by Robert Adams
Draining off the last of his welcome cup, Hari stood and said, “Now, my lord, I’d like to tell of another matter. When the main barbarian force all but annihilated Captain Raikuh’s squadron, the captain was seriously wounded but still managed to stay on his horse for some little distance though pursued closely by a number of the savages. Finally, the pain and loss of blood so weakened him that he fell and the horse ran on without him. That horse came into my camp later that night; it was the first sign we had that ill had befallen Raikuh’s command.
“Raikuh says he was lying there, too weak even to feel for his dirk, hearing the approaching yells of the barbarians, when, suddenly, an Ahrmehnee woman stepped out of the forest onto the trail ahead of him. He says he tried to tell her to get back into hiding, but she just stood there serenely, ignoring him.
“Then the knot of shaggy riders swept around the turn, and Raikuh knew he’d fought his last battle. But then they stopped so suddenly that the leading ponies reared and several of the rear rank rode into them. All the while, the woman had just been standing in the trail, a few paces ahead of him, and he’d expected the shaggies to just cut her down and go for him.
“But they cast several darts, well over her head, then jerked their ponies’ heads about and rode out of there as if a regiment of dragoons had been on their tails; some of them were actually screaming. When their hoofbeats faded, the woman shouted something and another woman came out of the forest and the two of them came over to where Raikuh lay.
“At first they tried carrying him, but the weight was too much. So they put him down and, with what little help he could give them, got most of his armor off. Then they half carried and half dragged him into the forest and over a hill and into a little cave-really, just a deep rock overhang.”
Komees Hari spun a good tale. Aldora, the nahkhahrah, Senior Strahteegos Hahfos Djohnz, everyone within hearing, sat rapt. And Milo remembered the long centuries on the Sea of Grass, when Daiviz bards had been renowned as the best and most creative storytellers.
The inheritor of that ancient art continued. “Now, Raikuh’s been soldiering most of his life, and he’s near my own age, so he knows what death wounds look like and he knew he had at least two of them, knew that he’d not last the night. So when the older woman — the one what had faced down the barbarians — gave him something to drink, he figured it would be near his last drink.
“My lord, Raikuh swears his Sword Oath on what I’m going to tell you now, and he’s not a man to lie on his Sword. When he woke up, the Sun was shining and he not only wasn’t dead, he wasn’t even in very much pain! Somehow, my lord, that older woman — he’s pretty sure it was her, since the other’s but a girl and seems the elder’s helper — had got two iron dartpoints out of Raikuh’s vitals, while he slept, and had sewn up the flesh with sheepgut as neatly, I trow, as could any Zahrtohguhn physician.”
The High Lord nodded. “The Confederation owes those women a debt of gratitude. Captain Raikuh is a valuable officer and has served us well. I take it, Komees Hari, that those are the ones who rode in with your group. How did you come across them?”
“According to that damned map, my lord, we were too far west to hit the village where Duke Bili’d said we were to meet you if we headed straight north, so we backtracked down the trail we’d advanced up. We’d come up at a pretty fair rate of march, with point and flanks scouted by the cats. Well, all the cats went with Bili, so we marched slower and more careful coming back, and Sir Geros came across Raikuh’s armor and recognized it, since the two of them had been good friends for near on a year.
“When he reported his find to me, I knew the savages hadn’t gotten him, for they never leave hardly a scrap of anything except dead bodies on a field they win. So I fanned out parties to both flanks and we started looking for his corpse. A squad of Maidens stumbled onto the cave and explained the situation to the two women. And, my lord, that was that.”
“What has the nahkhahrah to say on this matter?” the High Lord inquired politely.
“There are a few wise women among the Ahrmehnee, Lord Milo.” Kohg had replied. “Never very many in any one generation. Since they conduct mostly women’s rites, few men know much concerning them. Few of these wise women ever marry, so they choose a girl from among whatever tribe they serve and train her to their craft. Though the wise women instruct midwives and tribal healers, they seldom perform such work themselves. Nonetheless, I have heard of some quite remarkable cures certain of them have wrought, over the years. It is said that they have the power to literally thrust their hands through flesh, without breaking the skin or drawing any blood, and remove tumors or foreign objects from the body. Understand me, Lord Milo, I’ve never seen it done, but I know that it has been done.”
