*
It was some time before they noticed the horse. It was dun-coloured and hard to see among the bilberries and stunted junipers. It was grazing, head down, a few hundred yards away, lower and nearer the glacier.
"There’s Rasscu's horse," Caldar spotted it first. "I wonder where he is."
"If he's hunting, he's not going to want us around, disturbing the game," Berin said doubtfully, following Caldar who had already set off. "And time's getting on. Don't forget, Doldivar wants us back at that boulder by late afternoon."
"Oh come on, Berin. It'll only take five minutes to have a look. Maybe we can help Rasscu carry something back."
They went on. In five minutes they had indeed reached the horse, but of Rasscu there was no sign. They dropped their packs as they sat down to eat some bread and cheese in the dazzling sunshine and to lose themselves once more in the scene, the horse cropping quietly beside them. A small promontory of rock about fifty yards below them seemed to thrust out above the glacier. As a last gesture before leaving, they wandered down to look more closely at the forbidden icefield.
"The lads are not going anywhere near the glacier." Berin mimicked Tresmar's tones well, and Caldar couldn't help laughing at the delightful feeling of wickedness and absurdity.
"Couldn't be much closer, could we? I don't see what Tresmar was worried about. It looks as flat and easy as a baby's bottom. Look, there’s some tracks going across. Probably galtzik, running away from Rasscu."
"What's that in the snow? There, about a hundred yards out. Just by the tracks."
"I'm not sure, it's hard to see.” Caldar squinted against the glare. “Looks like a stick, a big one. But what’s it doing out there? I'm going to have a look."
"No, Caldar. I don't think Ham and Tresmar were joking about how dangerous the glacier is."
"Well, I'm going close enough to see what it is. It might be something to do with Rasscu."
They quickly descended to the glacier edge where the track started. It did indeed look as though several hoofed animals had crossed at this point. More interesting were the footprints which overlaid them, clearly imprinted in the soft snow lying on top of the ice.
"Told you Rasscu had come this way," Caldar called over his shoulder as he started boldly along the tracks with Berin following cautiously a few yards behind, not quite sure from what direction any danger might come.
They could not make out the stick-like object clearly until they were quite close. Then several things happened all at once. Caldar darted forward exclaiming, "It's Rasscu's bow." Just before he reached it, his foot went straight through the snow into space, and as his impetus took him forward, his other leg followed the first into the void below. His instinctive heave to get free dropped him waist deep, until fear and returning sense made him keep still. All this took only a second. Berin had barely registered what was happening, when his friend called out, "Berin, stop there."
Caldar's mind was crystal clear, but his hand trembled and his limbs seemed stiff like an old man's as he reached out gently for the bow. It was at fingertip distance and he stretched out for it with infinite care. When he was able to pull the long stave back towards him, he felt as if he had achieved some great step. He took a deep breath and stopped shaking.
"Berin," he started in a hoarse croak, trying to turn his head without moving his body. "There's a big hole here. Don't come any closer.” He stopped to gulp for breath. “I've got the bow. I'll pass the end back. Hold onto it and I'll pull myself out."
"Alright." Berin did not say any more. His voice sounded hoarse too.
Slowly Caldar pushed the bow behind him until only the last six inches remained under his left hand. He could feel Berin grasp the other end.
"Got it tight?"
"Yes".
Caldar brought his right arm gingerly round until he had both hands on the shaft.
"Ready?"
"Yes"
All in one motion Caldar leaned back, transferred his grip as far up the bow as he could reach, turned and heaved. The snow around him collapsed and fell with a swishing noise, followed moments later by a soggy thump far below. The heave had taken him face down halfway onto safe ground, his legs still dangling in the enlarged black hole: fear and a strong pull from Berin took him all the way out.
He ended up sprawled across Berin's legs. For a while he just lay and panted. Then he clasped his friend's hand in mute thanks and gave a shaky laugh.
"Well, they were right. It is dangerous."
"Let's get onto solid ground again. I don't feel safe out here any more. That hole sounded really deep."
"It is.” Caldar gave a little shiver. “I got one glimpse and it just disappeared into darkness about fifty feet below."
"Come on then. You can tell me all about it over there on the side."
As Berin turned to go, Caldar put a hand on his friend's arm and said, "No, Berin. We can't go."
"What? What d'you mean ' We can't go'? You feeling alright? This is the nastiest, most dangerous place I've ever seen."
"We can't go," Caldar repeated obstinately, "because Rasscu's down there in that hole. I saw him."
A dozen incoherent thoughts raced through Berin’s mind. He felt terribly exposed, sure that he was poised above a huge dark abyss, and he wanted badly to be back with grass and stones under his feet. But the stark fact was that if Rasscu was down there, there was no one else near enough to help and he would have to master his fears. Caldar was watching him with a rueful smile, sharing his thoughts.
In the end he gave a little shiver and said "Go on, tell me."
"As far as I could see, he's lying on a ledge about ten paces down. I don't know if he's hurt or not, it was just a glimpse." Caldar quailed at the recollection of that black pit, which had almost swallowed him too, and his voice shook slightly as he said, "Hold my legs, Berin. I'm going to have another look."
