Early next morning, the people beside the river gathered to pray. Great-heart did not promise to return by noon. He said that the guards would bring news and asked the others to wait at the lodging as agreed.
Christiana watched her husband disappear around the bend, folding and refolding the cloth in her hands. Her daughter asked whether she was afraid. She said she was, then invited the child to help finish the rooms.
Near noon, a guard returned. The giant was still in the castle, and more doors were guarded than before. But the rescuers had heard someone answer from the cellar. The steps Chris and Hopeful had drawn were still there.
When the party found the side door, Despair shouted from within that they had no right to interfere. Great-heart did not argue about who had done wrong in the past. He demanded the release of the prisoners. The guards watched the surrounding ground and cleared the obstacles from the door.
As Promise turned the first lock, Despair rushed at them. Great-heart and his companions held him back while Honest helped the man they had found toward the doorway. The giant was so strong that his blows shook dust from above. Trying to seize the gate again, he trapped himself behind a falling heavy grating. The people outside secured it together until more guards arrived.
By this point in the report, Christiana realized she had not sat down once. She offered the messenger water and asked whether the prisoners could walk. The man was very weak, he said, and his daughter was injured too. The party was waiting for stretchers.
It was a long afternoon. Mercy read with the children. Ready-to-halt watched the river road. Christiana added wood to the fire and prayed for protection. Several times a thought came: If you really believed, you would stop asking whether they were back. Remembering the names in the mist, she kept asking for the promised news instead of treating that thought as a command.
At dusk, they heard wheels. Her husband’s coat was torn, and Honest had lost his hat. The man on the stretcher lay curled up. Beside him, Much-afraid clutched an old cloth and would let nobody take it.
Christiana placed warm water within reach. “This is your bed,” she said. “The door will not be locked. You may leave it open too.”
Much-afraid did not reply. She watched the doorway. Mercy propped it open and sat where she could be seen. Mr. Skill came from a neighboring lodging. The grown-ups followed his directions instead of crowding around the two people with questions about the castle.
Later, the guards removed the iron gates and broke up the ruined cells. They established a watch beside the meadow. Despair could no longer use the place to seize travelers. The stones did not vanish at a shout of victory. The clearing took several days.
Great-heart returned the key to Chris. Standing nearby, Christiana saw the dust on it. She also saw someone in the open room reach for a cup of water at last. She quietly closed her scroll and let him drink in peace.