“It is a very generous offer. Do not ponder it long.”
With that, Andronicus turned and stormed off.
The Silesians all gradually turned and looked back at each other.
Srog stepped forward.
“Fellow Silesians!” boomed Srog, to a huge, growing crowd of warriors, looking more serious than Kendrick had ever seen him. “Andronicus has attacked our very finest, our most cherished leader. The daughter of our beloved king MacGil, and a great Queen in her own right. He has attacked each and every one of us. He has tried to put a stain on our honor—but he has only stained his own!”
“AYE!” screamed the crowd, the men stirring, each grasping the hilts of their swords, fire in their eyes.
“Kendrick,” Srog said, turning to him. “What do you propose?”
Kendrick slowly looked into the eyes of all the men before them.
“WE ATTACK!” Kendrick screamed, fire in his veins.
The crowd screamed back in approval, a thicker and thicker crowd, fearlessness in their eyes. Each and every one of these people, he saw, was ready to fight to the death.
“WE DIE LIKE MEN, AND NOT LIKE DOGS!” Kendrick screamed again.
“AYE!” screamed back the crowd.
“WE WILL FIGHT FOR GWENDOLYN! FOR ALL OF OUR MOTHERS AND SISTERS AND WIVES!”
“AYE!”
“FOR GWENDOLYN!” Kendrick screamed.
“FOR GWENDOLYN!” the crowd screamed back.
The crowd roared in ecstasy, growing thicker with each passing moment.
With one final shout, they followed Kendrick and Srog as they led the way up the narrow landing, higher and higher, for Upper Silesia. The time had come to show Andronicus what the Silver was made of.
Dia berhenti, tersenyum.
“Ini tawaran yang sangat murah hati. Jangan merenungkannya lama. "
Dengan itu, Andronicus berbalik dan pergi.
Semua Silesia berangsur-angsur berbalik dan saling memandang.
Srog melangkah maju.
"Rekan-rekan Silesia!" Booming Srog, kepada kerumunan prajurit yang semakin besar, tampak lebih serius daripada yang pernah dilihat Kendrick. “Andronicus telah menyerang pemimpin terbaik kita, yang paling kita sayangi. Putri raja tercinta kita MacGil, dan seorang Ratu agung dalam haknya sendiri. Dia telah menyerang kita masing-masing. Dia telah mencoba untuk menodai kehormatan kita — tetapi dia hanya menodai dirinya sendiri! ”
"AYE!" Teriak kerumunan, para lelaki bergerak, masing-masing memegang gagang pedang mereka, menembak di mata mereka.
"Kendrick," kata Srog, menoleh padanya. "Apa yang kamu usulkan?"
Kendrick perlahan menatap mata semua pria di depan mereka.
"KAMI SERANGAN!" Teriak Kendrick, api di nadinya.
Kerumunan berteriak kembali menyetujui, kerumunan lebih tebal dan lebih tebal, tanpa rasa takut di mata mereka. Setiap orang di sini, dia melihat, siap bertarung sampai mati.
"KAMI MATI SEPERTI PRIA, DAN BUKAN SEPERTI ANJING!" Teriak Kendrick lagi.
"AYE!" Jerit balik kerumunan.
“KAMI AKAN BERPERANG UNTUK GWENDOLYN! UNTUK SEMUA IBU KAMI DAN SISTER DAN ISTRI! ”
"IYA!"
"UNTUK GWENDOLYN!" Teriak Kendrick.
"UNTUK GWENDOLYN!" Kerumunan itu berteriak.
Kerumunan meraung dalam ekstasi, tumbuh lebih tebal dengan setiap saat yang lewat.
Dengan satu teriakan terakhir, mereka mengikuti Kendrick dan Srog ketika mereka memimpin jalan ke pendakian yang sempit, lebih tinggi dan lebih tinggi, untuk Silesia Atas. Waktunya telah tiba untuk menunjukkan kepada Andronicus apa yang terbuat dari Perak.
