Now came the news that at the same time as the Vrwystin had been slain, the mines had been attacked by an unknown force of men, and that all the workings had been destroyed, and the shafts and adits sealed utterly by a terrible fire.
Dan-Tor luxuriated in the irony. Silently creeping into my domain again, Hawklan, he thought. Seeking to destroy my eyes and the food for my weapons with your treacherous cunning, and now destroyed in your turn by your own men.
A rumbling laugh began to form. So His enemies stumble and fall. Their every seeming success had been but a failure in disguise. Soon the rest would come clamouring across the plains of Narsindal to be destroyed in their turn; Cadwanol, Fyordyn, Orthlundyn and Riddinvolk; the old enemies, to be crushed this time at the very outset.
But through his malevolent delight shimmered a cold, sharp, sliver of uncertainty.
Hawklan had eluded destruction and capture so often; had appeared where he should not have been; had struck mysteriously beyond where he should be able to reach.
‘Commander Aelang,’ he said.
Aelang appeared from an adjacent room and sa-luted.
‘You heard the message, commander?’ Dan-Tor said.
‘About the mines? Yes, Ffyrst,’ Aelang replied.
Dan-Tor stood up. ‘Take a company from the deep penetration patrol, go to the mines and destroy any of the attacking force who may have escaped to the north,’ he said.
Chapter 29
‘You’re a better rider than I imagined, Hylland,’ Sylvriss said, as they trotted steadily along the valley towards Narsindalvak.
Hylland bowed his head. ‘I merely follow your ex-ample, Majesty,’ he said.
Sylvriss looked at him sideways. ‘Your saddleside manner is more courtly than your bedside one,’ she said, smiling.
Hylland nodded sagely. ‘Ah, Majesty,’ he said. ‘Here I bask in the presence of my beautiful and honoured Queen. Elsewhere I often have to deal with wilfully obstreperous and difficult patients.’
Sylvriss laughed, and the sound mingled with that of the clattering hooves to echo along the towering rock face they were passing.
The valley was a harsh place, full of lowering crags, made all the darker by the grey, sullen sky, but Sylvriss found herself immune to such influences. She reached forward and patted Serian’s head. It was a strange experience to ride such an animal, both exhilarating and quietening. He responded unhesitatingly to her will, yet was quite beyond and above it. She knew that sooner or later, at a time of his own choosing, he would go on his own way in search of Hawklan but that now he was hers as utterly as he would be Hawklan’s.
On one occasion she became aware that she was riding with a stillness and awareness that she had never known before. It came to her suddenly that Serian was teaching her how to ride, teaching her lessons that only someone who was a consummate rider could have the humility to understand and accept.
The experience brought tears flooding to her eyes.
Hylland saw the tears but sensed also their cause, albeit dimly, and kept his peace. Later he offered her a kerchief which she accepted, and for a good way they rode on, sharing a deep companionable silence.
As they neared the tower, a group of horsemen rode out to meet them. At their head was Lord Oremson, an old and trusted friend of Eldric’s who had earned the odium of Dan-Tor for his passive obstructiveness following the suspension of the Geadrol and who had been imprisoned for a while after Eldric’s ill-fated attempt to demand an accounting of the Ffyrst.
‘Majesty,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t believe the messages we were receiving. You shouldn’t be riding out here, it’s far too dangerous. And with your baby too.’
Sylvriss smiled at the Lord’s fatherly manner. ‘Come now, Lord. The danger lies beyond Narsindalvak not before it,’ she said. ‘And how can I be in any danger with your look-outs and signallers watching my every step?’ She smiled again and waved her hand along the high ridges above.
Oremson made to speak again, but she stopped him gently.
‘Hylland and I will stay at the tower tonight, then we must leave to catch up with the army at daybreak,’ she said.
Oremson’s mouth dropped open. ‘Majesty, I can’t allow… ’
‘Can’t, Lord?’ she said, before he could continue. ‘This is my intention, not a proposition to debate. Have no fear. I shall choose a suitable escort, and I’m not without some resource myself.’ Her smile had faded and her whole manner was unequivocal.
Oremson’s gaze went from his Queen’s resolute face to the baby slung about her shoulders and thence to the sword and staff hanging by her side. With an effort and a reproachful look at Hylland, who shrugged a wordless disclaimer, he managed a fretful acknowledgement of his Commander’s will.
‘And I want no ceremony, Lord,’ Sylvriss added as they rode forward again. ‘I’m here as your Commander and I wish to know the state of the war.’
When she arrived at the tower, however, Sylvriss found that a formal welcoming escort and a large cheering crowd were already waiting for her. The sight made her relent a little and she allowed herself a happy entry to the grim fortress.
The evening was spent as she had promised, and the would-be revellers found themselves closeted with their Commander and poring over the messages and reports that had been sent back by the advancing army.
The following morning, Oremson had almost given up all attempts at dissuading his Queen from her journey. Apart from her own determination, she would have an escort that would be more than adequate: a company of mounted High Guards routinely going to reinforce the forts, and a squadron of Muster riders who had followed late in the wake of their Ffyrst. He fought to the end, however.
‘Majesty, you’ve studied all the reports and mes-sages,’ he pleaded. ‘There have been regular harrying attacks on the army. And serious assaults on at least two forts. I beg of you, reconsider, if only for your baby son.’
Sylvriss looked down at her baby and then at Orem-son’s anxious face. ‘Lord,’ she said. ‘I’m travelling on an errand that’s simply not of my choosing. When it’s completed I’ll return, and gladly. But in the meantime I’m bound by duties as you are; duty to my crown and duty to my son.’
Oremson yielded reluctantly. ‘We shall be watching you for as long as we can, Majesty,’ he said. ‘And I’ll have men stand by to come to your aid immediately if need arises.’
Sylvriss smiled and saluted. Then, mounting Serian, she gave the order to advance.
She did not look back as she rode down the valley away from the tower.
‘Sit down, Lord, you look tired,’ Loman said as Eldric entered the tent.
Eldric accepted the offer and flopped into a nearby chair noisily. ‘After we escaped from the Westerclave, I swore I’d never again complain about creature discom-forts,’ he said. ‘But this place is just as bad as I remember it. It’s as if even the air is tainted in some way.’ He gazed up at the roof of the tent. ‘I’m haunted by the thought of my favourite chair, and the carvings around my room, peaceful and homely in the light of the radiant stones.’
He fell silent and continued staring at the floor for some time, then, with a sigh of self-reproach, he sat upright again.
‘Sorry,’ he said brusquely.
Loman smiled. ‘I should think so, Lord. Any more of that and you’d have been on a charge for spreading despondency amongst the ranks.’
‘No, no,’ Eldric said. ‘There’s insufficient evidence for a charge. I’m only spreading my despondency to you. I’m quite hearty out there.’
Any further debate was ended by the arrival of Arinndier, Hreldar and Darek.
‘A good day’s progress,’ Arinndier said.
Loman nodded off-handedly. ‘Have you checked the perimeter fence?’ he asked.
‘Twice,’ Arinndier replied. ‘And there’s no shortage of volunteers for guard duty these nights.’
Loman frowned. Would that it were otherwise, but Mandroc raids during the night were becoming almost routine and while they had little effect, they could not be ignored. On the first few occasions they had caused great alarm, the Mandrocs showing a reckless wildness which, for the Orthlundyn, was quite different from the ferocity of the Morlider and, for the veteran Fyordyn, quite different from such few encounters as they might have had when riding the Watch.