"Yes."
"And will you make your people understand what I say?"
"Yes, I will."
"Then go to them now. Return with their answer with all haste. I cannot wait long for a reply."
"Very well, sir. I promise."
Robby nodded. Eldwin snapped his fingers, and in the dimming light the odd glow of his disappearance seemed to linger a long while. Robby turned to the others who were sitting or reclining nearby.
"I'll do the best I can to get back our things," Robby told them. "If they accept the offer."
"That was an interesting tale he told. If it is true," said Ullin.
"I have no doubt that it is true," commented Ashlord. "For I have heard a similar tale from another about the inhabitants of these lands, but never knew precisely where they lived. And we now know a little more about Bailorg."
"D'ye think the feller what came away from Haven Hill with Bailorg was the traitor?" asked Billy.
"Most likely. But little more do we know about him."
"Whowas, whowasthe lady?" asked Ibin.
"That is a good question, Ibin."
Ashlord drew on his pipe and said nothing else, returning Robby's expectant look with one of his own which told Robby that the mystic had likely surmised the lady's identity but would keep it to himself.
"It seems we'll be here awhile," Robby said as he sat beside Ashlord.
"It appears so. First, waiting for Eldwin's return, and longer, should they accept your offer."
"I suppose so," Robby sighed. "But we won't get far without our supplies. And, well, they have the upper hand."
"It will work out, I am sure, one way or the other."
"I hope so."
Chapter 16
The Treasure Hoard
They waited. After a while, Billy and Ibin snoozed, and the others eventually stretched out, too, until only Ashlord and Robby remained awake. Through the night they watched and waited and spoke very little. In the long hour before dawn, two pops were heard, and two forms appeared before them in a spray of soft blue, effervescent light.
"Are ye the one called Robby?" Herbert asked in a tone that, though gruff, indicated some nervousness.
"I am."
"And ye would do an accountin' of our things, fair an' honest, for the return of yer fine?"
"I will."
"Then, on yer word, an' on the condition that only ye may come into our place, we agree."
"I will come alone only if food and drink are brought to my comrades, and if they are well taken care of and protected from harm while I am away."
"I told ye he would not abandon his friends," said Eldwin to Herbert.
"Very well. Ye will come with us. We will put Eldwin in charge of ye an' yer friends. He will see to it, by me own authority, that yer friends are taken care of an' that ye make a proper accountin' for us. We hold ye both responsible," Herbert added, turning from Eldwin to Robby, who both nodded in return.
Robby slung Swyncraff about his waist and it tied itself into a neat knot, making a further impression on both of the little men. Herbert emitted an odd noise, almost a whimper, and then gruffly said, "Come along, then."
Herbert snapped his fingers and disappeared as Eldwin held out his hand. Robby took it, and at Eldwin's snap, a blur of soft light enveloped him and then faded. They now stood on the path.
"Oh!" Robby said, just as Eldwin snapped his fingers again. Again, they reappeared on the path, farther along where there was a clearing, and Eldwin craned his head, setting his eyes on the top of a little hill that jutted up about a furlong away. The next thing Robby knew, he was standing there.
"Oh. Oh, my!" He felt an odd sensation in his body, as if he had just come to rest after a stroll.
"What ye feel is natural, but takes some gettin' used to," Eldwin explained. "We call it 'poppin',' an' it only works if we can see where we intend to go. If our destination is uphill or far away, the more our bodies feel it. Almost as if we had actually walked some of the distance at a leisurely pace."
"I see." Robby felt a little dizzy, but tried to hide his discomfort.
"It took years for us to discover this power an' all that we can an' cannot do with it. It is a blessing, oh yes! One given by the fair lady. Just a few more pops to go."
Eldwin eyed a hill in the far distance and next they were there, standing on its bare top.
