There then sat Geoffrey at the banquet; and Christopher smiled on him,and said: "See now, lord, if I have not done as thou badest when thougavest me the treasure of Greenharbour, for I have brought the wolf-headsto thy helping and not to thy scathing. Do thou as much for me, and bethou a good earl to thy Lady and mine, and then shalt thou yet live and diea happy man, and my friend. Or else--"
"There shall be no else, Lord King," quoth Geoffrey; "all menhenceforth shall tell of me as a true man."
So they were blithe and joyous together. But a seven days thencewas the Allmen's Mote gathered to the wood-side without Meadhamstead,and thronged it was: and there Goldilind stood up before all the folk andnamed Sir Geoffrey for Earl to rule the land under her, and none gainsaidit, for they knew him meet thereto. Then she named from the baronageand knighthood such men as she had been truly told were meet thereto toall the offices of the kingdom, and there was none whom she named butwas well- pleasing to the folk; for she had taken counsel beforehand withall the wisest men of all degrees.
As for herself, all loved and worshipped her; and this alone seemedhard unto them, that she must needs go back to Oakenrealm in a few days:but when she heard them murmur thereat, she behight them, that once inevery year she would come into Meadham and spend one whole monththerein; and, were it possible, ever should that be the month of May. Sowhen they heard that, they all praised her, and were the more content.This custom she kept ever thereafter, and she lay in with her second son inthe city of Meadhamstead, so that he was born therein; and she named himto be King after her, to the great joy of that folk; and he grew up strongand well-liking, and came to the kingship while his mother was yet alive,and was a good man and well-beloved of his folk.
Before she turned back with her man, she let seek out Aloyse, andwhen she came before her, gave her gifts and bade her come back with herto Oakenham and serve her there if she would: and the damsel was glad,for there in Meadhamstead was she poor and not well seen to, whereas itwas rumoured of her that she had been one of the jailers of Goldilind.
When they came back to Oakenham, there they met Gandolf, Baron ofBrimside, now whole of his hurts, and the King greeted him kindly, anddid well to him all his life; and found him ever a true man.
Good thenceforward was the life of Child Christopher and Goldilind:whiles indeed they happed on unpeace or other trouble; but never did fairlove and good worship depart from them, either of each unto each, or ofthe whole folk unto them twain.
To no man did Christopher mete out worse than his deserts, nay, tomost far better he meted: no man he feared, nor hated any save thetormentors of poor folk; and but a little while abided his hatred of those,for it cut short their lives, so that they were speedily done with andforgotten. And when he died a very old man but one year after Goldilindhis dear, no king that ever lived was so bewailed by his folk as was ChildChristopher.