The Ironhand's Daughter

CHAPTER IX

SIGARNI PUT OUT her hand to the fire. The warmth was both welcoming and reassuring. When the demons had killed her parents all heat had vanished from the blaze in the hearth. This, she reasoned, would be her only warning that death was close. She stared at her hands. There were blisters on her palms and on the inside joints of her fingers; one had bled profusely and they were painful.

It was the eve of her second day by the frozen Falls and she had worked hard through the hours of daylight. Fear was a constant companion, but somehow that fear was eased merely by being alone.

Sigarni the Huntress had no other concerns now save to stay alive. To do that she must somehow defeat a wizard and his demons.

They can be killed, she thought. Father struck one of them and black blood flowed from it. And that which bleeds can die. Banking up the fire, she drew her sabre and honed the edge with a whetstone. Outside the light was failing fast. Sigarni hooked her quiver of arrows over her shoulder and kept the bow close at hand.

Will it be like last time, she wondered? Will the man in red come first? And if he does, how many creatures of the dark will be with him? How many had been back at the cabin on that awful day?

One? Two? More? How could she tell? Father had been struck first. Perhaps it was the same creature which slew her mother.

Sigarni had made plans for three.

The wind was building outside, and flurries of snow were blowing into the cave-mouth. A distant wolf howled. The fire crackled and spat and Sigarni knocked a burning cinder from her leggings.

Feeling drowsy, she took up her bow and walked to the mouth of the cave, drawing a deep, cold breaths. How long since you slept? Too long, she realized. If they did not come tonight, she would catch a few hours after dawn.

Perhaps they won't find me here, she thought suddenly. Perhaps I am safe.

The moon shone in a cloudless sky, but the wind continued to blow flurries of snow across the frozen pool, rising like a white mist and sparkling in the moonlight. The air was cold against her face, but she could just feel the warmth of the fire behind her.

Alone in the wilderness of white Sigarni found herself thinking of her life, and the great joys she had known. It saddened her that she had not appreciated those joys when she had them; those glorious golden days with Abby and Lady, walking the high country without a care. Recalling them was a strange experience, as if she was looking through a window on to the life of a twin. And she wondered about the white-haired girl she could remember. How could she have lived in such a carefree manner?

Her thoughts roved on, and Bernt's sweet face appeared from nowhere. Sigarni felt a swelling in her throat and her eyes misted. He had loved her. Truly, loved her. How callous she had been. Is this alia punishment for my treatment of you, Bernt? Is God angry with me? There was no way of knowing. If it is, I will bear it.

A white owl swooped over the trees - silent killer, silent flight. Sigarni remembered the first time she had seen such a creature. After the murder of her parents she had lived with old Gwalchmai. He had walked her through the woods on many a night, educating her to the habits of the nocturnal creatures of the forest. The old drunkard had proved a fine foster-father, restricting his drinking to when Sigarni was asleep.

Sigarni sighed. Only a few short months ago she had been a wilful and selfish woman, revelling in her freedom. Now she was the leader of a fledgling army with little hope of survival.

Survival? She shivered. Will you survive the night?

Weariness sat upon her like a boulder, but the bow felt good in her hands. I am not a child now, she thought, running from peril. I am Sigarni the Huntress, and those who come for me do so at the risk of their lives.

Moving back into the cave, she added two large chunks of dead wood to the fire, then returned to the entrance.

Doubts blossomed constantly. Your father mas a great fighter ,but he lasted only afea> heartbeats.

'He did not know they were coming,' she said, aloud. 'He was not prepared.'

How can you prepare against demons of the dark?

'They have flesh, even if they cannot be seen. Flesh can be cut.'

Fear rose like a fire in her belly, and she allowed the flames to flicker. Fear is life, fear is caution, she told herself.

You are a woman alone!

'I am a Highlander and a hunter. I am of the blood of heroes, and they will not bring me to despair and panic. They will notP

A silver fox moved out into the open and padded across to the poolside. 'Hola!' shouted Sigarni.

The noise startled the beast and it leapt out on to the ice and ran across the pool. As it reached the centre it swerved to the left, then raced to the other side. Sigarni's eyes narrowed. Why had it swerved? What did it see? Whatever it was remained invisible within the snow mist. Sigarni ran back to the fire; it was still warm. Notching an arrow to her short hunting bow, she returned to the cave-mouth and waited.

Long minutes passed. Then he appeared, walking with care upon the ice. He was not as tall as she remembered, but then she had only looked upon him with the eyes of a child. Shorter than Fell, he was a stocky man, his belly straining at the red leather coat he wore. His hair was black, close-cropped, silver at the temples, his face fleshy and round. His leggings and boots were red, as was the ankle-length cloak he wore.

Sigarni drew back the bow-string, took careful aim, and waited as he approached. The man saw her, and continued to move closer. Forty feet, thirty. He looked up and smiled. Sigarni let fly and the arrow flashed through the air. He raised his hand and the shaft burst into flame. She notched another.

