Fires of Azeroth

Chapter Twelve

Roh started back from the arrow as from a serpent, reaching for his own bow. "No," Vanye said, holding him from flight.

"Friends of yours."

"Once. Maybe still. -Arrhendim, Iher nthim ahallya Men-rani"

There was no response. "You are full of surprises," Roh said.

"Be still," he answered. His voice shook, for he was very tired, and the silence dismayed him. If the arrhendimthemselves had turned against him, then there was no hope.

"Khemeis."The voice came from behind him.

He turned. A Man stood there, a khemeis.It was not any that he knew.

"Come."

He began to do so, bringing Roh with him. The khemeismelted back into the forest, and when they had reached that place there was no sign that he had stood there. They walked farther into the shadow.

Suddenly a white-haired qhalshifted into their view, from the shadow of the trees. His bow was bent, and a brown-feathered arrow was aimed at them.

"I am Lellin Erirrhen's friend," Vanye said. "And khemeisto Morgaine. This man is my cousin."

The arrow did not waver. "Where is Lellin?"

Then his heart sank, and he leaned on his staff, little caring whether the arrow was fired.

"Where is Lellin?"

"With my lady. And I do not know. I hoped that the arrhendimwould."

"Your cousin bears lord Merir's safe-passage. But that is good only for him who bears it."

"Take us to Merir. I have an accounting to give him for his grandson."

Slowly the arrow was lowered and eased from the bowstring. "We will take you where we please. One of you does not have leave to be here. Which?"

"I," Roh confessed, lifting the amulet from his neck. He gave it into Vanye's hand.

"You will both come with me."

Vanye nodded when Roh looked question at him; and he hung the amulet again about his neck and, heavily, limped in the qhal'swake.

There was no stopping until long after dark; and then the arrhendimhalted and settled among the roots of a large tree. Vanye sank down, Roh beside him, tucked his good leg up and rested against it, exhausted. But Roh shook at him after a moment. "They offer us food and drink," Roh said.

Vanye bestirred himself and took it, small appetite as he had now; afterward he leaned against the base of a tree and gazed at the arrhendim…two now, for the khemeishad joined them.

"Do you know nothing of where Lellin or my lady is?" Vanye asked them.

"We will not answer," said the qhal.

"Do you count us enemies?"

"We will not answer."

Vanye shook his head and abandoned hope with them, rested his head against the bark.

"Sleep," said the qhal,and spread his cloak and wrapped in it, becoming one with the tree against which he leaned; but the khemeisvanished quietly into the brush.

There was a different qhaland a different khemeisin the morning. Vanye looked at them, blinked, disturbed that they had shifted about so silently. Roh cast him a sidelong glance no less disturbed.

"I am Tirrhen," said the qhal."My khemeisis Haim. We will take you farther."

"Nhi Vanye and Chya Roh," Vanye replied. "Where?"

The qhalshrugged. "Come."

"You are more courteous than the last," Roh said, and took Vanye's arm, helping him rise.

"They are Mirrind's guardians," Tirrhen replied. "Would you expect joy of them?"

And Tirrhen turned his back and vanished, so that it was Haim who walked with them a time. "Be silent," the khemeissaid when Roh ventured to speak; it was all he said. They walked all the day save brief rests, and Vanye flung himself down at the mid-afternoon stop and lay still a good moment before he had caught his breath, eyes blurred and half-closed.

Roh's hand touched his. "Take the armor off. I shall carry it. You are done, otherwise."

He rolled over and began to do so, while Roh helped him. The khemeiswatched, and finally offered them food and drink, although they had had a little at noon.

"We have sent for horses," Haim said. Vanye nodded, relieved at that.

"There is no word," Vanye said again, trying another approach, "what became of my party."

"No. Not that we know. And we know what there is to be known in this part of Shathan."

"But others might have contact elsewhere." Hope sprang up in him, swiftly killed by Harm's grim look.

"What there is of news is not good, khemeis.I understand your grief. I have said too much. Get up and let us be going."

