties, and I even led a few myself, because no one knows these marshes like I do, but the beast leaves no tracks and no trail . . . as though it can appear and disappear whenever it wishes.” She scowled deeply. “My father wanted to go out after the beast himself, but his advisors wouldn’t allow it. They weren’t happy about him coming here, but he put his foot down. Perhaps because once it would have been him, not Beowulf, that everyone called on to slay the beast.”

She looked at the old man, sitting like a statue on his stone throne. “I appeared late in his life, so I never got to see him in his prime. Everyone says that he and Mathias, the steward, were unbeatable on the battlefield in their day. But now the years weigh heavy on them, and my father and his friend are not what they were. It is a hard thing, to out-live your own legend.”

“You’re the king’s only child?” I said.

“Because he had no sons, I was raised as a warrior,” said Jann. “But I never wanted that, so the moment I was old enough I ran away to the marshlands. I have always cared more about the local wildlife than killing people I didn’t know just because they were from somewhere else. My father sent men to bring me back, but I kept on running away, until finally he just gave me my head and let me get on with it.”

“And you never saw any trace of Grendel in the marshes, before the attacks began?”

She shook her head firmly. “Never. I thought the beast was just another scary story, like the old witch of the marshes, that no one has seen in years.”

“Has Grendel ever attacked anyone outside this hall?”

“No,” said Jann. “I can’t help feeling responsible for what happened to my guards. They were only there because my father built this hall for me.”

“Perhaps the beast thinks it’s defending its territory,” I said.

Jann nodded slowly. “There could be something in that. My father keeps threatening to drain the marshes, to make new land for crops. Even though that would kill off most of the wildlife, and destroy the only place I’ve ever felt at home.”

I thought about the desolate scene under the grey sky, and something must have shown in my face, because Jann chuckled softly.

“I know; it’s not for everyone.”

“Do you believe Beowulf can kill the beast?” I said carefully.

“He’s brave enough,” said Jann. “He came all the way here from another kingdom, just for the chance to kill a legend. And he does have a reputation for getting the job done. But, having met the man, I can’t help wondering whether he killed all those monsters to protect innocent lives, or for his own glory.” She stopped, to look again at the king on his throne. “My father shouldn’t be here, risking his life. That’s Beowulf’s job.”

“Why is he here?” I said.

“Because the other warriors wouldn’t have come, if he wasn’t there on his throne to inspire them.”

“Why does he need them, now he has Beowulf?”

“Because even the greatest monster-killer can have a bad day,” said Jann. She glowered around the crowded hall. “I just wish they’d finish off the beast and leave, so I can have my life back.”

She turned abruptly, and stalked off into the crowd. I turned to look at Beowulf, just in time to see Amanda leave him. She moved over to stand before the throne, and the king leaned forward so the two of them could talk privately. I eased quietly through the crowd, careful to stay out of the king’s line of sight, until I was close enough to overhear what they were saying.

“I haven’t forgotten what you did for me,” said the king.

“I shouldn’t have done it, but you wanted it so much.”

“My wife died, trying to give me children. If I had died without an heir, the surrounding kingdoms would have devastated this land fighting over it. That’s why I had to have your help.”

“You were never supposed to have children,” said Amanda. “Finding a way to cheat the fates wasn’t easy.”

“I couldn’t believe it when you told me I had to go deep into the marshes, to meet with a woman who lived alone and had a reputation almost as uncanny as yours. But I lay down with her, and she gave me a child.” The king shook his head slowly. “I never saw her again, after the child was born.”

“Her name was Fritha,” said Amanda. “The last time I visited her hut it was empty, and there was no sign of her anywhere.”

“Good,” said the steward.

Amanda looked at him, and he stopped talking.

“And now here you are, back again,” said the king. “I have grown old, while you look exactly as I remember you.”

“Why do your people hate me?” said Amanda.

“You are remembered as the sorceress who defied the King by refusing him a son,” said the Steward.

Amanda smiled. “I wonder who started that rumour.” She fixed her gaze on the king. “Why are you risking your life here?”

