Whistler [A sequel to The Chronicles of Hawklan]
Page 54
After hearing the news of Cassraw's death there had been an emergency debate in the Heindral in which it had been agreed, with remarkable unanimity, that while the levy of the militia should continue, envoys should be sent to Tirfelden with a view to discussing recent events before further harm was done. The envoys were discreetly briefed to attribute the ‘incident’ at Bredill to Cassraw's ... zeal ... if need arose. Toom Drommel sat silent throughout, occasionally rubbing his stomach.
Another item was also reported, which served to explain the comparatively modest tone of the Sheet. It seemed that, doubtless due to overwork following his energetic reporting of recent events, Privv had collapsed and died. He would be missed, but his erstwhile employees would continue with his sterling work, albeit with some slight changes in style—‘such as telling the truth,’ one of them was heard to say.
No one paid any heed to the dead cat that was found by Privv's body, though an official church order was subsequently given to the buriers to the effect that the animal be buried with him and that its name be carved on the headstone along with its owner's.
A final tiny item noted that the strange haze which had lingered about the summit of the Ervrin Mallos for the past few days had not returned when the rain had ended.
Over the next few weeks Troidmallos settled back to normal. With the passing of Cassraw, the fanaticism which he had inspired faded rapidly. His Knights disbanded when several were arrested for assaulting the Sheeters, and instigating the panic at the PlasHein Square. People who had recently been suffering from nightmares and the like found that these faded away. Negotiations with the Felden went remarkably well. The return of the survivors of Bredill had caused an initial uproar, but as one faction had instigated the invasion, so now another had its say. Judiciously, they pointed out that the aggression had been theirs, after all, and that the Madren militia was noted for its ferocity when provoked. And, as the Madren seemed quite keen not to pursue the matter, it was best to let it lie.
Vredech was appointed Covenant Member in Mueran's stead, but he immediately delegated his authority jointly to Horld and Morem as he wished to go on a pilgrimage to study the origins of Ishrythan and the Santyth.
His fellow Chapter Brothers had been somewhat taken aback, until he also announced that he would be marrying Nertha. There was some rather unclerical winking at this, and for a while the word ‘pilgrimage’ was spoken in inverted commas at Chapter meetings.
* * * *
Darke and Tirec were more than a little surprised when Nertha and Vredech rode into their camp one afternoon. They talked a great deal. Darke's relief on hearing what had happened was almost palpable, but that it had happened at all still disturbed him badly and left him resolute to carry the news back to his homeland. The two foreigners were further surprised by Vredech's request that he and Nertha be allowed to accompany them with the intention of learning more of Madren history and other things that were happening in the world beyond Gyronlandt. Vredech also confided that he needed to learn what he could about his strange and uncontrollable gift and the part that Leck had played in it.
'And too, the darkness you've found in yourself,’ Darke said to him quietly when they were alone, placing an understanding hand on his shoulder. Vredech nodded, but did not reply.
Tirec had been reluctant to agree. ‘It's a long way through difficult country,’ he protested at length, but Darke merely smiled a welcome and said, ‘They'll learn. And I doubt they'll be as difficult as you were.'
After they had shared a meal with their new companions, Vredech and Nertha wandered off together. They came eventually to a small hillside. Vredech looked about, slightly puzzled, then he sat down. ‘This is like the place where I first met the Whistler,’ he said. And as the memory came back to him, so did the peace of that moment. He reached out and took Nertha's hand. There were no answers to any of the questions they had asked themselves about the Whistler—who he was, if he was—but they would continue to ask them.
* * * *
The Whistler, sitting on a broad branch and leaning back against the trunk of the tree, played his three notes softly. He watched Vredech and Nertha on the distant hillside. After a little while he smiled, then he played the three notes very loudly so that they rang out over the fields.
Then he was gone.
Vredech started out of his half-sleep. ‘What was that?’ he mumbled.
Nertha was looking towards the trees in the distance.
She was smiling. ‘Just the Whistler saying good-bye,’ she said.
'Very droll,’ Vredech retorted.
Then he twisted round and lay with his head in her lap. Relaxing into the warm summer afternoon, he stared up at the white summer clouds.
* * * *
So ends the Whistler's tale?
But for Vredech ...
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Fantasy Books by Roger Taylor
The Call of the Sword
The Fall of Fyorlund
The Waking of Orthlund
Into Narsindal
Dream Finder
Farnor
Valderen
Whistler
Ibryen
Arash-Felloren
Caddoran
The Return of the Sword
Further information on these titles is available from www.mushroom-ebooks.com
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Visit www.mushroom-ebooks.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.
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eBook Info
Identifier:Taylor-Whistler
Title:Whistler [A sequel to The Chronicles of Hawklan]
Creator:Roger Taylor
Publisher:Mushroom eBooks
Rights:Copyright © 1994 by Roger Taylor
Description:Fantasy. 174171 words long. First published by Headline Book Publishing in 1994
Language:English
Type:Novel
Format:text/xml
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