Airar thought a moment, riding between the trunks, and from behind came a bump and a laugh as one of the freefishers, poor horsemen still for all their long riding up through Hestinga, fell off his horse. A bird flew across their path; Evadne made a motion with her hand like the curve of its flight and hummed three notes. At last he said; "Why, this is a question for Doctor Meliboe, is't not? And one I meant to ask him no longer ago than last night. A deep matter. Yet here's how I'd read it, if read it I must: that the more part of these men are sottish, with no more spirit nor desire of renown than—than—"
"Than what, good frog?"
But Airar's mind had suddenly jumped to his father and how the old man had even praised Vulking dealings as honest and honorable, making all equal and to all giving the chance to rise high in the service of the realm; holding the realm and the race themselves high, free from the pollution of blood of Micton or Carrhoene.— They hold the future, old Alvar used to say, and we must follow it; our race cannot stay fixed no more than stars in their ride across the vault, but must rise or set like them.
"I do not know what there is better to offer sottish men than Vulk gives," he achieved lamely.
Evadne laughed. "So you'll turn Vulking—is that the tale?" and through his "No, never," caught up again: "Hark! Among our cities is the story of certain dog-smellers that sailed to seek the Well in a ship all together, but, being dog-smellers, could not agree that any should have more power than the rest, so kept watch turn and turn, and all handled ropes. Now there was one of them an approved sea-captain that could read the stars, but when a storm blew he was worn with much watching and asleep; nor would any rouse him, since that was held unfair, so the ship ran on a rock and everyone was drowned without their ever getting to the Well at all."
"If what you are saying is that there should be a captain for every voyage," said Airar, "why, I do not know who will deny it. Not we of Dalarna. But it is precisely on this question of captains that all turns, and I am harried with the thought that these Vulkings may have found the better way of choosing them."
She laughed again. "Who praises Briella now? Frog, frog, I said you'd never be a philosopher. Nor a true courtier neither, since you have to learn that one should argue with a woman no questions but those of the heart. The point was that the captain came to the ship a captain and the only one there, no matter whom the dog-smellers might call by the name. Even so we six have little inheritance from our father but our place in the Guilds and our skill in war. Come, is't not reasonable that a shoemaker's son, brought up to the smell of leather, should cobble better than a man whose father burned charcoal? So you have the choice, you of Dalarna that are yet young in politic—to follow Briella's path or that of Carrhoene."
"I'll never agree," said Airar, and she: "Ah, poh, it is only a boy after all, where I had thought to find a man"; reined round to ride in anger back toward the rest, whereat the day seemed to Airar less than cheerful.
A little beyond this they came to a sign of war, where a track led from the way across a clearing to a house that had been burned and only the gable ends standing, quenched with last night's rain and still smoking. Several rode toward it; there seemed no sign of life about, but as Airar turned back toward the band, there came a small mew and he looked down to see at his feet a kitten that cried toward him with a small pink triangle of mouth, unafraid. He lighted down; the little beast had stripes down its back and round its tail and came to his hand to let him feel that there was a cavity under its ribs where its belly should be. "Poor kekki," he said and picked it up. It began to purr, and thinking how ill its fate would be in those wild wet woods, with master slain or driven away by the Vulking Allies, he lifted it to the saddle with him and made a fold of his cloak where it curled contentedly against the warmth of his body.
They were still sloping upward, with the streams running south and easterly to join the affluents of the Naar, and near one of these rills stopped for noon meat, packing up into a closer group among some shelving rocks along the bank, where the wet from the previous night was less. Airar snipped off bits of his meat for the kitten, which ate greedily, where Evimenes found him. "I do not like it," said the Star-Captain, with puckering brows. "It was full light when we passed the castella and surely they saw us. Soon or late, if that leader knows his business, we shall have gentours on our track, riding light and faster than we, with our wounded men and baggage cattle, their object being to annoy and delay till the heavy-armed come."
"Shall we then set another ambush?" said Pleiander. "We have that master of stratagem, the Dalecarle."
Airar flushed, but Alsander said serious: "Nay, for that is to delay, and what they desire—in war, as any contest, the will of one party being enough for the other to hate a thing. What counsel then, brother?"
His frown had not left Evimenes. "I would we had more bowskill or these Mariolan mountain-men who know how to hide in crannies like spiders. A pox on this restless Rogai, so avid to increase his own credit, but leaving others always the unseen difficult task! And these Hestingerne can ride like the wind, but what use here among the trees? Nay, brothers, I say this Master Airar and his fisher spearmen are our best guard in this juncture and, if it's your will, shall ask them to lag behind the column with half a dozen of our sergeants to sustain them against charges, while the packanimals move up ahead. If the gentours follow, the fishers shall light down and fight afoot, always rallying on the heavy-armed."
