Fortress of Owls - C.J. Cherryh - Fortress 03 (52 page)

preaching, talking against wizards and Bryaltines and

generally against the war, that’s one thing. There’s talk among

the people against Amefel and Her Grace as a bad influence on

the king, and the war as costing too much, being too

dangerous, and bringing honest Guelenmen among wizards

and heretics. That’s everywhere.”

It was dire news. And unjust. Cefwyn was good. What he did

was good, and they said as unkind things about him as they

said about Heryn Aswydd.

“Everyone says so?” he asked.

“Say that it’s safer to say that than to praise His Majesty,” the

sergeant said, “on account of His Majesty’s friends don’t damn

you to hell or look at you as would curdle milk. There’s

ugliness in the town, and it’s got knives, m’lord.”

“He’s in danger.”

“As I’d say, and as the Lord Commander knows, and I think

His Majesty knows. But,” Gedd said, “His Majesty rode against

the dark at Lewen field, such as none of the layabouts

complaining never had to face, and if a common man can say,

m’lord, there’s a king.”

“He is that,” Tristen said, and added, half to convince himself,

“and if he knows, then he’ll deal with it.”

“Only so’s he guards ’is back,” Uwen said, “against Ryssand.”

Fortress of Owls - C.J. Cherryh - Fortress 03

“And you were attacked?” Tristen asked.

“Not as it were attacked,” Gedd said, “only there were men

after me that I knew was the Lord Commander’s, and then they

weren’t there, and these were, and they weren’t his. And right

or wrong I decided a late message was better than no message

and went to ground. There’s a nasty mood even to the villages,

such as I was glad I wasn’t wearing Amefin colors on the way

in. Safer to be a common traveler, out of Llymaryn, says I, as I

came into Guelessar: they’re pious down there, left and right,

and I know the brogue. And being Guelen,” Gedd added, “I

could get through. On the way back, I gave up being Llymarish

and in the open and just hid and moved as I could… I let my

horse go. Master Haman says he’s not made it here; he might

have run for his old pastures, up by Guelemara. And the one

the Lord Commander’s men gave me… no telling where he is. I

walked.”

“Well ye did,” Uwen said, “by that account.”

“The other news—” Something came to Gedd, on a deep

breath. “The other news, which may not be news, now:

Murandys’ daughter’s to marry Panys’ son, by the by. She’s

come back to court, and she’s betrothed to Rusyn of Panys.”

“Luriel?” He had heard of the lady in his days in Guelessar,

and that she had been Cefwyn’s almost-betrothed, and had left

to something like exile.

That she had come back to court was surely no good news.

Fortress of Owls - C.J. Cherryh - Fortress 03

“Come on His Majesty’s invitation,” Gedd went on, “as had to

be, of course. Her Grace met her in the face of all the court and

took her amongst her women. This isn’t what His Majesty told

me, but it’s what I heard in the town, and I heard it in more

than one place, so I take it for true. And the Lord Commander

isn’t himself daunted, but it was his instruction to wrap the

message up in rags and shove it deep in the rocks or heave it

down a well if I thought I was followed. And I thought of that.

But I thought I could get it through.”

“Well-done in that,” Uwen said, “too. —Ye were careful what

ye said, yourself, I wager. Was it in Guelessar ye picked up

these followers?”

“Captain, I swear to you, my tavern-going was discreet.

Between talking to the Lord Commander immediately as I

reached the town and being called to His Majesty the same

night, in secret, in all that time I had the Lord Commander’s

men close by. I gave out freely that I was a courier, but I said I

was from Llymaryn, and hoped I didn’t meet a Llymarishman,

which I didn’t. After I had my meeting with His Majesty and

left the Guelesfort, I had the Lord Commander’s men in the

street, them as I knew were his, while I nabbed my gear and my

horse from the tavern where I’d left him. And I had the Lord

Commander’s men on the street, too, and out past the gate,

where they gave me a horse besides my own that they’d

brought. That was how they watched over me, and I took the

warning, m’lord, and was watching my back, when one hour

Fortress of Owls - C.J. Cherryh - Fortress 03

they were there and the next was a pair of riders coming up on

me. That morning was when I saw a third show up, and I ran

hard and sent my horses one way and I went to ground, right

then. The rest was walking, mostly at night.”

“And gettin’ the better of the Lord Commander’s men,” Uwen

said with a shake of his head. “That ain’t ordinary bandits. And

from the town. I’d almost say there’s a man amongst ’em as

ain’t on the straight. That’s too damn quick.”

“We can’t warn him,” Tristen said in distress, “except by

another messenger.”

“I’d trust the Lord Commander to figure it. His men ain’t fools,

but I’d lay to it one’s a scoundrel.”

“I wish he may find out,” Tristen said, with all intent, such that

the gray space shivered.

“And you an’ I’ll have a talk,” Uwen said to Sergeant Gedd,

“an’ a healthy sup of ale, an’ see what little things ye might

know else, if there’s any ye’ve forgot. Besides which, ye’re due

the cup, and a good horse, as I’m sure His Grace will say.”

“I do,” Tristen said, his thoughts meanwhile ranging to Guelen

hills, and ambushes, and Idrys, with Ryssand’s men insinuated

into every council, in among the priests, likely; and now spying

on Idrys’ spies.