"Look there," Eldwin pointed downward. Below and partially hidden by nearby tree limbs, Robby could see a fair-sized town, with well laid out rows of cottages and other buildings. There was some activity in what Robby took to be the town square, and a man, he noticed, was going about snuffing out the lamps that lined the streets. Dawn was breaking, and in the morning mists beyond the town were fields in orderly terraces climbing the hillsides, along with thatch-roofed farmhouses and barns.
"What do you call this place?" Robby asked.
"We call it Nowhere."
"Oh? Well, it's an apt name, I suppose. But it looks as though your people have made a good home that would be the envy of other places I have seen."
"Perhaps. It is kind of ye to say so, anyway. An', of course, the generations born here do call it home, though we Elders do not."
"How many of you are there?"
"Of the one thousand an' seven hundred who were taken away by Bailorg, there remains of us only sixty-one. There are now many generations of offspring, though we have few children. We number altogether nearly two an' a half thousand, accordin' to Millithorpe. Shall we continue?"
"Certainly."
They landed in the town square. As Robby looked around, he was surrounded by hundreds of Nowhereans. To the south, Robby could see the hilltop where he had stood only moments before, towering steeply over the multicolored forest at its base. The shoulders of the hill stretched into those to the east and west so that on the opposite side, gentle south-facing slopes ran upwards in the neat patterned fields he had just viewed from above.
"Here is the one who will make the accounting," said Herbert to the crowd, none of whom were much taller than Robby's elbow. Turning, he saw the blue-coated one standing on a dais. "We are assured that we have nothing to fear, an' we have given promises in exchange for his. Let it be known that he is to be treated respectfully an' as a guest while he is here. Eldwin the Elder will be his guide. His companions are not to be molested an' are not to be visited by any except those who are appointed to do so. This one, called Robby Ribbon, is to give us a true an' fair reckoning of the Great Hoard, so that we may better strive for the breaking of our curses an' relieve our people of the injustices brought upon us by our fate. Do not hamper him, but give him all assistance that he or Eldwin may request. Otherwise, go about yer business an' yer chores as usual an' in peace. So be it!"
"Now," he continued, facing Robby, "Eldwin may take ye to the Hoard where Millithorpe awaits."
Robby bowed to Herbert, a gesture that seemed to impress Herbert by the look of his swelling, and then he turned to Eldwin, who led him through the crowd. They did not exactly look friendly, Robby thought, but their expressions did not reveal to him any threat or hint of deceit, either. Rather, it seemed that they watched him with some concern and, perhaps, hope. Some did smile. And others bowed as he passed. Though Robby himself was not very tall, he towered over them, and his head was well above the doorways of the houses and buildings they passed. Unlike the group that came with Herbert, most of the people were plainly dressed in working clothes, though clean, and most had some article that was gaily colored, a red cap, a yellow scarf, or blue bodice. The buildings, too, were colorful, with brightly painted doors and shutters, and Robby thought he had never seen a place so neat and trim.
"I am quite impressed with your town," Robby said. "You have worked very hard, I can see."
"Thank ye. Yes, we have. These mountains are rich in minerals an' game, plants, an' fish that we have learned to make use of. We have few cattle or poultry, but we do have some swine. Meat is precious. We have, through trade, gai
ned seed for our crops. An' there are wild grapes we have learned to cultivate, among many other things once only found wild. By the time our trade ended with the one called Furaman, we were obtainin' through him such niceties as fabric an' some metals, such as tin an' copper. We have ample iron. Since Furaman stopped comin', we have had very little news from outside of our lands, an' have done without much trade."
"How long ago was that?"
"Around twenty years or so, I think."
"And do you often encounter the Damar?"
"Not so much any more," Eldwin stated with a slight smile. "We gained a good number of horses an' a lot of steel from them. They tend to avoid our roads, now."
While they walked southward toward the base of the cliffs, the houses thinned, and they entered a smoothly paved path rising through a wooded stretch. Soon they came to a clearing and before them yawned the wide opening of a cave.
"This is where we keep the Great Hoard."