'Don't waste your energy, child,' he said, his voice surprisingly light and pleasant. 'This is the day you die - and move on to worlds undreamed of. Great adventures await you. Accept your destiny with joy!'

The temperature in the cave plummeted. Something moved behind her... instantly Sigarni leapt out and ran to the right, toward a gentle, tree-covered slope. She did not look back, keeping her eyes to the trail. Halfway up the slope she suddenly twisted to the right once more, cutting behind a snow-covered screen of low bushes. The moonlight was bright and she stared at the snow, and the footprints she had left behind.

Alongside them now she saw other footprints, huge and appearing as if by magic. They were moving inexorably towards her at great speed. Drawing back the bowstring, she aimed high and released the shaft. It travelled no more than twenty feet before stopping suddenly, half of its length disappearing. A terrible screech sounded, and she saw dark blood pumping out around the arrow. She loosed a second. This too thudded home into her invisible assailant. 'Come on, you whoreson!' shouted Sigarni. The creature roared and charged, much faster now, smashing aside the screen of bushes. An invisible leg punched against a hidden length of twine, dislodging the slip ring and springing the toggle. Released from tension, a spear-thick sapling whiplashed back into a vertical position. The three sharpened stakes bound to it, each more than a foot long, plunged into the creature's chest. It thrashed and screamed. The sapling was snapped, but the stakes remained embedded in the invisible flesh. Then it fell and the roaring faded to a low moan. This too died away.

Sigarni did not wait for the death throes, and was already running as the trap was sprung. Angling across the fresh-fallen snow she ran up the slope, cutting to the left until she was just below the crest of the hill. There were no trees or bushes close by. Dropping to her knees, she notched an arrow and waited.

No more than a few heartbeats passed before she saw first one, then two sets of footprints being stamped into the snow. Anger flared in her, fuelling her determination. The closest of the creatures struck the first trip-wire. As the trigger bar was dislodged the rough-made long-bow hidden beneath a snow-covered lattice of thin branches released its deadly missile. Four feet long, the sharpened stick had been barbed all along its length. It slammed into the first creature at what to Sigarni appeared to be lower belly height. She had no time to revel in the strike, for the second creature was almost upon her.

The second hidden bow loosed its deadly shaft - and missed!

With no time to shoot, Sigarni dropped the bow and took a running dive down the hill, landing on her shoulder and rolling headlong towards the lake. Halfway down she felt her sabre snap, then belt and scabbard tore free. Sigarni staggered to her feet. There was one more trap, but it was some way to the left of the cave.

Too far.

Spinning round, she saw the terrifying footprints closing in on her right. A low sound came from the left. Sigarni ducked down - just as talons ripped into her shoulder. The silver chain-mail she wore stopped her flesh being ripped from her bone, but even so she was picked up and hurled ten feet through the air, landing hard on the snow-covered ice pool.

Both creatures now made their way after her.

Sigarni pushed herself upright and began to run. She had one hope now — perhaps the ice at the pool's centre would not support the weight of the beasts pursuing her.

The creatures were closing on her and Sigarni could hear the pounding of their taloned feet upon the ice. The sabre was gone, but she still had her knife.

Damned if I'll die running, she thought. Skidding to a stop, she drew the hunting knife and spun to face them. The swirling snow highlighted their bulk, plastering against the skin of their chests and bellies. In the moonlight they appeared as hairless bears. Flipping the knife and taking the blade in her hand, 'Bite on this, you ugly bastard!' she yelled, hurling the weapon with all her might. The point lanced home in the belly of the first; she saw its head go back and a terrible cry of pain and rage echoed in the mountains.

The creature took two steps forward, then fell to the ice. The last of them closed in on Sigarni.

. . and stopped.

An eerie glow was enveloping it now, faint and golden. It was indeed a hairless bear, though the head was round, the ears and nose humanoid. The beast's eyes were large, and slitted like a great cat. Malevolence shone in the creature's golden gaze as it stood blinking in the strange light.

'Kill her!' shouted the man in red, beginning to run across the ice. 'Kill her!'

The noise caused the creature to jerk its head. It blinked, then focused again on Sigarni. Thin lips drew back to expose a set of sharp teeth. Long arms came up, talons gleaming in the moonlight.

'Step aside, girl,' came a calm voice. Sigarni scrambled back.

The glowing figure of Ironhand was standing before the creature now, a two-handed sword held ready. He was translucent and shimmering, and Sigarni could not believe such an insubstantial figure could hold back the power of the beast. As the creature growled and leapt, the golden-lit sword flashed out, cleaving through the huge chest. There was no blood, and no visible wound. But the demon tottered back and then sank into the ice.

The red-garbed wizard looked horror-struck as the last of the beasts fell. Ironhand swung to him. 'It's been a long time, Jakuta,' he said.

'You can't hurt me. You might be able to slay a demon's soul - but you cannot harm the living!'

