Part 52 (2/2)

the dark road through Meremire Forest.

Then Ogion pulled him away. 'Leave Ousious to rest, she is weak and burdened with our fate. It was foretold long ago when night first spread across Elundium chat the Queen of Swans would lead us into silence. We did not know how dais silence would begin, only chat it heralds the Nightmare's end, or so the legend tells, for we are the grey swans of his dooms That is why we called his name each time we flew across.

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Elundium, searching without finding, looking without seeing, for we feared the silence.'

'But the aged crones say you carry everyone's death in your voices; that is why the people fear you.'

'Men are fools who seek Themselves in every shadow. If they had listened to our voices they would have heard the Nightmare's name.'

'But you resisted chasing the Nightmare when Nevian asked you to show me his footprints!' Thane cried.

'Knowing your fate and meeting it are very different things.

Knowing that somehow your loved one will be struck mute is not an easy path to follow.'

Thane looked across at the sleeping Queen and whispered, 'Was it Krulshard's black spear blade that struck her mute or did I damage Ousious as I removed the broken splinter?'

Ogion shook his head. 'Fate drew us together, Thane, and your skill and courage saved Ousious' life, for without your blood she would have died. Each daylight as our slender necks intertwine we will echo our love together, for with the rising of the winter sun all our voices shall fall silent with that of our Queen.'

'But how shall I find the Nightmare if you do not tell me the way? Stumble cannot keep pace with you, we have

followed your voice Through all the wildlands.'

Ogion searched the night shadows, turning his head from left to right. 'Ousious will show you the way when she is strong enough to fly. Fear not what tomorrow may bring, be patient until then.'

Thane put his head into his hands and wept, cursing Krulshards for striking Ousious mute, and covered by despair,

he was blind to the black night pa.s.sing through the grey hours into a cold winter's dawn where the first rays of the winter sun shone dully on Swanwater, melting the thick layer of ice that lay across the mud. Thane searched the beach, sifting the pebbles between his fingers.

'Where is the Nightmare's splinter of broken steel? Show

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me where it fell so that I can destroy it in the fire,' he asked Ogion.

Ogion looked up to the winter sun and opened and closed his beak noiselessly then ran out across the ice, flapping his wings.

'Your silence has started, and the cause of it is lost in the mud of the lake. Well, it is as safe there as it is in the fire!'

Turning, he knelt beside Ousious and inspected the ugly wound, testing the strength of the horsehair st.i.tches. All around him the flock of swans was moving along the beach searching for food or laying fine down feather nests in shaded dips or clumps of grey reeds that rattled in the chill morning wind.

Ogion brought sc.r.a.ps of half-chewed fish and gra.s.s for '

Thane and Ousious to eat. Stumble trotted down off the

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