"Those are the towers of Kerbryhaine!" Roc burst out. "What magecraft translates them here, right across the land? Copies, maybe - but Where'd they get the stone? There's none like that here!"
Elof shook his head in sheer wonder. "Surely the duergar have had a hand in this! Only they could achieve so much in so short a time."
"The duergar?" whispered a young crewman nearby. "Is this a magical place, then?" Nobody laughed.
"It's a peaceful one, anyhow!" said Trygkar contentedly. "That shows! We'd never get even this near to any city of Kerys in a ship like this…"
Elof and Roc exchanged shocked glances; they had both forgotten what manner of ship they were coming home in. Then they turned as one to look up at the black sail. "One wins you ten," said Roc carefully, "that they're warming up our welcome this very minute!"
Elof swallowed, remembering the lethal rams he had fitted to Kermorvan's great warships. "And they would use them at full speed! By the time they got within hailing range it would be too late!"
"Even if they heeded any hails!" grunted Roc. "Or they'd use catapults - one volley from the
Prince Korentyn
would turn this hull into pickteeth! If we lowered the sail -"
"The reivers do that before the attack, often enough!"
"One ship against a city?" demanded Trygkar.
"A city the Ekwesh have held within living memory!" said Elof quietly. "Not an experience you forget! They might think us daft, but they'd still strike first and hard…"
"
In the harbour
!" cried the lookout. "
A ship, a huge ship, warping about, readying sail
!"
"That's it!" said Elof decisively. "Head for the harbour-mouth and they'll smash us to flinders. We can't anchor outside; it's too deep. Sweeps or sail, we'll have to risk coming alongside the sea-wall, where they can't use the ram; can we do it, shipmaster?"
Trygkar grinned. "We can have a stab, Mastersmith! But we'll be taking a slow pounding between waves and wall -"
"Better that than the ram!" said Roc fervently. "And I've few soft feelings about
this
ship - have you?"
"Well… she bore us no small way; and a skipper hates to lose any ship. But better that, as you say -
to your places, the pack of you! We're going about
!"
The city was confident of peace, that was evident
, for it had no war-craft in readiness; but by the time the black ship reached the sea-wall the longship
Saldenborg
, next in size to the
Korentyn
, was sweeping out of the mouth. "She'll have to tack ere she can come back at us!" shouted Elof, helping Trygkar with the unwieldy steering oar. "If you can get us alongside at once -"
"Any moment now, Mastersmith!" said Trygkar intently. "Down helm a little - a wee bit more -
let her go, there! Stand by to fend off, you others
!" The old shipman took a deep breath, and bellowed "
Now
!"
The two of them leaned hard on the oar. The black ship swung sharply around, spilling wind from its sail, the waves caught it broadside and lifted it with a sickening lurch; a dark bulk loomed suddenly over the gunwale, there was a jarring impact, another and still another that rattled their teeth in their heads. Then, as the ship lost way, the beating slowed down to a juddering scrape. "
Get that sail down
!" Trygkar ordered, and then, as the spar slithered down the mast, he breathed deeply again. "That's it, Mastersmith!" he said. "You're home." Elof bent over the oar, and closed his eyes.
There were stone steps set at intervals in the outer face of the wall, and to one of these they made fast, bow and stern. But even before the knots were tied Elof was at the gunwales, and Roc helping him over. He hung on the steps a moment and looked back; out to sea the
Saldenborg
was coming about. By main force he hauled himself up the steps, and collapsed over the top onto the flinty top of the wall. He felt it drum beneath him, and looked up; the low sun dazzled him, but he saw a column of men come thundering down the narrow crest of the wall, a knot of horsemen at their head. He hauled himself up on his knees, waved and shouted, and to his infinite relief the horsemen reined in, the foremost so swiftly that his huge white mount reared in the narrow way, its hooves thrashing the air over Elof's head. He looked up, shading his eyes; and the world seemed to stand still in a moment of infinite silence.
"
By the High Gate
!" He still knew that clear voice at once. "
It's Elof
!" The tone of utter amazement was unmistakable. "
And Roc
!"
Elof felt a sudden inane, breathless laughter bubble up within him. "All hail - m-my lord!" he managed to say, and lifted his hand in a limp parody of a formal salute. Then Roc was beside him, helping him up onto his crutches, and he was able to grin up into Kermorvan's face, slack with astonishment as he had seldom seen it. But as he took in Elof's condition it set instantly in shock, and his grey eyes grew bleak and hard. "Who has done this to you?" he demanded, and swung down from his saddle to seize Elof's hand in his own iron grip. "
Who has done this
?" he repeated, and glared at the black prow beneath.
Elof shook his, and forced himself to find words. "No! These are friends, none better, and I ask you to welcome them; they are men of Kerys - aye, Kerys," he repeated, seeing shock flicker across Kermorvan's face. "As to who did this, don't concern yourself; that score is settled forever."
Kermorvan raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "And Kara?" he asked softly.
Elof shook his head. Kermorvan looked down. "Truly I am sorry…"
"And Ils?" Elof asked hastily, but he had hardly got the words out when the gaggle of men around them burst apart as a short figure bounded through, and slammed into Elof with a force that would have knocked him over into the harbour had the arms embracing him been less strong. He swayed, breathless, all too aware of the body pressed against him, sturdy and square and thoroughly female, of the pert face laughing up at him though it was streaming with tears.
"The lady," said Kermorvan carefully, "appears to be very well."
"Elof!" she gasped. "They were yelling about reivers… so I thought I'd not leave all the fun to
him
- but you… what… where -"
Elof rumpled her curls affectionately, unable to find the right words. "As fair as ever!" he said lightly, though his own eyes prickled. "You haven't changed by a hair. As if it's only been a few months - which I guess it has, in your terms…"
"It hasn't seemed so!" Ils whispered. "We thought you were
dead
… you imbecile, idiot, you… you
human
!"