'Indeed I cannot. Nor will I have to. Is this not the third time you have tried to steal Sigarni's soul? And where is your familiar?'

The wizard blanched. Slowly he drew a wickedly curved dagger. 'There is still time,' he said. 'She cannot stand against me.'

'There is no time, Jakuta,' Ironhand told him. 'I can see them now!'

The wizard spun. Heavy footprints were thumping down in the snow. Scores of them .. .

Dropping his knife, the wizard began to run. Sigarni saw him make fewer than twenty paces before his body was lifted into the air. His arms and legs were torn from him and his screams were awful to hear. They were cut off abruptly as his head rolled to the ice.

'You should have called upon me,' Ironhand told the stunned woman.

'I needed to fight them alone,' she said.

'I would expect no less from Ironhand's daughter,' he told her.

*

Just as the dawn light crept over the mountains a tiny pocket of darkness opened like a black teardrop on the hillside overlooking the frozen falls. Taliesen stepped from it, leading a blindfolded Ballistar. As his feet touched the snow-covered earth Ballistar collapsed to the ground, trembling. Tearing loose the blindfold, he blinked in the light. Taliesen gave a dry chuckle. 'I told you the way would not be to your liking,' he said.

'Sweet Heaven,' whispered the dwarf. 'What kind of beasts made the noises I heard?'

'You do not wish to know,' said Taliesen. 'Now let us find Sigarni, for I am already growing cold.'

'Wait!' ordered the dwarf, pushing himself to his feet and brushing snow from his leggings.

'What now?'

'There are traps set,' Ballistar told him. 'She did not come here to hide - she came to fight. Now give me a moment to gather my wits, and I will lead you to her.'

'There may be no need,' said Taliesen softly, pointing to the icecovered pool. Ballistar saw the patches of blood smeared across the ice. He and Taliesen moved carefully down the slope. Then the dwarf spotted what appeared to be two boulders close to the centre of the pool. 'Atrolls,' said Taliesen. 'Creatures of the First Pit.'

A severed human leg was half buried in snow. Taliesen tugged it clear. The boot was still in place. 'Not hers,' said the wizard. 'That is promising.' Ballistar backed away from the grisly find - and stepped on a human hand.

'Dear god, what happened here?' he said.

'Aha!' hissed Taliesen, finding the head of Jakuta Khan. Lifting it by the ears, he brought it up until he could look into the grey corpse face. 'Well, well,' he said. 'Come to me, Jakuta!'

The corpse eyes flipped open, and blinked twice. The mouth began to move, but there were no sounds. 'No good trying to speak, my boy,' said Taliesen, with a cruel smile. 'You have no throat.

I take it I called you back from your torment. It must be so very terrible. Are they still hunting you? Of course they are.' Ballistar saw tears form in the sunken eyes. 'Well, I can help you there, Jakuta. Would you prefer your spirit to live for a while in this hapless skull, free from terror? You would?' Gently he laid the head upon the ice, then spoke in a harsh tongue unknown to Ballistar. The ice around the severed head began to melt away. Taliesen knelt by it. 'As long as there is still flesh upon the skull you will be safe here, Jakuta. But when the fishes have stripped it away, you will return to the pit.' The ice gave, the head falling into the cold water beneath as Taliesen stood.

'How was it still alive?' asked Ballistar.

'I called him back. I fear his stay will be brief.'

'It was terribly cruel.'

Taliesen laughed. 'Cruel? You have no idea of what he suffered where he was. He called upon the creatures of the Pit for help - and failed them. Now he dwells with them in perpetual torment. I have given him a short respite from that.'

'At the bottom of an ice lake. How kind you are!' sneered Ballistar.

'I never claimed to be kind. I am certainly not disposed towards mercy for such as he. Jakuta Khan caused the death of Ironhand and destroyed a dynasty that might have changed the course of our history. He did it for profit, for greed. Now he pays. You want me to grieve for him, dwarf?'

Ballistar nodded. 'Yes, that would be good. For in what way are you different from him, Taliesen?

You delight in his suffering and you add to his torment. Is that not evil?'

Taliesen's eyes narrowed. 'Who are you, dwarf, to lecture me? I have fought evil for ten times your lifetime. Even now in my own land the ancestors of these Outlanders are waging a war that will see hundreds, perhaps thousands, of my people die. What pity I have is for them. And there is nothing that I would not do to save them. Now, find me the woman!'

Ballistar swung away from him and walked back across the ice. With care he climbed the slope before the cave, feeling his way forward. 'For the sake of Heaven!' hissed Taliesen. 'Why the delay? I am freezing to death out here!' Ballistar ignored him. Some way to the left he halted, his hands burrowing into the snow. 'What now?' asked Taliesen, exasperated.

There was a sharp hiss, then a sapling reared upright, whiplashing back and forth. Three sharpened stakes were bound to it. 'It is a pig spear-trap,' said Ballistar, 'but angled to strike high. The twine is connected to a ring at the end of the trip-wire ...'

