"I thank you for delivering it, Warder Presso," he then said, "and for holding the confidence, as you were requested."
"But I ask that you open it now, in my presence," the warder surprised the abbot by saying.
Haney glanced at Dellman again, and both turned curious gazes over Presso.
"The manner of delivery brings me as much worry as it does you, my friends," Presso said, trying not to be mysterious. "Open it, I pray. I'll stand back, on my word, but if the news is grave, and if it concerns Pireth Vanguard or Prince Midalis, then you must inform me immediately."
That seemed fair enough, and so Abbot Haney, with Brother Dellman coming up right beside him, broke the seal. "Promotion to master for you? " Haney wondered aloud, smiling at his friend and close adviser.
Dellman smiled, too, but both of the men turned their lips down quickly into most profound frowns when Haney unrolled the parchment.
"Grave news," Warder Presso said, seeing it clearly from their expressions.
Abbot Haney was trembling as he handed the parchment to Presso, who took it, thinking that perhaps their dear friend Agronguerre had died.
When he read the words, a warning about the rosy plague, the warderwho was a friend of Agronguerre's and admired the man greatly-wished that his initial fears had been correct.
"I trust that you will be discreet with this information," Brother Dellman remarked. It struck Presso from the look that Dellman gave Haney that he wasn't pleased that his abbot had so readily turned over the letter. "If we are too quick to spread this grave news, it could cause panic."
"And of course, only King's men and Church members should be so privileged," Warder Presso said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"That is not what I said."
"But is it not what you meant? "
"Enough," Haney demanded of them both. "Deliver that at once to Prince Midalis, I pray you, Warder Presso," he instructed. "If he wishes to meet with us that we can coordinate our efforts to spread such dire news, then, of course, I-we," he added, glancing up at Dellman, "will be available."
Presso nodded, gave a slight bow, then started to turn, but paused and looked back at Dellman. "Forgive me, brother," he said sincerely. "Blame my surly words on my surprise at reading such unexpected and tragic news."
"And my own for so responding," said Dellman with a polite bow.
Prince Midalis met with Abbot Haney that same evening, but not before issuing a general blockade of Pireth Vanguard. No ships were to be allowed in, not even to the long dock, and no goods unloaded.
Abbot Haney agreed, and the next morning, the two leaders broke the devastating news to the general population of Vanguard. Also, that same day, Midalis sent runners north to alert the Alpinadorans of the pending disaster. And thus was the northeastern quarter of Honce-the-Bear shut down.
Visitors were no longer welcome in the land that prided itself on camaraderie and friendship.
The cart slogged along trails that were mud where the sun hit them and ice where it did not. Greystone tugged at the harness without protest, eager to please the driver, Pony.
And she urged the horse on with all speed, though she tried to pick as smooth a path as she could find. Behind her, wrapped in blankets but cold and miserable nonetheless, Colleen Kilronney groaned and coughed.
Pony tried to block out those pitiful sounds and focus on the road ahead, the road south to Palmaris, to St. Precious, to somewhere Pony might find someone and some way to help her mortally ill friend.
She glanced west, to the dark clouds that had risen over the horizon as the afternoon had drawn on, and second-guessed her decision to set out from Caer Tinella. She little feared weather this early in the season if it was just herself and Greystone, but how would she keep Colleen warm if the snows forced them off the road? And surely her friend would not survive a cold, wet night.
And so she rode on, after the sun went down, and wishing that she had a magical diamond that she might light the path before her!
Later on snow began to fall and a cold, cold wind rushed down; and Pony wished even more for that magical diamond, that she could call a warming glow to comfort her poor friend.
She set a torch blazing and drove on, trying to outrun the storm, to get far enough south so that it would be a more gentle event, rain, perhaps.
But the snow kept falling, wet snow, clumping on the wagon and wheels, weighing down Greystone's load. It settled over the trail, making the ice even more slippery and more treacherous in the dark.
Pony knew that she could not stop. She had seventy miles of road before her to get to Palmaris, Colleen's only chance. Gently but firmly she bade Greystone continue, and the valiant horse trudged along.
The night deepened and the snow continued, accumulating on the road, making progress more difficult, bringing a bright sheen to poor Greystone's blond coat. Pony knew that she had to press on, but knew, too, that if she did, Greystone would likely fall over and die. She and her horse could not make it alone.
She pulled up at the side of the trail and brought her torch back, tucking the blankets tightly about Colleen, trying to keep her as warm as possible. Then she ran to Greystone and unhitched him and walked him, trying to cool him down slowly and safely.
And all the while, she wondered what she could do next. How could she save Colleen?
Her soul stone seemed the only answer. Perhaps she could reach out and find some nearby help. Of course, if she was honest with any nearby farmers or woodsmen, they wouldn't likely come anywhere near her or Colleen. Perhaps she could swap a horse with them, though she'd hate to part with wonderful Greystone.
She came back to the wagon then, deciding that the soul stone was her only option. She reached into her pouch and produced the hematite, and fell into it immediately, using its magic to free her of her corporeal form. For a moment, she thought of going at Colleen's tiny disease demons again, but the memory of the previous encounter left her weak. So she went out, searching, searching.
And she found her answer-her wonderful, amazing answer-in but a few moments, as she encountered another spirit, strong and naturaclass="underline" the thoughts of magnificent Symphony, nearby and running hard toward her. Pony felt the horse keenly, understood so clearly that it was indeed Symphony, and recognized clearly Symphony's intent to come to her aid. She suspected that she had touched the turquoise bond with her hematite reach, and a miraculous bond it was!
She rushed back into her corporeal form, then over to Colleen, lighting a fire, tucking in her blankets, kissing her on the forehead and telling her that it would be all right.
Symphony arrived soon after, snorting and pawing the ground. Pony wondered if she could manipulate the harness and rope so that both horses could pull the wagon, but she gave up on the idea quickly, mostly because she sensed Symphony's impatience, almost as if the horse understood her needs and was assuring her that he could fulfill them.
She harnessed him up and tied Greystone to the back. Though the snow continued, even intensified, the wagon was rolling again, and swiftly, with Symphony plowing forward.
A dull sunrise came and went, and still they rolled on. Soon they came to muddier ground, and the snow became cold rain, and still they rolled on.
Symphony pulled tirelessly, through the morning and into the afternoon, and then, amazingly to Pony, she saw the farmhouses increasing in number along the rolling hills, and knew that she would see Palmaris over the very next rise.
Down they went, gaining speed with the goal in sight. The guards at the city's northern gate motioned for the wagon to stop, and Pony called out to them to let her pass. "Without delay!" she cried. "I am Jilseponie Wyndon-you know me-and you know the person I carry to the healing doors of St. Precious. Colleen Kilronney, she is: a friend to any soldier of Palmaris!"