With his ankles tight in Berin's grip, he slid slowly forward on his stomach until he could see over the nearest edge of the hole. He saw Rasscu at once. He was further along the cavern, which was shaped like a huge slit. It seemed that a larger section of the snow roof had fallen in along there, and a weak greenish light reached down to illuminate the figure lying on a snow ledge about thirty feet below. On all sides the light failed as the great cavern plunged on down to unknown depths.
"Can you see him?"
"Yes , he's there. Rasscu. Rasscu. RASSCU." At the last and loudest call, the man below lifted his head, then with obvious difficulty raised himself to a sitting position.
"He's alive, Berin. He's alive. Rasscu, it's Caldar. Are you alright? Do you need help?" Neither of these questions seemed odd to the boys, until they recalled them with grim humour a long time later.
Rasscu's voice was weak and distorted. Caldar just caught enough of the words to know what he was saying. "….think…arm broken…hours….rope."
"Rasscu, we haven't got a rope."
"..horse…." The figure sagged back into the snow.
Caldar gave a quick wave and wriggled back to Berin's side. "I can't hear everything he's saying. But I think he's broken his arm and there's a rope on his horse to get him out with. Let's get back there and have a look."
"And do some serious thinking too," Berin muttered under his breath.
Back they went, treading carefully in their previous footsteps, to the bliss of solid ground. The horse had not moved more than a few paces, and as they approached they could see the rope coiled on the saddle horn.
"It's not very long." Caldar saw immediately that it would barely reach the injured man, even from directly above. Nevertheless he flicked the coil off the saddle and turned to go back, only to find his friend sitting calmly on a flat boulder.
"Hold on," Berin's voice was level. "We need to think this out."
"Oh, come on Berin, there’s no time. He's hurt and probably half frozen. I'm scared too, but the sooner we get on with it the better."
"I know." The serious look on Berin's f
ace checked his young companion in mid-stride. "But we can't get him out with a rope that's too short. And we're not going to do Rasscu any good if either of us falls down that hole ourselves. Slow down a minute and think."
The sense behind Berin's words was so obvious that it checked even Caldar's impatience. Reluctantly he squatted down near his friend and thought, looking at the magnificent scene with unseeing eyes. His attention fell on the horse.
"What about the reins? They'd make the rope longer."
"And the bow would be useful too. We could tie the rope . . . Hey, Caldar. Have you got your knife? If we cut some branches, they might be long enough to reach all the way across the hole, like a bridge."
"I don't know how safe that would be. The sides hang over together like an arch at the top and it's a lot wider further down. Worth a try though."
They got to work at once. Berin took off the reins and began to fasten them securely to the end of the rope. Caldar's job proved much more difficult. After he had struggled several hundred feet up the stony mountainside to a belt of trees, he looked in dismay at the big pines with their massive soaring trunks. The young saplings were equally useless: anything he could cut down with his knife was much too bendy.
At last he found a gully where a fallen tree had been washed down and broken up. Twenty minutes of desperate hacking with his small blade and he had a single solid ten foot staff. Caldar ran all the way back, but by the time he returned the afternoon shadows were lengthening towards evening.
Despite their impatience, setting foot on the glacier again was not easy. They imagined caverns gaping below with predatory mouths ready to devour them at the next step. Caldar went first treading exactly in their previous tracks.
When he reached the dark hole , he stopped and said, "Rasscu's about five paces further on that way. I think it's safe enough round to the right. I'll see if I can get near enough to see him again." He took a few tentative steps forward and to the right, his heart beginning to beat faster.
"I don't like this at all, Caldar,” Berin called in a voice squeaky with strain. “We're probably surrounded with huge holes. Either of us could drop through any minute. Last time we came out here not knowing what it was like, now we're deliberately standing on top of a great big mantrap. We don't have a chance of getting Rasscu out, and I can hardly believe we're doing this. Why don't we go for help?"
"It's too late. Even if we found the way at night all the way back to the cabin, it would be mid-morning before anyone got back here. Rasscu would have frozen stiff by then. We've got to try."
At Berin's words all the terrors Caldar was holding down had started to rise; the evil-looking mouth waiting a few feet ahead made his hands sweat and his whole body feel weak. But something was stirring deep inside, something small and fierce, that forced him to face his fear.
"I'm frightened too, Berin. And I don't think we can do it either. But if there's any chance at all, it needs both of us."
"It's not brave to make the wrong decision or do something completely stupid," Berin retorted heatedly. "You’re quite likely to end up down that hole with Rasscu in a few minutes and then you'd both be frozen stiff in the morning."
"But…."
"But we've got to try. You're right, Caldar, I know you're right.” Berin moved to stand beside his friend. “Something just keeps telling me, over and over, that this few minutes craziness could be my last…ever."
