'Beware!' the girl shrieked. 'They are close behind me!'
At that moment two huge shaggy shapes burst out of the forest, running on all fours. Briefly Meren thought they were wild boar, then realized they were propelling themselves on long arms, knuckling the ground with each bounding stride. They were overhauling the girl.
'Apes!' Meren yelled, as he nocked an arrow and urged the bay to the top of its speed, racing to intercept the leader before it could catch the girl.
He drew the bow to full stretch and let fly. The arrow caught the animal high in the chest. It roared and reached up to snap the shaft as though it were a straw, hurling the butt away in the same movement. It barely broke stride and bounded forward again only yards behind her. Meren shot another arrow and hit the beast close to where the stump of the first arrow protruded from its hairy torso.
Now Hilto was galloping forward to help. He shot and hit the leading creature again. It was so close behind the girl that when it bellowed her legs buckled under her. It reached out to grab her, but Meren drove the bay between them and leant out to seize her round the waist and swing her up in front of his saddle. Then he spurred the bay away. The ape bounded after him, shrieking with the pain of its wounds, and fury at having been deprived of its prey. The second ape was close behind its mate, gaining ground swiftly.
Hilto couched his long lance and galloped to head it off. The ape saw him coming and turned to meet him. As they closed, Hilto lowered the lance head and the ape sprang at him, launching itself high in the air.
Hilto caught it on the lance, sending the bronze head through the centre of its chest, right up to the cruciform guard on the shaft, which prevented it penetrating deeper than a cubit. The ape squealed as Hilto used his weight and the momentum of the charge to pin it to the earth.
316 J
The first ape, although mortally wounded, was using the last of its strength to chase down Meren and the girl. Meren was holding her, so he was unable to nock an arrow, and the animal was gaining on them.
Before Taita realized what she was about, Fenn turned Whirlwind and raced off to help.
'Come back! Be careful!' Taita yelled after her, in vain. With the stumps of the broken arrows in its chest and blood splattering from the wounds, the ape sprang high and landed on the rump of Meren's horse.
Its jaws were wide open, its head thrust forward to sink its long yellow fangs into the back of Meren's neck. He turned to meet the attack. Still holding the girl in the crook of his left arm, he used his right hand to thrust the stock of his bow into the ape's open mouth and force its head backwards. The ape locked its jaws on the wood, chewing splinters out of it.
'Be careful!' Taita yelled again, as Fenn rode in beside Meren with her little bow at full draw. 'Don't hit Meren!' She gave no sign of having heard him, and as soon as she had the right angle, she let fly. The range was less than two arm's span. The arrow hit the ape in the side of its neck, severing both of the great carotid arteries, half of its length emerging on the other side of its neck. It was a perfect shot.
The ape released Meren's bow and tumbled backwards over the bay's rump. It rolled in the forest mulch, squealing with rage and plucking at the arrow with both hands. Imbali darted in, lifted her axe high and swung down, splitting the thick bone of the skull as though it were eggshell. Nakonto left the pack horses, which took to their heels, and rushed past her to where Hilto was still holding down the other on the end of his lance. He stabbed down with his short assegai, twice through the throat, and the ape uttered one last roar before it died.
Fenn was still keeping pace with Meren's bay, but now they slowed.
Meren was holding the girl tenderly to his chest. Her face was buried in his neck and she was sobbing wildly. He patted her back, murmuring reassurance. 'It's all over, my beauty. No need to weep, sweetling. You are safe now. I will take care of you.' His attempts to express concern and sympathy were spoiled somewhat by his self-satisfied grin.
Fenn wheeled back on one side of him, and Taita rode up on the other. 'Young lady, I am not sure which is the greater danger to you, the wild ape or the man who rescued you from it,' he remarked. With one last sob, the girl looked up, but she kept her arm round Meren's neck and he made no effort to dislodge her. Her nose was running and her eyes were streaming. They all studied her with interest.
Tears notwithstanding, Taita decided, she is a beauty. Then he asked her, in a kindly tone. 'What were you doing alone in the forest when you were set upon by those beasts?'I 'I escaped and the trogs came after me.' The girl hiccuped.
'Trogs?' Meren asked.
Her dark eyes went back to his face. 'That is what they are called.
They are horrible things. We are all terrified of them.'
'Your reply has flushed out a flock of questions. But let us find an answer to the first one. Where were you going?' Taita intervened. The girl tore her eyes from Meren and looked at Taita. 'I was coming to find you, Magus. I need your help. You are the only one who can save me.'
'That raises another flock of questions. Shall we begin with a simple one? What is your name, child?'
'I am called Sidudu, Magus,' she said, and shivered violently.
'You are cold, Sidudu,' Taita said. 'No more questions until we have you home.' Taita turned to Meren and kept his expression serious as he asked, 'Is the lady causing you inconvenience or discomfort? Do you think you will be able to carry her as far as the village, or shall we put her down and make her walk?'
'I can abide with any suffering she may cause me,' Meren replied, equally seriously.
'Then I believe we have finished our business here. Let us go on.'
It was dark when they entered the village. The houses were mostly in darkness and nobody seemed to notice their passing. By the time they dismounted in the stableyard Sidudu had made a remarkable recovery.
Nevertheless Meren was taking no risks and carried her into the main living room. While Fenn and Imbali lit the lamps and reheated a pot of rich game stew on the hearth, Taita examined Sidudu's injuries. They were all superficial grazes, scrapes and embedded thorns. He dug the last out of her pretty calf and smeared ointment over the wound, sat back and studied her. He saw a maelstrom of fear and hatred. She was a confused, unhappy child, but beneath the turmoil of suffering her aura was clear and pure. She was essentially a sweet, innocent creature forced prematurely to face the world's evils and wickedness.
'Come, child,' he said. 'You must eat, drink and sleep before we talk any more.' She ate the stew and dhurra bread that Fenn brought to her, and when she had wiped the bowl with the last crust of bread and popped it into her mouth, Taita reminded her, 'You said that you were coming to find me.'
'Yes, Magus,' she whispered.
'Why?' he asked.
'May I talk to you alone, where nobody else can hear us?' she asked shyly, and glanced involuntarily at Meren.
'Of course. We shall go to my chamber.' Taita picked up one of the oil lamps. 'Follow me.' He led her to the room that he and Fenn shared, sat on his mat and indicated Fenn's to her. Sidudu folded her legs under her and arranged her torn skirts modestly. 'Now tell me,' he invited.
'Everybody in Jarri says you are a famous surgeon and skilled with all manner of herbs and potions.'
'I am not sure who “everybody” is, but I am indeed a surgeon.'