“Thank you, Captain. My lord.”

“Thank you,” Tristen said fervently, and as Uwen gathered up

the sergeant and showed him out, he uneasily cracked the seal

Fortress of Owls - C.J. Cherryh - Fortress 03

with a small knife, and spread out the letter that had been so

long in coming.

My dear friend, it began, which he heard as warmly as if

Cefwyn had said it aloud.

The weather has held remarkably well. We are now moving

supply.

The good sergeant who carries this letter will have other, more

common news for you. I should say that Her Grace is well and

sends you her love and her great thanks for your rescue of her

subjects, and I send also my approval of all you have done.

Yet I pray you recall the Quinalt steps and the means by which

a very little thing became a great controversy. You must know

that various persons returning from Amefel have spread

rumors concerning the people’s regard for you, and the open

display of Sihhë symbols in the market, which I am sure is true.

They were doing it this summer. But remember that certain

men hold all that is Amefin in great fear, and the tale of

strange doings on your riding out to meet Ivanor has reached

the Quinaltine, although it is possible that the story has grown

in the telling.

Grown and grown, Tristen thought. He was part of the

discontent among Cefwyn’s subjects, and the source of trouble

with the Quinalt, and now a messenger going to the king went

in fear for his life. He did not know how to mend it.

Fortress of Owls - C.J. Cherryh - Fortress 03

Her Grace takes great encouragement in your support of

Elwynim women and children. I find encouragement knowing

you are doing as you have always done in defending them, and

I give you all authority you may require to secure them a safe

haven.

There are many things I would write, but the messenger is

waiting.

We hope that Emuin is well. This cold damp always makes his
joints ache, and we hope he is keeping himself well and warm.

This, in full knowledge of Emuin’s habits with the shutters.

We are close now to the Midwinter and wait for spring. You, not
being Aswydd, I hold not therefore bound by the prohibitions laid
on the Aswydds. I hold that your preparations against incursions
from the north are in accordance with your oath to defend the
land. To this I set my seal, below, with all love and confidence in
your just use of that authority.

Cefwyn gave him liberty then to defend the helpless, clearly aware of disaffection in his own Guelenfolk on his account, and still adding to his authority… but it was not alone Aeself and his men, but enough scattered bands to double the settlement at Althalen… so Drusenan had sent word two days ago. Bands of Elwynim loyal to the lady Regent or opposed to Tasmôrden—

they were not quite the same—had avoided the bridge that had Fortress of Owls - C.J. Cherryh - Fortress 03

stood open with Guelen and Ivanim forces on the watch, as a potential trap. Women and children and the old and lame had come that way as the only way they knew how to take, but the fugitives from the lines at Ilefínian were veteran men and wary of what seemed too easy. They had crossed the icy waters at other points, however great the effort; they had kept their weapons and sought refuge with sympathetic Amefin, who had sent them to Drusenan, and Drusenan had directed them to Althalen—for they refused to go to the Guelen camp and turn in their weapons to Guelenmen: Drusenan had sent an anxious message, but the accommodation had been peaceful, even counting two different loyalties amid the armed bands… their situation was so desperate, fearing Tasmôrden and with their own lord lost, they declined to fight each other.

Walls were up at Althalen, so Drusenan had also said in his report, and two roofed halls stood, built of the tumbled rubble and the still-standing ruin, one hall for the women and children and one for the men, dividing some households in the need for quick and snug shelter, and flinging Ninévrisë’s men in with those who were otherwise minded. The Elwynim doubtless wished better, but they had not yet built better, and had to work together to have the roofs they did have.

The birth of a child in the camp, Drusenan had written, seemed to have brought men to some better sense.

But Drusenan had sent word, too, written for him, for Drusenan was better at building than at writing:

Fortress of Owls - C.J. Cherryh - Fortress 03

Some of Her Grace’s men ask to settle a camp on the river and

attack Tasmôrden from there, but I have not agreed, believing

Your Grace to hold a contrary opinion. What shall I say to

them?

Refuse them
, he had sent back that same day, and urgently.
They

will have their day, and justice done, but not yet
.

There were more men now than women in Althalen, with horses, and grain was now a matter of critical need. Cevulirn’s men had ridden home after their seven days of watch at the bridge, with the lives of fifty-eight women, old men, wounded, and children saved at that crossing and now settled at Althalen; Drusenan’s men at least now had the help of the Elwynim who were whole of body, who carried supply on their backs, and who hewed wood and raised their walls with little grumbling and in decent gratitude.

Gratitude flourished far better there, it seemed, than in the streets of Guelemara.

We have missed you
, Cefwyn’s letter said, a postscript, below the. seal.

The pigeons are in deep mourning. I have taken to feeding

them myself. I have become superstitious on their account.

He could scarcely imagine. Cefwyn had so many important other concerns.

The weather continues to amaze me. I think of your urging

after Lewenbrook and yet I know well the hazards if we had

Fortress of Owls - C.J. Cherryh - Fortress 03

proceeded.

Below the seal Cefwyn the king had fallen silent and at that point his friend had begun to write to him, a hasty scrawl, an outpouring of the heart after he had said everything so carefully, so discreetly. What followed was not discreet.