They looked at each other for a moment. Neither could raise a smile. Then Caldar bent down and laid the cut branch on the snow, so that the far end bridged the dark hole in front of them. With a firm grip on the near end he lay down and edged forward, his right arm wrapped tightly round the staff. As he came to the edge a few inches of the rim broke away and vanished silently. He drew back in alarm, his heart thumping in his ears. Nothing more fell and with a dry throat he worked his way forward until he could see down into the cavern. Rasscu was there directly below. He was covered with a light dusting of snow from the rim which had collapsed under Caldar. When Caldar's eyes adjusted to the gloom, he could see that Rasscu's eyes were open and looking at him. He felt a great relief, even though he knew they had accomplished nothing yet.
"He's still there, Berin. Rasscu, can you hear me?" Rasscu waved one forearm woodenly. "We've got the rope. We'll let it down to you." Another wave.
Berin fed the rope to Caldar who let it down over the edge. It hung free all the way. By the time the loop they had tied in the end reached the injured man, there were only three feet of the reins left in Caldar's hands. He held on tight, as he watched with growing dismay Rasscu's agonised and clumsy efforts to get the loop round his body. He could see to his horror that bits of the shaky snowledge on which the herdsman lay were being dislodged by his movements and falling away into the void below. At last the second arm went through and Rasscu lay back and closed his eyes.
"He's done it. It's round his body. Now it's up to us to pull him out."
"How solid is the edge where you are Caldar?"
"It's quite thick now. I think all the thin bits have fallen away already. Come a bit closer and I'll pass the end back to you. There. I'll just tell Rasscu. Rasscu, we're going to try pulling you up now."
There was no response. Caldar called out again, with no better result.
"What does he say?"
"Nothing. He's not speaking or moving at all." Above them the western sky was still golden, but the glacier was already grey and chill. "We're going to have to try to pull him out anyway, Berin, or it’ll be too late.”
They pulled the reins until they felt the rope tighten. Then planting themselves as far back from the edge as they could, they heaved together. They could not see below, but it felt as if a great weight was coming on the rope. They held on grimly, and setting themselves again heaved once more. The reins stretched thin and tight as they bit into the rim of the hole, and then they snapped.
The boys fell back in a heap, stunned. It was only too clear what had happened. Five feet from Caldar's hands the leather showed a new raw end. Forgetting all precautions he scrambled frantically back to the edge. Rasscu lay in a slightly different position. Around and over him were coils of the now useless rope. Sorrow and an unreasoning anger with himself tore at Caldar, both to be wiped away in an instant when he noticed that the snow ledge had started to disintegrate. It was becoming increasingly difficult to see in the gathering gloom of the ice cavern, but half the ledge suddenly disappeared and the remainder seemed to tilt and settle precariously, leaving Rasscu's legs hanging over the emptiness below. He felt Berin come and lie beside him looking down. Together they watched until the light finally faded and the still figure of the herdsman merged with the blackness of his chill tomb.
Chapter 6
Neighbours of the Lake peoples throughout the recorded history of the region, the Hamna were certainly inhabiting the Eastern Mountains long before the Esparan Declaration of Independence. Yet there are reasons to believe that their presence is the result of prehistoric migration and that their original home was elsewhere. As a people they are secretive about their ethnic history and folklore, and the foreign researcher must rely on a mixture of slim evidence, legend and conjecture.
The simple explanation that they are kin to the nomads of the high grasslands is untenable. Their physical characteristics and their language bear no resemblance to those of their eastern neighbours, whereas all the Hamna tribes show remarkable uniformity in these respects despite their wide geographical spread.
It is interesting to note that in the whole Lake area migration legends are conspicuously absent, except among the Tesseri where they figure largely in tribal folklore, the most commonly recurring theme being a great migration which followed the 'destruction of paradise' (some stories speak of the 'third and final' destruction) where the Tesseri and other peoples had previously dwelt. If there is any historical foundation to these legends, then it is conceivable that the Hamna, although not mentioned by name in the Tesserit stories, may have b
een among those displaced by the same cataclysm.
A Brief History of The Lake States - Entan Dirr
Esparan. The Rails
While he lay on the snow, the storm of Caldar's pent-up emotions finally burst and released themselves in a torrent of weeping. In the end when they could no longer see, he got up stiffly and gave his hand to his friend, saying quietly, "Come on, Berin. It's almost dark, and it'll be a couple of hours before the moon's up. Let's go and find our packs and decide what to do."
Berin rammed the bow into the snow as a marker, before they trudged carelessly back along the tracks, all imaginary fears erased by the terrible reality they had just experienced. They came on their packs almost by luck on the dark ledges and settled down to the sound of the invisible horse cropping quietly at the grass nearby.
"I suppose we'd better start back for Far End as soon as the moon comes up." Caldar said wearily. "It's so cold, I don't think he's going to last out the night even if that ledge holds together. Oh Berin, it must be awful down there, so much pain and all alone. I can't bear not being able to help."
Berin did not respond, numbed by what had happened and unable to find release in tears and words like his friend. Within an hour the mountains across the glacier had taken shape in the moonlight and the deep shadow of the peak above them was shrinking back across the pale icefield. Cold and cramped, Caldar stood up, as he had twenty times already, and looked around. There was never anything to see, it was simply something to do. This time was different.
"Berin," For some reason Caldar found himself whispering. "There's a light further up. Look. Up there."
The Tears of Sisme Page 10