“I couldn’t keep Jann away from the marshlands,” said the king. “Perhaps because something in her blood calls to her. I built this hall so she could have a place of her own. But now Grendel has returned I have to be here, to protect her.”

The steward scowled fiercely at Amanda. “There must be something you could do.”

“I’ve already done too much,” said Amanda. And she turned and walked away.

Princess Jann burst out of the crowd, to take Amanda’s place. She stood tall and proud before the throne, glaring at her father.

“I never asked for any of this! Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

“You’re all I have,” said the king.

“I don’t want you here!”

Jann spun on her heel and plunged back into the crowd, and everyone moved quickly to get out of her way as she headed for the front door. The king gestured for it to be unbolted and unlocked, and Jann went out into the night, and the marshes. The door was quickly closed and locked behind her.

I couldn’t believe Hrothgar had just let his daughter go. I wouldn’t have spent a night alone on those marshes for a bet. I pushed my way through the crowd, to face the king.

“She doesn’t even have a weapon! You have to send someone after her!”

“My daughter has spent most of her life in the marshlands,” said the king. “And never once come to any harm. Besides, no one has ever won an argument with my daughter.”

“Stubborn as a mule,” said the steward. “Wonder where she got that from?”

“Now you tell me,” Beowulf said loudly.

There were fond smiles, and a certain amount of nodding from the crowd. It was clear from their faces that they all had a soft spot for their wayward princess.

The king carried on speaking to me, though his gaze was fixed on the closed door. “Grendel has never attacked anyone outside the hall. My daughter is probably safer than we are.”

“Particularly if she starts talking to the beast,” said the steward. “Poor thing would probably rip its own ears off and run for its life.”

The crowd laughed, and went back to feasting and drinking. I looked casually around, just on the off chance that Amanda might be somewhere near, and saw she was back talking with Beowulf. She turned suddenly to catch my eye, and waved for me to come and join them. I took my time, just to make it clear I wasn’t at anyone’s beck and call.

“This is Jack,” Amanda said to Beowulf. “A good man and true; I vouch for him.”

“Then I accept him, as a fellow slayer of monsters,” said Beowulf. We shook hands, or at least mine disappeared inside a huge scarred thing that had to be a hand because it was on the end of his arm. Beowulf released my hand unharmed and nodded easily to me. “Amanda has been telling me all about you, Jack. How you go from place to place, dealing with supernatural threats; just like me.”

“I get around,” I said. “How did you get into the monster-slaying business?”

He shrugged. “It’s the only thing I was ever any good at. And the pay was excellent. But now I have been promised a princess and a land of my own to rule . . . it’s hard to see how I could ever hope to top that.”

“Are you thinking about retiring?” I said.

“Be nice to sleep in a bed of my own, for a change,” said Beowulf. “Would you ever retire, Jack?”

I glanced at Amanda. “Not as long as I’m needed.”

“You’re needed here,” said Amanda.

“To do what?”

“You’ll know, when the time comes.”

She smiled absently at both of us and then drifted off into the crowd, lost in her own thoughts. Beowulf and I looked at each other, and shrugged pretty much in unison. We talked weapons and tactics for a while, and to my surprise I found myself warming to the man. Beowulf was pleasantly uncomplicated, a man who killed monsters for a living not because he saw himself as any kind of hero but because it brought him gold, fame, and the adulation of women. I showed him some of the things from my backpack, and he took a professional interest, but nothing really impressed him until I brought out my athame. Beowulf studied the witch knife closely, while being very careful not to touch it.

“There’s a power in the blade,” he said finally. “But whether it’ll be any use against Grendel . . . ”

“It’s supposed to cut through anything,” I said.

“According to the princess, her guards’ swords cut into Grendel easily enough,” said Beowulf. “But its wounds heal so fast you can hear the edges slam together.”

“So how are you planning to kill it?” I said.

He shrugged. “Cut off the head, and then throw it into the fire before the beast can stick it back on.”

“I’ve had some success with that tactic,” I said. I looked at him thoughtfully. “Did you know what you were getting into, before you came here?”

