“You say,” she continued in that same tone, “this is not Kerovan. Why, my Lord?”
I made my choice. “Kerovan is dead, my Lady. Dead in an ambush laid by this Rogear above his father’s keep. This Rogear has knowledge of the Old Ones – from the Dark Path – “
I heard a quickly drawn breath. “Dead? And this one dares to wear my lord’s name to deceive me?”
Rogear spoke up then. “Tell her your name-”
“As you know, we do not give our names to mankind,” I improvised.
“Mankind? And what are – “
“Lord Kerovan.” My head jerked toward that new voice. “What do you – “ It was one of the armsmen from the courtyard.
“Lord Kerovan does nothing,” Joisan answered. “As for this one, take him and ride.”
“Shall we take her, Lord?” asked the armsman.
I had gotten to my feet, faced toward that voice, though I could not see.
“Let the wench go. She is of no importance now.” By his tone Rogear had regained his full confidence.
“And him, Lord?” Someone was moving toward me. My crushed hand hung useless. In any event I could not see him.
“No!” Rogear’s answer was the exact opposite of what I expected to hear. In that moment a single thrust from a sword would have finished it all in his favor, and he could have had his will of Joisan. ‘Touch him on your perill”
“We ride,” he added. “I have what I came for – “
“No! Not that! Give me the gryphon!” Joisan’s cry ended in the thud of a blow, and her slight body struck against mine. She would have slipped to the floor, but I flung my arm about her. They were gone, though I cried out for any in the courtyard to stop them.
“Joisan!” I held her close against me. She was a slack weight-if I could only seel What had that devil done to her? “Joisan!” Had he killed her?
But Joisan was not dead, only struck senseless, as those who came running told me. As for Rogear and his men, they were away. I sat by Joisan’s bed, holding her hand in mine. About my useless eyes was bound a cloth wet in water in which herbs had been steeped. Only in that hour did I begin to face the fact that perhaps my sight was gone from me. Just as I had not been able to save Joisan from that last blow, so I would never again be able to step between her and any other harm. That was the black hour in which I learned how much she had come to be a part of me. The pain I had known earlier as I stood aside from making myself known was as nothing to what I now felt.
“Lord – “ Joisan’s voice, weak and thin, but still her voice.
“Joisan!”
“He took – he took my lord’s gift – the gryphon.” She was sobbing now.
Fumbling, I drew her into my arms, so she wept upon my shoulder.
“It was the truth you spoke; he is not Kerovan?”
“The truth. It is as I said, Kerovan died in ambush at Ulmsdale. Rogear is betrothed to Kerovan’s sister.”
“And I never saw my lord. But his gift – that one shall not have it! By the Nine Words of Min, he shall not! It is a wondrous thing, and his hands besmirch it. And he used it as a weapon, Lord – he used it to burn your eyes!”
That flash from the globe –
“But also, Lord, your own power answered, from this band on your wrist If you had only held that sooner as a shield.” Her fingers were feather – light on my arm above the armlet “Lord, they say those of you people are mighty in healcraft. If you have not that talent yourself, can we not take you to them? It is in my service this grievous hurt came to you. I owe you a blood-debt-”
“No. There is no debt between us,” I denied quickly. “This Rogear has always been my unfriend. Had we met anywhere he would have sought to kill me.” And, I thought bleakly then, perhaps I would be better dead now of a wound, than alive with this cloth about my bead marking my loss.
“I have something of healcraft, and so has Nalda. Perhaps the sight will come again. Oh, my Lord, I do not know why he sought me here. I have no longer lands or fortune – save that which he took with him. Know you of this gryphon? It was sent me by my lord. Was it then such a great treasure of his House that this Rogear would risk so much to get it into his hands?”
Her query drew my thoughts away from my own darkness to consider why Rogear had come. – that it had strange powers was entirely possible. He was learned in the lore of the Old Ones – the Dark Old Ones. I had heard enough from Riwal to know that when one went some distance down the path of alien knowledge, things of power, both light and dark, could make themselves known to the initiate.
I had been with Riwal when I first found it. Neevor had said Riwal was dead, but he had evaded giving a description of how my friend had died. Supposing Rogear, already practiced in the Old Ones’ learning, had somehow ferreted out Riwal, learned from him about the gryphon, traced it thereafter to my lady? That would mean it was such a talisman as could cause great troubles. In Rogear’s hand its use would be a danger to the world I knew. Joisan was right, we must strive to get it back. But how – ? I put my hand to my bandaged eyes with a sigh. Could it ever be done?
Joisan:
I was in the eastern watchtower when my lord came to us. Though there was no alarm gong hung there, yet in the uppermost room we had found a metal plate set into the wall. A sword hilt laid vigorously to that brought forth a carrying sound. After Lord Amber rode out, we kept a sentry there by day-secure at night with the bridge drawn against any shoreside visitor.
So was I alert to the riders and beat out an alarm before I saw that they rode at a quiet amble and that Timon came afoot with them. He was under no restraint, but spoke with their leader in a friendly fashion. For a moment or two I was excited by the belief that some of our men might have escaped the slaughter by the river and been able to trace us. Then I saw that their battle tabards were not red but green.
They could be scouts of some other dale, and from them we could claim escort to Norsdale, though that thought made me a little unhappy. I wanted to reach Norsdale with my people. There the Lady Islaugha would find the proper tending, and the others for whom I was responsible would find new homes. Though the Lord Amber had indeed provided us with such a refuge as I had never hoped to find in this wilderness, we could not stay here forever.
I did not know why I had been so content here, as I had not been since that long-ago time before Lord Cyart had ridden south at the beginning of our tune of trouble.
Now, even as the sound died away, I sped down the stair, eager to see who these newcomers might be. Yet I ordered my pace as I reached the courtyard, for chance had made me ruler in this place, and I must cany myself with proper dignity.
When I saw what was emblazoned on the tabard of he who led that very small company I was shaken. So well did I know that rearing gryphon! These were my lord’s people. Or even – perhaps –
“My dear Lady!” He swung from his saddle and held out his hands to me in greeting, his voice warm.
Though I wore no skirt now, I swept him the curtsy of greeting. However, I was glad he attempted no warmer salute than voice and hand.
“My Lord Kerovan?” I made that more question than recognition.
“I so stand before you.” He continued to smile. Yet – So this was my wedded lord? Well, he had not Toross regularity of feature, but neither was he unpleasing to look upon. For a dalesman his hair was very dark – a ruddy darkness – and his face less broad across the jaw-more oval. Despite those ugly rumors that Yngilda had first loosed for me, there was certainly nothing uncanny in him. Now Lord Amber was plainly of alien stock, but my Lord was as any dalesman.
That was our first meeting, and it was a constrained and uneasy one with many eyes watching. But how else could it be in this time and place when we two so bound together were strangers to one another?