Silver May Tarnish (26 page)

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Authors: Andre Norton

BOOK: Silver May Tarnish
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“What had you in mind?” Lorcan asked. “When I soldiered it wasn't a bad idea to pick off stragglers.”
“Aye. That was in my mind as well. Dogas is a good woodsman. If Hogeth's camp is quiet tomorrow night Dogas will see if he can sneak among the horses.'Tis an easy thing then to lame a couple. Nothing permanent, just something to make them slower. If the riders fall behind we can see to it that they have accidents.”
I remembered something. “What about the man who grabbed the pack-pony? Were he or the pony hurt?”
“Ah, well.” I fixed him with a stare which said I wanted to know. Levas shrugged. “Can't have jugged hare without killing the hare, Lady. Pony was safe: the man as tried to catch it fell. Reckon he slept colder last night than even the lord.” I was sorry for the man, some poor farmer who'd followed at his lord's command. When I said so, Levas shook his head.
“No, Lady. He was one of the fighters. We're better off without those. The more we can pick off, the better. Be sorry for him if you will, but not too sorry. He'd do that an' a lot worse did he lay hands on you.”
Lorcan was counting. “So he started with thirty, or was that counting himself?”
“With him, Lord.”
“Right. Then he lost three men floundering about these hills, another man over that cliff. There's now twenty-six of them. Is that it?”
“So far, Lord. And one lamed, one sulking. But they're doing something else daft.” His explanation made me gape. I might never have ridden to war but even I knew better than what he described. One should never keep all the eggs in one basket. Not that I complained. Their folly could be our aid. We plotted quietly around the tiny fire. Then we slept, taking turns to stand watch. Nothing stirred throughout the night so we rose early and rode the trail quietly in search of our comrades.
Criten found us as Levas had done. We had talked of trails and meeting places, signs we could leave for each other. Once in the hills we had all done so. Criten came drifting up, Gera with him. He bowed, the quick half-nod of a soldier acknowledging his commanders.
“Two of their horses are lame. I sent Dogas to follow and listen when they halt. I know where they are. I'll circle, then pick up Dogas again if you wish?”
“Let be.” I said. “He knows what he's to do. Why not seek out these stragglers?” I could see they agreed with that. Criten knew where Hogeth and his men rode and I knew the hills. I was able to bring us down from a higher trail to ride in cover behind them. Levas studied the tracks.
“They're slowing. I'd reckon them near a quartercandlemark behind their friends. In an hour they'll be twice that. By then none will hear if there is a little noise so long as it's not too great.” His lips curled in a look of satisfaction. “Dogas well chose the mounts he lamed. Both belong to fighters.” I led us after that, for we were no great distance from the shrine. I took them by shortcuts to a place between the stragglers and those ahead of them.
We took the stragglers in silence, one with an arrow
through the throat from Lorcan's bow, the other with a stone from a sling I wielded. Gera had laid by under orders not to stir. Dogas had waited ahead, in case either soldier had lived and fled, so that he could lie for him in ambush. Once we had made our kills we gathered up the bodies, their mounts, and any gear dropped from the saddles as their beasts plunged in fear.
Levas nodded to his man. “Ride after them, Criten. Do not catch up with them but follow. Keep well back. We will signal with the mirrors at need.” Criten rode away as Lorcan looked us over. “Best we get these bodies away some distance off the trail. Then we bury them deep.”
“What about the horses, Lord?” Gera had rejoined us.
“We'll take those with us for now. We'll make sure to strip the men before we rid us of them.”
That we did and gained well thereby. In their belt-pouches I found silver. There was a good dagger on each sword-belt and fair swords also.
As we had laid in ambush snow had begun to fall lightly. To the place where we had taken our prey I brought more snow in my cloak, flinging it into the hoof-prints behind me as I walked my mount away up the trail. In an hour or two there would be no sign anyone had ridden there. Levas judged our stragglers to have been almost an hour behind the main group when we took them.