Even before they entered the cave, Robby could see that it was well lit by oil lamps burning brightly within. The room they entered was about forty feet high, nearly as wide and about twice as deep. It fanned out into many passages at the rear that curved away and out of sight. There were shelves and racks and boxes and chests stacked up all around the sides of the room, and to the right side was an area with tables and desks. Sitting at one was Millithorpe who, seeing them enter, sprang up and hurried to them.
"Hullo to you!" he said. "I am Millithorpe, as you may recall."
"I am Robby."
"So I know! So I know! Since I heard of your coming, I have been busy putting our last accounts in order and preparing a place for you to work."
Millithorpe motioned them to the table. It had been thoughtfully propped up on four chests to suit Robby's greater height, and a hastily made stack of other chests were pushed together for a bench. There were bottles of ink, jars of quills, and a lamp giving strong light to the table. Behind the table were rows and rows of shelves filled with books and scrolls.
"These are our accounts," Eldwin said. "Kept by Millithorpe to the best of his ability these many years."
"Please, let me show you," said Millithorpe.
He showed Robby two sets of books. One set contained an inventory of each item in the Hoard in chronological order of its acquisition. The other set was divided into categories. There was one for coin and treasure, another for weapons, one for housewares, one for tools, raw materials, and so forth and so on. Robby paled a little as he realized the extent of the collection of goods, and even before opening one of the books, he realized his task would take considerable time.
"Let us begin with the sundries," said Robby. Millithorpe opened the ledger and stood aside expectantly. Robby stared for a moment at the page before him, glanced at Millithorpe and Eldwin, then slowly turned page after page, trying to grasp the scope of his undertaking. There were all sorts of lists and tick-marks and flourishes without meaning, and the margins were filled with scribbles, many blotted out or scratched over. Biting his tongue, he felt his face redden with a mixture of anger and frustration.
"Let us have a peek at the weapons ledger, now," he said, making an effort to sound confident and relaxed. It was in no better shape, nor any clearer. Neither was the housewares ledger, or, in fact, any of the rest that were handed to Robby, who examined them one by one. He quickly understood the variety of things collected for the Hoard, but after an hour of study, he was no closer to knowing the quantity or condition of any of the goods than he was when he began, due to the truly abysmal tallying. In spite of his effort not to show any emotion, Millithorpe and Eldwin sensed Robby's concern, and they were no longer smiling.
"Well?" Millithorpe asked cautiously.
Robby closed the ledger and sat back against the makeshift backrest.
"This will take longer than I imagined," he said.
"The Hoard is large," Eldwin put forward.
"I suppose it is," Robby began.
"It is not a proper accounting!" Millithorpe blurted out, crestfallen. "I know I have not done things right. I have done my best, according to my ability. Oh, my! Herbert will be furious! I told him I was a poor choice. Years and years ago, I told him."
He wrung his hands and paced around in circles.
"Now, now," Eldwin consoled him. Then to Robby, "Is it all that bad?"
Robby scrunched up his face, shrugging, and tried to find the right thing to say.
"As far as it goes," he started. Millithorpe looked up as if he was bracing for some sharp blow. "It is not how I was taught to do things," Robby finally said. "And I will have some trouble making out your methods on my own. But with your help, Millithorpe, perhaps we can do this accounting together."
"With my help? Oh! Oh, yes! Do you mean? Why, yes. Certainly. Whatever I can do. Yes, good gracious, yes!"
"And we may need the help of others, too."
"I can arrange that," said Eldwin. "How do we begin?"
"Well, first, my companions may be growing hungry."
"Of course. I'll see to them right away."
"Good. In that case, I'll need plenty of paper and ink."
"We have bales of paper!" said Millithorpe. "Some of it in bindings, too, like these, with ten-score leaves. And barrels of ink! Quills by the dozens!"
"Very good. I'll need a dozen of the bindings. I will need to examine the Hoard, too. Do you have a slate?"
"Pardon me?"
"A slate. With chalk. For writing on?"
