Across the Face of the World (24 page)

Finally the path levelled out and they could remount. They came to a clearing, in the centre of which lay a small blue-green pool. Beyond the pool lay the remains of a fire, and Kurr stopped to poke around in the embers. Something about the place nagged at the edge of Leith's consciousness, but he couldn't retrieve the memory.

'This is where I found the coastlander,' Kaupa said.

'What?' exclaimed Kurr and the Haufuth together. 'You found him?'

Immediately the Windrisian was subjected to a barrage of ques¬tions. How long ago? Had he been able to tell how long the man had been dead? Where exactly had he found the body? But the thin man clammed shut under the questioning and would say nothing further. The Haufuth groaned with exasperation.

Kurr went back to the remains of the fire, then spent some time looking around the clearing.

'Horses have been here,' he announced, 'and their riders set a fire here some time ago. Could have been two, maybe three nights ago. Can't really tell. They slept the night over there—' he pointed to a rocky ledge '—and extinguished the fire the following morning. The fire could have been set by anyone, but there's a good possibility that the Bhrudwan riders came this way.'

'What of their prisoners?' asked the Haufuth.

'Impossible to say,' Kurr replied. 'But if they are unencumbered by prisoners, why are they not making better time? My guess is that Mahnum and Indrett are still alive.'

Kurr remounted and the Company went on, plunging back into the forest gloom, heading towards the source of the now-thunderous noise. A few minutes later the travellers emerged from the trees. Ahead and slightly above them the Torrelstrommen roared down the Gloum Stair, foaming and churning as it leapt from rock to precipice. As they drew nearer Leith realised that the mists and rain actually came from the waterfall. The Westway, now only a narrow path over rocky outcrops, was slick with spray blown towards them on a wind generated by the falling torrent. Dominating all else, the noise of the waters beat at the travellers, the trees, the very rocks of the earth. Leith clutched at his neck in something approaching fear; the sound had set the cords in his throat vibrating.

Kaupa walked sure-footedly to the very edge of the cascade and looked down.

'Not much water even for this time of year,' he said laconically, as if dismissing the power of the sight to move him. 'The river upstream will be locked up. Must be cold on the moors.'

Were the Gloum Stair within walking distance of Loulea, Leith speculated, it would surely be regarded as one of the wonders of the world; yet the Company could not spare even a few moments to appreciate its raw power. They hurried up the path, which abruptly turned right and funnelled through a natural cutting in a granite ridge, emerging at the bottom of a treeless valley. The absence of trees caused the Company's spirits to rise, as though an oppressive weight had been lifted from them. The mists drew back and the roaring behind them faded to a dull rumble that was felt rather than heard; and as they progressed even that fell away into silence.

'Vithrain Uftan,' Kaupa announced, his voice cutting a swathe through the tranquillity. 'The Valley of Respite.' Leith shook his head. The thin man had managed to frame even this welcome announcement with a sneer.

The wide-open valley encouraged them to ride their mounts hard. Fresh after a morning's slow ride through the forest, the horses responded willingly, kicking their heels as though in their foals' paddock again, glad to be rid of the menacing Vithrain Gloum.

'At this rate we'll make it to the Kilthen Stair before nightfall!' Wira shouted happily to his brother, who grunted an unintelli' gible reply.

Up in Vithrain Uftan the hills were brown and bare, with slopes of loose rock spawned from seemingly every high place about them. The valley cut a trough straight and true between the maze of hills to their left and right. Leith could see snowdrifts even on their lower slopes. The browns, greys and ochres of the mountain rocks and grasses seemed much brighter than the morose woods they had left behind. But not wholly left behind; in some sheltered spots stunted spruce trees held tenuously to the soil, while dwarf willows - some not much bigger than knee height - huddled together on the lee side of boulder piles like wounded soldiers left behind by a defeated army.

'The weather's not going to last much longer,' Kurr observed. 'From the smell of those clouds, we're bound to have snow soon.'

Other, smaller valleys poured their collected water into the Valley of Respite. Leith looked down the first of twin valleys on their right. There, sheltered from the downvalley wind, stood a copse of fir trees. But as the clouds lowered the wind picked up, driving into their faces, and it became difficult to think of anything else but the cold tearing through his clothes, seeping into his bones. He pulled his cloak more tightly around his face, so that as little as possible was exposed to the wind. His view was that of someone peeping through a crack in a door.

