Into the fire

Chapter 30

Sheltered by Darda Erynian, the Elves, Baeron, and War-rows rode another five miles westerly ere making camp within a small glade just north of the Landover Road. And while the Baeron and Dylvana stood ward, exhausted War-rows and Lian and the Elves who had ridden with Dara Cein slept the sleep of the dead. After taking water and a hearty ration of oats, spent ponies and horses dozed as well, some standing, but most lying on the sward. Through the remainder of that day and the full of the night and into the next morning did they sleep, though Elves and Warrows awakened long enough to relieve themselves as necessary and to take a meal in the evening.

In midmorn, riding into camp came a Pysk. Dressed in varying shades of grey, she was, and her hair was mouse brown and her eyes cobalt blue, and a tiny bow and an empty quiver were slung across her back.

"I would speak with the commander here," she said to the Elven sentry, her words in the common tongue.

"Lady Pysk, we have several commanders here," replied the guard, peering down at her twelve-inch height. "Dara Cein, Alor Galarun, Alor Perin, Rark of the Baeron, Lady Rynna of the Waerlinga-"

"Who is nearest?" interjected the Pysk.

The sentry gestured at one of the small campfires. "Dara Cein and Lady Rynna sit yon with Alor Aravan."

"Aravan!" exclaimed the Pysk, her gaze seeking him out. "Oh my. Thank you." She urged her fox forward.

As she arrived at the fire, Aravan, Cein, and Rynna turned to look at her. Dismounting, she spoke a word to the fox, and it stepped some paces away and turned about in circles to finally lie down nose to tail.

Now the Pysk faced Aravan. "Alor Aravan, I an, inion-daughter-of Farrix and Jinnarin."

"Daughter of-?"

"Yes." Aylissa smiled. "They named me after…"

Loss befell Aravan's features, and Aylissa's words stumbled to a halt. But then Aravan smiled-the hurt retreating deep within his eyes once again-and softly he said, "Well met, Lady Aylissa, and how fare thy sire and dam?"

"They are well, Alor, and ward the northwestern marge of the Great Greenhall. Had they known you would be here, they would have come in place of others to face the foe."

Aravan held out a negating hand. "Would that I had seen them, yet some must remain behind to guard."

Rynna cleared her throat, and Aravan said, "Lady Aylissa, may I present Lady Rynna and Dara Cein."

Rynna and Cein smiled, and Aylissa canted her head in acknowledgement.

"I note your quiver is empty," said Rynna.

"All spent driving the Spaunen from Darda Erynian," said Aylissa.

"Then they are gone?" asked Cein.

"Aye. They have fled, though fully half did not live to escape."

"What of the surrogate?" asked Tipperton, yawning widely, the buccan just then joining the others at the fire.

Aravan looked across the flames and said, "Lady Aylissa, Sir Tipperton Thistledown."

"Hullo," said Tip, yawning again, and then taking a place on the ground beside Rynna. "Your pardon, Lady Aylissa, but sleep seems not yet done with me."

Aylissa smiled. "You must be one of those who rode from Eryn Ford."

"I was."

" 'Twas he who blew the Harlingar horn to scatter the Helsteeds and alert us to the Ghulka lying in ambush," said Aravan.

"We heard it as we approached," said Aylissa. "Another trump as well."

"That was Larana's horn."

Tip yawned once more and repeated, "What of the surrogate? Did he escape?"

Aylissa frowned. "Surrogate?"

"Modru's eyes and ears and voice," replied Tip. "A Human. Pale skin, dark hair. The only one among the Spaunen, I think."

"Ah," said Aylissa. "Such a Human was felled." She gestured at her bow. "By a Pysk arrow, I believe."

"Then he is slain," said Tip with certainty, for the tiny arrows were deadly, their points coated with a fatal bane, lethal in but a heartbeat or two.

Rynna looked at Tipperton. "Even so, love, that yet leaves some thousand Foul Folk loose on the wold."

"Ah, yes, but now they are without Modru's guidance."

Rynna grinned ruefully. "That may make them all the more deadly."

Tipperton sighed and turned up a hand.

Aylissa then said to Aravan, "My sire and dam oft speak of you and the Eroean. They will be eager for news of you and will want to know what has befallen since last they saw your face centuries agone."

Aravan nodded, then said, "I spent a time dwelling in solitude in Darda Erynian along the banks of the Argon. Finally I was ready to be with others, and so I went unto Caer Lindor. There did I stay for uncounted seasons, working at sundry craft-blacksmith, stable hand, scout, cook, horse master, sentry, mason, chandler, weapons master, and many another trade-until came this war and the fortress was betrayed and the walls themselves were cast down.

