Chapter XII.
OF THE WARRING OF TWO COMPANIES, AND HOW YWAIN DID BATTLE FOR THE ONE OF THEM AGAINST THE OTHER.

Mark now that which I tell you concerning the Lady Aithne: for after the manner of minstrels I tell you both that which she knew herself and that which she knew not. First then she knew not, for all her magic, that this was a man of a strange fortune, and as it were born again by the casting away of his possessions: nor she knew not yet what her spirit and his spirit had perceived at first sight, each of other. But she knew in her heart darkly that he was either boon or bane to her, for of his coming she had been warned without words, as it will happen to those that have the gift: and this also darkly, that his looking and his speaking were both to her mind, whereby she was the more cast down at his breaking from her. And again she knew not wherefore he should wish to go, yet she could not choose but remember that he seemed to have some great purpose in his going; and upon a man’s face such purpose will show like beauty, so that even out of her pain there grew a sweetness, as fruit grows out of the wounding of a tree.

But Ywain thought not at all of her, neither darkly nor clearly, for he saw the banner upon the top of the bank and under it the two companies fighting. And they fought in a green ground before the gate of a city: and they that fought to keep the city were all of a likeness, armed every one in black armour, and their banner was of black with a golden tower upon it. But they that strove against them were furnished scantily and piecemeal, no two alike, save that every man of them had a sword in his hand, and upon his body a badge of a silver scutcheon with an eagle displayed therein, and though the badges were of one fashion yet they were of diverse colours.

Now when Ywain came to the top of the bank he saw the companies, and the city some deal beyond them, and he looked about him to see the boy, and saw nothing of him. But hard by there was a man there standing, the same that had blown upon the horn, and beside his feet upon the grass lay two naked swords. And as Ywain looked towards him he threw down his horn and took up the two swords, and the one of them he gave into Ywain’s hand, and the other he took by the hilt, and without a word said they two began running towards the banner, for it was some way from the bank thereto. And when they were come there where the banner was, Ywain saw that the companies had ceased from fighting and were standing apart: and they were glad to do so, as he guessed, by reason that the men of the Tower were weary and fordone with the burden of their armour, and as for the men of the Eagle they were beaten back, and there were many of them wounded and some dead men. But the battle in this manner standing still, there came forth a man of the Tower armed at all points, and he mocked the men of the Eagle for striplings and fools, and defied them to fight with him, man to man and one down another to come on. Then when Ywain heard those proud words it seemed to him as though the quarrel were his own quarrel and the scorn the scorn of his proper enemy: for he looked upon the company of the Eagle and saw them as men, enduring with weariness and pain, but those of the Tower he saw not as human flesh but as ironwork of artificers, multiplied according to one pattern, and without blood or mercy in them: and he hated them and the green earth went red before his eyes. Then again his blood changed, and his heart became hard and smooth and cool like the heart of oak: and he stooped slowly and took from a dead man the badge that he had worn, and made it fast upon him, and he threw down his cloak and in his left hand he took the knife that the hermit had given him, and in his right hand the sword. And he stepped forward until he came within five paces of his enemy, and the two companies drew near to watch the fighting, and the man of the Tower let close his visor and came on. And Ywain looked at him and saw how he moved him as one that bears a great weight and underprops it warily lest it fall over on this side or on that: and he remembered to have moved himself in like manner at end of day, when he was outwearied in the wars. And he laughed in his heart at the remembrance, for it seemed to him of good counsel. And in that moment he saw his enemy make at him to strike, and he caught the stroke upon his sword and put it by, and ran in upon him as dog runs in upon dog, and caught him by the throat and shook him one way with his arms and another way with his knee, and threw him down upon the ground.

Then the man of the Tower rolled heavily in his armour, that he might come to his knees and rise again, but in his rolling Ywain fell upon him and pressed him down, so that he grubbled in the earth with his visor as a swine grubbles with his snout. And Ywain held him so and leaned upon him: and he struggled with his legs a little, but no long time, for his breath left him. Then Ywain found the lace of his helm, and with the hermit’s knife he cut it, to recover him: and in the cutting of it he was aware of a great shouting and ramping all about him; and he looked up and saw that the men of the Eagle had run in upon those of the Tower even as he had run in upon his man, and had toppled them in like manner, and they were prising them open with their swords, whereby in short space they had them all unharnessed and disarmed.

Then Ywain got him to his feet, and the rest in like wise: and they of the Eagle gave the banner into Ywain’s hands and set him in the forefront, and they marshalled the men of the Tower as beaten men behind him, and so set forth with shouting towards the city.