He did so, with Roh's help. The lack of the armor was relief. He made it until nightfall before he was utterly winded and halted in his tracks.

It was Tirrhen with them now, and not Haim; and Tirrhen showed no intention of stopping. "Come," he said. "Come on."

Roh flung an arm about him and steadied him. They followed Tirrhen until Roh himself was staggering badly.

Then a clearing lay ahead of them in the starlight, and four arrhendimwaited with six horses. "They mean we should keep going," Roh said, and his voice nigh broke.

Vanye looked, and knew none of them. He was helped to one of the saddleless horses, which was haltered only, and led by one of the arrhendim.Roh mounted the other without their help, and silently the party started to move.

Vanye leaned forward and rested against the horse's neck, instinct and habit keeping him astride over rough ground and through winding trails. The pain subsided to something bearable. The horse's patient strength comforted him. He slept at times, though once it cost him a braise on a low branch: he bent back under it and slumped forward again, little the worse for it among so many other hurts. They moved through the night like shadows, and by morning they had reached another clearing, where more horses waited for them, with another escort.

He did not even dismount, but leaned, grasped a mane, and drew himself to the other horse. The party started forward, with no offering to them of food or water. Vanye ceased even to care, although such was finally offered at noon, without stopping. He rode numbly, silent as their escort was silent. Roh was still there, some distance behind… he saw that when he would look back. Arrhendimrode between them so that they could not speak to each other. They had not been disarmed, he realized at last, which heartened him; he trusted that Roh still had his armor and his weapons, for Roh had his own. He himself was beyond using any, and wished only for a cloak, for he was cold, even in daylight.

He asked finally, recalling that these were qhal,not Hetharu's halfling breed, and not by nature cruel. He was given a blanket to wrap himself in as they rode, and they offered him food and drink besides, all with little delay in their riding. Only twice in the day did they dismount even for a moment. At nightfall there was another change of horses, and new guides took over. Vanye returned the blanket, but the qhalgently put it back about him and sent him on into the night with the new guides. The arrhendimwho had them in charge now were more than gentle with them, as if their condition aroused pity in them; but again at dawn, mercilessly, they were passed to others, and both of them now had to be helped to mount.

Vanye had no memory of how many changes there had been; it all merged into nightmare. There were always whistles and sounds about them now, as if they rode some well-marked highroad in the wood, one well-watched… but none of those watchers came into their view.

The trees here loomed up monstrous in size, of different sort than they had seen. The trunks were like walls beside them, and the place existed in shade that made it always twilight.

Night settled on them in that place, a starless dark beneath that canopy of branches; but there was the scent of smoke in the air, and one of their horses whinnied a greeting to another.

Light gleamed. Vanye braced his hands on the horse's moving shoulders, and stared at that soft glow, at the assemblage of tents gathered amid those great trunks, color showing in the firelight. He blinked through tears of exhaustion, fragmenting the image.

"Merir's camp?" he asked of the Man who led his horse.

"He has sent for you," that Man said, but no more would he say.

Music drifted to them, qhalurand beautiful. It died at their coming. Folk left the common-fire and stood as a dark line of shadows along the course that they rode into camp.

The arrhendimstopped and bade them dismount. Vanye slid down holding the mane, and needed the bracing of two arrhendimto keep his feet as they guided him, for his legs were weak and the ceaseless motion of the horses still ruled his senses, so that the very earth seemed to heave under him.

"Khemeis!"

A cry went up. A small body impacted his and embraced him. He stopped, freed a shaking hand and touched the dark head that rested against his heart. It was Sin.

"How did you come here?" he asked the boy, out of a thousand questions that he wondered, the only one that made clear sense.

The wiry arms did not let him go; small hands clenched in the sides of his shirt as the arrhendimurged him to start walking, and drew him on. "Carrhend moved," Sin said. "Riders came. It burned."

"Go away, lad," said the khemeisat the right-gently. "Go away."

"I came," Sin said; his hands did not unclench. "I went into the forest to find the qhal.They brought me here."

"Did Sezar come back? Or Lellin?"

