Part 37 (1/2)
Chapter 16.
A pallid dawn found Conan and his companions a fair march on their way home.
”The palace is no more, Your Highness,” Conan said. ”Your father makes s.h.i.+ft with a tent in the wilderness. I fear it is a poor homecoming we offer you.”
”Captain, anyone would think that you had spent as much time about courts as Aybas here,” Chienna said. Free of the Pougoi, she smiled more readily. That smile made her face more than a trifle comely, with its high cheekbones and straight nose.
”I know how to tell the truth to princes,” Conan said. ”Or at least the kind of princes who care to hear it. Some don't, and those I don't speak to at all if I can avoid it.”
”Our house has always kept an ear open for the truth,” Chienna said.
”And we have always called the whole Border Kingdom home. We will not be homeless until we set foot in another realm, and both my father and I will die before we do that.”
It seemed to Conan that Count Syzambry might yet have something to say about the royal family's going or staying, let alone living or dying.
But the quicker the princess and her son returned to Eloikas, the quicker the king would rally such allies as he might yet have. Had he enough, Syzambry might have nothing whatever to say about anything, including his own life or death.
Conan earnestly hoped so. Falling to Syzambry would be like being stung to death by vipers, or even being gnawed to b.l.o.o.d.y shreds by rats.
'Twas no death for a warrior, no death for anyone-man, woman, or child-who could feel shame.
Conan's band was two days on its homeward journey when they saw the traces of a fair-sized company of men.
”Pougoi,” Marr said after studying the footprints. ”Warriors in some number, but not all warriors. I see women and children among them.”
He rose and contemplated the wooded ridges rolling away to the west.
”Trying to put a good distance between themselves and their valley, I should judge. But not going toward the royal camp, unless they should stumble on it by accident.”
”If they do, we can leave them to Decius,” Raihna said. ”What danger are they to us?”
”If they've women and children to lead to safety, they may not fight unless we force them,” Conan said.
”They might also be readier to fight us than most,” Chienna said.
”Vengeance can make wiser folk than the Pougoi-forgive me, Mistress Wylla-forget good sense.”
Wylla was so stunned at an apology from a princess of the house that had been long an enemy to her tribe that she could only stand slack-jawed. Marr put an arm around her and bowed to the princess as thanks for both of them.
”I can contrive with my magic that they do not come near us,” the piper said. ”But the Star Brothers may yet live, some of them, and march with their tribesmen.”
”Would not their power have died with their beast?” Aybas asked. From his voice, it was clear that he most earnestly hoped so. He could not have hoped so more earnestly than Conan, but hope sharpened no swords.
”What could live Star Brothers do without their beast?” Conan asked.
”At the very least, sense that my magic was at work,” Marr replied. ”If they know that, they might find ways to let Pougoi scouts search for us with clear eyes and ears.”
”Then let us trust to woodcraft and swift marching,” the princess said decisively. ”I have no more quarrel with the Pougoi, if they find none with me.”
In that, she spoke for all of them. She spoke, indeed, loud enough that an unseen listener heard. He heard clearly, but they did not hear his bare feet on the forest floor as he returned swiftly to his comrades.
They met the listener and half a score of his comrades toward mid-afternoon. Prince Urras was sucking a rag dipped in the last of their goat's milk when Raihna's shriek brought them to their feet and to arms.