'Yes, yes, I need no instruction. Are there more?'

'We will see,' said Ballistar. The cave was no more than forty feet away, yet it took the two men almost half an hour to reach it. Taliesen was the first inside, where Sigarni was sleeping by a dying fire. The wizard sat down beside her.

Satisfied that she was alive, Ballistar walked away. 'Where are you going?'

'There may be more traps. I don't want some unsuspecting traveller to spring one.'

Outside the dwarf took several deep breaths. His relief was almost palpable: Sigarni was alive!

Ballistar stood for a moment scanning the area. To the right he could see a huge grey corpse, two arrows in its chest and three stakes in its back. One trap. On the hillside there was another body.

Ballistar trudged out towards it.

For two hours he searched the land around the pool. There were no more traps. Returning to the cave he found Sigarni still asleep, with the wizard dozing beside her. Taliesen awoke as he entered. ''Four creatures were killed,' said the dwarf, squatting by the fire and extending his hands to the heat. One had a dagger in its heart, one was slain by a pig spear-trap, the third by a lance-arrow. There was no mark on the fourth.'

'She did well,' agreed the sorcerer.

'How did she pierce their skin?' asked Ballistar. 'I could not pull her dagger free. It was as if it was embedded in stone.'

'It was,' said Taliesen. 'You have seen the corpses of men stiffen in death?' Ballistar nodded.

'With the Atrolls it is many times as powerful. The corpses turn grey, like rocks, then within a few days they putrefy and disappear. Even the bones rot."

'Will more come?'

'It is unlikely, though not impossible. Jakuta pursued Sigarni through the Gateways of Time. He had to, for his soul was pledged against her death. I know of no other sorcerer hunting her.'

'Why did he seek her?'

'Perhaps she will tell you that when she wakes,' said Taliesen. 'And now I am tired. I shall sleep. Be so kind as to fetch wood and keep the fire blazing.'

*

Sigarni stood on the battlements, staring out over the flanks of the mountains and the distant peak of High Druin. Ironhand stood beside her, his huge hand on her shoulder. Moonlight glistened on his braided silver beard, and shone from his silver chain-mail and breastplate. She felt power radiating from him, encompassing her, bathing her in its warmth. 'Where are we?' she asked.

'You mean you don't recognize it?' he said, mystified. 'I'm sure that I have created it perfectly.

Perhaps you need to see it from the outside?'

'I know this area,' she told him. 'There is nothing here save a few wooded hills.'

'That cannot be!' he said, his hand of red iron sweeping out to encompass the hills. 'This is my stronghold of AJ-Druin. It was here that I fought the Four Armies, and slew their champion, Grayle.' Sigarni saw the sadness in his eyes.

'I'm sorry, Ironhand. I have travelled these hills all my life. There are some broken stones that show there was once a large dwelling place here. But it is long gone. And not even the eldest of the Loda know what stood here.'

'Ah well,' he said, turning from the parapet, 'it is... was... merely stone. And at least you can see it now. Come inside and we will talk. I have a fire prepared; it will offer no heat, but is pretty to look upon.' The scene shimmered and Sigarni found herself in a rectangular room, velvet curtains covering the high windows. A log fire blazed in the hearth but, as Ironhand predicted, it burned without heat.

'How is it done?' she asked, running her hand through the flames.

'Here all is illusion. We are spirits, you and I.' The giant warrior, clad now in a simple tunic of green, with soft leather troos, sat himself down in a deep chair. Sigarni seated herself on the bearskin rug before the fire. 'It took a long rime to learn how to do all this,' he said, waving his hand to encompass the room. 'I do not know how long, for there is no sense of the passage of time. To me it was an eternity. Now it is the only home I know - save for the pool by the Falls where my body lies.' Sigarni sat silently, aware that his sorrow was great. 'Ironhand's Falls. It is a beautiful place,' he continued, forcing a smile. 'A man could choose far worse for his death.

During the centuries I have watched the trees grow and die in that wondrous cycle of birth, growth and death. People too - hunters, wanderers, tinkers, clansmen, foreign soldiers. And I saw you, Sigarni, diving from the edge of the Falls, straight as an arrow. I was there when you found my bones. But I could not speak, for you were not ready to listen. You can have no idea how good it is to speak to another soul.'

'Are there no others here?' she asked.

'No, not now. This is my world, the silent kingdom of Ironhand. Others have come, demons and evil spirits. I slew them, and now the others avoid my ... lands.'

'You must be lonely.'

He nodded. 'I hope you will never know how much. I would give anything - accept the darkness and solitude of the true grave for just one hour in your mother's company. It is not yet to be. I can accept that.'

'My mother?' asked Sigarni. 'You knew her?'

'Did you not listen to me back at the pool? You are my daughter, Sigarni. Your mother was my wife, Elarine. I see her in you, the same strength of purpose, the same pride.'

