“I have set those loyal servants not under arms to drawing water from the spring and the wells to fill all the cisterns. When they are done, they will set about tearing down the storage sheds outside the walls and carting the lumber within-the nearer fences as well-that we shall not lack for fuel.
“The only severe shortage will be grain and hay for the animals and the horse brothers and sisters. I sent a man to fetch back any forage that might be in Hohryos Morguhn, but he has not yet returned.”
Komees Djeen’s head bobbed a curt nod. “Very well, Feelahks, you have done well. I can but wish we had more fighters. It’s a far stretch of wall for fifty-seven men and six noble Kindred to cover.”
“Six noble Kindred?” Bili suddenly yelped. “What about me? If you think, Kinsman Djeen, that you’re going to deny me a share of the battle, just because of a bump on my head and a nick in my leg…”
Mother Mahrnee’s hand over his mouth muffled the rest. “Of course Bili will fight. And both my sister and I are adept with sling and huntingbow; nor are our boar-spears partial to only the blood of beasts.”
“Unless this be a private war,” Master Ahlee said gravely, “you may include a physician who once was a warrior in your tally. Still can I cast an accurate spear, nor am I inexperienced in matters of the sword.”
Komees Djeen grinned wolfishly. “All right, Feelahks Sami, you heard; everyone in this room will fight. You may add four more to your tallyroll.” Then, a look of sadness crept over his face and he looked again at the recumbent form on the cot. “Would Sun would allow it to be five.”
Dawn saw the Council party in the saddle. After a stirrup cup, they saw the gates close behind them and set out for Morguhnpolis at a brisk trot. In order that the hall might be the better manned, the party had been held to a bare minimum, every man of them armed to the teeth. Three hundred yards ahead of them, a single trooper rode point, his orders to return and warn, rather than fight, in the event of trouble.
Bili and Djehf rode in the van, Bili absorbed at trying to establish a decent rapport with the chestnut gelding who was Mahvros’s temporary replacement, Djehf still a little dazed at the rapid and unexpected change in his rank and status. He knew that as soon as the present troubles were resolved, he must send a messenger to Eeree, for now he was never to return. With his father inches from death and his uncle slain, Bili was virtual Thoheeks and Chief, while he was automatically Tahneest. He knew not whether to laugh or weep, so he kept his mouth tightly shut.
The second pair of riders were Komees Djeen and Vahrohnos Spiros, who both rode in silence, each full of his own thoughts and worries. The third pair were Clan Bard Hail and Bard Klairuhnz. Hail’s lips moved silently as he composed new verses to the “Song of Morguhn,” while Klairuhnz was in mindspeak with Master Ahlee, on a mental level to which few men or women could attain.
Save for the fact that his sash now supported an exot-cally decorated, double-curved saber, Ahlee’s outward appearance was but little changed. His flowing white robe still billowed, but now it concealed a longsleeved brigandine and a brace of wavy-bladed daggers, and his head-wrappings covered a steel skullcap.
Although he had both war training and experience, Ahlee basically disliked harming a fellow man under most circumstances. But what these people faced, unbelievers though they assuredly were, was a different and distinctly sinister thing, a true horror; and he was convinced that to aid them in their uneven struggle against such evil would be to strive for Ahlah. When again he thought upon the things-the godless, unclean, monstrous things-which his hypnotism had drawn from the mind and memory of that prisoner, he shuddered from head to foot. For spiritual solace, he began to chant holy verses.
The mercenary who rode beside him, leading a packmule, listened briefly, failed to understand the ancient tongue, but decided that a song was just the thing to help speed this almost-done and boring ride; whereupon he launched into an endless and endlessly obscene soldiers’ song. Bili knew the particular ditty and took it up, any- thing to relieve some of the maddening tension. After some score of choruses, Djehf bawled a few original and recent verses from Eeree.