The Brothers Lionheart

” I cried. “No, no!”

But then he was already by me, and he threw his arms around me.

Jonathan did, for it was him!

“Don’t you recognize your own brother?” he said as I struggled against him. he pulled me over to the window so that I could see him properly, and yet I could hardly believe it was Jonathan. He was unrecognizable. Because he was ugly. Uglier than me, even, and certainly not a “remarkably handsome youth.” His hair was hanging down in wet strips and wasn’t shining like gold, and he had stuffed a peculiar limp of snuff under his upper lip. I didn’t know anyone could become so ugly with so little. He looked funny. I would have laughed if there had been time, but Jonathan clearly had no time for anything.

“Quick, quick!” he said. “I must leave at once. The man from Karmanyaka will be here any minute.”

He held out his hand toward Mathias.

“Give me the tag,” he said. “For I’m sure you’ll give both your horses to Tengil with great pleasure, won’t you?”

“Yes, what do you think?” said Mathias, pressing the tag into his hand.

Jonathan put it into his pocket.

“I have to show that at the gateway, “ he said. “Then the Senior Guard will know I’m not lying.”

It all happened so quickly. We saddled the horses faster than ever before, while Jonathan told us how he had got in through the great gateway, because Mathias wanted to know.

“It was simple,” said Jonathan. “I gave the password that Rusky had taught me---’All power to Tengil, our liberator’---and then the Senior Guard said: ‘Where have you come from, where are you going, and what is your errand?’ ‘From Karmanyaka to Mathias’s Farm to fetch two horses for Tengil,’ I said. ‘Pass, then,’ he said. ‘Thank you,’ I said. And here I am. But I must get back through the gate before the next Tengilman comes and wants to get in; otherwise things will be difficult.”

We got the horses out of the stable faster than I can say, and Jonathan swung himself up onto Grim’s saddle, holding Fyalar by the reins beside him.

“Look after yourself, Mathias,” he said.