Good spell, Ulath said laconically. Shall we get started?
They helped Berit into his saddle and rode out in the luminous twilight. The full moon rose an hour or so later, and it gave them sufficient light to risk a canter.
Theres a road just over that hill up ahead, Kurik told Sparhawk. We saw it when we were looking around. It goes more or less in the right direction, and we could make better time if we follow it instead of stumbling over broken ground in the dark.
I expect youre right, Sparhawk agreed, and we want to get out of this area as quickly as possible.
When they reached the road, they pushed on to the east at a gallop. It was well past midnight when clouds moved in from the west, obscuring the night sky. Sparhawk muttered an oath and slowed their pace.
Just before dawn they came to a river, and the road turned north. They followed it, searching for a bridge or a ford. The dawn was gloomy under the heavy cloud cover. They rode upriver a few more miles, and then the road bent east again and ran down into the river to emerge on the far side.
Beside the ford stood a small hut. The man who owned the hut was a sharp-eyed fellow in a green tunic who demanded a toll to cross. Rather than argue with him, Sparhawk paid what he asked. Tell me, neighbour, he said when the transaction was completed, how far is the Pelosian border?
About five leagues, the sharp-eyed fellow replied. If you move swiftly, you should reach it by afternoon.
Thanks, neighbour. Youve been most helpful.
They splashed on across the ford. When they reached the other side, Talen rode up beside Sparhawk. Heres your money back, the young thief said, handing over several coins.
Sparhawk gave him a startled look.
I dont object to paying a toll to cross a bridge, Talen sniffed. After all, somebody had to go to the expense of building it. That fellow was just taking advantage of a natural shallow place in the river, though. It didnt cost him anything, so why should he make a profit from it?
You cut his purse, then?
Naturally.
And there was more in it than just my coins?
A bit. Lets call it my fee for recovering your money. After all, I deserve a profit too, dont I?
Youre incorrigible.
I needed the practice.
From the other side of the river there came a how of anguish.
Id say he just discovered his loss, Sparhawk observed.
It does sound that way, doesnt it?
The soil on the far side of the river was not a great deal better than the scrubby wasteland through which they had just passed. Occasionally they saw poor farmsteads where shabby-looking peasants in muddy brown smocks laboured long and hard to wrest scanty crops from the unyielding earth. Kurik sniffed disdainfully. Amateurs, he grunted. Kurik took farming very seriously.
About mid-morning the narrow track they were following joined a well-travelled road that ran due east. A suggestion, Sparhawk, Tynian said, shifting his blue-blazoned shield.
Suggest away.
It might be better if we took this road to the border rather than cutting across country again. Pelosians tend to be sensitive about people who avoid the manned border-crossings. Theyre obsessively concerned about smugglers. I dont think wed accomplish very much in a skirmish with one of their patrols.
All right, Sparhawk agreed. Lets stay out of trouble if we can.
Not very long after a dreary, sunless noon, they reached the border and passed without incident into the southern end of Pelosia. The farmsteads here were even more run-down than they had been in north-eastern Elenia. The houses and outbuildings were universally roofed with sod, and agile goats grazed on the roofs. Kurik looked about disapprovingly, but said nothing.
As evening settled over the landscape, they crested a hill and saw the twinkling lights of a village in the valley below. An inn perhaps? Kalten suggested. I think Sephrenias spell is starting to wear off. My horse is staggering, and Im in not much better shape.
You wont sleep alone in a Pelosian inn, Tynian warned. Their beds are usually occupied by all sorts of unpleasant little creatures.
Fleas? Kalten asked.
And lice, and bed-bugs the size of mice.
I suppose well have to risk it, Sparhawk decided. The horses wont be able to go much farther, and I dont think the Seeker would attack us inside a building. It seems to prefer open country. He led the way down the hill to the village.
The streets of the town were unpaved, and they were ankle-deep in mud. They reached the towns only inn, and Sparhawk carried Sephrenia to the porch while Kurik followed with Flute. The steps leading up to the door were caked with mud, and the boot-scraper beside the door showed little signs of use. Pelosians, it appeared, were indifferent to mud. The interior of the inn was dim and smoky, and it smelled strongly of stale sweat and spoiled food. The floor had at one time been covered with rushes, but except in the corners, the rushes were buried in dried mud.
Are you sure you dont want to reconsider this? Tynian asked Kalten as they entered.
My stomachs fairly strong, Kalten replied, and I caught a whiff of beer when we came in.
The supper the innkeeper provided was at least edible, although a bit over-garnished with boiled cabbage, and the beds, mere straw pallets, were not nearly as bug-infested as Tynian had predicted.
They rose early the next morning and rode out of the muddy village in a murky dawn.
Doesnt the sun ever shine in this part of the world? Talen asked sourly.
Its spring, Kurik told him. Its always cloudy and rainy in the spring. Its good for the crops.
Im not a radish, Kurik, the boy replied. I dont need to be watered.
Talk to God about it, Kurik shrugged. I dont make the weather.
God and I arent on the best of terms, Talen said glibly. Hes busy, and so am I. We try not to interfere with each other.
The boy is pert, Bevier observed disapprovingly. Young man, he said, it is not proper to speak so of the Lord of the universe.
You are an honoured Knight of the Church, Sir Bevier, Talen pointed out. I am but a thief of the streets. Different rules apply to us. Gods great flower-garden needs a few weeds to offset the splendour of the roses. Im a weed. Im sure God forgives me for that, since Im a part of his grand design.
Bevier looked at him helplessly, and then began to laugh.
They rode warily across south-eastern Pelosia for the next several days, taking turns scouting on ahead and riding to hilltops to survey the surrounding countryside. The sky remained dreary as they pushed on to the east. They saw peasants serfs actually labouring in the fields with the crudest of implements. There were birds nesting in the hedges, and occasionally they saw deer grazing among herds of scrubby cattle.
While there were people about, Sparhawk and his friends saw no more church soldiers or Zemochs. They remained cautious, however, avoiding people when possible and continuing their scouting, since they all knew the black-robed Seeker could enlist even normally timid serfs to do its bidding.
As they came closer to the border of Lamorkand, they received increasingly disturbing reports concerning turmoil in that kingdom. Lamorks were not the most stable people in the world. The King of Lamorkand ruled only at the sufferance of the largely independent barons, who retreated in times of trouble to positions behind the walls of massive castles. Blood-feuds dating back a hundred years or more were common, and rogue barons looted and pillaged at will. For the most part, Lamorkand existed in a state of perpetual civil war.