He waved imperiously at the two water rats who had been holding the cloak aloft with their spears. “You’ve been with me since I left Redwall Abbey, right?”

The two stolid guards nodded silently. Mokkan leapt up, energy surging through him, and smiling and winking at the two dullards he clapped their backs heartily. “Tell me your names. Speak up, don’t be afraid!”

“Toolam, er, sire, er, Majesty!”

“Durrlow, your Majesty!”

The Marlfox paced a circle around both rats, looking them up and down approvingly. “Good honest soldiers, faithful and obedient, just what a King needs. Durrlow, you are now my Personal Adviser. Toolam, I promote you to be Commander of my army!” Adopting a look of mock sadness, he nodded at Wilce and Ullig. “Loyalty brings its rewards, you see. I always told you, never trust a vixen, and now look what Lantur has brought you to. Oh, don’t look so glum. I’ve found an important job for you both, so cheer up!”

The two water rats managed to put on uneasy smiles. Mokkan winked mischievously at them. “You can hang my beautiful tapestry for me. Hmm, let me see, that wall over there should do. Toolam, Durrlow, see to it that they hang it good and straight, use your spearbutts to chastise them if they don’t. Ullig, I’m sorry, my old friend, I can’t afford an untrustworthy Captain, so you’re back to being a rank-and-file soldier again. Wilce, you’ve had it too easy for long enough, it’s back into uniform for you, I’m afraid. Right, that’s that! I’m off to see what the cooks have prepared for my breakfast. I’m famished enough to eat a meal fit for a King. Fit for a King, good, eh? Hahahaha!”

Mokkan paused at the door and pointed to the slaves. “You’ll find that nothing escapes your new King’s notice. Work hard and well, I may free you from slavery and promote you to be soldiers in my army, tell your friends this. And you soldiers, if I find you to be slow and lazy, then I’ll take away your uniforms and make slaves of you, let your comrades know this. But remember this, all of you, even think of playing me false and you’ll find out the lake still possesses teeth. Make sure everybeast knows that!”

The door slammed, and the self-proclaimed King Mokkan could be heard trotting off down the sloping passage, laughing at the echo of his own voice. “I’m feeling hungry today, hungry! Hahahahaha!”

The slaves were left in a bewildered group by the door, murmuring quietly to each other.

“Never ’eard nothin’ like that in all the time I been ’ere.”

“Aye, he’s as mad as his mother was!”

“It must be the sudden power gone to his brain, I think.”

“Huh, I’d sooner be dead than serve a Marlfox as a soldier!”