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.
They made camp one night perhaps three leagues from the border of that most troubled of western kingdoms, and Sparhawk stood up directly after a supper of the last of Kaltens hindquarter of beef. All right, he said, what are we walking into? Whats stirring things up in Lamorkand? Any ideas?
I spent the last eight or nine years in Lamorkand, Kalten said seriously. Theyre strange people. A Lamork will sacrifice anything he owns for the sake of revenge and the women are even worse than the men. A good Lamork girl will spend her whole life and all her fathers wealth for the chance to sink a spear into somebody who refused her invitation to the dance at some midwinter party. I spent all those years there, and in all that time, I never heard anyone laugh or saw anyone smile. Its the bleakest place on earth. The sun is forbidden to shine in Lamorkand.
Is this universal warfare weve been hearing about from the Pelosians a common thing? Sparhawk asked.
Pelosians are not the best judges of Lamork peculiarities, Tynian replied thoughtfully. Its only the influence of the Church and the presence of the Church Knights thats kept Pelosia and Lamorkand from blithely embarking on a war of mutual extinction. They despise each other with a passion thats almost holy in its mindless ferocity.
Sephrenia sighed. Elenes, she said.
We have our faults, little mother, Sparhawk conceded. Were going to run into trouble when we cross the border then, arent we?
Not entirely, Tynian said, rubbing his chin. Are you open to another suggestion, maybe?
Im always open to suggestions.
Why dont we put on our formal armour? Not even the most wild-eyed Lamork baron will willingly cross the Church, and the Church Knights could grind western Lamorkand into powder if they felt like it.
What if somebody calls our bluff? Kalten asked. There are only five of us, after all.
I dont think theyd have any reason to, Tynian said. The neutrality of the Church Knights in these local disputes is legendary. Formal armour might be just the thing to avoid misunderstandings. Our purpose is to get to Lake Randera, not to engage in random disputes with hotheads.
It might work, Sparhawk, Ulath said. Its worth a try anyway.
All right, lets do it then, Sparhawk decided.
When they arose the following morning, the five knights unpacked their formal armour and began to put it on with the help of Kurik and Berit. Sparhawk and Kalten wore Pandion black with silver surcoats and formal black capes. Beviers armour was burnished to a silvery sheen, and his surcoat and cape were pristine white. Tynians armour was simply massive steel, but his surcoat and cape were a brilliant sky blue. Ulath put aside the utilitarian mail-shirt he had worn on the trail and replaced it with chain-mail trousers and a mail-coat that reached to mid-thigh. He stowed away his simple conical helmet and green travellers cloak and put on instead a green surcoat and a very grand-looking helmet surmounted by a pair of the curled and twisted horns he had identified as having come from an Ogre.
Well? Sparhawk said to Sephrenia when they had finished putting on their finery, how do we look?
Very impressive, she complimented them.
Talen, however, eyed them critically. They look sort of like an iron-works that sprouted legs, dont they? he observed to Berit.
Be polite, Berit said, concealing a smile behind one hand.
Thats depressing, Kalten sighed to Sparhawk. Do you think we really look that ridiculous to the common people?
Probably.
Kurik and Berit cut lances from a nearby yew-grove and affixed steel points to them.
Pennons? Kurik asked.
What do you think? Sparhawk asked Tynian.
It couldnt hurt. Lets try to look as impressive as we can, I suppose.
They mounted with some difficulty, adjusted their shields and moved their pennon-flagged lances into positions where they were prominently displayed and rode out. Faran immediately began to prance. Oh, stop that, Sparhawk told him disgustedly.
They crossed into Lamorkand not much past noon. The border guards looked suspicious, but automatically gave way to the Knights of the Church dressed in their formal armour and wearing expressions of inexorable resolve.
The Lamork city of Kadach stood on the far side of a river. There was a bridge, but Sparhawk decided against going through that bleak, ugly place. Instead, he checked his map and turned north. The river branches upstream, he told the others. Well be able to ford it up there. Were going more or less in that direction anyway, and towns are filled with people who just might want to talk to alien strangers asking questions about us.
They rode on north to the series of small streams that fed into the main channel. It was when they were crossing one of these shallow streams that afternoon that they saw a large body of Lamork warriors on the far bank.
Spread out, Sparhawk commanded tersely. Sephrenia, take Talen and Flute to the rear.
You think they might belong to the Seeker? Kalten asked, moving his hand up the shaft of his lance.
Well find out in a minute. Dont do anything rash, but be ready for trouble.
The leader of the group of warriors was a burly fellow wearing a chain-coat, a steel helmet with a protruding, pig-faced visor and stout leather boots. He advanced into the stream alone and raised his visor to show that he had no hostile intentions.
I think hes all right, Sparhawk, Bevier said quietly. He doesnt have that blank look on his face that the men we killed back in Elenia had.
Well met, Sir Knights, the Lamork said.
Sparhawk nudged Faran forward a bit through the swirling current. Well met indeed, My Lord, he replied.
This is a fortunate encounter, the Lamork continued. It seemed me that we might have ridden even so far as Elenia ere we had encountered Church Knights.
And what is your business with the Knights of the Church, My Lord? Sparhawk asked politely.
We require a service of you, Sir Knight a service that bears directly on the well-being of the Church.
We live but to serve her, Sparhawk said, struggling to conceal his irritation. Speak further concerning this necessary service.
As all the world knows, the Patriarch of the city of Kadach is the paramount choice for the Archprelates throne in Chyrellos, the helmeted Lamork stated.
I hadnt heard that, Kalten said quietly from behind.