“Thanks, toute hole!” said Ocker with a clack of his beak and a glance at Neron.
Meri trotted down hill with the ball and began throwing aside an accumulation of tumbleweed from a rill which ran downhill in the red dirt.
“Hey Meri!” awked Ocker. What's up?”
Meri pointed at the sky, scarcely pausing at his cleaning out tumbleweed.
“No!” said Ocker, leaping into a glide down the slope to land by him. “I mean what are you doing?”
Meri uncovered the top of a brick well and heaved aside its sandstone lid. “Ther,” he said. “This heere the depest welle Ich can of ybe. Hit gooth doun to the Alkaly Ryver, which is the gretteste undergrounde ryver in the woreld. Heere gooth.” he pitched in the skinweler, bag and all.
“I might be able to make the well collapse with my stick,” said Ocker.
“No neede,” said Meri. “That alkaly water wol the flessh off thine arme to eten.”
Neron got down the slope in time to see the ball go in. At that moment, Ocker glanced up to catch a look in Neron's eye that gave him a shudder as he opened his feathers with a shake and sleeked down.
“Lat us thanne to ga,” said Meri grandly. “No wicches so fer.”
Ocker couldn't quite look back at Neron, who was following. This would have to be a tidbit for Meri, right soon.
***
It was not a bad night to be crossing the open grasslands of Gollmoor southeast of Castlegoll. The full moon had just cleared the eastern horizon, making it easy to see, and there was not a single cloud to mask the sea of stars above. Here and there larks tinkled. Moorwolves howled in the distance as one hundred and ninety-seven Gwaelian regulars tramped through the grass without a word, sounding like half as many cattle with chain mail and dangling scabbards. Captain Nist had led his men due west when they left the mercenary camp. When they were well out of sight, he turned and led them straight south- east. After a long march through the dry grass, they came to a good stretch with tussocks of rushes, canary grass and cattails which had probably been covered with standing water in the spring. Eventually they found themselves following a meandering stream. At the edge of a willow thicket he ordered his men to make camp. There were to be no fires.
“I know you all are wondering where we're headed and why we've parted ways with the mercenaries,” he said, addressing them before giving the order to have a short sleep. “First, let me tell you that if any one of you is more comfortable following the reaper witch queen's orders to go to Niarg, I won't stop you if you leave right now. Stand up to be counted if you're leaving.” For a long spell, the only sounds were the breeze in the willows and the distant cackling of a burrowing owl.
“Well good then,” he said at last. “I'm not only delighted that you all stayed, I'd think that whoever tried to high tail it back would have one dampnya hard time keeping from getting lost out in the grass.
“We shall only travel by night,” he said. “Therefore after a couple of hours rest, we'll go on and stop at sunrise. I want to make straight south-east for now. Sooner or later, we should see mountains in the east. We want to find the southern foothills of the Enchanted and Fairy Mountains and make for the town of Fairy Valley Junction, further east. When we get there, we can commandeer boats to take us down the Fairy River to Gollsport where we're supposed to have two spare ships, the two small ones.
“We shall set sail at once for home. This is not cowardice. We're not running away from our duties as soldiers of the crown of Gwael. We are in fact taking to King Vortigern our reports of the mad witch who marched us to our destruction in spite of our better judgment and murdered General Cunedda right before our eyes in her ill planned determination to conquer the world. Once our king is made aware of all this, we will see his orders done, even if it means giving our lives.
“We sleep until the moon gets to right up there. He who keeps watch will not have an opportunity to sleep. Volunteers?”
***
Spitemorta and Demonica silently appeared with their loaded wagons of skinweleriou directly behind two soldiers who were guarding the stairway which climbed up Pilar Paleys. Demonica raised an eyebrow as she looked at Spitemorta.
“Wake up, dolts!” shouted Spitemorta.
Both guards jumped and wheeled about in a terrible start, one of them whacking the other with the butt of his pike, to find Spitemorta by herself, perched on one of her pair of wagons.