Airar said yes to that and it was a risen meeting. They rode. The High Hills of Froy were now all round, a country little peopled save by charcoal burners and such shy folk, so it was not to be expected that many would be met; yet it was somewhat grating to have no further word from Rogai. The night camp was by the earliest of those lakes which fill all the bowls of the hills, the more particularly westward toward rainy Shalland. Guards were set well toward the rear, and next morning, as being somewhat short of victual, the more part kept camp while the rest went out to see what could be had among the trees. Airar's own bow brought in a wild pig, and there were other small items, but it was long before noon when all let themselves be engaged by Evimenes to take the trail again. Summit of day and pass came together; now they were in Shalland, and a little beyond the way swung left between a pair of hilltops to open out a lake with a lawn beside it and a house set midmost of the lawn, not very great.
Airar was back with his rearguard when the place was reached, but hurried on in answer to a message that Rogai had left another of his Whiteriverdalesmen guides at the place. The Mariolan himself (said the guide) had pressed on with his men, being confident the main band held the trail. He was scattering his men abroad, north and west toward Stavorna to feel the temper of the country and know what force the Vulkings had there; would meet them all at a place called Gaspelnith, which was no more than a tavern on the road that runs south from Stavorna towards the borders of Skogalang along the edge of the foothills.
Alsander was heard to grumble over this arrangement, but there were no two ways about it, they must follow the line as it lay. Debate was brief; the foreguard and packs set ofT again with the Dalesman guide souhwesterly toward this tavern of the wild-goose nest just as landers themselves, or the Vulkings somehow to trap us. I like not this running a blindfold race. We brothers give full confidence in all our transactions, but confidence is of knowledge, and here's one that commands us all without agreement, yet hides his purpose from them that have a right to know."
"The blind man complains that he is led by one lame," said Meliboe the enchanter, for which he received a glare, but Evimenes:
"I remind you of our old rule, brother, to bury the past and think on the present. This matter of Rogai may stand till a fairer day, but what's to be done now of these long marches and short rations that have already so worn our people I doubt we could fight another such battle as that four days since?"
"It would be right," said Alsander, "to hold here, sending scouts for food and to pick up these over-nimble Mariolans at the r
endezvous." His tone was gloomy. "But what say you, Master Dalecarle?"
"I say—" began Airar, then, "Nay, I'll not say at all till we know more. Where's the Dalesman guide?" The man was brought. Airar made him sit, and in answer to questioning he said Gaspelnith was better than fifteen thousand paces farther; that it lay at a quadroad in the midst of a rich district of dairies and was a great resort of drovers so that whatever tidings were toward could be heard there ("Aye, and tidings of us passed to the world," grumbled Pleiander); that it was a wood-built garth with shingling also of wood, in a hollow and thus not too easily defensible (the question had been Pleiander's); but with a grove close and open ground around, not easy to approach against lance-armed mounted men (this was Airar's). Of the disposition of the boniface he knew nothing; which was to be expected, since the Whiteriver-dalesmen are a homeloving race, little given to guesting or aught concerned with it.
"Then here's my word," said Airar; "that we should push forward at once and any cost; for we shall find food at this garth and either encounter Rogai and his by which our strength is greatly waxed, or have quick warning of danger and so be the longer on the road toward any security."
There was a brief babble; somewhat to surprise Airar found Pleiander backing him and only Evimenes; opposition Evadne somewhat frowning and biting a lip, Alsander judicious, but so much inclining to Airar's side in the words that were said that it was just about decided for an early start and a hard march, when Meliboe stood up on the other side of the group, where fire sputtered through wet wood. He had been moving his fingers in a kind of measured step through tall mosses there, clucking at the kitten, which had crawled from Airar's cloak when rain ceased, and taking this for some new game played with the magician's dancing fingers. Now Meliboe dropped the bundle of fur into Airar's lap.
"Of all animals," he said, "cats are the most near to men's minds. Young sir, I'm no war-master nor strategist and cannot tell you what you should do, but I have taken the divination and do assure you there is much danger for you at this place of Gaspelnith. You should seek another way."
There was a silence. "And for us, too?" said Pleiander in a voice so shaken that Airar felt a start of astonishment.
The magician's eye rolled and his voice went up half a tone. "Danger, aye, but none so great; your fate's another. This relates to the young master here in his proper person."
Airar felt skin tighten on his face. "Then if it touches myself alone, I say again—march. I've followed this danger-divination before, and the last time it cost me . . . more than I wished to lose."
So it was decided. Meliboe left his place to walk with Airar back to where he would sleep among the fishers, and on the way told him he was too forward—"not that you refuse the divination; men of your metal do that ever from time to time, since they're at war with the world and all compulsions. It is no more than the flout a philosopher attends. The error lay in saying it sharp and public, just after Pleiander announced himself fearful. This Evadne loves to think on you as not so harsh as she is; destined, but of more delicate temper, that she can cover in some things, so you will keep an edge to cut through the cobwebs that plague all bold and daring women. If you show yourself hard and masterful, you'S lose her. Do what you will, but more subtly."
22 Shalland: Evil at the Inn
THEY RODE. With saddle-sores and hungry, they rode; few were the words that were spoken, and those mostly of a quarrelsome kind, so that Airar must intervene to keep one of his men and a Carrhoene sergeant from blows. The day had cleared, so they lacked the rain that left them so miserable yesterday, but the march was a hard one even without that, and the only interlude to the dull grey of the journey was when the kitten squirmed and had to be set down to do its duty. The small animal raced away into a clump of weeds and Airar was much put to retrieve it while Carrhoene sergeants whooped at him and his face reddened.