Milo and Aldora exchanged a glance, then he addressed Komees Hari. “I’d like to meet this wise woman, Hari. Have her sent for.”
The old nobleman smiled. “I thought my lord might She awaits his pleasure in the next chamber.”
Milo guessed the age of the woman Hari ushered in at something under forty. He thought, too, that she must have been a raving beauty at twenty; even now, she was a handsome, high-breasted creature. Nor did she appear abashed in this august gathering. She strode gracefully at Hari’s side, seemingly oblivious of her rumpled, travel-stained garments, the ghost of a smile rugging at her full, dark-red lips. Her black eyes locked briefly with the nahkhahrah’s and Milo saw the old man start as if stabbed, but neither spoke and Milo felt it impolitic to pry.
Then her sloe-black gaze met Milo’s and he found her mindspeak as powerful as his own. “Zehpoor greets you, Ageless One. I am glad that the Ahrmehnee are no longer your enemies. But, friend or foe, I can tell you nothing of my Powers or of how they be wrought. For this be woman’s magic, not men’s, and it is not Our Lady’s will that I betray my Sacred Vows to Her . . . at least not those Vows regarding healing.”
“I respect both your oaths and your silence, my lady.” beamed Milo. “But —”
The smile fully flowered as she silently interrupted. “But still are you rabid for more knowledge of my Powers, Milo of Morai. It is our Lady’s will that you shall have that knowledge — all that knowledge — but not of my revealing, not directly. The Lady Mara, that lovely, Ageless Ehleen woman you consider wife, will receive of me and transmit to you, since she is not Avowed.
“You will do much of good with that knowledge, both in this land and in that land to which you will, one day, lead the distant descendants of those who now serve you.”
A strong shudder coursed through Milo’s every fiber and he felt an icy prickling on his nerve ends. Aldora had been receiving as well, and now she mindspoke him.
“Yes, Milo, I feel it too. That eerieness, it . . . it’s as if dear old Blind Hari of Krooguh were speaking through her lips.” Then she beamed to the woman, saying, “When did you scan our futures, my lady, and why?”
Zehpoor answered readily. “No shade of a sightless Man of Powers speaks through me, Ageless Lady, nor did I purposely scan your futures. Rather did Our Lady reveal to me the future of the girl, Pehroosz, whom She led to my keeping. The threads of that future and of the futures of her children’s children’s children are closely tied to those of you Ageless Ones.” She paused, then added, “But of these things, too, Milo of Morai, you will know when it is Her will that you know.”
Milo’s lips smiled thinly and fleetingly. “All right, Lady Zehpoor, I’ll await the pleasure of your goddess on the bulk of these matters, but at least show me how you, a lone and unarmed female, managed to scare the wits out of the Muhkohee. According to the nahkhahrah, here, their ilk doesn’t take fright easily.”
Though Drehkos’s mindspeak was daily strengthening, it still was not on a par with those deathless two who had used it for hundreds of years, nor was it a match for that of the gifted Zehpoor, therefore he had received only bits and pieces of the silent exchanges and was utterly unprepared for what followed.
The lissome figur
e of the drably clad woman wavered before her audience. Then, all in the blinking of an eye, she was replaced by the awesome form of a monstrous bear, looming threateningly over Komees Hari, who was momentarily petrified with shock. Huge and horrible, black as nightmare, the sow bear stood on hind legs thick as treetrunks. Yellowish fangs gnashed and baleful red eyes flashed pure, blood-lusting menace from that gigantic head which brushed the very ridgepole — more than twelve feet above the floor. The apparition shuffled slowly forward, the long, needle-tipped claws of the forepaws lowering relentlessly toward Hari.
On the other side of the table, only the nahkhahrah had remained in his chair. Even Milo and Aldora, who had been expecting something of the sort, found themselves on their feet, steel bared, standing crouched to receive the attack.
But not so Drehkos! He was up and over the table, both sword and dirk out. His shoulder struck his brother with force, knocking him prone. “Get under the table, Hari!” he snapped. “It can’t really harm me, but it can kill you.” Then he sent the heavy dirk spinning straight for one of those satanic eyes, ducked under the threatening forepaws, and —
The bear was gone and Drehkos’s sword was stabbing the air above the head of Zehpoor. The close bond which had been the brothers’ from boyhood to the rebellion had resumed from that hour.