"No. Ought they? Where is the lady?"

"Leave him," said the khemeis."Lad-do as you are told."

"Go away from me," Vanye said heavily. "Sin, I am not in good favor with your people. Go away as he tells you."

The hands relaxed, withdrew. Sin lagged behind. But then as he walked Vanye caught sight of him, staying to one side, trailing them forlornly. He walked, for they would not let him do otherwise, to Merir's tent. They brought him at once inside, but Roh was left behind: he did not realize that until he was faced about in front of Merir's chair.

The old qhalsat wrapped in a plain gray cloak, and his eyes were sad, glittering in the light of the lamps. "Let him go," Merir said; they did, gently, and Vanye sank down to one knee and bowed himself to the mat in respect.

"You are sorely hurt," Merir said.

It was not the opening he had expected of the old lord, whose grandson was lost, whose line was threatened, whose land was invaded. Vanye bowed again, shaking with exhaustion, and sat back. "I do not know where Lellin is," he said hoarsely. "I want leave to go, my lord, to find him and my lady."

Merir's brows contracted. The old lord was not alone in the tent; grim armed Men and qhalwere about him, force at need; and there were the elders, whose eyes were darkened with anger. But Merir's frown held more of pain than of wrath. "You do not know the state of things here. We know that you crossed the Narn. And after that, the harilim,the dark ones… have severed us from the region. Is it not so, that you went to find Nehmin?"

"Yes, lord."

"Because your lady would have it so, against my wishes. Because she was set on this thing; and warnings would not deter her. Now Lellin is gone, and Sezar; and she is lost; and war is upon us." The anger did come, and stilled, and the gray eyes brooded in the lamplight, lifted slowly once more. "I saw all these things in her. I saw in you only what I see now. Tell me, Khemeis,all that happened. I shall hear you. Tell me everything and spare no detail. It may be that some tiny scrap of knowledge will help us understand the rest"

He did so. His voice failed him in the midst of it, and they gave him drink; he continued, in their stark silence. There was silence even after he had finished. "Please," he asked of Merir, "give me a horse and one for my cousin too. Our weapons. Nothing more. We will go and find them."

The silence continued. In the weight of it, he reached to his neck and lifted off the chain that bore the amulet, tendered it to Merir. When Merir made no move to take it, he laid it on the mat before him, for his hand could not hold it longer without shaking.

"Then let us go out as we are," Vanye said. "My lady is lost. I want only to go and find her and those with her." "Man," said Merir at last, "why did she seek Nehmin?" He was dismayed by the question, for it shot to the heart of things that Morgaine had withheld from their knowledge. "Does it not control Azeroth?" he countered. "Does it not control the place where our enemies are?" "Were," said another.

He swallowed, clenched his hands in his lap to keep them from trembling. "Whatever is amiss out there is my doing. I take responsibility for it. I told you why they came; they pursued me, and Nehmin has nothing to do with that. My lady is hurt. I do not know if she is still alive. I swear to you that she is not at fault in bringing attack on you."

"No," said Merir. "Perhaps she is not. But never yet have you told us all the truth. She asked truth of me. She asked trust. And trust have I given, to the very edge of war and the loss of our people's lives and homes. Yes, I see your enemies for what they are; and they are evil. But never yet have you told us all the truth. You and she crossed through the harilim.That is no small thing. You dared use the harilimin escaping your enemies; and you survive… and that amazes me. The dark ones hold you in uncommon regard-Man that you are. And now you ask us to trust you once more. You wish to use us to set you on your way, and never once have you told us truth. We shall not harm you, do not fear that; but loose you again to work more chaos in our land… no. Not with my question still unanswered."

"What will you ask, lord?" He bowed again to the mat, trembling, and sat back. "Ask me tomorrow. I think that I should answer you. But I am tired and I cannot think." "No," said another qhal,and leaned on Merir's chair to speak to the old lord. "Will a night's rest improve the truth? Lord, think of Lellin."

Merir considered a moment. "I ask," he said at last, though his old eyes seemed troubled at the unkindness. "I do ask, khemeis.In all cases your life is safe, but your freedom is not."

