Loric grinned down at the Waerling and nodded. And the trio mounted and rode westerly up the land.
Nigh mid of day the mizzle stopped, and Beau looked up in gratitude and cast back his hood. And as the day wore on, the grey skies lightened and were finally riven with slashes of blue, and when the train came to a halt for the evening, puffy white clouds drifted overhead.
Even so, through the soggy land the train had covered only five miles in all.
As they ate, Phais said, " 'Tis Autumnday this day, when dark and light are in balance. A night we celebrate."
From across the fire, Melor looked up and nodded, but Beau at her side blanched. "Oh, my, but what a sinister thought."
Phais looked sideways at him in puzzlement. "Sinister?"
"Oh, Lady Phais, it's just that from now on, the dark will outweigh the light. I do hope it's not an omen of things to come."
Phais reached over and hugged the buccan to her. "Fear not, wee one, for it marks but the change of seasons and the celebration of harvest."
Beau nodded, but the frown between his eyes slackened not.
That night the Baeron watched in wonder as a thousand Dylvana and one Lian stepped out the stately rite of Autumnday. And down among the gliding Elves, the pausing Elves, the turning, chanting Elves, there paced and paused and turned and glided one wee Warrow as well.
***
And some twenty miles farther on, in a stand of tall pine cupped in a mountain vale, three others stepped out the ritual 'neath the three-quarter waning moon.
"Abridge?"
"Aye, Lady Bwen," replied Ruar, "if within these wains there is the wherewithal to construct such."
"Oh, we have the axes and saws, right enough."
Ruar turned to Gara. "Thy horses are better suited to drag the timbers unto the narrows."
Gara nodded. "I will gather a company and we will follow Lady Vail back unto the stand." He turned to Bwen. "By the time you reach the gorge, the bridge should be in place."
Bwen scratched her head and glanced at the sun overhead, then patted the side of the mired wain at hand. "Make it sturdy, Chieftain. Make it sturdy."
Within six candlemarks, and following Vail, two hundred Baeron rode out, the company bearing axes and saws and awls and augers and ropes as well as other tools.
By that evening the train had moved only another six miles in spite of the heat of the sun.
And the next day they moved another seven miles altogether.
The following day they moved seven miles again, hindered primarily by stony, rugged terrain rather than by soggy land. And when evening came, they had reached the gorge.
A bridge awaited them there.
"Coo," breathed Beau, standing with Tipperton, surveying the span.
Great logs, nigh forty feet long and bound together with ropes and crossbeams, bridged the gap. All was pinned with long, heavy pegs driven through augered holes. Atop the logs and pinned as well was rough-hewn planking thwartwise. Shallow ramps led up and onto the bridge on the near side and down and off opposite. Some fourteen feet wide was the bridge, with no side rails whatsoever.
And a torrent of water yet raced through the ravine below.
"Lor'," called Beau above the rush, "how did you do it so fast?"
Tip smiled. "With two hundred of these great huge Baeron plying axes and saws and other such, how could we not?"
"How did you get it across?"
"Easy, Beau: up at the headwaters it was shallow enough for some of the Baeron to go over on their tall horses, and they simply rode back down on the far side. Then with ropes and those same huge horses, they spanned the ravine one log at a time. After that it was easy. -Well, easy for the Baeron. If it'd been Warrows, we'd still be up there in the valley cutting wood."
The next morning turn in turn the wagons rolled onto the span and across, hooves clopping and wheels rumbling on the rough-hewn planks, the great timbers groaning and creaking under the weight of horse and wain and cargo and driver. One by one they passed across as two Warrows watched, Tip and Beau on the far side, having crossed over with the vanguard. The remainder of the cavalcade and the train escort came between wain crossings, while the rear guard and trailing scouts waited to come last of all.
The great placid horses of the Baeron seemed not at all disturbed by the narrow span above the long drop, but when Tipperton on his pony had crossed, he had ridden as close to the center of the bridge as he could, and while on the span had refused to look down.
And now as he and Beau stood side by side and watched, Beau gestured down into the depths below, where water yet ran, though less wild. "Well, here's another ravine we've managed to foil. Let's hope there's no more in the miles between here and our goal."