“Idiots!” she bellowed. “Go fetch me six armed men to help you guard these wagons if you don't want to be punished. Now!”
“Now they are indeed great fun when surprised like that, dear,” said Demonica as the pair dashed out of sight, “but must I...?”
“Fun? Just what kind of fun are two fools?”
“My dear Rouanez Bras. Fools are great fun when you're capable of appreciating their antics. And I'm afraid that yours demand that I remind you all over again that you'll never have their loyalty nor their respect if you don't make them think that you appreciate them. If you can't manage that, the day may come when they abandon you at the very moment you need them.”
“I have no time to coddle soldiers, Grandmother. If they need endless praise and encouragement, then they aren't the men I need to win this war. And wasn't it you who insisted how fierce they were? The best in the world, didn't you say?”
“As usual, dear you are missing the point. Respecting and appreciating someone for performing a service you need is hardly coddling. Coddling is what you used to do to that handsome husband of yours before he betrayed you.”
“Damn you!” she shrieked. “Get out of here!”
Demonica's laughter rang out in the empty air as she vanished. A woman coming her way quickly steered her two children into the shrubbery. Boots trotted down the wooden steps of Pilar Paleys.
“Your Majesty!” called out Coel as he switched from trot to walk at the bottom of the steps. “Good morning. Well afternoon, I guess. Your soldiers are on the way, right now...”
“They wasted the time, going all the way up to see you? I gave strict orders!”
“I don't doubt it in the least, particularly seeing the look on your face, but am I not to advise you on military matters?”
“What, then?” she said, rolling her eyes.
“Well, we have a chain of command, Your Majesty, and had they just run off to do your bidding, they'd have been in violation of orders. That would be serious stuff for them. They had to clear it with me. But they had their tongues a-hanging out to carry out your orders.”
Spitemorta had a very dark look as she ran her tongue to the back of her cheek.
“I'm sorry that I've already had dinner, but how about some tea? I've just sent for fresh pastries.”
“You're actually serious about having me abandon these wagons, aren't you?”
“Well here come your guards.”
“What are they?” said Spitemorta as she gave an irritated sigh and held out her hand to be helped down.
“Gwaelian mercinaries... Oh! You mean the pastries? I don't know.”
Spitemorta gave a great suffering roll of her eyes.
***
Spitemorta stared out across the rooves of the houses of Niarg to the bright blue Orin Ocean beyond as she wiped her mouth and parked her napkin.
“Well,” said Coel. “They weren't half bad were they?”
“What ever they were.”
“Plum muffins...buns, something,” he said, “and they were indeed several hours cold, weren't they?”
Spitemorta sighed.
“So these balls we're guarding downstairs, Your Majesty,” he said as he put a spot of milk into his cup, “Are they the very same sort which you and Demonica addressed us with when we first landed here?”
“Bravo,” she said, giving three or four claps.
“Well now, I can recognize sarcasm when I see it, Your Majesty. But you know, every bit of the point of it just went right past me...”
“And I'm supposed to be surprised?”
“I doubt that,” she said, looking right pleased with herself.
Coel squinted.
“There's obviously no need to go doing that,” she said. “The handful of regulars and the other mercenaries will be here within a fortnight. Then, you immediately bring both armies to Loxmere Castle.”
“And we start the campaign north at once?”
“Just as we already discussed, General,” she said as if he were a youngster who had difficulty listening. “I get settled in at Loxmere, and then you bring the numbers we talked about.”
“Well I did have that straight, but what about your two wagonloads of balls?”
She was on her feet at once, pacing about the room, tapping her chin. “I want one skinweler for you and one for each of your officers, and the rest of one wagonload distributed throughout Niarg. And your men will instruct the people who get them to be ready to watch their skinweleriou each morning at ten, when I give my daily address. Is that quite clear to you?”
