les drew himself up and fixed Simon with an angry stare. "Curb your
tongue, Messire! You may be the Count de Gobignon, but you owe me the
respect due a king."

"You are not my king, thank God," Simon retorted. "My king, your
brother, King Louis, taught me that each and every man and woman on
earth is precious to God. That a king's duty is to care for his people,
not use them as if they were cattle."

"A good philosophy for the next world," said Charles scornfully.

"It is the philosophy by which your brother rules in this world," said
Simon fiercely. "And that is why everyone loves him. Not just his own
French subjects, but all Christians."

Charles's olive skin darkened to a purple shade. "Consider this,
Messire--when Louis last went to war he led a whole army to destruction
in Egypt. When I go to war, I lead my army to victory and the spoils of
a fair and prosperous kingdom. Louis was born a king. I made myself a
king. Now. Which of us is the better ruler? Answer me that."

Simon stared at Charles's engorged face and felt dizzy with triumph. Not
only had he lost all fear of Charles d'Anjou, but he had broken through
Charles's mask of regal authority and had provoked him to reveal his
naked envy of his brother.

He answered quietly, "You might conquer this whole world, and my
sovereign seigneur, King Louis, would still be a better king than you
are. And a better man."

Charles stared at Simon, his eyes huge and thick veins standing out in
his temples. Simon stared back, keeping himself outwardly calm, but
inwardly exulting in his new freedom.

_There is nothing I need prove to this man or to anyone else. I am
myself._

The last bond of loyalty between himself and Charles d'Anjou was broken.

The silence stretched on, until it seemed to Simon that this was the
longest moment of his life.

Charles blinked and let out several long breaths. "Ah, well. As God is
my witness, you and my brother are two of a kind. You deserve each
other." He shook his arms, which he had been holding rigid at his sides,
and reached up and tapped the crown down more firmly on his head.

_He lumps me with King Louis. He does not know the great honor he does
me._

Charles said, "I hope, for the sake of what we have been to each other,
that you will be discreet about what I have said to you. If you visit my
brother when you go back to France, you must not cause ill will between
him and me."

"I doubt that even if I wished to I cou