Its a landmark, pet. We sort of like to keep it here as a reference point.
They turned south there and traveled down through Kagwher for a week or so. Then late one afternoon they crested a hill and saw a rude village huddled in the next valley. What do you think, Em? Althalus said back over his shoulder. Should we go on in and talk with a few people? Ive been out of touch for quite a while, so it might not be a bad idea to find out whats happening in the world.
Lets not leave memories of our passing lingering behind us, pet. Ghend has eyes and ears everywhere.
Good point, he agreed. Lets sleep here, then. We can slip past that village before daybreak tomorrow.
Im not really sleepy, Althalus.
Of course not. Youve been sleeping all day. Im the one who had to do the walking, and Im tired.
All right, well rest your poor little legs here, then.
Althalus wasnt really all that tired, however. There was something about the rude village below that had immediately caught his eye when hed crested the hill. There was a corral on the southern edge of the village, and there were horses in that corral and a number of rude saddles laid over the top rail. It was still a long way to Arum, and riding would probably be faster and easier than walking.
He decided not to burden Emmy with his plan. He was a master thief, after all, so he was perfectly capable of stealing a horse and saddle without any help or commentary.
He fixed supper, and after theyd eaten, they curled up under his cloak and went to sleep.
What are you doing? Emmy asked with a sleepy thought as he was preparing to leave not long after midnight.
I thought we should get an early start and slip past that village before the people woke up. Traveling at nights the best way I know of to avoid being seen.
You dont mind if I sleep a bit longer, do you?
Not at all, Em, he said. Just curl up in your little pouch and go back to sleep.
She squirmed around in the hood of his cloak as he started out. Then she got settled in and purred herself back to sleep.
She woke up rather abruptly, however, when Althalus nudged his new horse into a loping canter. I suppose I should have guessed, she murmured.
We are on a sort of sacred mission, arent we, Em? he replied with a tone of high-minded justification. Were going out to save the world. Its only right and proper that the people along the way should lend a hand, isnt it?
Youll never change, will you, Althalus?
Probably not, no. Go back to sleep, Em. Ive got everything under control now.
Once they were mounted, they made good time, and they crossed out of Kagwher into the vast forest of Hule a couple of days after Althalus had acquired the horse.
There were villages here and there in the deep wood of Hule now, and that offended Althalus. Hule was supposed to be wild, but now grubby little men had come here to contaminate it. The villages were squalid-looking collections of rude huts squatting on muddy ground and surrounded by garbage. They werent much to look at, but what really offended Althalus were the tree-stumps. These wretched intruders were cutting down trees. Civilization, he muttered in tones of deepest contempt.
What? Emmy asked.
Theyre cutting down trees, Em.
Men do that, pet.
Little men, you mean. Men who are afraid of the dark and invent ways to talk about wolves without actually saying the word wolf. Lets get out of here. The sight of that trash-heap makes me sick.
They passed a few other villages on their way south, and the opinion hed formed about the people who lived in those villages didnt improve very much.
His humor began to improve as they rode up into the foothills of Arum. He was fairly certain that no matter how civilized man became, it was highly unlikely that theyd come up with a way to chop down mountains.
They rode some distance up into the foothills, and on the second day as evening settled over the mountains, Althalus rode back from the narrow track a ways and set up their nights camp in a small clearing.
Could we have fish tonight, pet? Emmy asked once he had their fire going.
I was sort of thinking about beef.
We had beef last night.
He was about to say something, but suddenly laughed instead.
Whats so funny?
Havent we had this conversation before? It seems that I can remember long talks about having the same thing six or eight days in a row.
That was different.
Im sure it was, he gave in. All right, dear, if you want fish, well have fish.
She began to purr in happy anticipation.
Althalus slept well that night, but just before dawn he awoke quite suddenly as some almost forgotten instinct warned him of approaching danger. Somebodys coming, Em, he jarred her awake with an urgent thought.
Her green eyes opened immediately, and he felt her send out a searching thought. Then she hissed.
Whats the matter? he demanded.
Pekhal! Be careful, Althalus. Hes very dangerous.
Didnt you tell me that hes one of Ghends people?
Ghends animal would come closer. There isnt much humanity left in Pekhal. Im sure hell try to kill you.
Lots of people have tried that, Em. He rolled out from under his cloak, reaching for his bronze-tipped spear.
Dont try to fight him, Althalus. Hes a total savage and very vicious. Hell try to talk his way in close enough to reach you with his sword. Id imagine that hes looking for breakfast along about now.
He eats people? Althalus exclaimed.
Thats one of his nicer habits.
I think I remember a way to make him keep his distance, Althalus said with a bleak sort of grin.
There was a crashing sound back in the undergrowth, and Althalus slipped behind a tree to watch.
The man was huge, and his face was almost subhumanly brutish. He was bulling his way through the bushes, and he was swinging a large sword that obviously wasnt made of bronze. Where are you? he roared in a hoarse, animal-like voice.
Im more or less here, Althalus replied. I dont think you need to come any closer.
Show yourself!
Why would I want to do that?
I want to see you!
Im not really all that attractive.
Show yourself! the beast roared again.
If you say so, neighbor, Althalus replied mildly. He stepped out from behind the tree, looking intently at the heavily armed savage. Then he said, Dheu.
The brute rose up off the ground with a startled oath.
Just a precaution, friend, Althalus explained urbanely. You seem a bit bad-tempered this morning somebody you ate, no doubt.
Put me down!
No, I dont think well do it that way. Youre fine just where you are.
The grotesque brute began swinging his sword at the air around him as if trying to slash at whatever was holding him suspended.
You dont mind if I have a look at that, do you? Althalus asked. Then he held out his hand and said, Gwem!
