Fichiku turned a weary face around to look behind him at the long, straggling line of foot-soldiers that were inching their way forward in the heat of the late summer. What had started out in Thaelia as a line of fifteen men superficially trained as quickly as possible without causing too much royal anger was now an assortment of some fifty raw-to-seasoned soldiers culled from every station and outpost the column had passed. Not one of the many commanders Fichiku had encountered upon this trek had been willing to cooperate at first; at least, not until shown a letter ostensibly in King Chlin's own handwriting threatening dire consequences if immediate cooperation was not forthcoming.

Now, here they were, nearing their first goal of Karenth. The tall gates of the prosperous city sat like a glistening tiara upon the eastern horizon, beckoning the tired and foot-sore soldiers like a dream of rest and comfort. Even the most weary among the soldiers had perked up somewhat, and the column was beginning ever so slightly to move quicker across the seemingly endless plains of grain fields and scattered homestead buildings. And, as always, like a damp blanket cast over the shoulders, the blue-tinged peaks of the Halidem Mountains sat like an insurmountable wall in the west as if challenging the mere mortal plainsmen to try to penetrate their sanctity.

The tired lieutenant had heard the message-bells ring out the news of their arrival as they approached from the southwestern corner of Karem. He wasn't really surprised then to find that Persivan was waiting for him with a outward serenity that was anything but the truth of the broiling emotions he had inside.

The most obvious questions Persivan had pertained to his own, immediate future. First of all, would he survive the next few minutes? Secondly, why had Fichiku returned so quickly? Thirdly, what would he have to do to see to it that his prestige and lost honor were regained in the eyes of his friend as quickly as possible?

"I had no idea you would be back so soon." Persivan hid his anxiety behind a welcoming tone of voice. "Twice in one year after nearly eight years of not seeing you once."

Fichiku dismounted with a groan of relief. "If I don't sit a burri again for a year after this is through, it will be too soon!" He turned to Persivan with an open smile which partially put the latter's fears about his own safety to rest. "The King was quite explicit in his directions for me to return to your fair city as quickly as possible to begin our quest."

"I had an idea that he would want to start something along those lines," the Commander of the City remarked proudly, "and so I ordered that the caravan-leader be presented with all sorts of difficulties in trading. Even now, he is in the central marketplace wrangling with a grain-merchant for a better exchange for the furs."

"I was hoping you would do something of the sort," Fichiku replied with an even more open smile. He turned part-way around and signaled to the men just now straggling up to where the two officers stood. "The barracks of the city are in that direction, men. Persivan," Fichiku turned to his friend, "if you could send one of your escort to show my men where they can rest after their forced march?"

"Certainly!" Persivan gave a curt wave, and one of the Karemu guards who had been standing a discrete distance away snapped a smart salute and came forward. "Lead these men to the barracks and see to it that they are given bunks and a good meal before retiring."

"Yes, Commander," the guard replied emotionlessly, snapping yet another smart salute and then motioning for the soldiers to follow. The man at the front of the column heaved a tired sigh, then shot a sheepish grin full of apprehension at his commanding officer as he moved past. Fichiku could understand the weariness in his men and therefore did nothing to show he even heard the sigh as the men trooped past and into the maze of city streets. No doubt he would be tired of even putting one foot in front of the other if he himself had had to carry a full set of armour and weapons on his back nearly the length of the country.

"You're not going to appreciate this visit any more than you did my first one," Fichiku warned his friend. "I've been raiding outposts and city commanders of a goodly portion of their troops all the way over here; and I'm afraid I'll be forced to do the same to you as well."

"I suppose I can't expect anything less," Persivan nodded, conceding. "I don't see how I could possibly rationalize keeping my men when nobody else has been able to. I have over a hundred and sixty garrisoned here, so you might be able to have at least twenty or so of them without leaving me terribly short-handed."

"Over a hundred!" Fichiku blinked in surprise. "That's more than twice the number I already have!"

Persivan smiled slowly. "From the sound and light of it, you'll be needing every one of them by the time things get difficult up there." He gestured at the hazy-shrouded mountains with his head.

"You're probably right!" Fichiku brushed some perspiration from his brow before it dripped into his eyes. "Let's get out of this hot sun before I melt," he commented with feeling.

"Enjoy it well, my friend," Persivan warned in a friendly tone. "In the mountains it is already past Harvesttime. It won't be that many more nights before the weather up there is freezing even in the daytime."

