Across the plains at a dead run came flying the Elven horses, with the ponies of the Dwarves and the great thundering mounts of the Baeron galloping after.
"Oops," said Tip, looking at his horn.
Ruar called out, "Hai, but it was good to run at last."
Both Urel and Durul patted the necks of their great horses and nodded in agreement, while DelfLord Volki growled.
Tipperton tried to look anywhere but at those staring down at him, including Rynna, giggling, along with laughing Beau.
Silverleaf grinned. "What say, Tipperton, that thou and I go to greet my cousins from Arden Vale?"
Tipperton looked up at Lyra, and she shrugged, then nodded.
The buccan leaped upon his pony and he and Vanidar spurred away, but ere they had gone more than a few loping strides, Tipperton looked over his shoulder at those behind and raised his black-oxen horn to his lips and blew another blast.
On the road aft the milling vanguard erupted in ringing cheers, while DelfLord Volki growled again, though his face broke into a smile.
Led by Alor Talarin, the force of Lian from Arden Vale numbered four hundred strong. And he merged his tally with the larger column, raising the whole of the combined legion to five thousand six hundred… and eight.
And though there were two chieftains and two corons and a Dwarven DelfLord among the host thus formed, and a Warrow commander as well, it was Silverleaf elected warleader.
Along Pendwyr Road they fared, heading for the distant city, Tip and Beau renewing acquaintances, among whom were Darai Alaria, Aris, and Jaith, and Alori Arandar, In-arion, Duron, and Flandrena.
When they camped that night, Aris and Jaith came unto the Warrow campfire. And Aris embraced Beau and said how wonderful it was for him to have found a cure for the plague, and they spoke of herbs and simples long into the night. And Jaith had brought a small harp, and she sat with Tipperton and they played and sang many tunes, Rynna and her pennywhistle joining in now and again.
And Linnet drew Rynna aside and whispered in her ear, and Rynna grinned and said for her to fear not, "… These are but old friends, my cousin, and though your mate and mine seem at times unaware of others about, 'tis you whom Beau will hold this night just as Tip will surely hold me."
Four days later, on the eve of the second of December, the column came unto the last of the empty plains below the city of Caer Pendwyr.
"Hmm," mused Rynna, frowning, "I would have expected more than just our legion to have answered the High King's call."
"Maybe we are the first," said Tip, though his heart was heavy with doubt.
Rynna nodded, but then added, "And maybe we are the last. We'll find out soon enough."
Even as she said so, emissaries came riding downslope from the headland above, and within two candlemarks, as the Warrows were rubbing down their ponies, a Dylvana rider came galloping, to stop at the Warrow campsite. "Warleader Vanidar requests thy presence, Commander Rynna."
"Silverleaf wants me now?"
"Aye," replied the rider, "and with thy pony." Without further word he spurred his horse and galloped onward.
Rynna looked at Tipperton as she cast a saddle blanket on the back of her steed and said, "Duty calls, love."
As the legion made camp on the plains, Silverleaf took with him six representatives-Corons Eiron and Ruar, Chieftains Urel and Durul, DelfLord Volki, and Commander Rynna-and up the slope and into the city they rode to confer with the steward there.
"We've come all this way just to find out he's not here?" asked Dinly.
"What good is a High King's call if he won't stay put?" growled Alver.
"I was afraid of this when I saw we were the only ones here," said Farly. "-Our legion, that is."
"Wull, if he's not here," asked Dinly, "just where is he?"
"Hush," said Nix, suppressing a yawn. "Let Rynna speak."
Overhead cold stars wheeled through the wee hours of the morning. Silverleaf and the others had returned late, and Rynna had awakened the Warrows to hear what had befallen.
And now as Rynna added another stick to the fire, she said, "The King's steward, Lord Voren, says Blaine is east of here, some seven hundred miles, along the Ironwater River."
"Oh no," groaned Dinly, looking at Beau. "Another half the world away. I don't, uh, I…"
Rynna glared Dinly to silence. "He pursued the Souther-lings from Gunarring Gap to there. They fled before the King and his host-those who broke the siege at the gap.
"East they ran, did the foe, the King close after: across Valon and over the Argon River they fled; across Pellar; and over the Ironwater, where they now stand.
"And the King holds on this side of the river, for the enemy wards the opposite shore, and to try to cross in the face of the foe is nought but begging for death."
"Oi, now wait a moment," said Farly. "They made no opposition at the Argon?"
Rynna shook her head. "The very same question I asked, Farly, but Lord Voren said no."
"Yet now they ward the Ironwater?" asked Farly. "Less wide, less formidable than the Argon?"
"Indeed," replied Rynna.
"Why there and not the Argon?" asked Tip.
"Voren thinks it's because H?l's Crucible is at their backs, and it daunts them to think of fleeing across that wasteland dire."
Tip flipped through his maps and frowned. "Well, Lord Voren is right about that. -I mean, H?l's Crucible is just beyond the Ironwater."
"Does the King have a plan?" asked Nix.
"Aye," replied Rynna. "Blaine believes the foe will soon have no choice but to abandon warding the opposite shore. Since they cannot live off that barren land, and with little in the way of supplies and nought but H?l's Crucible at their backs, the King simply waits, rather like a siege, only this time 'tis the foe held at bay."
Beau sighed. "I suppose we've got a long ride ahead of us; as Dinly says, another half a world away."
Rynna grinned and shook her head. "No, Beau, not this time."
Linnet frowned at Rynna. "No? Are we just going to sit here?"
"That's what I'd like to know, too," chimed in Nix. "Are we to abandon the High King? Leave him deadlocked with the foe?"
"On the contrary," said Rynna. "You see, Silverleaf has a plan."
Chapter 35
The next morning the Warrows stood on the high northern bluffs of the headland and watched as a swift Fjordlander Dragonship set sail from the docks below. With spike-bearing, round wooden shields fixed at hand along its top wale and its square sail set by a beitass to catch at the wind, a crew of Human warriors with axes in their belts rowed the longship out of Hile Bay and toward the ocean beyond, soon to slip eastward through the indigo waters of the dark blue Avagon Sea. Amidships stood half a dozen horses separated one from the other by slender poles affixed thwartwise from wale to wale, and at the prow stood Vanidar, Aravan right behind, the warleader and his trusted advisor sailing away from the caer.
As they slid from sight 'round the shoulder of the headland, Rynna sighed and said, "Well, there they go, Sil-verleaf and Aravan, off to see King Blaine."
"Do you think his plan will really work?" asked Linnet. "-Using Dragonships for pontoons?"
"I don't see why not," said Nix. Then he pointed down at the long stone wharf. "Look, even now workers bear planks to the shipwrights below." On the jetty, men carted great loads of lumber toward the shipyard.
"Huah," grunted Beau. "Like a string of ants haling choice bits of fruit home to the hill."
"Well, as to the work these ants do, let us hope it bears sweet fruit as well," said Linnet.
"The fruit this will bear is more like to be bitter," said Rynna, "yet it is a crop we must harvest regardless."