Subsequently Loman had become concerned when snowstorms were seen on the distant peaks.
‘Don’t worry about them until they’re overdue,’ Gulda had said, less than sympathetically. ‘They’re as good as you could have made them. An experience like that will make or mar them.’
‘And if they’re marred?’ Loman had queried angrily.
‘Then they’d have been no good as Helyadin, would they?’ Gulda replied sharply. ‘Better fail now than when others’ lives depend on them.’
Hawklan smiled as he remembered Loman’s frus-trated scowl.
‘They’ve got someone with them.’ Isloman broke into his reverie. ‘And it looks as if there are two riding the one horse.’ He screwed his eyes up. ‘Yes, there are,’ he added. ‘And it’s a fine horse too.’
Hawklan leaned forward on the parapet wall and watched the approaching group patiently. After a few minutes he began to make out the details that Isloman had described. That horse had to be a Muster horse, and that tiny passenger…?
He was familiar.
He started, as a bedraggled Gavor bounced down on to the wall beside him, flapping excitedly and staggering alarmingly.
‘Come on, dear boy,’ the raven said, jumping up and down and at the same time trying to preen himself. ‘Shift yourself.’
Hawklan looked at him. ‘Ah, good of you to join us again, Gavor,’ he said. ‘I presume all your friends were at home, by the look of you. Are you sure you can remember how to fly?’
‘Very droll, dear boy,’ Gavor replied, with great dignity, still struggling with his more recalcitrant feathers. ‘Like you, I have a wide circle of affectionate friends and acquaintances who’ve been most anxious about me in my absence. It would have been churlish in the extreme not to accept their hospitality.’
‘Yes, I didn’t think you’d been refusing anything, judging from the way you landed,’ Hawklan said, and both he and Isloman laughed.
Still dignified, Gavor walked to the edge of the wall and peered over cautiously. ‘Well, I’m going to join our friend Andawyr,’ he said. ‘Do feel free to join us if you can spare a moment from your gossiping.’ And with an alarmed, ‘Whoops!’ he launched himself unsteadily into the cold wind.
Andawyr watched as the black dot tumbled precipitately through the air then suddenly swooped up and round in a great majestic arc. As it neared, his face broke into a smile. ‘Gavor?’ he inquired of Tybek who was riding alongside him.
Tybek nodded, but before he could speak, Gavor had landed on Andawyr’s outstretched hand. Agreth started at this unexpected arrival and his horse reared a little, causing Andawyr to seize its mane hastily and Gavor to extend his wings to preserve his balance.
‘Steady, horse,’ Gavor said sternly.
Agreth’s look of surprise turned to mild indignation at this usurpation of his authority.
Gavor turned and looked at him. ‘So sorry, dear boy,’ he said. ‘Quite forgot who was in charge. Do carry on.’
Agreth had heard about Gavor from Sylvriss and the Fyordyn but, expecting an amusing pet, he was quite unprepared for the piercing black-eyed gaze and the forceful presence.
‘Ah,’ Gavor said, raising his wooden leg by way of a salute. ‘I thought it was a Muster nag, quite handsome in a horsy kind of way.’ Then, staring at Agreth, he asked abruptly, ‘Is the Queen safe and well?’
‘Yes,’ Agreth replied hesitantly. ‘She’s with her fa-ther down at Dremark.’
‘Good, good, good,’ Gavor said rapidly. ‘I was con-cerned about her when the weather changed. Fine woman.’
Andawyr’s smile broadened. ‘It’s good to see you,’ he said. ‘Your friends here tell me Hawklan’s returned safe and well, too. I was very alarmed for him when Agreth told me what had happened to you at Vakloss.’
Gavor affected casualness. ‘Yes, nasty piece of work that Dan-Tor,’ he said. ‘Gave us a most unpleasant reception, but we got over it.’ Then he extended his neck and peered at Andawyr. ‘That said, you look as if you’ve been through the mill a little, dear boy,’ he went on, his voice concerned. ‘That ghastly little bird from the Gretmearc give you a bad time?’