"I hope so, too, Beau. There's ten leagues left to go, thirty miles to Mineholt North. Vail and Loric and I should be within sight of the Dwarvenholt before this day is done, or by early next morn at the latest."
"Hmm," mused Beau. "At the rate the train has been moving, it'll be winter before we come."
"Winter?" blurted Tipperton.
Beau smiled. "Well, maybe not winter, but three or four days at least."
In that moment Loric and Vail came riding unto the Waerlings, the Lian and Dylvana trailing a packhorse and two remounts. "We must hie, Tipperton," said Loric.
Tip mounted his pony and took the tether of the pack-horse. He turned to Beau and drew in a deep breath and blew it out. "So long, Beau, I'll see you in three or four days, eh?"
"You take care, bucco."
With a salute, Tip wheeled his steed, and together with Loric and Vail rode away north. In moments, it seemed, the trio passed the rolling wagons and then elements of the cavalcade and finally the vanguard farther on to disappear beyond the shoulder of a small tor.
Beau sighed and turned to mount his pony, only to find Phais waiting and watching as well.
"Hist," whispered Loric. "I hear movement below."
A quarter moon stood overhead, and by its light and that of the stars Tip looked down the eastern slope.
They had ridden some twenty-two miles through rugged land, and when night had fallen they made a fireless camp atop a hillock some eight miles short of the mineholt.
And now a faint ching of armor and clop of hooves could be heard in the long, twisting draw below.
"Muzzle the steeds," hissed Vail. And they scurried to the animals and whispered soothing murmurs, Tip's pony accepting strokes and soft sounds as if they were its due.
But of a sudden the packhorse jerked up its head and nickered.
The movement below juddered to a halt.
"Weapons," sissed Loric, drawing his sword, while both Tipperton and Vail took bow in hand and nocked arrows.
"Be ready to flee," whispered Vail.
Back toward the overlook they crept.
And Tip's heart leapt into his throat and he softly groaned, for below a full mounted column, armed and ready, twined beyond seeing through the draw and stood quietly, as if listening.
Chapter 33
"In the fore is a banner," whispered Loric.
"What sigil does it bear?" breathed Tipperton.
"A circle-"
Tip's stomach clenched. A ring of fire?
"-a silver circle-"
Not fire!
"-on a field of blue."
Vail stepped forward in the moonlight. "Hdl, men of Riamon!" she called. "We are of Darda Erynian, the Great Greenhall!"
A single arrow was loosed and hissed upslope wide of the mark-Vail stood fast-and someone nigh the head of the column barked a harsh command: "Staande houden!"
Weapons were lowered yet remained in hand.
"Show yourselves all!" demanded the voice.
"We are but three," called Vail.
Now Loric and Tipperton stepped forward.
"You have a child with you?"
"I am no child," cried Tipperton, raising his bow in one hand overhead-and below like weapons were whipped up and aimed-"but a Wa
rrow instead."
"Ik zeggen staande houden!" roared the voice, and all weapons below were lowered again, Tipperton hastily lowering his own.
"Did you say one of the Volkskleini Smallfolk?"
"I don't know whether I am one of those, but I am a Warrow."
There was a whispered word or two, and then: "I did not know that Waldans lived in the Blackwood."
Now Loric spoke. "They do not. Sir Tipperton is from the Wilderland beyond the Grimwall, and I am of late from the Hidden Stand, while Dara Vail is a Dylvana from Darda Erynian-that which thou dost name Blackwood."
"And your name?"
"He is Lord Loric, Lian Guardian," said Tipperton, then added, "And just who by the millstone are you?"
"He's a Waldan, all right," said someone below, "like those in Springwater."
Tip's heart clenched to hear that name, for Springwater had been Rynna's village.
"I am Lord Loden of Dael," replied the man.
"Well, my Lord Loden," said Dara Vail, " 'tis meet thou and thine army have chanced upon us this eve, or we upon ye, for mayhap we have common cause 'gainst a dark foe."
"If you oppose Modru and his ilk, then our cause is indeed shared. We welcome you three into our ranks, for though we are but a brigade, we go to harass a Horde, and all are gladly received who would take up arms against the foe."