“It's late. By the time they think it strange their friends have not caught up it will be growing dark. They'll make camp and hope the two come in on the fire. Once it is dark they'll not want to go seeking down that trail anyway. It's treacherous enough in daylight.”
I nodded. “If they come back tomorrow they'll find nothing. It's ready to snow all night I think. There's a good place to camp in those trees, I used it twice when I lived in the shrine and I was out hunting overnight. If we set up there Dogas may find us. He knows where to look.”
I was right. Dogas tramped wearily into camp some time after dark, leading his mount. He was tired, hungry, and the
horse was shivering. I left Levas to rub down and blanket the animal while I fed Dogas and poured him a hot drink. After he ate he began to tell us what he had overheard.
“They will take the hill-path further South along the high hills.”
“Did you hear anything they may plan?” Lorcan queried.
“Yes, Lord. They will circle, cutting down to the lower ground from the hills West. Then they go North again along the foothills. If they find nothing they cut over West again and return along the base of the lowest slopes.”
“They'll find it's easier to say than ride,” I commented.
Lorcan turned to me. “You know the trails hereabouts, my Lady. What can you tell us?”
I dropped to my knees near the fire to smooth a patch of snow. “Here, see.” I marked in the line of hills, the trails I knew after three years living in the shrine and regularly hunting in the lands around it.
“Many of the trails will be impassable still. Others may appear passable, but because of the thaw and refreeze they will be so treacherous as to be deadly. At such times after the false Spring there begin to be great snow-slides.” My tongue all but clove to the roof of my mouth as I looked at my companions. All understood.
“If they attempt the trails the lord said, where is the best place for us?” Levas looked eager. I smoothed my patch of snow again and talked. After that we slept the night away before mounting to ride. Criten would find us sooner or later, in that there was no haste. Just now we wished to find Hogeth and his men. Lorcan waited, until we were ahead on the trail they should take, before he summoned Gera.
“I have a message for Honeycoombe. Can you reach there before dark?” The boy nodded. “Good lad. Now, say to Elesha all you have seen and heard. Tell her this also, that we hunt Hogeth with fair results, but she is to ready the keep for siege in case. If any come demanding entry, let her deny them.” Gera looked mutinous. He knew there would be danger the next day and he had no wish to ride
home with nothing to show he'd taken part. I rose and took up the reins of the horses we had taken.
“Lead these back with you. Say one is for your family because of the part you have played. The other is to go to Isa's family because it was she who first saw Todon. You have done well.” I clapped him gently on the shoulder. “Tell your father I said you are a good soldier who serves his dale well.” Gera's face lit proudly. He drew himself up, gave the soldiers' bow, scrambled into the saddle, and rode away down the trail leading his prizes.
Lorcan touched my cheek. “You always say the right thing. Now the boy is proud to leave instead of thinking himself unjustly cast off.” I took his hand in mine, holding it for a moment. Behind us Levas coughed.
“Where do we go now, Lady?”
I started my mount up-trail in answer. If we went this way then we would be cutting across the long shallow loop of paths Hogeth would take. He would not know that under the snowfield I crossed there was a thread of safe trail of which Ithia had told me. It could not be seen, but one who knew of it could ride from landmark to landmark in safety. It was long before I drew rein again. Then it was by a vast area of brush high into the foothills which marked the path for me. I turned direct downhill and pointed.
“Below us is the trail they would take if Dogas is right. Beyond here the track becomes more dangerous than they will wish to travel. But that they will not know until they ride on. Above us,” I waved uphill, “the snow lies heavy on an area of unbroken and tilted rock face. It takes little to make it move. Dogas said they are loading two ponies with the blankets, both led by the one rider. If we are sure that, whatever else is in the snow's path, the blankets are lost, then we've done well.”