‘That and one or two other things,’ Andawyr replied. ‘But I got over it too. I’ll tell you later. Tell me what happened to waken Hawklan on your journey from Fyorlund.’
Gavor ruffled his feathers. ‘Oh, it’s far too much to talk about on horseback,’ he said. ‘And I’ve had a frightfully busy time since I got back. Such demands. I’ve not had a moment to myself. Let’s get out of the cold and get some food inside us then we can have a good old natter.’ He lowered his voice. ‘That’s always assuming the Fyordyn’s haven’t organized all the talking by now; you know the way they are.’
Andawyr laughed, then, responding to a touch on his arm from Tybek, he looked up the road ahead. The tall black-clad figure of Hawklan was striding down to meet the group. He was accompanied by a powerfully built individual of similar height.
Gavor extended his wings and floated up into the air. Andawyr twisted round to Agreth. ‘Set me down, please,’ he said quickly.
Agreth dismounted and held out his arms to receive the Cadwanwr, who jumped down like an excited child and began walking briskly up the hill.
As he reached Hawklan, Andawyr seized his ex-tended hand tightly in both of his own, his face a confusion of emotions and questions.
‘You’re really here this time,’ he said. He patted Hawklan’s arm as if he were testing a horse for pur-chase. ‘Yes, you really are.’ Then he stepped back and looked the bargain up and down. ‘You’ve changed,’ he said. ‘You’re different in some way.’
‘A great many ways, I’m afraid,’ Hawklan replied. ‘We all are. And you and I have got a great many things to talk about.’ The two men stood for a moment just looking at one another, then Hawklan glanced at Isloman standing next to him, and at Tybek and the others waiting at a discreet distance.
‘This is Isloman, Andawyr,’ he said. ‘He stood with me against Oklar and saved my life. Introduce us to your Muster escort, if you would.’ Gavor dropped gently on to his shoulder. Agreth watched as Andawyr led the two men towards him.
From the descriptions Sylvriss had given him he recognized both immediately. These then were the two who had faced Oklar. Isloman was visibly powerful, but what was there in this other one that had had such an effect on Sylvriss and the Goraidin? No sooner had the thought occurred to him than he felt uneasy-afraid even-and his horse too inched back uncertainly, for although Hawklan was smiling and his manner offered nothing but welcome, there was a force in his presence that was almost tangible. Agreth had felt a similar power in Urthryn on occasions, but this was more powerful by far.
‘This is Agreth,’ Andawyr said. ‘He’s one of Ffyrst Urthryn’s closest advisers. We met by chance in the mountains and he’s made my journey over the moun-tains a great deal easier in every way.’ He looked at Hawklan significantly. ‘He also has a great deal of news for us. Agreth, this is Hawklan, the man you’ve been seeking, and his friend Isloman.’
Agreth bowed and Hawklan held out his hand. ‘Wel-come to Anderras Darion,’ he said. ‘When you’ve rested and eaten we’ll hear all your news and you ours, but if it’s breaking no confidences we’re both of us anxious to know… ’ He hesitated.
‘Queen Sylvriss is well,’ Agreth volunteered in an-ticipation of the question.
Hawklan smiled. ‘Good,’ he said. ‘And the baby?’
Agreth shrugged. ‘I’m more used to horses when it comes to pregnancy, but to the best of my knowledge, the foal-the baby,’ he corrected hastily, ‘is also well.’
‘Good,’ Hawklan said again. ‘I’m greatly in debt to that young person.’
Agreth looked puzzled by the remark, but Hawklan excused himself and turned his attention to Tybek and the others. Both Tybek and Jenna watched Hawklan intently. In common with most Orthlundyn, they knew of him as the healer from Pedhavin, and of his mysteri-ous arrival some twenty years earlier to occupy the long-sealed Anderras Darion. However, apart from a brief introduction amid the whirling noisy confusion of the Alphraan’s sudden change of heart and the clamor-ous welcomes of Loman and the others, neither had really met the man that Loman referred to as their leader.