Part 12 (1/2)
”Where Totila stands,” Leovigild answered ”You have all seen him by now Follow me When I see him, I'll ride for him If we can slay Totila, the war may be won at a stroke Now, let's ride!” With a ferocious roar, theRerin to orriedly
”Here they co between the cheekplates of his helainst men who are pre-pared!” His men shouted their approval
The horsean to ride along the face of the shi+eld-wall Totila knew they were looking for him, and he made no effort to hide hihout the Northland, and he was anx-ious to try their best men
In the van of the attackers was a handso man he had marked before for his brav-ery He had little doubt that this was young Leovigild, cast out by Odoac He wondered where the black-haired chaainst thatOdoac's heir would be a fine politicalin the forefront This was no man to huddle in the ht of Totila standing there so fearlessly caused Leovigild to forget the wise advice of Conan, 190
191'Rerin, and Siggier He pointed with his spear and charged straight at Totila Just before he collided with the shi+eld-wall, he heard Totila shout to his men: ”Hold your places and thrust at the horses! They are helpless with-out them!”
Then he ithin spear-thrust of the man with the splendid helly, but Totila cut away his spear point with con-teild would have withdrawn to let another spear-man have a chance at Totila Instead he drew his sword and cut at the nificent helild could only reach out with the tip of his sword In frustration, he leaped to the ground and attacked Totila shi+eld-to-shi+eld With a fierce grin, Totila ild barely had time to ward them, much less to send blows back in reply
In desperation, Leovigild cut low at Totila's knee With an agility that was a Leovigild bent far over with the follow-through of his blow, his shi+eld lowered Totila's first blow s-er h bronze of his cuirass
Totila was preparing the deathblohen a pack of Cagest of therabbed the youth by the collar of his backplate, and hauled hi-horn to his lips and sounded it With a flurry of churned-up snow, the horsemen rode off
Totila accepted the praise of his ht with the youth Then he surveyed the enemy dead
There were at least a dozen ”How many did we lose?” he called
”About half a score,” said a grizzled warrior as binding up a cut are to them, then,” Totila said trium-phantly ”So, when it is clear, lil When it is too snowy for the birds to fly, ill know that they are co to fear froarth and finish this
Conan and his men were encaht up to theive him the news, and the Ciood when he saw the inert foreir's saddle He helped the lad down and saw the wounds on head and chest His practiced eye told hi a bigger eir and Rerin ”Totila?” he asked
Siggeir nodded He reported to Conan on the day's doings while Rerin got out his herbs and began tending to the young man's wounds Conan shook his head when the recitation was done
”To ainst a shi+eld-as a wise ainst a man like Totila--that was foolish”
”What would you have a eir ”He saw Totila standing there before hisCould he in honor do less than meet Totila on even terreed They wanted a warrior king and if Leovigild illing to-risk certain death to live up to their ideal of such a ri fools you all are Well, I aild's recu, if he lives”
Rerin looked up at theet hiarth In my hut I can do far more for him than I can here”
Conan summoned a party of the huntsmen and or-dered theh these woods far faster man a horse-drawn lit-ter,” he told Rerin ”The rest of us will ride after, staying between you and the eneeir asked
”We killed many,” Conan told hi a shi+eld-wall and trying to spear the horses But Odoac stayed in the midst of his men; we had no chance to kill hieir said ”Perhaps we've whittled theht of it when it coe”
Conan nodded, but held his counsel
Alcuina saw thecarried on the litter, and her heart sank Since the men had ridden to war, she had spentfor word of as happening out in the forest Her greatest fear was that they would bring Conan or Leovigild back dead She knew that she needed both of them if her people were to survive, and she was sure that this was one of mem now If it hich did she want it to be? She pushed that question aside as she ordered the gate to be opened and ran out to h when she saw that it was Leovigild's pale face above a reat relief, and she was not certain if it was because it was not Conan, or because Leovigild was not dead
”We et him to my hut,” Rerin said froave orders to the thralls, and Leovigild was carried inside to Rerin's hut, where the old wizard dis hiild's hurts, he reported to Alcuina ”We were successful,” he said when the report was finished ”But I do not think we hurt theild is out of the fight,” she said
”His value was not as a warrior,” Rerin said, ”but as a leader In that he did well Any who had doubts about the lad lost the on Totila ht as fiercely for hi in the forefront of the?”
”An excellent one,” Rerin assured her
She nodded ”Then that is what he shall be”
Conan and the others rode in as the sun was setting Wearily they dismounted and turned their horses over to the thralls The wounded went to Rerin's hut for treat-ment Alcuina came from the hall and crossed the yard so Conan
194
195”How many did we lose?” she asked
”A score, and as h few are sorely hurt We cost them three times that many Most of the men we lost were in the first assault In the second and third, ourAfter that the eneh?”
”Perhaps We shall know soon At any rate, we're in a better position than ere a few days ago How is the lad?”
”Speakof the Cah it shall be many weeks before he is fully fit”
”I rejoice to hear that he will be well and that your tongue has lost none of its edge”
For once, she srow too familiar, even a black-haired outlander who craves to head south for the hot cli that you be brought to hily ways already, has he?” Conan pretended to grumble Indeed, he was happy to know that the boy would live
They went into the hall, where a hugewarriors Behind the arras at the end of the hall they found Leovigild on a bed of bearskins and other furs His head and chest were heavily swathed in bandages, and his face was pale, but he ed a weak smile of welcome when he saw Conan
”I fear I did not do well on my first command, champion I hope you fared better”
”You were a purblind idiot to try to fight Totila,” Conan said, earning a venolare from Alcuina ”But aside froret that you lead them in battle You'll have some fine scars to show for it, too”
”Do you think the men hold me the lesser man because I could not defeat Totila?”
”If any say so,” Alcuina hissed, ”I'll have the hide off their--”
”No,” Conan interrupted, ”only a fool would expect a youngto slay a h his blood You did well, Leovigild, and your hair is not decorating his cloak”