Therefore, as they rode down from the mountains, Hari greeted Drehkos warmly, unabashed by the knowledge that this man, his younger brother, was immortal. “Come slumming, have you?” he joshed. “You’ve then tired of the life of an Undying God, already? What’ll you do for your next fifty-odd years, brother mine?”
Drehkos did not return the smile. “Both Milo and Aldora tried to farspeak Bili last night, Hari, and they could neither of them range his mind. And that bodes ill. That bodes exceedingly ill. Who is Bili’s heir? Djef Morguhn, isn’t it?”
“No, Drehkos.” Hari sighed. “Young Djef died at the siege of Morguhn Hall, last year. Tchahrlee be next eldest, and he be already holding the duchy as deputy thoheeks . . . but, dammit, Drehkos, I can’t tell you why, but . . . but I just don’t think Bili’s dead.”
Drehkos made the Sun-sign before his face. “I pray Sacred Sun you be right, brother Hari.”
Hari reached over to touch Drehkos’s skin and mindspoke on a strictly personal level. “And, Undying Brother, I am not alone in my faith in Bili’s ability to survive. Last night, Sir Geros Lahvoheetos and Pawl Raikuh rode southwest, along with fourscore Freefighters of the old Morguhn Troop, twice that number of warriors of the Soormehlyuhn Tribe and thirty-four of the Moon Maidens who rode north with me.
“I’m prepared to swear that I knew nothing of their intended desertion until they were long gone, Drehkos. Candidly, however, I did all I could to see them well provided, well armed and well mounted. And they know, too, that they ride with my blessing. Sun and Wind grant those brave men success, I say, for Duke Bili is a man in a million, Steel keep him.”
Chapter XII
It had been full night before Kogh and Zehpoor had had the opportunity to find a place apart. His first words were simple and blunt.
“It is really you then, Zehpoor Frainyuhn?” She had smiled a little sadly. “Yes, father-in-law-who-might-have-been, I am Zehpoor of the Tribe of Frainyuhn, daughter of Kehroon. How . . . how is Behdrohz, your son?”
“He is dead these twenty years, child, killed on a raid against the Duhnkin Stahn. They all told him that you were dead, Zehpoor. Your father showed him your grave. Why were we so deceived?”
The woman hung her head, half-whispering. “I am so very sorry, Der Kogh, so very very sorry. But my poor father had no choice. Mother Djainoosh announced suddenly that she had chosen me. She would not relent even when she was told it was your son I was promised to. What else could my father do?”
His arm went about her shoulders in a gentle embrace. “Nothing but what he did do, child. Do not grieve, I understand, and I am certain that my fine, brave Behdrohz would have, too. I can but regret that he is not here to see how lovely is that woman I choose to bear my grandchildren. The Taishyuhns would have made you both welcome and happy, Zehpoor.”
The lamplight glinted from her hair as she raised her head. “And does that welcome still stand, nahkhahrah?. A faint smile tugged at her lips. “Would still Zehpoor Frainyuhn be made happy in the Taishyuhn Tribe?”
“Why . . . why, of course, child, if you wish to give up your Vows. I have no sons left to wed you, but the winter has been hard and there are certain widowers . . .” His high forehead crinkled in concentration. “Let’s see, there is a man, a hetman of a large, prosperous village. He is a raider of some renown and his house is rich with his spoils. Though he was one of my Behdrohz’s cronies, age sits lightly on him and he is a strong and lusty man, he —”
She shook her head forcefully. “Not good enough.”
“Well.” the nahkhahrah tugged at his earlobe, “he’s not a Taishyuhn, but I know of a dehrehbeh who recently lost a wife. But he be an older man.”
Pushing herself away from him, she gazed levelly into his eyes. “It is not right that I should toy with you; credit the fact that I have to my woman’s nature.
“On the night of the day the Bahrohnyuhn girl came to me, all bruised and ravaged by the lowlander raiders, I put her to the healing sleep and saw to her hurts. Then I ate the Sacred Plant and sojourned with Our Lady. She allowed me to see the futures She willed, among them my own.