'But you lived hundreds and hundreds of years ago. I can't be your daughter! It is not possible! I knew my mother and father - lived with them until they were slain.'

'For all my faults, Sigarni, I was never a liar. Not in life, and certainly not in death. You were born in the last year of my life, when enemies I thought were friends were meeting in secret with plans to destroy me. When I did learn of their plans I urged Elarine to run, to cross the water.

She would not.' He smiled at the memory. ' "We will fight them," she said. "We will conquer once more." I tried. My wizards were slain, all mystic protection lost to me. That was the work of Jakuta Khan. I tried to reach Elarine, but the assassins trapped me at the Falls. I died there.

Elarine died at Kashar. I learned this from Taliesen, when he summoned my spirit to the Falls. You were a babe then. He and Caswallon carried you through a Gateway and left you with your new parents: a fine couple, unable to have children of their own. Taliesen disguised you, changing the colour of your hair.' Reaching out, he stroked her head. 'All our family are born with silver hair. We took it as a sign of greatness. Perhaps that was arrogance. Perhaps not. We did become kings, after all. And not one foreign enemy ever brought us low.'

'How did my mother die?' asked Sigarni. 'Did Taliesen tell you this?'

'Aye, he told me. She had a sabre in her hand, the blood of the enemy staining it. And as she died she cursed them.' He rose and turned away from her, a tall man of immense power and even stronger grief. His head was bowed and Sigarni went to him taking his hand in hers.

'Why are you here?' asked Sigarni tenderly. 'Why not in paradise, or wherever it is that heroes go?'

He smiled. 'I had to wait, Sigarni. I made a promise, a sacred oath, that I would come again when my people needed me. I have felt the desire to quit this place many times, seen the far light shining. But I will not travel the swans' path until the time is right.'

'Perhaps she waits for you there, Elarine.'

'Aye, I have thought of that often. But I never made a promise I did not fight to keep. Now that promise is upon me. For you are the heir to Ironhand, you are the hope of the Highlands.'

'But how can you help me?' she asked. 'You are a spirit, a ghost. What can you do within the world of men?'

'Nothing,' he admitted. 'But you can. And I shall continue to teach you what it means to be a king. I will recreate battles for you, and you shall see how they are fought and won. I will show you my life, the traitors and the friends, the good and the deceitful, the brave and the unmanly.

All of this and more you will experience here.'

'How long will this take?'

'As before, you could be with me for what seems like years, yet when you awake only a single night will have passed. Trust me, my daughter. When you return you will be closer to the warrior queen they have longed for.'

'I forgot much of what passed between us before. In the true world all this will seem a hazy dream.'

'The knowledge will be there,' he said. 'As it was at Cilfallen.'

'That was your doing?'

Ironhand shook his head and led her back to the fire. 'Not at all. It was you! What I did was to open your mind to the ways of war. I never lost a battle, Sigarni, for when forced to fight I was always prepared with lines of retreat and secondary plans. And I understood the importance of speed- of thought, of action. You have a fast mind, and great courage. You will teach your enemies to fear you.'

'We have a very small army,' said Sigarni. 'The enemy is large, well disciplined, and used to the ways of war.'

'Aye, it was the same with me, at the very beginning. There is, however, an advantage in such a situation. An army is like a man. It needs a head, and a heart, two good arms, two sound legs. It requires a strong belly and a solid backbone. Now, while it is yet small, is the time to lay the foundations of your force.'

'Which is the leader,' asked Sigarni, 'the head or the heart?'

He chuckled. 'Neither. He - or in this case she- must be the soul. Take heed, my daughter. Choose your men with great care, for some will be exceptional when commanding small forces, less capable with larger groups. Others will seem too cautious, yet when the swords are drawn will fight like devils.'

'And how do I know which to choose?'

'Honour your instincts, and never cease to be vigilant. You can read a general by the attitudes of his men. They may fear him or love him— that is generally of no consequence. Look at their discipline. See how fast or how badly they react. The men are merely an extension of the captain commanding them.'

'How then does the soul operate?'

'The head suggests the plans, the heart gives men spirit, the backbone gives them strength, the belly gives them confidence. The soul gives them the cause to fight for. Men will fight well for loot and plunder, for pride and honour. But when the cause is perceived as noble they will fight like demi-gods.'

Sigarni sighed. 'All this I can understand. But when the war starts I cannot keep travelling to the Falls to speak with you, to ask your advice. I will be alone then, and my lack of experience could condemn us all.'

'I cannot be with you always, Sigarni, for this is your world and your time. When the spring comes, dive once more into the pool and swim to where my bones rest. Take one small fragment and keep it with you. Then you may call upon me and I will be with you. Let no one know of this, and never speak to me unless you are alone. Now let us begin with your lessons.'