"Would a khemeisbe asked to betray his lord's confidence?"

That told upon all of them; there were doubtful looks among these honorable folk. But Merir bit his lip and looked sadly at him.

"Is there something then to betray, khemeis?"

Vanye blinked slowly, forcing the haze away, and shook his head. "We never wished you harm."

"Why Nehmin, khemeis?"

He tried to think what to answer, and could not; and shook his head yet again.

"Do we then guess that she means some harm to Nehmin? That is what we must conclude. And we must be alarmed that she has had the power to pass the harilim.And we must never let you go."

There was nothing else to say, and even silence was no safety. The friendship that they had enjoyed was gone.

"She wished to seize Nehmin," Merir said. "Why?"

"Lord, I will not answer you."

"Then it is an act which aims at us… or the answer would do no harm."

He looked at the old qhalin terror, knowing that he should devise something to say, something of reason. He pointed vaguely and helplessly back toward Azeroth, from which he had come. "We oppose that. That is the truth, lord."

"I do not think we have truth at all until it involves Nehmin. She means to seize power there. No. Then what else might she intend? 'The danger is to more worlds than this one…'Her words. They sweep much wider than Azeroth, khemeis.Do I dare guess she means to destroy Nehmin?"

He thought that he must have flinched. The shock was evident too in the faces that watched. There was heaviness in the air such that it was hard to draw breath.

"Khemeis?"

"We… came to stop the Shiua. To prevent the kind of thing that has come on you.". .

"Aye," said Merir after a moment, and breath was held in that place; none stirred. "By destroying the passage. By taking and destroying Nehmin."

"We are trying to save this land."

"But you fear to speak the truth to those who live in it."

"That out there… that…is the result of the opening of your Gate. Do you want more of it?"

Merir gazed down on him. His senses blurred; he was shaking convulsively. He had lost the blanket somewhere; he could not remember. Someone put a cloak about him, and he held it close, shivering still.

"This Man, Roh," Merir said then. "Bring him in."

It was a moment before Roh came, and that not willingly; but he seemed too weary to fight, and when he was brought to face Merir. Vanye looked up and whispered to him: "Lord Merir, cousin; a king in Shathan, and worth respect. Please. For my sake."

Roh bowed: hall-lord and clan-lord himself, although they had taken his weapons and insulted him, he maintained his dignity, and when he had bowed, he sat down crosslegged on the floor… the latter a courtesy to kinsman rather than to Merir, for he should have demanded a seat on Merir's level or remained standing.

"Lord Merir," Roh said, "are we free or no?"

"That is the question, is it not?" Merir's eyes shifted to Vanye's. "Your cousin. And yet you have warned us before now what he is."

"I beg you, my lord-"

"Chya Roh." Merir's eyes flashed. "Abomination among us, this thing that you have done. Murder. And how many times have you so done?"

Roh said nothing.

"Lord," Vanye said. "He has another half. Will you not remember that?"

"That is to be reckoned… for he is both the evil and its victim. I do not know which I see."

"Do him no harm."

"No," said Merir. "His harm is within him." And Merir wrapped his cloak the more tightly about him and brooded in silence. 'Take them," he said at last. "I must think on these things. Take them and lodge them well."

Hands settled on them, gentle enough. Vanye struggled to rise and found it beyond his strength, for his one leg was stiff and the other would scarcely hold him. Arrhendimhelped him, one on a side, and they were led away to a neighboring tent, where there were soft skins still warm from someone's body. Here they were left, unrestrained, able to have fled, but that they had no strength left. They sprawled where they were let down, and slept.

Day came. A shadow stood against the light in the doorway of the tent. Vanye blinked. The shadow dropped down, and became Sin, squatted with his arms folded across his bare knees, patiently waiting.

A second presence breathed nearby. Vanye turned his head, saw a qhalurlad, his long white hair and clear gray eyes strange in a child's face; delicate, long hands propped his chin.

"I do not think you should be here," Vanye whispered to Sin.