"Then did I go unto Darda Galion to join with my kindred. We fought before Drimmen-deeve and in the mountains above, and there I became comrade to Galarun. When his sire, Coron Eiron, sent Galarun unto the forges of the Mages, there below Black Mountain in Xian, he asked me if I would go with his son, but I would have gone regardless."

Aravan's hand strayed to the blue stone at his throat and his eyes glanced at the black-hafted crystal-bladed spear at his side. "Fraught with danger was our journey, for we were opposed by many. It was as if the foe knew of our mission and sought to bar the way. Yet unto Black Mountain we came at last, fully a quarter of our company slain along the way. Nevertheless, into the black stone of that Wizardholt the Mages asked Galarun to come, but they bade the rest of us to wait, and we know not what transpired within.

"When Galarun emerged, he had the silver sword- named the Dawn Sword-in his grasp. Grim was his face, yet he mounted up and we rode away in silence.

"Westerly we fared, through Xian and Aralan, across Khal to Garia and into Riamon, at times fighting, at times fleeing, for Spaunen lay in wait at every turn, and slowly our ranks dwindled as comrades fell unto the foe.

"I can but hope this battle at Rimmen Gape is the last Modru casts in our way, yet there are many leagues 'tween here and Darda Galion, and I fear there are more battles to come."

As Aravan fell to silence, Tip glanced afar to where Galarun, the silver sword rigged across his back, stood conferring with one of the Dylvana. "I say, Aravan, does he use the sword in battle?"

Aravan shook his head. "Nay, Tipperton. It is meant for another foe altogether."

"Why is it called the Dawn Sword?" asked Rynna.

"That is what Galarun named it when he bore it forth from the Wizardholt. Yet he does not say why."

"Hmm," mused Tip. "A mystery, that."

"Even more so," replied Aravan.

"Oh? What else is there?"

"Galarun does not let any other bear it, nor touch it whatsoever. And he blanched when I said I would carry it should he fall in battle. Yet he disputes me not, for such is mine to do should the need arise, for he has named me second-in-command."

Rynna nodded and looked at Tipperton, but neither spoke. Finally, Aylissa asked, "What next, Alor Aravan? Where do you go from here?"

"We are bound for Darda Galion and time flows swiftly, and so we hie for Landover Ford and the wide wold beyond, where we will turn south and ride in haste over the rolling land."

"But Aravan," protested Cein, "there are safer ways to go: through Darda Erynian, for one."

Aravan nodded. "Aye, safer ways, but none swifter than that which we plan to take."

"Why the hurry?" asked Tipperton, though he suspected the answer.

Aravan poked the fire with a stick. "Nigh four months it took to reach Black Mountain, and nigh that will it be to return, and much can happen and has no doubt happened upon Adonar in the while between. And if this silver sword-this Dawn Sword-is the key to victory, then we must get it there as swiftly as we can, and riding the open wold is that way."

Silence fell among those at the fire, but finally Aravan turned to Aylissa and said, "Say this unto thy sire and dam, Aylissa of Darda Erynian: should we meet after the war, long will we talk of things that were, of things that are, and of things yet to be. Say this to them as well: I am pleased that thou art named Aylissa."

Without another word, Aravan rose and walked away, and all watched him go, Aylissa with tears in her eyes.

Only that day did Galarun and company rest in the safety of Darda Erynian, and the very next morning they prepared to set forth on fresh horses borrowed from the Dylvana. Galarun mounted up, the silver sword scabbarded across his back, and he called out to all: "We were sent to fetch a sword to be borne unto Adonar, where last we knew war raged. Modru has striven mightily to thwart us from doing so, yet thanks to ye all and the Hidden Ones he has failed once again. Would that we could bide awhile, yet we cannot, for our mission is most urgent. Fare ye well, my friends, and now we must go."

At a signal from Galarun, Larana sounded her silver trump and, as the argent notes faded into the shadowed galleries of the Great Greenhall, forth spurred Galarun, Aravan at his side, a column of Lian following.

And so, amid shouted farewells and good-byes, Waer-linga, Pyska, Baeron, and Dylvana watched the Silver Sword Company ride westward, angling for the Landover Road. They would follow that route to the ford across the Argon and the wide wold beyond, the river and rolling plain some fifty-five leagues hence, where they would turn for Darda Galion, another eighty leagues south, the only appreciable barrier the Dalgor Fens halfway between.

And as they went from sight, Rynna turned to Tipperton and said, "Oh, I do hope they have taken the best way." And then she shuddered, as if the icy breath of the Dark One himself had whispered in her ear.