To this routine she kept as the days moved past her. It may have been the amber, or the pebbles, she did not know. But she saw nothing more dangerous, as she journeyed upriver, than the occasional beast at its hunting. These she always bespoke in friendship. The only event of note was the appearance of a magnificent female falcon. The hawk was clearly hungry and Eleeri caught a brief mind-picture of a nest full of squawking babies. She grinned in sympathy, sending friendship and tossing up a plump rabbit previously transfixed by one of her arrows. The female snatched it out of midair with a sharp cry.
As she flew with her gift, a feather fell from her. Long, sharply marked in black and white. A prize. Eleeri dropped from her pony to gather it in. Tucking it into her headband and mounting her pony again, she sat straighter. There might be no eagles in this land she had found, but a hawk’s feather was good medicine, the more so since it appeared to have been a gift. She would wear it with pride, remembering her people.
Days slipped into weeks as she moved through the mountains. Often she was forced to backtrack when the trail she followed became blocked or simply vanished. But there was a growing sense that drew her always to the northwest.
It was as if she were wanted there, as if a calling grew louder as she traveled. She laughed softly at her fancies, but she held her course. It fitted with the small amount Cynan had been able to tell her of an ancient land new-found by his kin. She hunted as she went, sharing often with those of the wild. She saw a hunting falcon several times and each time Eleeri offered food. It was found acceptable, and while the birds would not come near her, she was clearly to be counted friend.
At last the river shallowed, narrowing even though the land was flatter. The girl began to scout farther from it across the broadening plains. It was on one of those side trips that she saw the village. She allowed the horses to graze while she studied it, lying flat atop a hill. Not a village, really, more one of those holds like Cynan’s. It seemed to consist of a main fortified building surrounded by other, smaller homes. Probably, if danger threatened, everyone retreated to the main protection. She’d be cautious. According to Cynan, they should be friendly, but it paid to be careful.
She called her beasts and swung into the saddle. Picking her way down the hillside, she allowed her mount to pace toward the gates. There was a considerable amount of noise coming from a fenced area behind one of the larger buildings. Over the babble of voices she heard the sudden blast of a furious horse, a whistle that rose in violent challenge. She made no attempt to resist that call, but kneed her pony around the building, there to halt in outraged fury.
Within a high-fenced corral a mare fought her captors. She was black as night, with a coat that gleamed in the sunlight. Behind her struggled a newborn foal, he, too, black, under the slime of birth. He fought to rise, but was as yet too weak to make his slender legs obey him. He fell again with a tiny squeal and the mare went crazy at the sound. Forgetting anything but the distress she witnessed, Eleeri raced her horses forward, almost trampling spectators.
Her voice rang out like a bell, “What happens here? What do you do?”
A dozen voices answered her. “A Keplian, lady. Gerae caught one of their mares.”
“Why treat her so?” She noticed that the ropes holding the mare from her foal had slackened as those who held her stopped to listen.
“Why? But lady—she’s a Keplian!” the man before her spluttered. He seemed to think that was explanation enough. Eleeri did not.
“I don’t care what you name her. Is that any way to treat a beast? What evil has she ever done you?” She eyed the man who hauled hardest on the ropes. “Do you claim this mare attacked you? Did she slay kin of yours, threaten your child? For what reason does she pay, and her foal with her?”
The man fell back at the sight of her anger. “She’s just a Keplian. We kill them where we find them. They’re evil.” He straightened proudly. “Yes, they’re of the Dark.”
Eleeri was watching as the mare used the slackened rope to reach her foal with a comforting nose. “I see nothing evil here, just a mare who tries to protect her baby.” From the confused babble behind her she heard a short conversation.
“ . . . away from the hold.”
“ . . . gone to the valley. He’ll not return for days.”
“Then what do we do? This may be a woman of the power.”
The girl hid a triumphant grin. Their lord seemed to have gone away for some time. Already this bunch looked disposed to fear her, at least a little. She sent a mental command to her mount, and allowed her back to straighten slowly. Horse and rider seemed to loom now in a martial pose, awing those who gathered about her on foot. Slowly—portentously—she removed an amulet from her shirt pocket.
She dropped lightly from her horse, walking over to where the handlers still kept a strain on the ropes. Lightly she touched the foal on his wet nose. The amber brushed the small muzzle and glowed softly.
She held the amulet high. “Gunnora has spoken: There is no evil in this one. He has harmed none and must be freed.”
From the back of the crowd a man thrust his way. He was burly of build, with blond hair that glinted in the sun. He scowled viciously.
“The foal is too young to have done aught. But he will grow to be evil. All Keplians are followers of the Dark. Here we kill those who are of the Dark. Where do you come from, lady, that you do not know that?”
Eleeri returned question for question. “Where do you come from, man, that you would torture a dam and her newborn foal? Who told you they are evil, when Gunnora herself says the foal at least is innocent?”
His voice overtopped hers in a sudden roar. “Innocent? The Dark ones slaughtered my family when I was a child. A year since my brother was murdered by their kind while on a mission for those in the Valley of the Green Silences. Must we stand here while this woman seeks to take from us our lawful prey ? ” He moved forward.
“Are you so hot to kill that you ignore payment?” Eleeri asked softly.
The forward movement halted. “Payment?”
“Aye. Gunnora says that the foal is innocent. If she does not say the mare is clearly evil, will you release both to me in return for weregild?”
He blinked thoughtfully, diverted for this moment as he considered. “What do you offer, lady?”
Good, she was back to being a “lady” again. “I cannot offer you the worth of a family slain, a brother dead, but I can offer two for two.” She waved a hand at the saddled, bridled horses that followed her.
A singularly nasty smirk spread over his face and he nodded. “Done, lady.” Nor did he seem to care any longer whether Gunnora adjudged the mare. He held out his hand for the reins and both horses went to him at Eleeri’s order.
“Now, lady. You get that pair out of here before sunset. You have one day. After that they’re fair prey again.”
“I will need to buy food, fill my water bags.”
“No. You get nothing here. We do not traffic with the Dark. Take your ‘friends’ and get out before we stone you.” He moved forward, with the savagery in his eyes deepening. She could see that he was delighted with his bargain but would attack her as well if he felt safe enough. His eyes had already begun to rest covetously on her saddlebags and plump bedroll. Her hand flicked to her bow, stringing an arrow before he could close on her.
“Stand back, man. I have bargained fairly and will have that for which I have paid.” She called a sharp order to the men who still held the mare. “Release her.” They hesitated, and she moved the arrow to center on the man who stood staring. “Release her, now!”
He called a reluctant command and the bonds fell away. With a swift heave of her body, the mare freed herself and leaped to her foal. With a sinking heart, the girl saw that the smirk was back. What now?