"We may," said the qhalurchild, with the absolute assurance of his elders.

Roh stirred, sat up reaching for weapons that were not there. "Be still," Vanye said. "It is all right, Roh. We are safe with such guards."

Roh dropped his head against his hands and drew a slow breath.

"There is food," said Sin brightly.

Vanye rolled over and saw that all manner of things had been provided them, water for washing, cloths; a tray of bread, and a pitcher and cups. Sin crawled over and sat down there, gravely poured frothing milk into a cup for him and offered it… offered a cup to Roh when Roh held out his hand for it. They breakfasted on butter and bread and a surfeit of goat's milk, the best fare they had had in many days.

"He is Ellur," said Sin, indicating his qhalurfriend, who settled crosslegged near him. "I think that I may be khemeisto him."

Ellur soberly inclined his head.

"Are you all right?" Sin asked, touching his splinted knee with great care.

"Yes. It is mending. I shall take that off soon."

"This is your brother?"

"Cousin," said Roh. "Chya Roh i Chya, young sir."

They inclined their heads in respect as men might.

"KhemeisVanye," said Ellur, "is it true what we have heard, that many Men have come behind you against Shathan?"

"Yes," he said, for there was no lying to such children.

"Ellur has heard," said Sin, "that Lellin and Sezar are lost; and that the lady is hurt."

Yes."

he boys were silent a moment, both looking distressed. "And," said Ellur, "that if you go free, then there will be no arrhendimby the time we are grown."

e could not look away. He met their eyes, dark human and gray qhal,and his belly felt as if he had received a mortal wound. "That could be the truth. But I do not want that. I do not want that at all."

There was long silence. Sin gnawed at his lip until it seemed he would draw blood. He nodded finally. "Yes, sir."

"He is very tired," Roh said after a moment. "Young sirs, perhaps you should speak to him later."

"Yes, sir," said Sin, and rose up, gently reached out and touched Vanye's arm, bowed his head and exited the tent, Ellur shadowing him like a small pale ghost.

It was a mercy equal to any Roh had ever shown him. He felt Roh push at him, and lay down, shivering suddenly. Roh flung a cover over him, and sat there wisely saying nothing.

He drowsed at last, found respite in sleep. It did not last. "Cousin," Roh whispered, and shook at him. "Vanye."

A shadow fell across the doorway. One of the khemicrouched in the opening. "You are awake," he said. "Good. Come."

Vanye nodded to Roh's questioning look, and they gathered themselves out of the cramped confines of the tent, stood and blinked in the full daylight outside. There were four arrhendimwaiting there.

"Will Merir see us now?" Vanye asked.

"Perhaps today; we do not know. But come and we shall see to your comfort."

Roh hung back, doubting them. "They can do what they will," Vanye said in his own tongue, and Roh yielded then and came. He limped heavily, loath to be moved anywhere, for he was dizzy and sore; but what he had told Roh was the very truth: they had no choice in the matter.

They came to an ample tent, and entered into it, where sat an old qhalurwoman, robed in gray, who regarded them with bright stern eyes and looked them up and down, sorry as they were and filthy. "I am Arrhel," she said in a voice that cracked with authority. "Wounds I treat, not dirt." She gestured to the young qhalwho stood in the rear corner. "Nthien, take them into the back and deal with what you may; arrhendim,assist Nthien where needful."

The young qhalparted the curtain for them, expecting no argument. Vanye went, pausing to bow to the old woman; Roh followed, and their guard trailed them.

Hot water was already prepared, carried steaming through an opening at the rear of the tent. At Nthien's urging they stripped and washed, even to the hair… Roh must unbind his, which was shame to any man; but so was it to be unwashed, so he only frowned displeasure and did so. Vanye had no such pride left.

The water stung in the wounds, and Vanye felt fever in his which must be dealt with; Nthien saw that at a glance and a touch, and began to make preparations in that direction. Vanye watched him with dread, for there was likely the cautery for the worst of them. Roh's injuries were scant, and a little salve sufficed for him, and a linen bandage to keep them clean; afterward Roh settled, wrapped in a clean sheet, on a mat in the corner, braiding his hair back into the warrior's knot and watching Nthien's preparations with mistrust equal to his own.

