"Are you aware of this place?"
"It is a great up-fold in the mother-stuff of the world. A scurf of vegetation shades the sky. Three furtive scoundrels peer at us from the shadows."
"What of the green seep from Xabiste?"
"Nothing of consequence," said Voner. "A wisp from yonder declivity, no more."
"Not enough to excite our interest," said Skel.
Travec said: "Still, after this, alert me to any green taint whatever, since it might indicate a node of green."
"Just as you say. Should we make ourselves known and destroy yonder stuff?"
"Not yet. We must learn more of where and how it arises."
"As you like."
Behind Travec spoke a rasping voice; turning, Travec looked into the face of Kegan the Celt. "How gratifying must be the comfort of these intimate conversations with yourself!"
"I repeat my lucky slogans; what of that?"
"Nothing whatever," said Kegan. "I have foolish quirks of my own. I can never kill a woman without first uttering a prayer to the G.o.ddess Quincubile."
"That is only sensible. I see that Este"s blasts have brought response."
From the forest came a yellow-haired yellow-bearded man, tall and ma.s.sive, wearing a tricorn iron helmet, a chain shirt and black leather trousers. At his girdle hung three swords, of varying length. He called out to Cory in a great windy voice: "Name your names and explain why you have sounded the horn."
"I am Cory of Falonges; I have been sent by a person of high rank to take counsel with Torqual. This is my company; the names will mean nothing to you."
"Does Torqual know of your coming?"
"I cannot say. It is possible.""
"Follow behind me. Do not stray off the trail by so much as two yards measurement."
The company rode single file along a narrow track which led first through a dense forest, then along a barren mountainside, then up a gorge to a small stony flat, thence up a narrow spine of rock, with a steep declivity at either side, to come out at last upon a small meadow hard under a cliff. An ancient fortress, half in ruins, commanded the approach. "You stand on Neep Meadow, and there is High Coram Keep," said the blond outlaw. "You may dismount and either stand to wait, or rest upon yonder benches. I will tell Torqual of your coming." He disappeared into the tumbled recesses of the old castle.
Travec dismounted with the others and looked about the meadow. Under the cliff several dozen rude huts had been laid up of stone and sod: here, presumably, were housed Torqual"s followers. Within the huts Travec glimpsed a number of bedraggled women and several children playing in the dirt. To the side an oven for the baking of bread had been built of rough bricks, which apparently had been formed of meadow clay fired on the spot in open fires.
Travec went to look down Glen Dagach, which dropped steeply to open at last upon the lower moors. He spoke under his breath: "Voner! Skel! What of the green?"
"I notice a suffusion centered in the castle," said Voner. Skel added: "A tendril leads elsewhere."
"Can you see its source?"
"No.
"Are there other nodes of green?"
"There is such a node in Swer Smod; no others are obvious."
From the castle came Torqual, wearing the black garments of a Ska n.o.bleman. He approached the newcomers. Cory stepped forward. "Torqual, I am Cory of Falonges."
"I know your reputation. You have scoured the Troagh like a ravening wolf, or so it is said. Who are these others?"
Cory made an indifferent gesture. "They are talented villains, and each is unique. That one, is Kegan the Celt. That is Este the Sweet, who might be the Roman he claims to be. There stands Travec the Dacian; there Galgus the Daut, and that misshapen wad of pure evil yonder is Izmael the Hun. They know two motivations only: fear and avarice."
"That is all they need to know," said Torqual. "Any other I distrust. What is your errand?"
Cory took Torqual aside. Travec went to sit on the bench. He whispered: "Voner! Skel! Torqual and Cory speak together; bring me their conversation, but to my ears alone, so that no one will know that I listen."
Skel said: "It is boring and inconsequential chatter; they talk of this and that."
"Still, I wish to hear."
"Whatever you like."
Into Travec"s ear came Torqual"s voice:
". . . sent no funds for my account?"
"Fifteen gold coins only," spoke Cory. "Travec also brought funds from Casmir-ten gold crowns-but said they were for the company. Perhaps they were intended for you. Here! Take thelot!"
"It is a pittance!" said Torqual in disgust.
"This is Casmir"scareful scheme: he thinks to divert me from my own plans sothat I should work in accordance with his."
"Does he know your plans?"
"Perhaps he guesses." Torqual turned and looked off down Glen Dagach. "I have made no great secret of them."
"Out of curiosity, then, what might be your plans?"
Torqual said tonelessly: "I will take command of these mountains, through devastation and terror. Then I will conquer both Ulflands, North and South. I will rally the Ska once more to war. First we take G.o.delia, then Dahaut, and next all the ElderIsles. Then we attack the world. There never shall be such a conquest nor so wide an empire! That is my scheme. But now I must grovel to Casmir for men and weapons to take me through these arduous first times."
Cory spoke in a subdued voice. "Your plan has, if nothing else, the merit of grandeur."
Torqual said indifferently: "It is something which can be done. Hence, it must be done."
"The odds would seem to be against you."
"Such odds are difficult to compute. They can fluctuate over night. Aillas is my foremost and worst enemy. He would seem formidable, with his army and his navy, but he is insensitive; heignores Ulfish rancor against his Troice regime. The barons grudge him their every submission; many would revolt at a moment"s notice."
"And you would lead them?"
"It is necessary. Left to themselves they are a proud and quarrelsome rabble; they grumble because Aillas has checked their feuds! Ha! When at last I lead them they will know the meaning of Ska discipline! Compared to me, Aillas will seem an angel of mercy!"
Cory gave a noncommittal grunt. "My a.s.signment is to a.s.sa.s.sinate Aillas. I command five murderers who will work for the joy of it-though all hope to be paid."