*

Fell was tired, his spirits low as he stood in the new long hut, watching Sigarni discussing tactics and strategies with Asmidir, Obrin, Tovi and Grame. The Pallides man, Loran, was present, sitting quietly, offering nothing but listening intently. Beside him was the colossal Mereth. Gwyn Dark-eye, Bakris Tooth-gone and other group leaders were also seated on the floor before Sigarni, who occupied the only chair. In all there were close to forty people present. It seemed to Fell that the meeting was drifting aimlessly, yet Sigarni seemed unperturbed. Some were for storming the three Outland forts, others for sending raiding parties into the Lowlands. Voice after voice was raised in the debate, often resulting in petty arguments.

Fell soon became oblivious to it all, allowing the sound to wash over him. Tired, he sat with his back to the wall, resting his head against the wood. The late summer seemed so far away now, when he had travelled to Sigarni's cabin to have his wound stitched. Her beauty had dazzled him, and left a heaviness in his heart that would not ease. She was so different now, tense as a bowstring, her eyes cold and distant. She no longer laughed, and gone was the lightness of heart and the carefree joy she once exhibited. Now she kept a distance from her followers, allowing no man to come close. A week before Fell had been explaining some of the logistical problems to her and had touched her arm. Sigarni had drawn back as if stung. She had said nothing, but had moved further away from him. Though hurt by it, Fell saw that he was not the only man to affect Sigarni in the same way. No one could approach within touching distance of her, save the dwarf. He would sit at her feet, as he was doing now.

Fell rubbed his bloodshot eyes. Food was running low. There had not been enough salt to preserve all the meat, and much of it was now bad. The only cattle left were breeding stock, and to kill these would cause great grief among the clan, and ensure future famine. It had been bad enough slaughtering all the others. Grown men had wept at the loss. All cattlemen understood the need of the winter cull, for there was not enough fodder gathered to feed all the animals through this hardest of seasons. But to lose all the hay meant the destruction of whole herds, the loss of prize bulls which were the result of generations of breeding.

The period of late midwinter was always a time of hardship, when the milk cows dried and the meat was all but gone. This year would be ten times worse, and it would be followed by a terrible war.

Fell drifted into a troubled sleep, only to be awoken by the sounds of men pushing themselves to their feet. Cold air touched him as the doors were pushed open and the forester struggled to his feet, dizzy and disoriented. Loran, Asmidir, Obrin, Tovi and Grame all remained behind, as did Ballistar. Fell decided to leave them to it and moved to the door, but Sigarni called him back. 'I need some sleep,' he said.

'You can sleep later,' she told him, then turned to the others. Fell walked to where they all sat and joined them. Sigarni stood. 'Obrin has now appointed twenty-five group leaders,' she said. 'It is therefore time for our warriors to know the structure of our leadership. There will be two wings in the army. Grame will lead one, and Fell the other. Obrin will retain responsibility for training, and will also captain a third and smaller force; the role of this third force I will discuss with you later. Tovi, you will relinquish the role of Hunt Lord, passing it to me. From that moment you will remain in charge of all supplies, the gathering of food and its distribution; you will liaise with Loran. Later you will have a second role, and that we will discuss tomorrow.'

Fell glanced at the former baker, and saw that his face had grown pale. Tovi had worked as hard as any during and after the exodus from Loda lands. To lose his role as Hunt Lord was bitterly hard, and would be seen as a humiliation. No one spoke. All waited for Tovi's reaction.

The man pushed himself to his feet and walked slowly from the building. As the door closed Fell spoke. 'That was not right,' he said. 'It was cold cruelty and the man deserved more than that.'

'Deserve?' countered Sigarni. 'Did his son deserve to die? Do the Loda deserve to be living in the mountains as beggars, their homes destroyed? Did I deserve... ?' Abruptly Sigarni returned to her seat, and Fell could see her struggling to control her anger. 'The decision is made,' she said at last. 'The left and right wings of the army will be ledby you and Grame. Obrin will select your groups tomorrow; discuss the dispositions with him. Once your wings are organized you will work with them, testing your officers, and if necessary promoting others.'

'Does Asmidir have no role?' asked Fell. 'I understood he was once a general.'

'He will advise me. Now the hour is late, and as you said, Fell, you are in need of sleep. We will meet here tomorrow night, and then I will tell you of Obrin's force and what they must do.'

The men rose to their feet and walked from the room, leaving only Obrin with Sigarni.

Fell stepped into the moonlight, Grame beside him. The white-bearded smith clapped him on the shoulder. 'Do not be so downhearted, general,' he said. 'If Tovi is honest he will admit to his relief. His heart is not in war.'

'It would have been more kind had she spoken to him alone.'

The smith nodded. 'She's been through the fire, boy, and it does tend to burn away softness. And she'll need to be harder yet, if the Loda are to survive.'

'Those words should be chiselled in stone,' said Asmidir softly, from behind them. The two clansmen said nothing. Neither was comfortable in the presence of the black man. He smiled and shook his head, then politely bade them good night and headed for his own small hut.

'I don't like that man,' said Grame.

'He can be trusted,' said Ballistar, from where he was standing unnoticed by the door. 'I'd stake my life on it.'