In another mood he might have remarked how now around the country showed less of trees and more of farms, with here a man or two visible, and cattle; but he did not, therefore was surprised on turning a corner again to see at the crest of the next slow rise the others gathered in a group, men off horses and waiting. It was Gaspelnith beyond, lying below down, a noble slope of lawn, a long one-storied building not very large, nor very clearly visible either because of the tall oaks that stood it round. There were rooks in the oaks, to be seen even from here, and tall barns for the drovers' convenience; but over the heads of barns and trees, far away through the next sweep of the rolling sea of land, Airar's sharp sight caught a silver gleam. That must be Vallingsveden, the river of Shalland and the reason why the inn had been set here; for up that river came ships from the lands to the south and down it boats from hillset Stavorna. The spectacle was so gracious that he answered but absently to comments (which in any case had small importance) as they rode down the slope, with weariness redoubled by the near approach of peace.
Three or four men came out to watch their arrival and from the distance they looked like nut-brown Mariolans with their mail-shirts off, a thought which confirmed itself on reaching near enough for speech. One was Tholkeil, whom Airar had seen long since, shivering in the marsh; he had a tale to tell, but must keep it till all dismounted stiffly and as many as could be crowded into the tavern, where the host with two or three wenches and some Micton girls was setting out hams and drawing beer. Airar did not much like what he saw of this host, a burly man with a fat face and hair so cut that it stood straight aloft at the front of his head, who ran around like a dog, alternately barking at his underlings and sniffing of his guests' feet. He liked it still less when Tholkeil said the fellow was neither of the Iron Ring nor of the Vulking Allies, but had taken priest's orders, the better to run his inn without molestation in the midst of alarms. His name was Vindhug "—and there's a fine priest who'll sell you the service of any girl here and never think twice about it."
There had been some complaint (continued Tholkeil) from the country to the Bishop of Shalland, but that lord was a Vulking, and not too sorry to see Dalecarles at outs with their religious, which meant they must go for marriages to the Vulking courts and for heart's comfort to the Well; thus the Bishop did nothing, while Vindhug prospered.
Now that hunger had been appeased it was possible for the leaders to dispense with the services of this hedgepriest and his wenches and gather in a corner to hear what Tholkeil had to say. This was in part what they already knew: that, having slain or driven off the Vulking Allies at Crow's Tower, Rogai at the issue of the hills had split his band in groups of three or four, spreading them across the countryside. The new was that these had orders to say frankly who they were, but that they were only the vanguard of a great host of Hestingerna and Salmonessans, who had won a victory and were marching to free Shalland.
"What gave the fool that senseless inspiration?" rapped out Alsander.
"Why—" the Mariolan looked surprised. "They have a full tercia at Stavorna, with gentours and Allies. Master Rogai thought to make them keep their seats and let us through by making them think we are the more. Is't not well?"
Here was the reason why the Shalland farms stood empty. "No," said Alsander, more than a little grim, "but say on."
—Well then (Tholkeil continued) he and his own little group had cut straight west toward Glos, the walled town standing where Vallingsveden spreads in many mouths to run through fertile deltas to the sea. They gave their false tidings till near the gate of the place, and, taking a night's guesting, came here to meet the rest. The tale was that the night's guesting had nearly been their last, their host proving traitorous, and setting fire a-night to the old hayrick he gave them for sleeping. "What's worse, the scoundrel slipped our vengeance, but as he liked bonfires so well we made one of his house for him."
"You may join the others," said Alsander shortly, then turning to the leader-group: "Here's hell's broth and no pepper for it. I do not know too well these Vulking ways of war, but from all I've seen of them, the commander of this tercia
will do the same thing as myself in such a case— march fast with all his strength down to hold the gate of the hills against the issuance of this imaginary force, and so come on our heads. We're in a trap."
Evimenes: "This afternoon and night of good rest will make all so much new men that I think another forced march can be dared; but how we are to outstrip these gentours with the heavy-armed and the fishers that can only half ride, I do not know."
"Then it's outlet by sea if in any way possible. But where boats? I would we had a faithful Shalland man to advise us, but would trust the dragon of Phyladea as soon as our host here."
Said Airar: "Rogai is of the Iron Ring and when he comes will perhaps know someone who can aid us. But there is one thing very curious in this, and that is why a tercia should be at Stavorna city at all. I do not know if you have remarked, but the people of these northern parts are mostly not too comfortless under Vulking rule; yet for Mariola, all rebellion and independence, they had half a tercia only on guard, while a whole one here."
Alsander: "The question's doubtless keen for you Dalecarles but has naught to do with present necessity. Was not there something about a movement against the Earl of Os Erigu?"
Meliboe the enchanter, who had listened silent as his custom was, now lifted his head and hand. "You have wrong," said he, "and the young master full right, who has learned that all which does appear and has to do with present necessity is made up of what does not appear and has to do with nothing visible. But if you say this is metaphysic, then let me show something forth. Your hopes are set on this Erigan Earl, not so?"
Well of the Unicorn Page 19