Eldwin and Millithorpe looked at each other.
"I do not know what that is," Millithorpe said.
"Oh. Well, never mind. We'll make do. How long do you think it will take you to go to my friends with provisions? And then be back here, Eldwin?"
"Less than two hours, I imagine."
"Then please take care of them right away," Robby picked up a scrap of paper, "and please give them this."
Robby wrote a note saying that he was well and asking Sheila to give Eldwin his shoulder bag.
"Sheila, the lady in our group, will give you a bag to bring to me," he said handing the note to Eldwin. "You may read it if you wish."
Eldwin took the note, holding it with both hands, glancing at Millithorpe, and with some embarrassment said, "I cannot read."
"I was only suggesting it so that you would know I am being straight with you," Robby said.
Eldwin nodded, putting the note into his vest pocket.
"I'll be off, then."
"I'll be here."
Eldwin glanced at the cave opening and snapped his fingers. Robby watched him reappear just within sight and disappear again.
"That is an uncanny ability," he said.
"Yes, it is."
"Well, let's have a look around. Tell me about this place. Show me how you use it."
"This part we call the Foyer, where we do the first sorting and dividing of things." Millithorpe waved his hand around, then gestured for them to go to the first passageway. As they entered, Millithorpe explained that most of the passages were natural, but were carved out and trimmed and paved to ease their work. A great deal of the rock was used in the town and some ore, such as iron, was found. Robby rarely had to stoop as they went along, and Millithorpe, taking a lamp from the wall, led him into a large cavern and began to light other lamps about the room.
"This is the sundries room. Over there are dry goods, such as cloth. And you see the bale of paper. There are leather items, there, harnesses, saddles. A few pelts. Over there are cakes of soap and blocks of beeswax and crates of tools—hammers, plough blades, shears, and so forth. Axe handles, wagon parts over there, too. On that side are glasswares, dishes, cups of pewter, ceramic jars and all manner of ladles, spoons, and knives, and so forth."
Robby fingered some of the harness leather, and examined the bale of parchment and paper.
"The leather is pretty-well gone," he said. "Though the cloth is in good shape."
Millithorpe pulled out a little wheelbarrow and began st
acking volumes of bound paper onto it.
"Eldwin said that some things are taken for use by your people. How does that work?"
"Yes. Well. You see, at first it was a solemn matter to take anything at all from the Hoard. Only the Elders could give permission, by unanimous agreement for anything to be taken. From the beginning, all of the original Hoard was protected, and it still is. But our early years were a struggle and so a way was made so that any person could ask for anything from the regular Hoard if only they could provide some thing to replace it of equal value. All of the Elders had to agree that the exchange was fair. It became very difficult, though, to know what may be of value as time passed. It is one thing to need some wax, for example, but how valuable to those outside our land is that wax? When Furaman came to trade, he shared some knowledge about the worth of things with us, but before that, well, naturally the Elders made laws governing the Hoard. Nowadays, if something is perishable, like, say, a side of beef, an auction is held. For other things, it is a great bother to borrow it for awhile."
"For a while? You mean the things aren't kept?"
"Oh, no! Gosh, these things do not belong to us!" Millithorpe was somewhat taken aback at Robby's question, but then understood Robby's quizzical look. "None of these things belong to us. We came here with nothing, not even clothes. The few things that we carried away from our homeland have long since been lost. Things from the Hoard are only borrowed."
"So the trade is just a fee."
"Yes, and the Elders set a time when things must be returned."
"But what about the things you make, your tools and such?"
"These are not truly our lands," Millithorpe said. "Not our mountains, not our forests, not our rivers or streams. The things we make from what we find, our food, our houses—everything belongs to this land, not to us. All must be returned to their rightful owners for our curse to be unmade. And if we ever leave here, our town and our houses will all be given back and the forest will retake the fields and the streets, and the mountains will reclaim the stones cut from them."
The Nature of a Curse (Volume 2 of the Year of the Red Door) Page 42