“Quite, yes. But I thought that you wanted every one of the soldiers except for the ones out searching for your daughter and the ones left to oversee the building of your castle to go to Loxmere the moment Cunedda and the rest of them got here.”
“Oh go on!” she said with an incredulous look. “Surely you can handle this in the fortnight you're waiting. And since it seems I have to tell you: start now.”
“And I suppose you'll be instructing my officers and me on how to use the balls, then?”
“Look,” she said with a sigh. “Skinweleriou are not ordinary crystal balls. You don't need magic powers to use them. The person you see and hear in the ball can see and hear you. Just hold your ball and tell it whom you wish to see. Once your ball knows you, it'll be yours for good and will not allow anyone else to use it. Understood?”
“So what about the other wagonload? Are they for Cunedda and Goll?”
“That wagon goes with me to Loxmere. We'll take a number of balls with us on our campaign to leave in the towns. In time, I'll get more from my catroptrolite mine on the Dark Continent. And yes, you'll need to save out enough balls for the officers coming from Castlegoll, before you distribute any to the countryside. Now see me out, if you would.”
Chapter 169
Lukus paused to listen to the rain of clicks and squawks from the oilbirds in the countless chinks and ledges throughout the gargantuan vault of cave ceiling over Gerddi Teg, kept daylight bright by glow lichens. He threw his panniers across Starfire's rump, checked Shimmer's girth and went back inside the cottage he and Soraya had spent the summer in.
“Your bags ready?” he said, hefting Soraya's tightly packed panniers. “
“Tied tight and buckled,” she said from the next room.
“I guess I'm asking if we're forgetting anything,” he said.
“We can't be,” she said, walking in. “We're still here, and nothing's ever forgot until you get down the road and remember.”
“Yea. like one of the kids, or something.”
“No worry then,” she said with her serious face. “Grandfather would send us right back.”
“And not wait for us to catch up again.”
“Nope!” she said, erupting with laughter. “Not after we forget our own baba.”
“You are the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen when you laugh,” he said, scooping her into a sound hug. “And you've been mighty sober lately.”
“Yea,” she said, standing arm in arm with him as they looked out the open door. “It's kind of hard to leave a peaceful place after what we've been through. And the thought of being out in the open with Daniel and Ariel makes me feel, well, exposed.”
Lukus watched Abaddon in the yard, playing dragon and giving rides to Daniel and Ariel. “You know, they could really get hurt,” he said.
“From piggyback rides?” she said. “His piggyback rides? He is the gentlest boy I ever saw play with little kids, especially with Ariel.”
“They could still get hurt.”
“What is this?” she said. “The worst that would happen from some unlikely stupidity of his would be nothing more than a scrape or a knot on the head of one of them. And you're not stupid, so why is this bothering you?”
“I know he has been good with them, but he is Spitemorta's son...”
“And King James's. And I've not heard you say anything but good about James.”
“And Abaddon is very magically gifted. He's been good all summer, but what if he surprises us and turns out like the rest of his line back through Demonica? That's a dark lineage.”
“Daniel and Ariel trust him...”
“So what?” he said, as he quietly pushed the door most of the way closed. “Children don't have the experience and judgment to keep from being taken in by some...”
“Human children. And ours are half Elf, actually better than half, since you have Elf behind you...”
“But lately he finds a way to be here every single day. For a boy his age, isn't that...?”
Soraya put her finger to his lips, kissed him on the cheek and closed the door. “I just became certain of something this very day,” she said, turning back to him.
“My word, what?”
“Ariel and Abaddon have a heart bond.”
“Fates! What if he's evil?”
“I suppose it's possible, but I've never ever heard of a heart bond between Elf and an evil...”
“When did it happen? Are you certain?”
“No one knows when a heart bond actually begins, Lukus,” she said as she took his hand. “I mean, when did ours begin? But it is completely out of anyone's control, as you well know. And I'm so very sorry you're troubled by this. I think Abaddon's simply wonderful and I can't imagine that he would ever harm either one of them.”
