Part 45 (1/2)
Scouts report a wagon ahead, sir,” the messenger puffed to Hanfor, turning his mount to ride beside the arms commander.
”A wagon?” The veteran's eyebrows lifted.
”Just a wagon. Three people in it. Two horses. Nice matched grays, sir. It be a fancy wagon, with bra.s.s trim.”
Anna and Jecks listened. Anna blotted her forehead with a gray cloth that was reddish brown with road dust turned to mud by continual sweat under the hot late-spring sun. A line of puffy clouds dotted the southern horizon, but seemed no closer than they had at daybreak.
”And, ser, there be some armsmen, three, four deks south of the wagon. They are not riding anywhere.”
Hanfor turned to Anna. ”Your wish, lady?”
''Let me see what I can see.”
As Hanfor called out orders, and the column slowed to a halt, and. dust boiled around her, Anna dismounted, handing Farinetli's reins to Rickel. She unstrapped the mirror pack and then the lutar. She walked away from the column, forward along the road shoulder until she was out of the dust. The mirror went on the scraggly gra.s.s, uncovered, and she took the lutar from its battered brown case and began to tune it.
Rickel and Fhurgen followed, mounted, with Farinelli. The gelding whuffed and sidestepped as the two guards reined up.
Jecks and Hanfor arrived, walking their mounts and standing back from Anna and the mirror.
It took three vocalises to get her cords clear. By then Farinelli had settled down, and a dull muted buzz- the murmurs of waiting armsnien-filled the midday heat.
Anna cleared her throat a last time, then sang.
”Show from the south, danger to fear, all the threats to me bright and clear..
The gla.s.s showed Dencer's keep, nothing more.
She tried again, using Gylaron's name, and the mirror remained silver.
”The harmonies say Gylaron offers no danger?” hazarded Jecks. ”Even with armsmen?”
”That would be my guess.” Anna answered. ”There's nothing close here. Nothing from Gylaron, either.”
She replaced the lutar in its case, then wrapped the mirror and strapped both in place on Farinelli. Then she remounted.
”Let us approach carefully, with arms ready.” suggested Hanfor. ”Your guards before you.”
Anna nodded, and Fhurgen and Rickel rode to the fore. She coughed at the dust, and wiped more of the muddy film from her forehead. Then she had a long swallow from her second water bottle, almost empty.
They rode another dek.
Ahead, in the middle of the road, in a flat section deks from woods or hills, with just bean plants nearby, there stood a wagon. A solid man in maroon velvet, with a leather belt bearing an empty scabbard, sat on the wagon seat, open hands resting on his knees, palms up. His swarthy face was slightly sunburned. With him were a boy and a girl, neither older than ten, Anna judged.
On the wagon bed were two chests. Each was open, and from each glimmered gold coins.
On a low hill to the south were dark spots, mounts and armsmen, as the scout had said, a good three deks away. Anna tried to see more detail, but could only catch an occasional glint of sun on metal.
”All that gold, and no guards?” murmured Rickel from behind Anna.
”Who needs guards? There's us here, and the Leronese at the hilltop. You want to try to make off with any of it?” asked Fhurgen.
Beside Anna, Jecks grinned.
The sorceress again looked past the wagon. The hill in the distance, and the armsmen on it, seemed the same. Gylaron's armsmen, they had to be.
Rickel and Fhurgen moved directly before her, their blades drawn. All stopped a good thirty yards from the wagon.
”Lady Anna?” called the man on the wagon seat.
”Yes,” answered Anna cautiously.
”I am Gylaron. These are my two oldest, in the chests is all the coin that I have. All the golds of Lerona.”
Anna s.h.i.+vered inside, fearing what might come, and not knowing exactly why.
I have received your scroll, but know you that I had made the decision to come to you before it arrived.”
Gylaron coughed and continued. ”Do what you will with me. Do what you will to my heirs. Hand over my lands to another. All I ask is that you not visit the fires of dissonance upon my people.” Gylaron's eyes were bleak, but his voice was firm. ”Do not do to Lerona what you did to the keep of Sargol.”
”'Why should I trust you?” Anna asked, even as she fumbled to extract the lutar from its case. ”You have all your armsmen on the hill there.”
”They are there to keep anyone from stealing the golds, no more.
Anna believed him, believed the bleakness and desperation in his voice. ”Will you swear allegiance to the Regency and to Lord Jimbob?”
”1 will swear aught to save my people and my consort...”
Anna fumbled with the tuning-pegs, then managed to clear her throat. Her voice cracked with phlegm on the first note. She broke off, coughed it clear, and began again.
”Gylaron wrong, Gylaron strong, loyal be from this song.
Gylaron now, Gylaron old, faithful be till dead and cold.
”Your heirs of lord, daughter and son, holders of lands, this be done.
Treachery prevent to all Defalkan lands with your cunning and your hands.”
All three figures on the wagon seemed shrouded in silver for a brief flash. All s.h.i.+vered.
Anna shuddered herself as a knife slashed through her skull, leaving a dull and throbbing ache-and double images. s.h.i.+t! One little loyalty spell and you can't see or think very well. You can destroy a whole keep and you can't ask for loyalty?
”Lady Anna?” Jecks' voice was low, concerned.
”I'll be all right.” She forced herself erect in the saddle, then nodded to Fhurgen, The guard let Farinelli carry her closer to the wagon. Both guards flanked her, their blades out, as she rode toward Gylaron.
Jecks rode on the right of Fhurgen. and his blade was also bare.