'I didn't say he couldn't be trusted, little man. I just don't like him; there's no heart in him.'

Snow began to fall once more and the bitter wind came down from the north. Fell pulled his cloak around his shoulders. 'I'm for sleep,' he said. 'I feel like I haven't closed my eyes since autumn.'

Ill stay up for a while yet,' said Grame. 'She gave us much to think about.' He grinned at Ballistar. 'I still have a jug of Gwalchmai's throat burner. You're welcome to a dram.'

Ballistar chuckled. 'Just the one, mind.'

Fell left them and wandered away.

*

Obrin's anger was hard to contain as he stood before Sigarni. 'If you want me to die, why not just ask one of your soldiers to do it? Or you could cut my throat now!'

'I am not looking for you to die, Outlander.' The coldness of her tone only served to inflame him further.

Obrin forced a laugh. 'Come now, lady, there's no one else here. I see the way you look at me: loathing and hatred. You think I've never seen it before? What I don't understand is why you'd want to send a hundred of your own men to die with me.'

'Are you finished?' stormed Sigarni, rising from her chair. 'Or have you still some whining to do?' She stood directly before him, her eyes blazing. 'You are entirely correct in your assessment of my feelings towards you. Perhaps towards all men, including clansmen. There is no room in my heart for love. No room. In less than twelve weeks an army will descend on these mountains, and I must have a force to oppose them. Not only that, but they must be denied supplies. They have three forts built deep into our territory - tell me what they contain?'

'You know the answer.'

'Tell me. Exactly?

'Food and supplies, weapons - bows, arrows, lances, swords, helms. But more importantly they each contain one hundred fighting men, and are impregnable against all but a huge encircling force. The palisade walls are twenty-five feet high, the entrance guarded by drop-gates. Any force approaching would be open to bowshot for one hundred paces all around the fort. Once they arrived they would have to scale the walls. I've done that, lady, and I can tell you that a man with a good sword can kill twenty men scaling. You can't defend yourself when you're scrambling up a rope.'

'I am not asking you to scramble up ropes, Obrin. I did not ask you to assault the fort on Farlain land. I said you were to take it. Now will you listen to my plan?'

'I'm listening,' he said, 'but I spent half my life building those damned forts. I know what goes into their construction.'

'I want you to ride up to the drop-gate, with your hundred men, and I want you to relieve the defenders of their command.'

Obrin's jaw dropped. 'Relieve? What are you talking about?'

'When we were both at Asmidir's home I asked you about the forts. You said the men who manned them would expect to serve no more than two months, then a relief force would arrive.'

'But the snow? There's no way through those southern passes.'

'They won't know that, will they? You are a former officer ...'

'Sergeant,' he corrected.

'Whatever!' she snapped. 'Some of them may know you and that is good. They have been trapped in those forts and will have no knowledge of your ... change of loyalty. We still have the weapons, and what passed for uniforms, of the mercenaries who attacked Cilfallen. We also have the horses.

I want you to choose a hundred men and take over the Farlain fort.'

He said nothing for a moment, his mind racing. They would be hoping for a relief force. Most of the men would be thinking about the Midwinter celebrations in Citadel, the parties, the dancing, the women. 'It's a fine idea,' he said, 'but I should be carrying sealed orders from the Baron.

Without them no officer will turn over his command.'

Sigarni returned to her seat, and he could see her pondering his words. 'Discipline,' she said softly. 'Orders and rules.' She nodded. 'Tell me this, Obrin, what would happen if a verbal order reached a commander and, when refusing to obey it, the Baron's plans were thrown into chaos? Would the Baron merely congratulate the commander on holding to the rules?'

'It is not quite that easy,' replied Obrin. 'In that situation the Baron would have the man flogged or hanged for not acting on his own initiative. But if the commander did obey the verbal order, and then failed, he would still be blamed for not holding fast to the regulations.'

'I see,' said Sigarni. 'Then you will ride to the Farlain fort with only ... say... eighty-five men. Get some bandages soaked in cattle blood and disguise some of your men as wounded. You will ride to the fort and tell the commander that your officer was slain, and that you are the relief force. You will say that the Pallides fort is under attack and that the Baron has ordered the commander to reinforce it.'

'But there are no sealed orders!'

'You will tell him that when you were surrounded your officer, thinking all was lost, destroyed the orders so that the enemy would not see them. Then a blizzard broke and you were able to lead your men to safety.'

"He won't relinquish the fort,' said Obrin stubbornly. 'You have to understand the officer mentality.'

'Oh, I think I understand it, Obrin. Hear me out. The commander will be caught on twin horns. If he disobeys an order you tell him was issued by the Baron and the Pallides fort falls, he will be hanged or flogged. If he obeys and everything goes wrong, he will be asked why he did not follow the rules and remain where he was.'

'Exactly,' said Obrin.

'Then, as a good sergeant, you will help him. You will offer to lead the rescue of the Pallides fort. That way he has not disobeyed an order, and he has not left his post.'