“I never ask questions,” said Beowulf. “Apart from: how much are you paying? And anyway . . . I was at a loose end, spent all my coin and outstayed my welcome, so it seemed like the right time to move on. How long have you known the sorceress Amanda?”

“Not long,” I said.

“From what I’ve been hearing, back in the day she had a reputation as a game player,” Beowulf said carefully. “Always two steps ahead of everyone else. And only she knew which game she was playing.”

“You seemed very taken with her,” I said.

He shook his head quickly, showing me a smile with very little humour in it. “Flirting with the ladies is just part of the job. Playing the big hero, so people will take me seriously. But I think your pretty sorceress has serious teeth.” He stopped, and looked out across the hall. “And speaking of the scary little she-devil; I think your mistress is summoning you, Jack.”

“I am not her dog,” I said sharply.

He grinned. “We’re all someone’s dog.”

I made my way through the crowd to join Amanda. She gestured for me to move in close, so we could talk privately, though everyone around us was already going out of their way to ignore us. Amanda looked back at Beowulf, who was busy chatting up a warrior woman even bigger and more scarred than he was. He showed her his muscles, and she giggled like a schoolgirl.

“Charm will get you past more defences than a double-handed battle-axe,” said Amanda.

“I get the feeling he might actually be the real deal,” I said.

“Oh, he is,” said Amanda. “But he’s never met anything like Grendel.”

I looked at her narrowly. “You’re keeping things from me.”

“Not all my secrets are mine to share,” said Amanda. “You overheard enough of my conversation with the king to know that.”

“What is Grendel?” I said bluntly.

“An act of revenge, from out of the past.”

And then we both looked round, as Hrothgar raised his voice and called to Amanda.

“I’d better go see what the old boy wants,” said Amanda. “He’ll only make a fuss otherwise. You see if you can keep Beowulf out of trouble until the beast turns up.”

She went over to the throne. I went back to Beowulf, who was looking wistfully after the departing warrior woman.

“I thought you were promised to the princess,” I said.

“I’m not married yet,” he said cheerfully. “So, eat, drink, and pin someone good-looking up against a wall, because it might be your last chance.”

I gestured around me, at the carousing warriors. “I can’t believe how happy everyone is. You’d never know they were expecting a demon beast to show up at any moment and gnaw all their faces off.”

“These are the finest warriors and back-alley fighters the kingdom has to offer,” said Beowulf. “Brought together by a common cause; a chance to be better than they think they are. To defend their land and their princess, and perhaps for the first time in their lives . . . to be heroes.”

I nodded slowly. “What do you think Grendel is?”

“People have bent my ear with all kinds of stories,” Beowulf said slowly. “Some say it’s a descendent of Cain, the first killer. Others believe the beast is the result of some magical working that went terribly wrong. But the general feeling is that it’s just something big and nasty from the marshlands. There’s a lot of wildlife around here that most people never get to see.”

“But if it is some legendary beast that hasn’t been seen for centuries . . . what brought it back now?”

“Beats the hell out of me,” said Beowulf. He grabbed a cup of Uisge from a passing tray, and knocked it back without flinching. “There are always mysteries, where monsters are concerned.”

Despite all the determinedly raucous partying, it seemed to me that there was a definite tension on the air. Swords and axes had started to appear in people’s hands, as they readied themselves for an attack that could come from any direction. Others were casually leaning back against a wall, to make sure nothing could sneak up on them. Beowulf followed my gaze, finished his drink and threw the cup aside, and then raised his voice commandingly.

“Stand ready, my brave warriors! Remember that Beowulf is with you, the legendary slayer of monsters who has never known defeat. When you fight alongside me, you become legendary too!”

The crowd roared their approval, cheering him and themselves. And then everyone broke off as something pounded heavily against the locked front door. A hush fell across the hall, as everyone stood very still. And then a harsh bark of laughter came from the throne.

“Grendel’s hardly going to knock, and wait politely for us to open the door, is it?” said the king. “That’s my daughter, you damned fools. Open the door and let her in.”

The men nearest jumped to obey, and hauled the door open. Princess Jann stormed right past them, heading for her father, and the men rushed to lock and bolt the door again.