"Rather than a trio, wouldst thou prefer fifteen hundred instead?"
"Fifteen hundred? Lady, do you jest?"
"Nay, Lord Loden, I do not."
There was a hurried conference below, and several figures dismounted and started up the incline, while the rest of the column moved on through the draw and away.
Tipperton could see that one of those walking upslope stood a head shorter than the others, yet had shoulders half again as broad. "That one's a Dwarf," he murmured unto himself.
"Aye, he is at that," said Loric.
"Good!" said Loden, the man in chain mail, his helm at his side, his chain coif cast back, revealing honey-gold hair cut short. His pale blue eyes glittered in the light of the waning moon. " 'Tis Fortune indeed that brought us together, for with the joining of our forces we can take the Spawn head-on."
"My Prince," said one of Loden's escorts, an elder man with a white beard.
Prince? His eyebrows raised, Tipperton glanced from Loden to Loric, and the Elf merely shrugged.
"Yes, Tain," replied Loden, turning to the aide.
"My Prince, they are a full Horde-ten thousand Spawn-and even with the joining of our forces we will be but one hundred ten score."
"You forget the Chakka," growled the Dwarf, taking off his plain helm of black-iron and smoothing back stray strands of his dark brown hair from his dark eyes. "With the army of Elves and Baeron and Daelsmen attacking from this side, and the Chakka from the other, we'll trap them between and shatter them like rotten rock."
"And how would you coordinate such an attack, Lord Bekki?" asked Tain.
A guarded look came over Bekki's features and he clapped the helm back onto his head. "There is a way, never fear."
Into Tipperton's mind flashed the memory of the identical look on Raggi's face when Ralk had ordered him to guide the party to the Walkover, a Dwarven secret.
Tip turned to Loric and whispered, "Remember va Chuka."
Loric looked at the Waerling and smiled, then turned to Bekki. "Bekki, en ke, det ta a Chakka na? "
Bekki's eyes widened, and he replied, "Det ta."
Loric turned up a hand. "A na ke ein, ti? "
Bekki nodded, saying, " Ti."
"Kala!" exclaimed Loric, then turned to the others. "Indeed, when we strike, so will the Drimma."
"How do we kn-?" Tain started to ask…
… but Loden held up a hand to stop the oldster's query. "The word of a Dwarf, the word of a Guardian, 'tis enough."
"But-"
"Accept it, Tain."
Tain bowed his head. "As you will, my Prince."
Loden turned to Vail. "We must get word of our alliance to your Coron and to the Chieftain of the Baeron."
Vail glanced at Loric and then said, "I will ride back, for I am swiftest ahorse."
"What about Arylin?" asked Tip. "She should be coming soon."
"Not until late on the morrow," replied Vail. "I can be back there before then."
At a raised eyebrow from the Prince, Tip said, "Arylin is our go-between, that is, between us on far point and our army."
"Ah," said Loden, "a runner." Loden turned to a young man at his side. "Brandt, I would have you go with Dara Vail as my emissary."
"But, brother, I would be at your side," protested the youth. Even as he said it, he looked about, his eye passing over Tain and lighting on Bekki. "Let Bekki go instead, and then he can explain how he'll arrange it so that we crack them like rotten stone. We've plenty of horses he can use."
Bekki blenched and threw out his hands. "Nay, Prince Brandt, I'll not ride a horse."
Tip looked at Bekki in puzzlement. Here is another Dwarven warrior who will not ride a horse. Surely they are not afrai "Brandt, I have spoken," snapped Loden. "You will go in my stead, for you know our strengths and the way to our hidden camp. Too, these wains they bring, you can guide them the easiest course to a rendezvous with us."
At dawn, Vail and Brandt set out southward, trailing two horses apiece. Standing atop the hill in a brisk autumn wind, Tip watched them go, and when they reached the bottom of the hill and rounded the shoulder of another, Tip turned to Loric. "What now?"
Loric raised an eyebrow at Loden, and the Prince said, "Now, Waldan, we go to our own hidden stand."