Even Kaupa, their guide, apparently felt the cold, or at least his horse did, as he began to drift back through the Company. Leith risked a glance to his right. They were about to pass the second of the twin valleys.

Horses!

Leith's mount came to an abrupt halt with the others as Kurr reined him in. From the opening to their right issued one, two, three, four horsemen, riding hard. Now they could hear cries coming from the lead rider, who lifted his arm and brandished a sword. Fear gripped the Company.

Hal slid to the ground, the first of the Company to react. Leith could not move. 'The riders!

The riders!' the Haufuth shouted. 'The Bhrudwan riders!'

Farr instantly took command of the situation. 'Dismount! Get down from your horses!' he barked. 'Make a circle around them! Face outwards towards your enemy!'

More shouts, this time from behind! Leith whirled around, to see another four riders come galloping out of the fir trees behind them. Surrounded!

A hand pulled him roughly from his horse. Leith started with fright, but it was Wira. 'Draw your sword! Face your enemy!' he shouted. 'Didn't you hear my brother? Don't you want to live?'

In that moment fear overwhelmed him, but instead of cowering behind his horse, he found anger and desperation rising to meet his fear. The emotions bottled up inside him broke open.

Here was something he could attack, something he could pay back. He threw back his hood and pulled out his sword, his knuckles white on the hilt.

The Haufuth grabbed Stella and placed her behind him, then drew his own weapon. Hal and Kurr had theirs at the ready. The Storrsen brothers, one at the front of the Company, the other at the back, held a sword lightly in one hand and a stave in the other.

In a few moments the riders were upon them. But instead of attacking immediately, they began riding around the Company in a circle.

'These are not the Bhrudwan warriors!' Kurr grated. 'Look, they wear Windrisian garments!

And there is the man who sold us the clothes last night!' Sure enough, the unkempt Windrisian rode along with the others.

'What do you want?' the old farmer shouted. 'Let us pass! We're leaving your lands!'

The riders laughed among themselves, mocking the travellers. They slowed their horses to a walk. 'Leaving our lands?' one replied. 'Not likely!'

'This is where you'll stay!' another crowed. 'Planted in the tree¬less valley! Maybe coastlanders will grow where trees will not!' The others laughed uproariously at the joke.

'You die in the Valley of Respite,' called another, 'because we would not sully Tilthan Vale with such carrion!' His friends roared their agreement, clashing swords on bucklers.

The unkempt man drew a little closer. 'I want that one there,' he said, pointing his short sword at Wira. He spat in the direc¬tion of the young Storrsen, who returned his gaze unflinchingly.

Then he pulled his horse back and joined the others as they began to gallop around the Company, moving closer, then further away.

'What are they doing?' the Haufuth asked over his shoulder.

'Trying to intimidate us, to break our spirit,' replied Farr. 'When they think we're sufficiently cowed, they'll attack. I don't think this was their original plan. They wouldn't have expected us to make a stand like this.'

'What do they want?'

'Sport,' came the reply. 'And revenge on Mjolkbridge. But they'll not get it. When I raise my staff, make a rush for the rider on the black palfrey. Ready?'

But matters were taken out of their hands before the signal could be given. Suddenly, with a bloodthirsty roar, the men of Windrise descended on the Company. Immediately the Storrsen brothers leapt forward, swinging their staves, and in an instant two of the enemy were knocked from their horses. The other ruffians drew back, startled.

Another yell and the men dismounted, then came running towards Wira. Out of the corner of his eye Leith saw movement, then turned to see a figure raise a dagger ready to strike at Farr's unprotected back. Kaupa! Leith shouted a warning, then slashed in the general direction with his sword. There was a cry, and a body fell to the ground at his feet.

Then the attackers were upon them. Swords flashed, staves swung and for a few moments all seemed lost. One of the Storrsens was down with a Windrisian on top of him, Kurr and another rider were locked together, the old farmer fighting with surprising energy. Leith found himself fighting beside his brother. He feinted at one of the men, who ducked into Hal's sword. Then Leith heard a girl scream. It was Stella, crying out not in fear but in anger.