The huge sword spun out of the giants hand and then drifted obediently down to Althalus. Very impressive, Althalus said, hefting the heavy weapon.
You give that back!
No. Sorry. You dont really need it. Althalus stuck the heavy sword into the ground and then neatly filched the brutes dagger and purse from his belt as well.
Pekhal began roaring, his face contorted with savage fury.
Althalus lifted his hand and said, Dheu again.
Pekhal rose about another twenty feet into the air. His face blanched, his eyes went very wide, and he stopped moving entirely.
Hows the view from up there? Althalus was beginning to enjoy this. Would you like to take a look at things from a few miles higher up? I can fix that, if you wish.
Pekhal gaped at him, his eyes filled with sudden terror.
Do we understand each other, friend? Althalus asked. Now, then, the next time you see Ghend, give him my regards and tell him to quit playing around like this. I dont work for him any more, so he has no claim on me. Althalus picked up his new purse and dagger. He tucked the purse in his pocket, pulled his new sword out of the turf, and tapped its heavy blade with the hilt of the dagger. It made a ringing sound. Then he tested the sword-edge with his thumb. It seemed much sharper than his bronze sword. Very nice, he murmured. Then he looked up at Pekhal. I certainly want to thank you for the gifts, friend, he said pleasantly. All I have to give you in return are my old weapons, but since youre so much nobler than I am, Im sure you wont mind. He shed his bronze weapons. Well have to do this again one of these days, he called. You have yourself a very nice day now, hear?
Are you going to just leave him up there? Emmy asked critically.
Oh, I imagine hell set along about the same time the sun does, Em. If he doesnt come down today, he probably will tomorrow or the next day. Why dont we have a bite of breakfast and move on?
She was trying to stifle her laughter without too much success. Youre awful! she chuckled.
Fun, though, dont you think? Is that half-wit the best that Ghend can come up with?
Pekhals the one Ghend summons when brute strength and savagery seem to be called for. The others are much more dangerous.
Good. This might get kind of boring otherwise. He looked closely at his new dagger. What is this metal? he asked.
Men call it steel, she replied. They learned how to forge it about a thousand years ago.
I was a little busy just then. Thats probably why I missed it. Where does this metal come from?
Youve seen all those red rocks in Plakand, havent you?
Oh, yes. Plakands red from one end to the other.
Theres a metal called iron in those rocks. Men couldnt smelt it out of the rocks until they learned how to make hotter fires. Iron is harder than bronze, but its brittle. It has to be mixed with other metals to make weapons or tools.
Its completely replaced bronze, then?
For most things, yes.
It might be better than bronze, but its not as pretty. This greys sort of depressing.
What on earth has that got to do with anything?
Its a question of aesthetics, Em. We should always strive to fill our lives with beauty.
I dont see anything beautiful in something that was designed to kill people.
Theres beauty in everything, Em. You just have to learn to look for it.
If youre going to preach at me, I think Ill just curl up and go back to sleep.
Whatever you wish, Em. Oh, before you doze off, though, do you happen to know which clan here in Arum has that knife were looking for? If Im going to have to search every man in these mountains for it, we could be here for quite a while.
I know where it is, pet, and youve been there before. Youre even rather famous in the clan that has the Knife.
Me? I try to avoid fame whenever I can.
I wonder why. You do remember the way to the hall of Gosti Big Belly, dont you?
Is that where the knife is?
Yes. The current Clan-Chief has it. He doesnt know how he came by it or how important it is, so he keeps it in the room where all his spare weapons are.
Is that a coincidence of some sort? I mean, that the knifes in Gostis hall?
Probably not.
Would you care to explain that?
I dont think so. The word coincidence always seems to start religious arguments for some reason.
For the next several days, they traveled along the ridge-line Althalus had followed to make good his escape from Gosti and they finally reached the high pass that overlooked the canyon where Gostis hall had stood. The rough log fort had been replaced by a large stone castle. The rickety toll-bridge that had been the source of Gostis meager wealth was gone, and the bridge that now spanned the rushing stream was a structure of stone arches. Althalus turned his horse off the trail and rode back into the trees.
Arent we going on down? Emmy asked.
Its almost evening, Em. Lets wait and go down in the morning.
Why?
My instincts tell me to wait, all right?
Oh, well, she replied with exaggerated sarcasm, we must obey our instincts, mustnt we?
Be nice, he murmured. Then he dismounted and went over to the edge of the trees to look at the settlement outside the fort. Something struck him as peculiar. Why are the men all wearing dresses? he asked.
They call them kilts, Althalus.
A dress is a dress, Em. Whats wrong with leggings like mine?
They prefer kilts. Dont be picking any fights with them about their clothing. Keep your opinions to yourself.
Yes, Maam, he replied. Youll want fish for dinner again, I suppose?
If its not too much trouble.
And if it is?
Thats just too bad, isnt it?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Althalus and Emmy woke early the next morning, but they waited until the villagers started stirring before Althalus mounted his horse and rode through the woods to the trail that led on down to the settlement. He noticed that the houses were more substantial now than theyd been last time hed been here.
They reached the settlement just as a husky fellow in a dirty kilt came out of one of the houses near the wall of the castle. He was stretching and yawning, but when he saw Althalus riding toward him, his eyes became suddenly alert. You there stranger, he called.
Were you talking to me? Althalus replied innocently.
You dont live here, so youre a stranger, arent you?
Althalus made some show of looking around. Why, blast my eyes, I do believe youre right. Isnt it strange that I hadnt noticed that myself?
The mans suspicious look softened, and he started to chuckle.
Was it something I said? Althalus asked, feigning wide-eyed innocence and climbing down from his horse.
Youre a humorous fellow, I see.