“There’s no sign of Grendel anywhere,” said the princess. “But the beast is getting close. I can feel it.”

She looked around for Beowulf, who saluted her with a fresh cup of Uisge.

“You mustn’t worry, Princess,” he said calmly. “I will rip Grendel’s arm off and beat its head in with the wet end.”

The princess slapped the cup out of his hand.

“How many of the people here will die, before that happens?”

“It’s only a monster,” Beowulf said steadily. “And I know all there is to know about killing monsters.”

He produced a dagger from his belt, and offered it to the princess.

“When the time comes, stand with me, Princess. You can guard my back.”

Jann hefted the dagger and suddenly grinned at him. “Hell with that; you can guard mine.”

Laughter ran through the crowd, and they all started talking again. Amanda appeared at my side, and slipped a companionable arm through mine.

“I do like to see everyone playing nicely together.”

“I don’t know why you brought me here,” I said. “It doesn’t look like I’m going to be needed.”

“You will be,” said Amanda. “Stand ready, Jack. You’ll get your chance.”

The crowd fell silent again, and when I looked round, I realised everyone had stopped what they were doing to stare at the princess. She seemed strangely preoccupied, frowning hard as though listening to something only she could hear. Her eyes were far away. Beowulf watched her carefully.

“It’s close,” said Jann, her voice strange and fey. “Can’t you feel it? The beast is coming for you, and oh, it’s so angry . . . ”

Beowulf moved in close beside her, his voice low and reassuring. “You’re the only one who’s seen the beast, Princess. What can you tell us about it?”

Jann’s answer was slow and confused, as though she was caught up in a dream. “It’s not natural. It’s a wild thing, from the night of the world.”

I moved quickly through the crowd and eased in on her other side, keeping my voice carefully calm and supportive.

“Do you know why it wants to kill people?”

“To protect its home,” said Jann.

The hall was utterly quiet now, everyone’s attention fixed on the princess.

“Can we talk to the beast?” I said. “Reason with it?”

“No,” said Jann. “There is only rage, and hate; no reason.”

“It’s just a monster,” said Beowulf. “Doing what monsters do. Let it show itself, so I can kill it and be done.”

“It’s already here,” said Jann.

Everyone looked quickly around them, weapons at the ready. The steward called for a defensive circle around the throne, and some of the more experienced warriors hurried forward to create a ring of drawn steel. The king looked as though he wanted to join them, but even as he started to rise from his stone seat the steward put a firm hand on his shoulder and forced him down again. And then he drew his sword and went to join the circle, placing himself directly in front of the throne, so Grendel would have to get through him to get to the king.

“Don’t be a fool, Mathias,” Hrothgar said sharply. “You’re too old for this.”

“So are you,” said the steward, not looking back. “But my life doesn’t matter.”

“You know you have always mattered to me,” said the king.

“I know,” said the Steward.

Princess Jann suddenly snapped out of her fey mood, and set her back against Beowulf’s. She held her dagger out before her, and her hand was perfectly steady. Everyone was glaring about them, eager for some action at last. I could feel Grendel’s presence, as though a cold shadow had fallen across the hall.

“It’s almost time, Jack,” Amanda said quietly.

“These warriors are ready to lay down their lives to stop this monster!” I said harshly. “But if it really is everything the princess says, it’s going to butcher every living soul in this hall. There must be something you can do to help!”

Amanda looked at me steadily. “Would you have me take away their chance to be heroes? I’ve done what matters. I brought them you. Don’t let them down, Jack.”

“But what am I supposed to do?” I said desperately.

“What no one else can,” said Amanda.

Voices suddenly cried out, thick with shock and horror, as Grendel reared up in their midst. Huge and powerful, the beast had a wolf’s ferocity and a bear’s bulk, but it stood like a man. Silver fur covered rippling muscles, and its long muzzle gaped wide as though it was silently laughing at us. The nearest warriors raised their weapons and the beast surged forward, tearing out throats and ripping through armour and flesh. Blood spurted thickly as body after body crashed to the floor.

