“It is, my Lord, as thou sayest,” Garion replied. “E’en the massive walls of Vo Mimbre do harbor this oppressive chill.”
“And thou, Sir Knight, hath seen Vo Mimbre?” the baron
asked in wonder. “I would give all that I own or ever will to behold that fabled city. What is it truly like?”
“Large, my Lord,” Garion said, “and its golden stones do flash back the light of the sun as if to shame the heavens by its magnificence.”
The baron’s eyes filled with tears. “BlessedamI, Sir Knight,” he said in a voice choked with emotion. “This unexpected encounter with a knight of noble purpose and passing fair eloquence hath been the crown of my life, for the memory of Vo Mimbre, echoing down through the endless progression of years, hath sustained those of us in lonely exile here, though its echoes grow more remote with each passing season e’en as dearly loved faces of those gone before us are remembered only in a dream that fades and dies as cruel eld creepeth upon us.”
“My Lord,” Zakath said a bit haltingly, “thy speech hath touched my heart. If I have power—and I do—I will convey thee at some future date even unto Vo Mimbre and present thee before the throne in the palace there, that we may reunite thee with thy kindred.”
“You see,” Garion murmured to his friend, “it gets to be habit-forming.”
The baron wiped his eyes unashamed. “I note this hound of thine, Sir Knight,” he said to Garion to ease them past an embarrassing moment, “a bitch, I perceive—”
“Steady,” Garion said firmly to the she-wolf.
“That is a very offensive term,” she growled.
“He didn’t invent it. It’s not his fault.”
“She is of a lean and lithesome configuration,” the baron continued, “and her golden eyes do bespeak intelligence far beyond that of the poor mongrels that do infest this kingdom. Canst thou perhaps, Sir Knight, identify her breed?”
“She is a wolf, my Lord,” Garion told him.
“A wolf! ” the baron exclaimed, leaping to his feet. “We must flee ere the fearsome beast fall upon us and devour us.”
It was a bit ostentatious, but sometimes things like that impress people. Garion reached down and scratched the wolf’s ears.
“Thou art brave beyond belief, Sir Knight,” the baron said almost in wonder.
“She is my friend, my Lord,” Garion replied. “We are linked by ties beyond thine imagining.”
“One advises that you stop that,” the wolf told him, “unless you have a paw to spare.”
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“You wouldn'(!” he exclaimed, snatching his hand back.
“But you’re not entirely sure, are you?” She bared her teeth almost in a grin.
“Thou speakest the language of beasts?” The baron gasped.
“Of a few, my Lord,” Garion said. “They each have their own, thou knowest. I have not yet mastered the speech of the serpent. I think it has to do with the shape of my tongue.”
The baron suddenly laughed. “Thou art a droll man, Sir Knight. Thou hast presented me here with much to ponder and much at which to marvel. Now, to the main point. What canst thou reveal to me of thy quest?”
“Be very careful here,” the wolf warned Garion.
Garion considered. “As thou mayest know, my Lord,” he began, “there is a great evil abroad in the world now.” That was fairly safe. There was always a great evil abroad in the world.
“Truly,” the baron agreed fervently.
“It is the sworn task of my steadfast companion here and myself to confront this evil. Know thou, however, mat rumor, like a barking dog, would run before us, announcing—should they be known—our identities to the foul miscreant upon whom we mean to do war. Should, all forewarned, this vicious enemy learn of our approach, its minions would waylay us. Thus it is that we must conceal ourselves behind our visors and refrain from declaring before all the world our names—which have some smirch of honor upon them in diverse parts of the world.” Gar-ion was beginning to enjoy this. “We, neither one, fear any living thing.” Mandorallen himself could not have said it more confidently. “We have, however, dear companions in this quest, whose lives we dare not endanger. Moreover, our quest is fraught with perilous enchantments that may even vaunt our prowess. Thus, though it is distasteful, we must, with thieftike stealth, approach this despised miscreant that we may administer suitable chastisement.” He said the last word with something as close to the crack of doom as he could manage.
The baron got the point immediately. “My sword, and those of my knights, are at thine immediate disposal, my Lord. Let us eradicate this evil for good and all.” The baron was a Mim-brate to the bone, all right.
Garion raised one regretful hand. “Nay, my Lord of Astel-lig,” he said. “It may not be so, though I would welcome thee and thy brave companions with all my heart. This task hath been lain upon me and upon my dear companions. To accept thine
aid in this endeavor would be to anger the minions of the spirit world, which, no less than we, do contend in mis matter. We— all of us—are but mortal, and the spirit world is a world of immortals. To defy the commands of die spirits might well confound the purpose of those friendly spirits that take our part in this ultimate battle.”
“Though it wounds my heart, Sir Knight,” the baron said sadly, “I must agree that thine argument hath cogency. Know, moreover, that a kinsman of mine hath but recently arrived from the capital at Dal Perivor and hath advised me privately of a disturbing turn of events at court. No more than a few days ago, a wizard appeared at the king’s palace. Doubtless using enchantments such as thou hast mentioned, he beguiled our king within the space of a few hours and gained the king’s ear and is now his closest advisor. He now doth wield almost absolute authority in the kingdom. Guard yourselves well, Sir Knights. Should, perchance, this wizard be one of the minions of your foe, he now hath power to do thee gravest injury.” The baron made a wry face. “Methinks the beguiling of the king was no serious task for him. It is improper of me to say it, perhaps, but his Majesty is not a man of profound intellectual gifts.” This from aMimbrate*? “This wizard,” the baron continued, “isawicked man, and I must advise thee in the spirit of true comradeship to avoid him.”
“I thank thee, my Lord,” Garion said, “but our destiny, and that of our quest, compels us to Dal Perivor. If needs be, we will confront this wizard and rid the kingdom of his influence.”
“May the Gods and the spirits guide thy hand,” the baron said fervently. Then he grinned. “Mayhap, an it please thee, I might watch as thou and thy valiant, laconic companion administer such chastisement as thou seest fit.”
“We would be honored, my Lord,” Zakath assured him.
“With that end in view then, my Lords, “the baron said, “be advised that I and diverse nobles journey on the morrow toward the king’s palace at Dal Perivor, there to participate in the grand tourney that our Lord King hath ordained to select champions of the kingdom to deal with a certain recurrent problem which hath confronted us. Know, moreover, that by centuries-old tradition, misunderstandings and frictions are held in the abeyance of general truce during this period and we may expect general tranquility on our journey to the west. An it please you, my Lords, may I entreat you to accompany me to the capital?”
“My Lord,” Garion said, bowing with a slight creaking of
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annor, “your suggestion and gracious invitation could not suit our purposes more. And now, if we may, we will retire to make our preparations.”
As Garion and Zakath strode down the long hall, the wolf’s toenails had an almost metallic ring to them. “One is pleased,” she said. “You didn’t do all that badly—for a couple of puppies.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Perivor proved to be a pleasant island with rolling, emerald-green hills where sheep grazed and with dark plowed fields where meticulously straight rows of crops flourished. Baron Astellig looked about with some pride. ” It is a fair land,” he observed, “though doubtless not so fair as far-off Arendia.”
“Methinks thou wouldst be somewhat disappointed by Arendia, my Lord,” Garion told him. “Though the land be fair, the kingdom is much marred by civil turmoil and by the misery of the serfs.”
“Doth that sad institution still prevail there? It was abolished here many centuries ago.”
Garion was a bit surprised at that.
“The folk who inhabited this isle ere we came are a gentle people, and our forebears sought wives from among them. At first these common folk were bound in serfdom, as had always been the practice in Arendia, but our ancestors soon perceived