“Kogh Taishyuhn, Our Lady wills that I repay old debts, so far as I now can. I am to remain faithful to all my Vows, save one. She will preserve me in my Powers only if I give the virginity, once pledged to her, to the dehrehbeh of the Taishyuhn Tribe.”
“Zehpoor, child, I am a very old man. That son of mine to whom you were betrothed was the last child ever I sired, and his mother was the third wife I buried. His sister, who has ordered my house and slaves for about fifteen years, is herself almost old enough to be your mother, so it is most doubtful that 1 can quicken you, as a good husband should.”
She just smiled. “That doesn’t matter, Kogh Taishyuhn.”
“Of course it matters, Zehpoor. What use is a marriage if it does not produce children? Our Lady would be the first to —”
She continued to shape her lips in a smile, but her voice hardened perceptibly. “You have often spoken for Her, Kogh Taishyuhn, but you do not now. I speak Her will, Her desires, Her commands, this time. I am to render up to you that which was long ago promised your tribe, not because I so desire, but because I am so bidden. As regards age, I am no spring chicken, Kogh, and I cannot say that I honestly wish to undergo a carriage and birthing, especially not a first one, at my age. But I am Hers and must bow to Her Holy Will. You, too, are Hers, Kogh, by your man’s rites, and you must add your own submission to mine.”
“But who.” the nahkhahrah demanded stubbornly, “is there to marry us? There now is no Taishyuhn older than am I.”
She nodded once. “True, Kogh, true. But the stahn is wisely become part of a larger stahn. And the nahkhahrah of this Confederation has at least ten times your moons.”
Again would he have spoken, but she raised a finger. “No, Kogh, husband-to-be, hear me out. This Milo of Morai will say the words, taking those words and the proper usages from your mind. We will be joined three days hence, in the splendor of Her Newness.
“And soon, shortly after Her next Newness, you will perform the rites for Pehroosz Bahrohnyuhn and him who is war chief of the Ageless One’s hosts. And the issue of that marriage will heap glory and honor upon both Confederation and Ahrmehnee Stahn, though we two will not live to see.”
And he was too wise a man to think his stubbornness could prevail over the will of the Goddess. He bowed his snowy head and made the Moon-sign. Then he took the woman’s head between his hands and pressed his lips tenderly to each closed eyelid, then to the full lips. Sitting back, he ritually squeezed her two breasts, then thrust his left hand far up beneath her skirt to make the Sacred Sign upon her pudenda.
“Give it to the dehrehbeh of Frainyuhn, Kogh, and tell him to equally divide it among my living brothers, keeping a share for himself.” She extended a hand to touch him, then slowly and gingerly kneaded the swelling, throbbing flesh beneath her fingers. Smiling again, but now with a hint of mischief, she said, “Ah, Kogh, Kogh, I fear you have exaggerated your aged infirmity.”
He returned her smile, placed his own hand over hers. “You are a lovely woman, Zehpoor, well formed and pleasing to both sight and touch.” He hooked an arm about her waist and drew her closer to him, his other hand commencing another foray beneath her skirt For a moment, she seemed to melt, then she tore away from him and came to her feet in one lithe movement Her face flushed and, her high breasts rapidly rising and falling, her laughter trilled. “Oh, no, my Kogh, there’ll be no sampling of the viands today. You . . . and I, too . . . must wait for the feast.”
When informed of the coming nuptials, the younger Ahrmehnee warriors immediately embarked on a full-scale hunt for game. Thoheeks Hwahltuh Sanderz-Vawn and his bored clansmen joined in with a will, as did most of the civilian nobles and such Freefighters as attended them. But Milo doubted they would bag much, the winter having been both long and hard and the environs of the stahn much disturbed through movements of large bodies of troops and endless foragings. Therefore, he contributed a score of the herd of cattle he had had driven up from the lowlands, several hogsheads of wheaten flour, and ten full pipes of wine, plus many sacks of cornmeal and beans, dried fruits and vegetables, casks of cheeses and honey and salt, as well as barrel on barrel of that Confederation Army staple, shredded cabbage pickled with turnip and radish slices and garlic.
