His humour faded and he screwed up his face as the significance of his complaint began to make itself felt.
‘Why has this happened?’ he said anxiously, almost to himself. ‘When I was a student here I travelled with several of the senior brothers. We went everywhere. Up into Narsindal to study the place generally and to keep contact with at least some of the Mandroc families. South, right through Riddin. I’ve been through Fyor-lund, seen Vakloss, bustling and busy amp;mdashmarvellous. We even trailed out to Narsindalvak once and saw the Watch patrols coming and going. Talked with the Commander there. I’ve been across to Orthlund. Seen little Pedhavin and its carvers, and Anderras Darion with its Great Gate standing silent and closed. I’ve caught the fisherman’s ferries over into Eirthland… ’
He stopped again and looked at the others. ‘Most of us did the same, didn’t we? In differing degrees. How did we suddenly come to be so… housebound… parochial… so tiny and fearful in our ways?’
No one volunteered an answer. ‘I’m beginning to wonder if in some way His will has bound us even here,’ he continued.
There were murmurs of denial from his listeners, but they were half-hearted. Andawyr nodded. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I’m sailing near the truth, aren’t I? Fine guardians of knowledge we are. Protectors of Ethriss’s charge. Anderras Darion has stood open for twenty years, and we didn’t know! Resources were marshalled somewhere to recreate a Vrwystin A Kaethio, and we didn’t know! The eyes of Vrwystin A Goleg flew among us, and we didn’t see them until one of them sat up and bit us! And we sit in lofty isolation, nurturing our existing knowl-edge like cows chewing cud. Gazing out over the countryside and waiting for rumours to arrive.’
He stood up, suddenly angry. ‘In Ethriss’s name, what have we become?’ he shouted. ‘What have we done?’ Then equally suddenly his voice fell and reaching back he leaned heavily on the arm of his chair. ‘What have I done? This is my fault.’
He lowered himself into his chair, his face shocked.
There was an uneasy silence in the room as the assembled brothers looked to each other for guidance. Andawyr’s denunciation had welled up from nowhere and struck them like a stinging winter squall. Now their leader sat silent and stunned, seemingly overwhelmed by what he saw as his own guilt.
Ryath’s voice cut through the tension, forceful and stern. ‘Nonsense, Andawyr,’ he said. ‘You’re over-simplifying again. And you’re being too emotional. You’re right about our neglect. It’s a grim picture and all the more so because it’s so blatantly obvious now.’ He stood up and walked across to Andawyr. ‘But you’re wrong about your responsibility. It’s been a collective neglect. We each know the duties of the Order, we each know we must fulfil them. You’re our guide, not our keeper.’
Andawyr looked up at him, his face still pained. Ryath continued relentlessly. ‘As for the cause of this neglect, that’s irrelevant. Be it His hand or our folly, we’ve neither fact nor rumour to help us there. Suffice it that we see it now and our duty is to act, not to conjec-ture. You’re the only person who’s remotely suited to be our leader. Do what you’re best at amp;mdashlead.’ He swung his arm around the watching circle. ‘Teach these your new knowledge, as you taught me. Help us correct our lapse, whatever its cause. Don’t compound it by wallowing in self pity.’
Several of the brothers gasped at the bluntness of Ryath’s last remark, and Oslang rose to intervene. Andawyr’s distressed expression vanished and for an instant his face became thunderous. Ryath grimaced as if anticipating a blow, but he held both his ground and Andawyr’s gaze.
After a moment Andawyr said sharply. ‘Sit down, Ryath. You’re talking out of turn again.’
Ryath resumed his seat, his face pale but satisfied. Andawyr glowered round the circle. ‘Does anyone else here agree with brother Ryath?’ he asked stonily.
Oslang raised his hand immediately, and one by one so did each of the brothers, some more tentatively than others.
Andawyr’s grim look gradually faded into one of resignation. ‘You’re right Ryath,’ he said quietly. ‘I am too emotional. I’m probably off-balance after everything that’s happened if the truth be told. I apologize to you all for my outburst.’
The tension in the room eased.
‘Let’s get down to business then,’ Andawyr said purposefully. ‘We’ll work out the details later, but these are my first thoughts. We must send someone to Anderras Darion as a matter of the greatest urgency to find out what’s been happening there and, if possible, what’s happened to Hawklan.’ He turned to Oslang. ‘Have a word with the local Muster Lines, they’ll probably be willing to help us across country.’ Oslang nodded.
‘Then I think someone’s going to have to footslog through the mountains to Fyorlund.’
‘What?’ said Oslang in disbelief. ‘It’ll be winter soon.’
Andawyr waved the objection aside. ‘Details later,’ he said. ‘It’s been done before. And we’ll have to tell Urthryn down in Dremark. He’ll probably need some convincing, but at least the Muster won’t need much sharpening up. Next, we’ll have to establish watching stones along the Pass.’ He paused and breathed out noisily. ‘That’s going to be dangerous at the north end, but we can’t avoid it. We must have some eyes into Narsindal.’
‘The felcis might help there,’ Atelon intruded.
Andawyr nodded. ‘Indeed they might,’ he said. ‘We mustn’t forget our ancient allies. They could prove to be invaluable.’
He stood up. ‘Brothers, forgive me. I’d like to go to my quarters. I need to rest and meditate for a little while. Could I ask you to stay here and begin planning these journeys immediately?’
He paused as he moved out of the circle towards one of the open doors. ‘Three things remain,’ he said. ‘As Ryath has suggested. If it can be taught, I’ll teach you all I can of my new knowledge, or at least start to teach it, though Ethriss knows how. Secondly we must begin to accept that we are at war, and in great danger. Sumeral felt my presence and will suspect our existence. And Oklar will know that it was no village bird catcher that bound the eye of the Goleg and struck down the keeper of his Vrwystin A Kaethio. They’ll be searching for us constantly now. We can look to some trials of strength and cunning. Be open. Be aware.’
‘And the third matter?’ Oslang asked.
‘Yes,’ said Andawyr slowly. ‘The third matter. While we seek to marshal our physical resources, we must remember that they will be as nothing unless Sumeral and His Uhriel can be truly opposed.’
The room became very silent.
‘Brothers,’ Andawyr concluded. ‘We must go to the heart of our duty. We must seek for the Guardians and awaken them.’
Chapter 14
The glow of the furnace further reddened Loman’s already flushed face and went on to paint his shadow grotesquely across the wall and ceiling of his forge. There, another shadow mingled with it to complete the painting and turn it into a small dark mountain range.
The acrid tang of hot metal filled the forge and the furnace murmured restfully to itself, the radiant stones occasionally chuckling and rearranging themselves in a small flurry of sparks.
Loman straightened up and wiped a grimy arm across his glistening forehead. He did not like to be disturbed when he was working.
‘What?’ he asked, irritably.
The mountains shifted ominously as Gulda, scowl-ing, lifted her head to look at him beadily. The master smith rested the head of his hammer on his anvil and, leaning on it, met her gaze. ‘I beg your pardon, Memsa,’ he said, with painstaking slowness and great insincerity. ‘I didn’t catch what you said.’
‘I said, "Do you have any children around here who can sing properly?"’ Gulda repeated, echoing his tone and manner.
Loman looked at her carefully for a moment as if still uncertain that he had heard correctly. ‘Singers?’ he said tentatively. Gulda raised an eyebrow and fidgeted with her stick.