3 When Darkness Falls.8 (67 page)

He said as much to Cilarnen, much later that night.

They were alone. He had walked Cilarnen back to his fancy cart — Cilarnen didn't actually sleep in it, but he pitched his tent beside it. In a camp on the move, there was no possibility of the privacy Cilarnen preferred, but the young High Mage had placed his tent and wagon at the edge of the camp, near the horse-lines.

Cilarnen made a small sound of amused surprise.

"I know Jermayan's power is — was — vast, but I do not know if he could have broken the wards, Kellen, without destroying the City down to its foundation stones. Remember what they were designed to keep out in the first place. I've been thinking about the problem, though, and I think I have another solution to it. One
They
would never think of, because
They
couldn't use it without destroying
Themselves.
But we can — if Redhelwar will give me the proper tools to work with."

"I'm sure he will, if he can," Kellen said cautiously. He already knew from experience that Cilarnen's idea of "the proper tools" could be eccentric, to put it charitably.

"If he gives me the Unicorn Knights, I can breech the walls of Armethalieh," Cilarnen said, with absolute certainty.

But would they reach the walls of Armethalieh?

* * * * *

FOUR days after Kellen's force had rejoined the main army, the Allied Army — Men, Centaurs, Elves — gathered in the fields and orchards beyond the Unicorn Meadow at Sentarshadeen.

It had snowed every day since Kellen had returned from his last visit to Sentarshadeen, but Jermayan assured him that there was usually a break in the weather just after Midwinter, and it had finally come. The day of their arrival had dawned bright and clear and cold, and the Wildmages had assured Redhelwar that the clear weather should hold for at least the next fortnight.

Kellen had spoken extensively to Redhelwar, both about Vestakia's "visions" — there was really no other good word to describe the information she relayed to him and Idalia — and also of what Cilarnen saw when he looked into Armethalieh. Though Redhelwar was just as dismayed as Morusil had been by the prospect of taking the Allied Army outside the Elven Lands, he agreed that there might be no better chance to deny
Them
something
They
seemed to want very much.

And it was not simply the fact that Armethalieh might be the key to defeating
Them.
By taking the army outside the borders of the Elven Lands, they would draw the Enemy's attention to themselves and away from everything else.

And at the moment, that was vital, too.

Not all the Wildmages were with the army. Some of them had remained with their families in the High Reaches, and were in frequent communication with their partners who had joined the army. They passed news of Demonic raids of increasing ferocity, of spreading plague and blight, of the encroachment of monstrous creatures beyond the experience of any but the Lostlanders.

If the army could occupy the Enemy's full attention, perhaps it could gain the non-combatants a breathing space.

* * * * *

THE army reached the edge of the Unicorn Meadow at noon.

Kellen and his troop were escorting Redhelwar, riding at the front of the column. Cilarnen, Idalia, and Vestakia rode with Redhelwar as well; Cilarnen had pointed out cheerfully that there was no point in having a destrier if you weren't going to ride him, and it was perfectly true that Anganil sulked if he didn't get what the black stallion believed was his proper due.

Behind them, the army was spread in a wide column. They'd left the forest that morning and changed formation to one more suited to open country; the unicorns moving off to the left and ahead; the Knights organizing in ranks behind their Commanders and Sub-Commanders; the Centaurs and Mountainfolk behind them behind their own commanders; then the Healers and Wildmages, the supply wagons, the herds, and the rear guard.

All very impressive.

When they reached the edge of the Unicorn Meadow — it still managed to look manicured, even covered in well-trampled snow — Kellen could see there was a pavilion set up in the middle of the meadow.

It looked very much like the one he'd been greeted by when he'd returned from the Black Cairn, except for the fact that this one was green and silver instead of yellow and red.

Redhelwar gave the order for the army to halt.

Dionan raised his horn to his lips and blew the signal. In seconds it passed back down the line, echoing and doubling through the crisp winter air. "It would please me if you accompanied me, Kellen," Redhelwar said. "It would give me great joy," Kellen answered politely. Side by side, they rode forward toward the pavilion.

* * * * *

THE interior of the pavilion was set up in what Kellen considered to be pretty much traditional style by now for this sort of thing — a wooden floor laid down on the snow, with carpets over that. Braziers to heat the tent almost to the temperature of an indoor room. A table laid out with a tea-brazier and service, as well as several plates of delicacies.

Both Morusil and Tyendimarquen were there, as well as several other Elves whose names Kellen did not know. Several of the Elves bore the same livid purple scars that Morusil did, indicating that they had caught — and survived — the plague.

Andoreniel was not there. Kellen had not really expected that he would be.

"Enter and be welcome," Morusil said. "I know that your stay must be brief, for you will not wish to leave your army standing in the cold without direction."

"That is so," Redhelwar agreed, "and we are all grateful for your kindness."

He seated himself at the table, and Kellen, without much choice in the matter, seated himself beside him. Redhelwar removed his fur mitts, gloves, and armored gauntlets, setting them on the table beside him, and accepted the cup of tea that one of the courtiers poured. Kellen was glad to see that it was one of the small cups, indicating that this was just going to be a brief tea-drinking before they got down to business.

He did the same with his own gloves and gauntlets, and accepted his own cup. He settled his mind, breathing in the fragrance of the tea. Whatever was to come, the decision had already been made. There was nothing to do about that.

The tea smelled of cherries and mint. A kind he had not tasted before. He savored it, letting go of worry.