Drawing the packhorse behind, Tipperton and Loric rode after Loden and Tain and Bekki down the north slope of the hill and into the draw, and together they followed the shallow gully as it wended northwesterly and into the reaches of the Rimmen Mountains.
As they rode, Bekki fell back alongside Loric. "You speak Chakur." His words were a statement and not a question.
"Aye," replied Loric. "The result of a shipwreck long past, where the only other survivor was a Dwarf named Kelek. He taught me Chakur; I taught him Sylva."
"He must have trusted you well."
"71 Ere the wreck we had traveled together for a number of years, and often we fought back to back. He saved my life many a time."
Bekki looked at Loric intently, as if to gauge something deep within. "Og at da haun ve vain efil dat? "
Loric laughed. "We saved each other so many times we lost count."
"How did you get off the island?" asked Tipperton.
"Ha, now there's a tale:
"The island though moderately large was limited, with little wood, and we spent most of our time foraging in the sea for food: spearing in tidal pools or netting in surf that which we would eat-nets which I made from rock-beaten fiber of a thorny island weed. Birds, too, we netted, and on the high rocky cliffs we raided their nests. Kelek was a splendid climber, and did most of the fetching of eggs. And there was a side-walking blue crab we favored, yet it was a treat most rare.
"One day in the deepest of the pools we came across a trapped shark, and it provided us with meat for many a meal, though shark jerky is not the best of food.
"Yet it was the skin which we prized the most, for if we could fetch several more like it, we could use the hide to make a boat, could we find something with which to make the frame.
"And luck was with us, for no sooner did we see our need than within a moon or two, we found beached on one end of the island the remains of what the Fjordlanders call a 'nahvalr.' "
"A what?" asked Tipperton.
"A nahvalr: 'tis a kind of whale, with a spotted pelt and each male has long, spiral-twisted tusk jutting out from the left side of its head. They live in the icy brine of the far north. What this one was doing in the waters of the Bright Sea, I cannot say, yet there it was, what remained of it, that is, rolling in the surf."
"Oh," said Tip. "-Was this one a male?"
"Aye, for its t
usk jutted out like that of a horned horse, only longer, much longer."
Tipperton's eyes widened. "Horned hor-?"
"Hush, Waeran," growled Bekki as the wind swirled 'round. "Let him finish."
Tipperton cocked an eye at Bekki, but held his tongue.
"As to what had slain this nahvalr, I cannot say, for the evidence was gone, there being little left but ivory bones and shreds of rotted meat. -The fish and the crabs had done much of their work, though there was yet some to do.
" 'There is our boat,' I said to Kelek, and down to the skeleton we ran. The stench was quite noisome, yet gulping our breaths we dragged it well up out of the water and into the grasses above. I couldn't have done so by myself, but Kelek was strong beyond his stature.
"For the next several days we dined on crab meat, for they couldn't resist the redolent reek on the air… and neither could the birds. And we let them finish the task of stripping the remains to the bone.
"It took another year altogether to lure enough sharks one by one into the deep tidal pool and slay them for their skins, though the meat was not wasted.
"Finally, with nahvalr bones for our frame, bound together with thongs of sharkhide, and with sewn-together shark skins stretched over all and lashed onto the frame, and with a caulk made of bird guano and fish oil and fiber, we were at last ready to set sail, rainwater and jerky and a few live crabs and an egg or two as our supplies.
"No sooner had we shoved off than the craft began to leak badly, but bailing with frond cups and rowing with weed-woven oars, and with Kelek cursing at the top of his lungs in Chakur, we paddled our sinking, shark-skinned, whale-boned boat below the bird cliffs and 'round the headland only to find Aravan's great ship, the swift Eroean, anchored in the small inlet on the southern end of the isle."
Loric burst into gales of laughter, Tipperton joining in. Bekki looked at them for some moments, and then burst into laughter as well. Riding in the lead, Prince Loden looked over his shoulder, and Tain at his side put his fingers to his lips in a shushing motion and snapped, "Do you want to bring the Spawn down on us? They can hear you all the way to Mineholt North."
This only caused Bekki to laugh all the harder, Loric and Tipperton as well.
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