"Sit down," Nthien said then to Vanye, indicating the bench where he had set his vessels and instruments. There was no cautery at all. Nthien's gentle hands prepared each wound with numbing salve; some he must open, and he kept the arrhendimcoming and going with instruments to be washed, but there was little pain. Vanye simply shut his eyes and relaxed after a number of the worst were done, trusting the qhal'sskill and kindness. The numbness preceeded from the most painful to the least of his hurts, and afterward there was no bleeding; clean bandages protected them.

Then Nthien examined the knee… called in Arrhel, to Vanye's consternation, who laid her wrinkled hands on the joint and felt it flexing. "Leave the splint off," she said, then touched her hand to his brow, pressed his face between her hands, making him look at her. Regal she was in her aged grace, and her gray eyes were surpassing kind. "You are fevered, child."

He almost laughed in surprise, that she could call him child; but qhallived long, and when he looked into those aged eyes, so full of peace, he thought that perhaps most Men to her years were children. She left them, and Roh gathered himself up off the mat, staring after her with a strangely disturbed expression.

His kind,Vanye thought, and his skin prickled at the thought. Liell's kind… the Old Ones.He was suddenly frightened for Roh, and wanted him quickly out of this place.

"We are done," said Nthien. "Here. We have found you both clean clothing."

The khemioffered it to them… soft, sturdy clothing such as the arrhendimwore, green and brown and gray, with boots and belts of good workmanship. They dressed, and the clean cloth next the skin was itself a healing thing, restoring pride.

Then the arrhendimheld back the curtain and showed them again into Arrhel's presence.

Arrhel was standing at the tripod table which had not been there before. She stirred a cup, which she brought then and offered Vanye. "For the fever. It is bitter, but it will help." She gave him a small leather pouch. "Here is more of it. Once daily as long as the fever lasts, drink this steeped in water, as much as covers the center of your palm. And you must sleep much and ride not at all, nor wear armor on those wounds; and you must have wholesome food and a great deal of it. But it seems that this is not in anyone's plans. The supply is for your journey."

"Journey, lady?"

"Drink the cup."

He did so; it was bitter as promised, and he grimaced as he gave it back to her, uneasy at heart. "A journey to or from where I asked lord Merir to go?"

"He will tell you. I fear I do not know. Perhaps it depends on what you say to him." She took his hand in hers, and her flesh was soft and warm, an old woman's. Her gray eyes looked into him, so that he could not look away.

Then she let him go and turned, sat down in her chair. She set the cup on the tripod table beside her, and looked at Roh. "Come," she said; and he came, knelt when with her open hand she indicated a place before her-hall-lord though he was, he did so-and she leaned forward and took his face between her hands, gazing into his eyes. Long and long she stared, and Roh shut his eyes finally rather than bear that longer.

Then she touched her lips to his brow, and yet did not let him go. "For you," she whispered, "I have no cup to drink. There is no healing that my hands can work. I would that I could."

Her hands fell. Roh thrust himself away and to his feet and came against the warning hand of the khemeiswho kept the door, stopped cold.

Vanye cast a look back at Arrhel, remembered courtesy and bowed; but when the lady then dismissed them, he made haste to take Roh from that place. Roh did not look back or speak, not then nor for a long time after, when they were settled again in their own tent.

Merir sent for them in the afternoon, and they went, escorted by the same several arrhendim.The old lord was wrapped in his feather-cloak, and bore the circlet of gold about his brow; armed Men and qhalwere about him.

Roh bowed to Merir and sat down on the mat; Vanye knelt and performed the full obeisance, and settled as much as he could off his injured leg. Merir's face was grave and stern, and for a long time he was content only to stare at them.

"KhemeisVanye," Merir said at last, "your cousin much troubles what little peace I have found in my mind. What will you that I do with him?"

"Let him go where I go."

"So Arrhel has told you that you are leaving."