The Wild Magic might want him to die — well actually, the Wild Magic probably didn't care whether he, as a person, died or not. As far as he could tell, the Wild Magic didn't care a lot about
Kellen Tavadon.
But the Wild Magic didn't want the
world
to die. The Wild Magic wanted the Balance to be kept. The Wild Magic was all about Balance, and he was an instrument of the Wild Magic. It was his job to be the best instrument of its balance that he could be. And so far, as far as he knew, he'd done everything he could to be a good instrument, and act in accordance with what it wanted him to do.

So whatever happened here today would be — would have to be — another part of the Wild Magic's mysterious balancing.

So he should stop worrying.

They drank tea.

Redhelwar and Morusil — and even Tyendimarquen — talked of the weather. It was going much as it had in other years. The Winter Running Dance, alas, would not be held this year, though the weather would have been exceptionally fine for it. But perhaps the snow would have been too heavy. The orchards looked to bear well in spring. It was possible they could look to see the
vilya
fruit next year.

At last the tea was finished, and they set aside their cups.

"Andoreniel continues to grow in strength, as I have promised you," Morusil said, "and I have laid your problem before him. He has bade me give this to Redhelwar."

There was a box upon the table, made of the same pale wood as the conference table in the Council Chamber. Morusil opened it. Inside it was a ring.

It was large — it would cover the wearer's finger from knuckle to knuckle. The stone was a huge green oval, of the deep yellow-green of forest moss. Kellen had seen Ashaniel wearing gems of the same color.

He'd seen Kindolhinadetil wearing a ring like it. And Rochinuviel.

Morusil took the ring from the box and handed it to Redhelwar.

"Who wears this ring acts in Andoreniel's name," Morusil said. "He bids you go and do as you think best, even to the walls of Armethalieh, for the good of all who walk in the Light. And may Leaf and Star go with you."

Redhelwar slipped the ring onto his finger.

Paired with the scarlet of Redhelwar's chosen color, the green of the gem glowed even more brightly, as if it were lit from within. The meeting seemed to be over.

Redhelwar rose to his feet. "I thank Andoreniel for his trust. I vow to you all that I shall not fail it, so long as the trees grow and the stars burn. Leaf and Star abide with you all."

* * * * *

"IT is perhaps more freedom than I would have wished," Redhelwar said quietly, as they rode back to the army.

The ring was tucked down inside his glove now, since he could not wear it beneath his gauntlet.

"I am not entirely sure what just happened," Kellen confessed. "The ring Morusil gave you from Andoreniel… it looks like the rings I have seen the Viceroys wear."

"Yes," Redhelwar said. "The army has become… a city. The Tenth City. And so, now, Andoreniel can command. But I can also… refuse."

Kellen's eyes went wide with surprise. He hadn't known the Viceroys had that kind of power.

And now Redhelwar was — in all the ways that mattered — a Viceroy.

"We need this," he said.

"Yes," Redhelwar said. "But I look forward to the day when I can surrender this power again."

* * * * *

WHEN they returned to the army, Redhelwar gave the order for the army to advance once more. They swung to the right, their path leading them in a broad arc around the city, to a place where they could cross the river that was Sentarshadeen's western border easily.

"So?" Idalia asked, riding up beside Kellen. "I assume we're going to Armethalieh."

"Yes," Kellen agreed. "Andoreniel has given Redhelwar a Viceroy's ring. Redhelwar says we're a city now."

"Convenient," Idalia said. "He won't have to wait for Andoreniel's orders, and can do pretty much whatever he deems right for the safety of the Elven Lands. It's been done before, but…"

"Not in a thousand years or so?" Kellen said, guessing.

Idalia grinned at him, silently confirming his guess.

* * * * *

THAT night they made camp at the edge of the Elven Lands. Tomorrow morning they would cross the Border into the Wild Lands, leaving the protection of the Elven land-wards behind.

Both Kellen and Cilarnen had spoken to Redhelwar of Cilarnen's plan for breeching the walls of Armethalieh using the Unicorn Knights, and Cilarnen had obtained both Redhelwar's approval and the Unicorn Knights' agreement. Kellen still wasn't entirely sure what the plan consisted of, though Cilarnen had explained it: It wasn't that Cilarnen was ever
intentionally
mysterious, it was simply that when he was speaking about the High Magick, he might as well be speaking in some utterly foreign language. All of the words seemed simple and commonplace, but all put together they didn't make any sense that Kellen could see. All he got out of the explanation was something about dancing.

But the unicorns themselves seemed to approve of the plan, and Cilarnen thought it had a good chance of working.

So from now on, Cilarnen camped with the Unicorn Knights, and drilled them in the part they were to play in the few hours they could spare from other duties. Fortunately, unicorns could see in the dark, and there was always Magelight.

* * * * *

"DO you think this will work?" Kellen asked Shalkan.

The two of them were standing at the edge of the field, watching Cilarnen with the unicorns. He rode ahead of them on Anganil, the black stallion's body invisible in the winter darkness. Only the crown of Magelight he wore made him visible.

Behind him the unicorns followed, their horns and bodies glowing faintly. They looked like living Elven lanterns: gold, silver, russet, and the deep midnight blue that the coat of the black unicorns gave off at night.

"Maybe," Shalkan said consideringly.

"No, no,
no!
Menerchel, you and Hindulo need to go
left
, not right! Nelarussa, that's too slow: you and Rochovoth must keep the space between you and Orchel
precisely.
And Araveth, you're going too fast. It's a pattern, not a race. Back to the beginning."

The ball of Magelight trotted off. The unicorns followed.

"And whatever it is they're going to be doing," Kellen said, "they won't be doing it in an open field in peace and quiet. Well, relative peace and quiet anyway. They'll be doing it in the middle of a battle. With Leaf and Star alone knows what trying to stop them."