“I hope you are right. Because if he ever does, I swear I'll fix him.”
“And with my help, dear,” she said.
“There goes Arwr,” said Lukus.
Abaddon shot to his feet at once, whistling and waving his arms.
Arwr came to a springy halt some distance away and jogged back.
Abaddon wheeled about and scooped Ariel off the ground, giving her a grand giggly hug before setting her back down. “Bye Ariel!” he cried before dashing through the gate. “Bye Daniel!”
“Abaddon!” cried Ariel, trotting to the gate.
Abaddon stopped and turned back. “We'll be together before the day's over!” he hollered with a wave.
“See you!” she cried with a great bounce of her curls as he dashed away and sprang astride Arwr. She stood waving until Abaddon and Arwr had vanished between the cottages across the common.
Soraya squeezed Lukus's arm as she put her head against his shoulder.
***
Presently they found themselves climbing the great stairway, Lukus and Daniel on Starfire and Soraya and Ariel astride Shimmer. When the unicorns stepped through the moss and over the mushrooms and into the desert air with Lukus and Soraya happily holding hands, Vyrpudi the troll grinned and waved a shackled arm at Lukus.
When Lukus replied with a cheery: “Good morning Vyrpudi!” he felt Soraya go tense. With a warning to the twins to stay mounted, he handed the unicorn's reins to Vyrpudi and walked Soraya to the far side of Ocker and Urr-Urr's tree.
“What is this?” she said quietly.
“I felt you stiffen up when I spoke to Vyrpudi...” he said.
“Why wouldn't I?”
“Of course! You have every reason to. We stopped him when he was on his way to roast you on a spit. He's from a long line of Elf eating trolls. Now just think about that for a minute.”
“My word! Why should I need to?”
“Well, because that's exactly how I feel about Abaddon. Arwr, bless his feathers, has seen to it that I've come to like Vyrpudi. I really do. But you're not sure you should
, right? And you and Ariel and Daniel like Abaddon, and I'm not sure that I should.” And with that, he kissed her hand and walked her back to find Vyrpudi with his tongue up a nostril, making faces for the giggling twins.
***
Fuzz and Rose dressed in the feeble early light to the languid creaking of timbers. They climbed the steps into the light and the steady sweep of gentle wind across the deck. They stepped around a muttering sailor, already on his hands and knees with a bucket and brush, scrubbing.
“Ha!” said Rose as they leant against the railing. “We got up here without Carrey and Sidoor on our heels. They're still asleep.” She turned to face the wind and the cloudless horizon in the east. “Look Fuzz. The very first sliver of sun.”
“Makes you squint,” he said.
“What kind of bird is that after the gull yonder, Fuzz? That brown one.”
“It might be a skua. I think I've heard them called that...”
“Look! It just took that fish from the poor gull,” she said. “Say! Why are we suddenly seeing birds?”
“Just those two. Well. I've been hearing them talking about land not being very far off. With birds and wind straight at our stern, I'll bet it's no more than a day or two.”
“Well it has been about three weeks, hasn't it? We really are going to make it home after all...”
“Carrey and Sidoor are awake,” said Fuzz. “Here they come.”
Sidoor skidded across the wet deck, catching his balance.
“Damn you stinking fowl!” cried the sailor, flinging his brush at Sidoor. “Dirty feet right through where I mopped!”
The birds fuzzed up their neck feathers, dancing wide of the sailor and crowding up to the railing beside Rose and Fuzz.
“Ship!” came the cry from above the top yard. “Stern side! Three league! On the horizon!”
“I don't see any ship,” said Rose.
“It's there,” said Fuzz. “It's just beyond sight from down here.”
Rose leant into Fuzz's ear. “Why is every single eye on deck looking right at us?” she said quietly. “Look.”
“Beats me,” he said with a quick glance about. “I thought that they had gotten used to the birds by now.”
Heart of the Staff - Complete Series Page 179