And so we planned. Riders could outrun the slide. They had time to see and the path ahead of them was smooth enough. But if the led ponies were cast off by the one who led them, if the beasts panicked and were caught beneath
the slide, taking with them all the blankets, that loss we would bless. In such night's chill as we suffered in these hills blankets were no luxury but an essential for those who traveled. Without blankets men slept poorly. They would wake shivering to lose strength and concentration both. Without a blanket across their backs at night horses would balk, unwilling to travel with morning light.
The horses would use up more of what they ate in keeping themselves warm. Thus they would travel more slowly and eat more heartily of the sacked grain. And of that there was less each night. Hogeth had not known how much he would require and had carried only a few sacks. In another two or three nights all would be eaten.
Levas was considering that. “Is he like to turn back?”
My lord shook his head. “Not Hogeth. He'll take the best of what they have for himself but he'll push on. Nor will he let his men leave the trail. He believes he must have what I own in order to keep his own lands. Paltendale suffered from the invaders. Hogeth would rebuild and become mighty among the northern lords. To do that he requires coin.”
“Would there be enough?” I believed it an honest question and honestly Lorcan replied.
“No. I think he has persuaded himself there is more. I have sufficient to make Honeycoombe better. But our dale is small compared to Paltendale. Nor was our keep much damaged, the livestock neither stolen nor scattered so wide they were lost to us. The cots did not burn. In Paltendale all that happened. Hogeth has spent all he has, yet only a half of what was damaged has been repaired. The silver I own would not do more than repair perhaps a half of what is yet needed. Hogeth wishes to do far more than raise up what was. He would see a greater keep, a richer table spread for lords who call.”
Levas looked dour. “Aye. I know the kind. They'd rather have silk on themselves even if it means rags on their folk. They'll eat until they can eat no more, then fling scraps to
the dogs while their people hunger. A shipload of gold would not be enough. The more they have the more they seek. Such a man can not be reasoned with.”
I looked at him. “You thought perchance if we offered him the silver we have he would ride away? My lord has said it. He is not of that kind.”
“Ah, well. Then if there's no other way we'll have to kill him.” He shrugged. “Sorry I am he's kin to you, Lord. But then,'tis he who's come hunting this fight.”
“I know. If you must kill, do so and owe me no debt. That's for any of you.”
We understood, I, Levas, and Criten. I wondered if Hogeth had thought of that. One who rode in open warfare against another lord who was kin stepped outside Dales Law. Hogeth had not gone before a Dales Court to speak his grievances. He had brought none to mediate, no one to stand as peacemaker. Imgry or someone of his clan might have agreed. They had not been asked. Nor had Hogeth any honest grudge he could claim. Since this was so, his death could not be demanded as blood-debt even if it be proved against us. Lorcan was right. He could absolve any of Hogeth's fall if Lorcan willed it, since he was kin.
We laid up that night in a fireless camp, lest any of Hogeth's scouts see the firelight. With daylight I led my small group on foot to where boulders lay, far above the slope. If only two or three were sent rolling they should bring down the whole snow slope upon the trail below. Most of the trails Hogeth was following were deer trails. But if we dropped branches, sprinkled snow again in the right place, he would not see where the deer turned off. He would follow instead what appeared to be the easier path.
With morning we prepared. The snow was flung with care to hide the safer track. Above us Levas and Criten worked, easing the rocks from their beds, poising them on wooden wedges so unseating them needed but a quick powerful thrust. It took time and hard work and there was no sign as yet of Hogeth and his men. I was sent along the
trail with my small steel mirror. If Dogas followed our enemy I had to warn him to hold back.
I waited, the cold eating further into my bones. At last along the trail I saw men come riding. As high as I was I could see that Dogas trailed them perhaps two miles behind. That was well. I turned in my brush cover to wink the mirror. Lorcan would read my sign and know to be ready. The men drew closer, Hogeth riding perhaps a third of the way from the front of the lagging column. I poised ready. They reached the place I had marked with a fallen branch.

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