Stepping in front of the Haufuth, blood streaming from a cut to her arm, Stella fought off the unkempt Windrisian with a flurry of energetic if untutored thrusts, which he was quite unable to counter. Her face changed slowly from a look of helpless terror to a fierce joy, as she realised beyond expectation that she would survive, even win, this fight. The panic grew on his face as the possibility he might die turned to a certainty, and that panic robbed the man of any ability he might have had. She dispatched him with a blow to the head before he had a chance to beg for mercy.

It was over as quickly as it had begun. The three Windrisians who remained uninjured had no further stomach for the fight and fled to their horses, pursued by Wira and Farr. They galloped off back down the valley, shouting defiance once they were far enough away. Farr made for his horse, but Wira growled, 'Let them go!'

The Company looked down on the bodies of their enemies. One of the riders knocked off his horse by the Storrsen brothers had cracked his skull. Another had fallen at the hands of Stella.

Still another had met death at the end of Hal's sword. The eighth they found trying to crawl away, uninjured except for a broken leg. Kurr stood over him, sword drawn. Kaupa was nearby, still alive but bleeding badly from a wound to the back.

The other members of the Company stood looking at each other, breathing hard. Then, one by one, relief broke out on their faces.

Leith felt a wild exhilaration. He had done it! But his delight was tempered somewhat by the memory of the paralysing fear, and the sight of the dead Windrisians. He took a deep breath and wiped his sweaty palms on his cloak. Then he found he no longer had the strength to stand, so he sat down on the stony ground, and for a while all went black.

Stella sat down also, allowing Hal to tend her injured arm. He staunched the bleeding with a cloth dampened from a nearby stream. 'It's not serious,' he reassured her. She smiled weakly, but

Hal saw that the smile was meant for the young Vinkullen man, who strode towards her with concern and admiration fighting for control of his fair face.

Leaving Stella in the care of Wira, Hal hobbled over to their treacherous guide. Kaupa had rolled over on to his side, but his wide-eyed face was pallid and his hands clammy. He was trying to speak, but could only cough.

'He's dead,' said the Windrisian with the broken leg, who under the watchful gaze of Kurr had dragged himself to his companion. 'Or at least he soon will be.' He turned to Kurr. 'Are you going to let him suffer?'

'It's what he deserves,' Kurr replied.

'No one deserves to die,' Hal said, and stretched his arm towards the dying man.

At that moment the other Windrisian whipped out a knife and plunged it into Kaupa's breast.

Kurr made a lunge at him, but Hal held him back.

'Now he can die with dignity,' the Windrisian said, and laid his knife down beside the still form of their guide.

The travellers took stones from a nearby ridge and covered the bodies. 'They don't merit a burial,' Kurr said, 'but we need to cover them so that wolves aren't attracted to this valley.' The last remaining Windrisian asked that he be left with his dead compan¬ions, so they built a fire for him and left him there with his sword and his knife. No doubt his friends would be back to set his leg and help him home.

The Company took the Windrisian horses, so that each member had a mount, and rode on, more slowly now and with little cheer. For a long time not a word was said, as everyone was preoccupied with thoughts they were not able to share. The clouds lowered still further and snow began to drift across the valley.

Evening camp was made in the lee of a huge boulder ridge. Leith and Hal gathered wood for the fire; they found a large quan¬tity a little way up the slope of a shingle fan, some distance from the Torrelstrommen, enough not only for the fire but also to build a rude shelter from the snow.

'That's the level of the spring flood,' Wira told them. Leith could make out another line of driftwood on the other side of the valley, and tried to imagine the sights and sounds of a river so large that it could fill the space between. Then his thoughts went to the Gloum Stair, and what it might be like in the midst of a great flood.

After the evening meal, the Company tried to piece together the meaning of the day's events.

'It seems like the ruffians decided that four pending wasn't enough, and that we were wealthy but defenceless,' the Haufuth offered.

Wira shook his head. 'No - our goods and horses would have been a bonus. It was the old hatred that brought them to this valley. It was my brother and I they were after. They wanted to strike a blow against Mjolkbridge. You people of Loulea just happened to be in the way.'