and she possessed the power of the Elfstones to protect her.
186 The Talismans of Shannara
She had less reason than most to worry. She did not intend to
make excuses.
In the end she got her way because no one was prepared to
go up against her on the matter. Some, she thought rather un-
charitably, seeing the black looks on the faces of Jalen Ruhl
and Perek Arundel, might be hoping her rash insistence would
come back to haunt her.
She left Eton Shart in charge of the Council and the city.
The ministers would not cross him, and the Elves knew and re-
spected him. He would be able to guide them in whatever way
was necessary, and she had confidence that he would know
what to do. Her first minister might not yet be convinced that
she was the queen her people needed, but he had given his
pledge of support and she believed he would not break it. Of
the others she was less certain, though Fruaren Laurel seemed
committed to her now. But they would all toe the line for Eton
Shart.
Barsimmon Oridio was there to see her off, declaring that he
would follow within a few days, reminding her of her promise
to wait for him. She smiled and winked, and that unnerved him
enough that he stalked away. She was aware of Triss on one
side, stone-faced, and Desidio, eyeing her covertly from the
other. Tiger Ty had already set out, flying Spirit away at day-
break to scout the Federation’s progress. The remainder of the
Wing Riders would leave at sunset to link up with them at
their campsite near the Rhenn. The Elven Hunters marched out
to the waves and cheers of the people of the city, young and
old come down to see them off, waving banners and ribbons
and calling out their wishes for success. Wren glanced about
doubtfully. It all felt very strange. Their departure was festive
and gay, and it forecast nothing of the injury and death that
was certain to follow.
They traveled swiftly that first day, strung out along the nar-
row roadway to avoid clogging, scouts dispersed into the trees
at regular intervals to warn of impending danger. They were in
their own country and so paid less heed to the precautions they
might otherwise have observed. Wren rode with Triss and the
Home Guard, screened front and back by Hunters, carefully
protected against anything that might threaten. It made her
smile to think how different things were from when she was a
The Talismans of Shannara 187
simple Rover girl. Now and again she had to suppress an urge
to leap down off her horse and race away into the cool green
stillness of the trees, returning to the life from which she had
come, returning to its peace.
Faun had been left at home, closed within Wren’s room on
the second floor of the Elessedil home. The Streleheim was no
place for a forest creature, she had reasoned. But the Tree
Squeak had a mind of its own and was not always persuaded
by what Wren believed was best. So by the time the vanguard
stopped to rest and water the horses at midday, there was Faun,
streaking from the foliage in a dark blur to throw herself on
her startled mistress. In seconds the little creature had bur-
rowed down into the folds of Wren’s riding cloak and was
comfortably settled. Wren shrugged obligingly and accepted
what she could obviously not change.
The late summer heat was sticky and damp, and by day’s
end men and horses alike were sweating freely. They camped
in a canopied stretch of oak and hickory several miles from the
Rhenn, close by a stream and pool so that they could wash and
drink, but back within the shade and concealment of the forest
Desidio sent a patrol of horsemen ahead into the pass to make
certain that all was well, then sat down with Wren and Triss to
discuss how they would proceed. Tiger Ty would bring news
of the Federation army’s location when he returned, and pre-
suming the army was still proceeding northward through the