From outside the house, Irmelyn shouted.
‘We must leave!’
‘Go,’ said the witch. ‘I think we shall never see one another again, and for that I am not sad. Too much pain has passed between us. These will be our last words as husband and wife. When you pass through that door, our marriage will end. But know this: I wish you well in whatever life awaits you.’
‘As do I,’ said Gorath sadly. ‘Be well, wife.’
‘And you, husband.’
Gorath left the hut and when the door slammed shut, ending his marriage, he hesitated for an instant, then he and Owyn mounted and rode off.
Irmelyn shouted as they rode: ‘We must clear a pass before sundown, or those who will look the other way when we go by will have been replaced.’
Lost in thought, Gorath said nothing, and Owyn could only think that with luck, he might live to see the Kingdom again.
• TWELVE • (#ulink_fde0ee8d-47e8-5767-aad3-bfba29087197)
Preparations (#ulink_fde0ee8d-47e8-5767-aad3-bfba29087197)
WIND AND RAIN PELTED THE RIDERS.
Owyn wasn’t sure if this was preferable to the snows he had endured on the north side of the mountain, for while it was warmer, it was far wetter. His heavy fur-lined robe was sodden, weighing on him like lead. But at least, he thought, this time he wasn’t drugged and tied to his horse.
The escort provided by Obkhar’s clan had seen them safely to a pass controlled by their faction. As they reached the foothills of the mountain, they intercepted a runner carrying warnings of a falling-out near Sar-Sargoth. Delekhan’s forces were surrounded by Narab, who had been removed from Delekhan’s inner council and replaced by Delekhan’s son, Moraeulf. Speculation was that Narab had to move to capture and destroy Delekhan before the Six intervened or else he and his clan would be crushed. Gorath greeted the news with indifference, later mentioning to Owyn that he would be pleased if either of them destroyed the other.
At the summit of the small pass they had taken, the escort turned back, saying this pass was heavily patrolled by Kingdom forces. As if predicted, later that same day they had been intercepted by a Kingdom patrol of Krondorian regulars. The officer in command, Lieutenant Flynn by name, had been ready to brand them both renegades, but Owyn mentioned Arutha’s name and said they carried a message from Squire James; and more to the point, they knew Arutha was camped in the Dimwood.
The patrol had handed off Gorath and Owyn to another detachment, who had escorted them to a camp in the Dimwood. For several miles, the bivouacked soldiers’ fires were visible. Gorath had observed that a significant portion of the Kingdom army must be in the woods.
Arutha sat at a command table, Knight-Marshal Gardan at his side, looking at marks on a large map of the mountains leading to the north. Looking up as Gorath and Owyn were ushered into his presence, he said, ‘You look on the verge of collapse. Sit down.’ He indicated a pair of camp chairs nearby. Owyn didn’t need a second invitation and sat heavily, while Gorath walked to the map and studied it. ‘Here,’ he said, putting his finger on the spot designated Northwarden. ‘This is where Delekhan plans to assault your forces.’
Arutha was silent for a long while, studying the moredhel. Finally, he said, ‘If you will forgive my caution, where is Squire James?’
Owyn said, ‘Sire, he sent us to bring you word while he hurried to Northwarden to carry warning to Baron Gabot. He gave us these documents.’ He handed the documents to a soldier who gave them to Knight-Marshal Gardan. Owyn filled them in on how they had uncovered and destroyed the nest of Nighthawks near Cavell Keep. He detailed James’s theory that Delekhan was planning on going by boat and portage from Northwarden to Romney, then straight overland to Sethanon.
Arutha again was silent as he studied the documents. ‘These are much like those we saw when first you came to Krondor, Gorath. Then they claimed the attacks were in places like Tannerus and Yabon. What are we to believe?’
Gardan’s dark face was set in an expression of doubt. He said, ‘We hear you speak of leaving James at Cavell Keep, yet we intercept you coming south through the mountains again. You picked a most indirect route to reach us, moredhel.’
‘We had little choice, my lord,’ replied Owyn. He explained about the capture and attempted to outline the chaotic conditions among the various clans of the north.
When he finished, Arutha said, ‘You paint a picture of confusion and rival factions battling for control, yet our patrols and advanced units see only a unified opposition, working in a co-ordinated fashion.’
‘You see only those forces loyal to Delekhan south of the Teeth of the World, Prince Arutha,’ said Gorath. ‘Clans who either oppose or resist him are either fleeing to refuges in the ice-bound mountains to the far north or seeking to travel near the Lake of the Sky south past the eledhel and dwarves to the Green Heart.’
Gardan said, ‘We have had reports from Duke Martin of heavier than usual sightings of bands of moredhel moving past the eastern boundary of Crydee, Highness. Martin says he’s seen women and children, so they’re not war parties.’