"But not where, lord."

Merir frowned and leaned back, folding his hands before him. "Much evil has your lady loosed on this land. Much harm. And more is to come. I cannot wish this away. The wishes of all the folk of Shathan cannot turn this away. Even yet I fear you have not told me all that you know… yet I must heed you." His eyes flicked to Roh and back again. "The ally that you insist to take: would your lady approve him?"

"I have told you how we came to be allies."

"Yes. And yet I think she would warn you. So do I. Arrhel vows she will not sleep soundly for days for his sake, and she warns you. But you will not listen."

"Roh will keep his word to me."

"Will he? Perhaps. Perhaps you know best of all. See that it is so, khemeisVanye. We will go to find your lady Morgaine, and you will go with us… So will he, since you insist; I will reserve my judgment. I have misgivings-for many things in this-but go we shall. Your weapons, your belongings, all are yours again. Your freedom, your cousin's. Only yon must return me assurance that you will ride under my authority and obey my word as law."

"I cannot," Vanye said hoarsely, and turned his scarred palm toward Merir. "This means that I am my lady's servant, no one else's. But I will obey you while obeying you serves her; I beg you take that for enough."

"That is enough."

He pressed his brow to the mat in gratitude, only then daring believe they were free.

"Make ready," Merir said. "We leave very shortly, late in the day as it is. Your belongings will be returned to you."

Such haste was what he himself desired; it was more in an respects than he had dared hope of the old lord… and for an instant suspicion plucked at him; but he bowed again and rose, and Roh stood with him to pay his respect.

They were let out, unguarded, the arrhendimwithdrawn.

And in their tent they found all that they owned given back to them, as Merir had said, weapons and armor, well-cleaned and oiled. Roh gathered his bow into his hand like a man welcoming an old friend.

"Roh," Vanye said, suddenly apprehensive at the dark look.

Roh glanced up. For an instant the stranger was there, cold and menacing, for all the affront the lord Merir had offered him.

Then Roh slowly shed that anger, as if he willed it so, and laid the bow down on the furs. "Let us leave off wearing the armor, at least until the next day on the trail. There is no need to bear that weight on our aching shoulders, and doubtless we are not immediately in range of our enemies."

"Roh, deal well with me and I will deal so with you."

Roh gave him a hard look. "Worried, are you? Abomination. Abomination I am to them. How kind of you to speak for me."

"Roh-"

"Did you not tell them about her,about your half-qhalliege? What else is she? Not pure qhal.Nor human. Doubtless she has done what I have done, no higher nor nobler. And I think you have always known it."

Almost he struck… held his hand, trembling with the effort; there were the arrhendimoutside, their freedom at hazard. "Quiet," he hissed. "Be quiet."

"I have said nothing. There is much that I could say, and I have not, and you know it. I have not betrayed her."

It was truth. He stared at Roh's distraught face and reckoned that it was no more and no less than Roh believed. And Roh had not betrayed them.

"I know it," he said. "I will repay that, Roh."

"But you are not free to say so, are you? You forget what you are."

"My word is worth something… among them, and with her."

Roh's face tautened as if he had been struck. "Ah, you do grow proud, ilin,to think that. And you trade words with qhal-lords in their own language, and dispose of me how you will."

"You are lord of my mother's clan. I do not forget that. I do not forget that you offered me shelter, in a time when others of my kin would not."

"Ah, is it 'cousin,' now?"

There was no appeal to that hardness. It had been there since Arrhel gazed at him. Vanye turned his face from it. "I will do what I said, Roh. See you do the same. If you ask apology as my clan-lord, that I will give; if as my kinsman, that will I give; if it galls you that qhalspeak civilly to me and not to you… that involves another side of you that I have no reason to love; with himthere is no dealing, and I will not."

Roh said nothing. Quietly they packed their belongings into what would be easy to carry on the saddles. They put on only their weapons.

"I will do what I said," Roh offered finally.

It was Roh again. Vanye inclined his head in the respect he had withheld.

In not a long time, khemicame to summon them.