"You note, of course," remarked Kermorvan in an elaborate aside to Roc, "that no such compliments came to us…"
Roc, equally straight-faced, spread his hands helplessly. "Nor
that
sort of greeting my way, my lord. Seems we're just hangers-on…"
"Bystanders," amplified Kermorvan. "Forgotten men…"
Ils tore loose and whirled round on Roc with her clenched fist darting at his middle. "I'll give you greeting, you tub of lard!" she snapped, then flung her arms around his neck and kissed him with a force that lifted his bulky frame from the ground, leaving him scarlet-faced and staggering. Kermorvan's reserve shattered; he gave one of his rare shouts of laughter, and spread his arms wide to embrace them all. "Peace, you madmen all! By the sign of the sun, it's good beyond measure to have you both back!"
Then he pulled free, gesturing up at the town. "I must countermand the alert!" he said. "Before too much panic spreads!"
Trygkar, who had scrambled up onto the wall, coughed. "And the warship, my lord? May we bring our prize in before the waves break her?"
"And without some fool unleashing a volley!" nodded Kermorvan. "Yes, you may!" He turned to one of the horsemen. "See they are signalled at once, Athayn, and the guards stood down!" The young aide saluted and cantered away. Trygkar bowed, and was about to return to the ship when Kermorvan laid a hand on his arm. "You are of Kerys? A shipmaster, by the cut of you, who has helped my friends voyage back across this vast ocean?"
Trygkar bowed again. "My lads and I; Trygkar at your service, shipmaster as you guessed. My privilege, my lord. And some amends for the hard welcome my land gave them."
Kermorvan shook his head, stern-faced. "That should not fall to such as you, sir! Our debt to you remains."
Elof grinned. "They might be interested in settling here."
"If you've a need of more seamen, my lord. Though I've never seen the like of these great ships of yours…"
Kermorvan pursed his lips judiciously. "And there was I wondering how I might persuade you! I always need more ship-wise men, and those who have crossed an ocean… But for now, go bring in your ship to the quayside there, and then toil no more; you and yours will be our honoured guests. There is much to be told, I see."
"And much to be done!" answered Elof. "Kerys is in peril, and its peril may be ours also, and that of all the world! For if what I suspect is true, Louhi is on the verge of victory, of tipping the balance decisively in favour of the Ice. I think I know how she means to achieve it. We must take counsel at once!"
Kermorvan nodded. "So be it! My lady, you have your mount? We'll ride up to the palace. A more fitting place for your welcome than out here, at any rate. Dismount, you two, and let us have your horses! Then arrange carriage for the crew when they reach the quay -"
As Kermorvan turned aside to give his orders Trygkar plucked Elof by the sleeve. "So that's your king! Younger than I'd bargained for, but a fine man regardless! There's one to follow, if any! And this land of yours looks worthy of him, aye, and yourselves as well! You've kept your pledge, Mastersmith!"
They invited the old shipmaster to join their council, but he declined, much amused, saying it was late in life for him to start meddling in princely matters. So they left him with their thanks to bring in the black ship, and mounted up to return to the palace. "Help the Mastersmith up, there!" Kermorvan commanded. "You can ride pillion with me, or Roc if you prefer -"
"Neither, by your leave!" growled Elof, hating the indignity of bumping through town at someone's saddleback. "Just get me into the saddle - and bind my feet loosely into the stirrups, so…"
He swayed in the saddle; he had not ridden for too many years, and his legs had grown weak. It gave him some sense of freedom, but nothing compared to flying. He looked up at the tower atop the promontory, and hungered for his wings, longing to soar about it as he had with Kara long ago, to take in all this new city from above, laid out like a living traject. Roc cocked an eye at him. "Sure you won't come a cropper?"
"I'm all right! I may have to sit like a sack of meal, but I can still clasp with my knees, so; I'll manage. But Trygkar, will you see my wings safely unloaded and sent after me? Many thanks!"
"Wings?" inquired Kermorvan with innocent interest, then held up a hand. "No, not a word! I can see I will have to hear all this from the beginning to make sense of it. So to -he palace, without delay!" The little cavalcade trotted off down the sea wall towards the city; Elof winced as he saw crowds flocking along the wider end of the wall. It might have been the alarum that brought them out, but they were evidently staying to cheer. Many came rushing out to hurl flowers or clasp hands with the returning seafarers, and Elof was surprised to hear the accents of Kerbryhaine thoroughly blended with those of the east, and see so many brown-skinned folk of Nordeney in harmony with both; to them he was an especial hero, and he spoke to them in their own dialect. Strangest of all, though, was to see duergar among the ranks of men. "They make us welcome here!" said Ils, slipping her plump hand into Elof s. "Even the folk of Kerbryhaine are learning that we are not vermin, working with us to rebuild."
"The towers?"
Ils nodded. "When the west was abandoned at last, the syndics did not wish to leave the Ekwesh such a strong place; they were going to throw down wall and tower, but we offered to bring the towers east and rebuild them. It was the long lad's idea, and a good one; that more than anything made us friends. It took two years with the fleet, and they're not yet finished, but it was time well spent. We took charge of much of the other construction, also, and taught their masons a thing or two; their smiths, also. But we have never found any to match you, Elof! To have you back -" She squeezed his hand, hard…
He looked down into her dark eyes. "To be back, my lady! It seems more than I deserve. But my heart tells me I must not stay, not now."
She sat silent for a moment. "Is it only your quest that draws you?" she asked at last. "Or is there other reason?"
"There is; and you shall all hear it. You, especially, Ils; for it concerns matters in which the duergar are wise."