Arutha said, ‘I am still dubious. I sent Locklear two weeks ago to gather reports from the border barons to the east. He is going to Highcastle and Northwarden. He should return in another two weeks. If James is there, Locklear will return with word.’
Gorath said, ‘James said you might need to be convinced. He said to tell you …’ He glanced at Owyn.
‘There’s a Party at Mother’s,’ said Owyn.
Arutha nodded. ‘“And a good time will be had by all.” It’s a Mockers’ password, used by James and me the first time we met.’
‘Do you believe us now, Highness?’ asked Owyn.
‘I believe that James believes this to be true,’ said Arutha. He sat back thinking. ‘I just hope he’s right.’
‘Orders, Highness?’ asked Gardan.
‘I have no choice. Either I trust James’s intelligence or I don’t. I want a detachment left behind to secure this area, but the balance of the army is to march to Northwarden.’
Gardan studied the map. ‘Would it not be wiser to alert the King and muster the Army of the East to reinforce Gabot?’
‘It would if the Army of the East was mustered, already. I’ll send a message to Lyam asking him to be ready to stand behind us, should Delekhan win past Northwarden. But we can be there faster than Lyam, so let us be expedient. Order camp broken at first light tomorrow.’
Gardan saluted and left the tent to give orders. Arutha said, ‘Tell me about the Six.’
Owyn tried to recall everything that was said about the mysterious magicians working for Delekhan. When at last he had finished, prodded by several acute questions from the Prince, Arutha said, ‘I have a mission for you two.’
Gorath said, ‘I would rather be on the wall at Northwarden, Highness, so that I might greet Delekhan as he deserves.’
‘I have no doubt,’ said Arutha. ‘But personal honour and debts of blood must be put aside. If we all fail, who will revenge us? I want you to go back to Krondor, to find Pug. If he is not there and his wife Katala is, she will be able to reach him. If she has also gone, simply use a talisman Pug gave me for the purpose. The Princess knows it and how to use it, and when Pug comes, tell him of the Six. I think magic will play an even bigger part in this coming conflict, and I am ill-prepared if we are to encounter such at Northwarden.’
‘Cannot the boy alone do this?’ asked Gorath.
‘Pug will have means to extract things from your memory you may have forgotten,’ said Arutha. ‘But I doubt he can do such without your help.’
Gorath was silent for a long while, then said, ‘Once this is done, I wish to return and fight.’
Arutha nodded. ‘I understand.’ Then he paused. ‘No, I don’t understand. That was presumptuous. I know nothing of your race and what drives you.’ He studied Gorath’s face for a moment, as if trying to read something inside the moredhel chieftain. ‘But I would like the opportunity to learn some time. I can appreciate the drive to right a wrong, personally. When you are finished with Pug, return and I will welcome your sword.’
Gorath said, ‘You are also more than I expected, Prince Arutha. I also would appreciate the opportunity to learn more of your people.’ He glanced at Owyn. ‘Though this boy and the other have shown me a great deal already that has made me question many of my people’s attitudes toward your race.’
Arutha said, ‘That is a beginning. Perhaps one day we can have more.’ He came around the table and extended his hand to Gorath, who took it. They shook hands and it was more than a gesture.
‘Your Highness is gracious,’ said Gorath.
‘Rest, and tomorrow go with the patrol I send to Malac’s Cross. It is faster than trying to go straight through the woods toward Sethanon and around the mountains to Darkmoor. I’ll have documents drawn and you can commandeer an escort at Malac’s Cross and at Darkmoor. They should get you to Krondor safely. Once there, Pug will know what to do.’
Owyn and Gorath departed, and a soldier escorted them to a tent. He held aside the tent flap and said, ‘The lads who sleep here are on patrol until tomorrow, so they won’t mind your sleeping here if you don’t steal nothing.’ He smiled to show he was joking, but Gorath fixed him with a stare that caused the smile to fade. He hurried away saying, ‘There’s food at the big fire near the Prince’s tent when you’re hungry.’
Gorath said, ‘It will be good to eat hot food again.’ He glanced over to one of the bedrolls to find Owyn already face-down and snoring.
James cursed all petty barons who answered only to the King as he negotiated his way along a frozen ridge, his breath forming clouds of white before him as he exhaled. The air stung each time he inhaled, his toes were numb, and his stomach reminded him he had not eaten yet.
James had arrived within hours of Locklear at Baron Gabot’s fortress, a towering keep of stone which dominated one of the three major passes through the eastern half of the Teeth of the World. Unlike Highcastle, which had sat in the middle of the pass itself, providing a barrier that was a controlled gate, Northwarden rose up on a small peak, around which wound the pass known as Northland’s Door. A single road wound down the side of the large hill in a lazy s-curve, widening as it descended. Designed this way, the road gave the double benefit of allowing the Baron’s forces to spread out as they charged down to intercept any foe, while forcing any attackers to concentrate a smaller force in the van should they be foolish enough to attack up the road.