Men and women came charging forward from every side, howling their war cries. They hacked and cut at the beast, but Grendel didn’t even try to defend itself. Steel blades sank deep into its flesh, but there was no blood and the beast’s wounds disappeared the moment the weapons were jerked free. The beast killed everyone who came within reach, and crimson gore streamed from its grinning jaws.

Beowulf shouted for everyone to get out of his way as he forced his way through the mess of heaving bodies, his face set and grim. Grendel spun round to face him, and Beowulf brought his massive sword swinging down with all his strength behind it. But at the last moment the beast darted to one side, and when Beowulf staggered on, caught off balance, Grendel lashed out with one overlong arm and sent him flying. Beowulf crashed through a dozen people before finally slamming into a stone wall. He dropped to his knees, all the strength knocked out of him, his face slack with shock. But he still clung grimly to his sword, and struggled to force himself back onto his feet.

Grendel headed for King Hrothgar. Howling warriors rushed forward to block its way and rain down blow after blow, but the beast just tore right through them and kept going. It reached the circle of warriors surrounding the throne, and every single one of them fought valiantly, attacking the beast with everything they had, but they had no more chance against Grendel than cattle in a slaughterhouse. The beast sent broken bodies flying in all directions, until there was no one left to face it but the steward. Grendel paused for a moment as the steward stubbornly placed his old body between the beast and the king, defying it to get past him. And then Grendel lashed out with a single clawed hand, and the old man rocked back on his feet as deep furrows opened up in his armoured chest. Blood coursed thickly down the length of his body, but he wouldn’t fall. He hacked at the beast with desperate strength, and Grendel actually fell back a step. The Steward seized his chance and rammed his sword into the beast’s heart.

For a moment they stood facing each other, eyes locked over the steward’s extended arm, and then Grendel forced its way along the blade and tore out the steward’s throat. When the old man finally fell, it was like a tree toppling. Grendel pulled the sword out of its breast and threw it to one side. Hrothgar rose stiffly to his feet, and king and beast confronted each other, staring steadily into each other’s eyes, as though everything that had gone before had been nothing but a prelude to this final meeting.

I was caught on the far side of the hall when Grendel appeared, and it took me some time to force my way through the confusion of heaving bodies. The mass slaughter was so swift most of it was over before I could get involved, and now the last of the warriors were standing very still, afraid to make any move in case it provoked the beast into attacking the king. I eased carefully between them, my witch knife in my hand. And that was when Amanda murmured in my ear, even though she was nowhere near me.

Not the athame, Jack. For this, you’re going to need a silver blade.

And with that final clue, I understood what was happening. Grendel could appear out of nowhere, in the middle of a crowd, because it was a werewolf. That was why no sword could stop it, and its wounds always healed. One of the people in the hall had been Grendel, all along. I put away my athame, and took a thin silver dagger from my pack.

I looked around for Princess Jann, but there was no sign of her anywhere. So many bodies were piled up on the blood-soaked floor I couldn’t tell which one of them was her. A cold rage moved through me, and my hand tightened on the hilt of the silver dagger as I raised my voice to yell at Grendel.

The long wolfish face turned away from the king. Everyone else hurried to get out of my way as I advanced on the beast. Grendel watched me approach, its eyes fierce and knowing. I breathed slowly and steadily, holding onto my self-control with both hands. I knew I’d only get one chance to avenge the Princess Jann, and all the others who had fallen.

And then Beowulf let out a deafening roar and charged across the hall. The beast’s head whipped round, and even as I started to lift my silver dagger Grendel went racing to meet Beowulf. The monster-killer’s sword came hammering down, and buried itself deep in the beast’s shoulder. The sheer impact drove Grendel down onto one knee, but the beast didn’t cry out. Beowulf jerked his sword free, and the terrible wound healed in a moment.

“You can’t kill it with steel!” I yelled. “You need silver!”

Beowulf dropped his sword, and pulled a silver knife from the top of his boot. Grendel lashed out with a clawed hand, and Beowulf just managed to duck under it. His silver blade leapt out to cut the beast’s throat, but Grendel jerked its head back at the last moment. The knife’s silver tip opened up a long thin cut across the beast’s face, and Grendel dropped to its knees, howling horribly. But it was Princess Jann who hit the blood-soaked floor.