'Aye,' said Obrin slowly. 'He might go for such a plan. But where does that leave us? I'll be riding out again with my men.'

'No, his men. You will explain that your forces are exhausted, whereas his are fresh.'

'So I ride out with a hundred enemy soldiers behind me? What then?'

'You lead them into an ambush. Grame will tell you where.'

Obrin stared hard at the tall young woman. Her face, though beautiful, was emotionless, the eyes cold now and cruel. 'You are a canny woman, Sigarni,' he said. 'It has a good chance of success.'

'Make it succeed,' she urged him. 'I need those supplies and weapons. More importantly, I need to deny them to the Baron.'

'I can understand that, lady, but why that fort? The Pallides is closer. Even if we do take the Farlain fort we have a great distance to cover carrying the supplies back here, much of it over rough country.'

'You will take all three forts,' she assured him. 'The Farlain will be first. And you will not carry the supplies far - only to Torgan's town. Then you will move on to the others. Now get some rest and be here tomorrow at dawn with Grame and Tovi.'

Obrin bowed and walked out into the night. He could hear the sounds of laughter from Grame's hut, but elsewhere all was quiet.

She was canny all right. Not only would the plan - if it succeeded -ease the food shortage, and rob the Baron of spring supplies, but it would also impress the Farlain, who had lost scores of men in useless assaults on the fortification. And the chances of success, he knew, were high indeed. Sigarni was using the enemy's great strength against them. Discipline. Blind obedience.

Who would have thought that an untutored clans-woman could have such a devious mind?

'All women have devious minds,' he said, aloud. 'It's why I never wed.'

*

Sigarni rapped on the door of the small hut. 'Who's there?' called Tovi. Stepping inside, she saw the Hunt Lord sitting by an open fire. He glanced up as she entered. 'How did you find me?' he asked.

'Kollarin has a talent for these matters. Why are you not with your family?'

'I need time to think.'

Sigarni sat down opposite the man. 'You are angry.'

'What do you expect? I know I was a better baker than a Hunt Lord, but I have done my best since the attack. I could do no more.'

'I do not ask for more,' said Sigarni. 'I need your skills in other areas.'

'What skills?' he asked bitterly. 'You want me to bake bread for you? I can do that. Just build me an oven.'

'Yes, I want bread," she said softly. 'I want the people fed. Battles alone will not win us this war, Tovi. Once we have defeated the first Outland army we will need to move from defence to attack and that means invading the Lowlands. The army will need to be supplied with food. We will need mercenaries, and that means we must have gold; a treasury. Our forces will be spread, and that requires lines of communication. You understand? The role I need you for will stretch your talents to the limit. You will have no time for other burdens.'

'Why could you not say this in front of the others? Why did I need to suffer humiliation, Sigarni?'

She looked at the older man, saw the hurt in his eyes. 'They did not need to know my plans. There are hard days coming, Tovi. Some of the men in that room will die in our cause: they may even be captured and tortured. Worse, one or more of them will seek to betray us. What I say to you here is not to be repeated.'

'I may be captured and tortured,' he pointed out

'It is unlikely, for you will not be fighting.'

'You deny me even that? A chance for revenge, to restore the honour of my family?'

'Listen to me! What is more important, that you drive your claymore into one enemy heart, or your skills bring down a thousand? You are vital to me, Tovi. You have a feel for organization, and a mind that can cope with a score of problems simultaneously. I have seen those talents here, in the four encampments. Few could have achieved what you have. When the war comes I will need your skills.'

He laughed and scratched his beard. 'Here we sit with a tiny force made up of many old men and young lads, and you speak of invading the Lowlands! Better still, I believe you when you speak of it. What has happened to you, Sigarni? From where do these ideas spring?'

'From my blood, Tovi.'

'All these years I have watched you, and never seen you. When you were a child you used to hide behind my bakery and wait until I stepped out at the front for a breath of air. Fast as a hawk, you would sprint inside to steal a cake - just the one from the middle of the tray, then you would push the others together, disguising the gap.'

'You knew?'

'I knew. You hid behind the water barrel.'

'How did you know?'

'Lemon mint. Gwalchmai always loved that scent and you used to rub the leaves over your body when you bathed. Every time I stepped back inside I could smell lemon mint.'

'You never caught me,' she said softly.

He shrugged. 'I never wanted to. You were a child of sorrow, Sigarni. Everyone loved you. And I could spare a morsel on Cake Day.'

Sigarni fed some wood to the fire and they sat in companionable silence for a while. 'I am not that child any longer,' she said.

'I know. Yet she is still there, deep down inside. She will always be there.' He sighed, then smiled. 'I will serve you, Sigarni, in any way that you want me.'

'Thank you, Tovi,' she said, her voice tender. 'For this - and for the cakes.' Rising smoothly, she moved to the door. 'Be at the log hall at dawn.'

'Why?'

'Because I need you there,' she said.