For a moment, everything was still. The princess knelt before the shocked Beowulf, blood streaming down her wounded face. The king stared at her. Beowulf stood over the princess, his silver blade raised for a killing blow . . .  And then he slowly lowered his hand.

“I can’t,” he said. “Not you.”

“You have to,” said Jann.

“No,” said Beowulf. “There has to be another way.”

He opened his hand and let the silver dagger fall to the floor. Grendel burst out of the princess, and threw itself at Beowulf’s throat. He got an arm up just in time, and blood spurted as the beast’s fangs sank deep into the muscle. Grendel forced Beowulf down onto the floor, jerked its jaws free, and went for his throat again. And I stepped in behind the beast and drove my silver dagger through its ribs and into its heart. Because I was the Outsider, and I have always known my duty.

Grendel reared up, and then fell back against me. Its weight would have pinned me to the floor, but it was Jann who landed on top of me, with my dagger protruding from her ribs. I held her in my arms, and murmured comfortingly to her. She snuggled wearily against me, like a sleepy child. And then she died.

I pulled out the dagger, gently lowered Jann’s body to the floor, and got to my feet. The hall was silent. The few remaining warriors stared silently at their dead princess.

“It all makes sense now,” I said. “Jann’s closeness to the wild animals of the marshland. Her long walks, in the only place she felt at home. She killed her own guards to lure the king here. He had to die, because she knew he was planning to drain the marshes and kill off all the local wildlife.” I shook my head. “The only thing I don’t understand is how she became a werewolf.”

Hrothgar stepped down from his throne, and came forward to join me. He looked small and lost and broken.

“She always did take more after her mother, than me.”

I looked at him, and a great many things suddenly made sense.

“You knew,” I said. “You knew all along.”

“I suspected,” he said. “But what could I do? She was my daughter, my only child. None of this was her fault. Grendel . . . was her mother’s rage. I promised Fritha that if she gave me a child, I would make her my queen. But how could I? She wasn’t human.”

“So what did you do?” I said.

“I killed her,” said the King. “And buried her body in the marshes. That’s why I had to banish Amanda, so she would never find out what I’d done. But something called my daughter back to the marshlands, and brought out the beast in her.” He knelt down, and took his dead daughter in his arms. “All my fault. All of it.”

Beowulf came over to stand beside me, pale-faced but steady as he tightened a length of cloth around his savaged arm.

“You did what needed doing, Jack. What none of us could have done.”

“I wanted to save her,” I said.

“You did,” said Beowulf. “You saved her from the curse of being Grendel.”

I looked around and saw understanding in the eyes of those who’d survived, but no forgiveness. I had killed their princess. Amanda came over to stand beside me.

“Time to go, Jack.”

We headed for the door. No one tried to stop us.


Outside, darkness covered the marshes. The stars were out, and a crooked moon shed shimmering light across the standing waters. A cold wind was blowing, sharp enough to cut to the bone. I didn’t look at Amanda, as we walked away from the hall.

“If this is what magic does to the world, I don’t want anything to do with it.”

“You can’t have the light without the dark,” said Amanda. “I showed you this because I needed you to be sure that I’m not hiding anything from you. But think on this, Jack . . . It was the threat of Grendel that brought those people together, and made them brave enough to fight a monster. It made them heroes. That’s what monsters are for.”

“Most of those people are dead!”

“I never promised you paradise, Jack, just a better world. Where monsters can be killed.”

“You knew Jann was Grendel.”

“I knew her mother,” said Amanda, looking out over the marshes. “I should never have put Hrothgar and Fritha together, but she wanted a child as much as he did. And I was so much younger then, and thought I knew everything.”

“So you brought me here to kill the child you created,” I said.

“Together, we put an end to the curse of Grendel. So no more innocent people would have to die. Most importantly, now you know that you are a man who can do what’s necessary.”

“Get me out of here,” I said. “Take me somewhere better.”

“I can do that,” said Amanda.


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Framed