"I'll keep that in mind," Fichiku gave the blue shadow hanging over the city walls a cautious and studying look. "By the way," he added in a brighter tone, dismissing the Halidem Mountains as a problem for another time. Together they began walking slowly in the direction of one of the smaller taverns on the edge of Karenth that they had visited together the last time he had been in town, "I kept your name out of everything, just as I promised."

"I'm just glad you finally came to an understanding of what life has been like for me," Persivan sighed in relief, the last of his worries dropping away. "If you only knew what I felt, knowing that the rest of the country was starving to death."

Fichiku winced, remembering the hard words he and Persivan had exchanged on that very subject. "I think that was what did it, Persivan," he informed his friend quietly and almost apologetically. "I started thinking about what I myself would have done if it had been Nalia and the girls here in Karenth; that's when I stopped being angry and started understanding. After all, I myself had just got through making some arrangements to get them out of Thaelia."

"You didn't say anything about that before," Persivan paused in his walking in surprise. "You were that afraid for them then?"

"And," Fichiku agreed, nodding in answer to the question, "how could I judge you harshly for having the same feelings for your family too?"

Persivan clapped his hand on Fichiku's shoulder. "I take it, though, that the King decided to leave your family alone when you got back to the city in time - and with the men you had promised to get back."

"He could do little else," Fichiku chuckled at the memory, now that it was safely a memory and not something he had to go through again. "Like I said, I had finished making some arrangements to get them out of the city before I left. They were long gone by the time I got back, and the King was less than happy about the whole situation."

"I can imagine!" Persivan commented. "Alright, then if your family are safely tucked away somewhere, what in the name of the One are you doing leading the incursion party into the mountains for? Why aren't you safely in a homestead somewhere with Nalia?"

Fichiku looked at his friend sadly, realizing that Persivan's isolation from Tharea was the root of the question. "Do you think I could leave my fellow-lieutenants and the Lady Hanu to face the King's anger while I go safely on my way?"

Persivan looked at the ground, shaking his head, then looked up again. "And you're still caught then, aren't you?"

Fichiku shrugged and clapped Persivan on the back like he used to when they were cadets together. "Aren't we all, Persivan? Aren't we all?"

x

Missar clasped the hand of the Karemu grain-merchant in front of him and with the other hand topped the joined hands in a pledge that sealed the bargain. After nearly three and a half weeks of hard trading, and having to overcome numerous hardships and misunderstandings which had never been a problem in the years before, the Saranth caravan-leader finally had a bargain he knew he could defend to his Lord. It wasn't as much as he had hoped to get for the fine pelts and herbs he had carried aburri-back down the mountain trails. But it was better than what he had begun to fear he was going to have to settle for. With a satisfied air, he watched the Karemu merchant give directions to a worker to load the seven burris in his caravan with heavy sacks of the precious grain.

From the far corner of the market square, Persivan pointed out the Halidu trader to Fichiku carefully, commenting, "I hope these last two days have your men rested well enough, for I doubt the man will be another night in Karenth. We've kept him far longer than usual and dare keep him no longer. I ordered Shirvol to settle the bargain with him this morning but tarry in loading the burris to give you time to get your men ready to move."

Fichiku nodded slowly, memorizing the stance, features and clothing of the Halidu trader so that following him would be less difficult. A good description would be a necessity if his scout were going to know this man from any number of men they might meet on the mountain trail; and Fichiku wanted to make sure that he gave the scout the best description possible.

Persivan seemed to understand what his friend was doing and so stayed silent, allowing Fichiku to study his quarry. Finally Fichiku turned to him and nodded, and the two men moved quietly away from the marketplace.

"I want to go with you," Persivan stated suddenly.

"In the name of the One, why?" Fichiku was shocked. "I can't promise that this isn't a suicide trek; and what's more, you knew that already. Why the sudden wish to put yourself at risk?"

Persivan had the grace to look abashed and guilty. "I know I lost much honor the last time you came, when you found out that there was indeed an open, easy route into the Halidem Mountains. I know," he waved abruptly as Fichiku began to protest, "you said you understood. And I know you do understand. I just..."

"You don't need to defend your honor to me. I need someone down here I can trust, Persivan, in case something should happen to go wrong up there," Fichiku said, motioning over his shoulder at the ever-present blue-hued silhouette of the Halidem on the western horizon. "Someone's got to be down here able to answer questions with some kind of knowledge."

Persivan, who had begun setting his face in a defeated expression at the start of Fichiku's reasoning, looked back over at his friend with a satisfied and grateful look in his eyes. "I suppose," he admitted slowly, "if you put it that way, I should stay then. It's nice to know that you value my being somewhere."

Fichiku paused before entering the barracks. "I think Lord Loy has knocked you down once too often," he informed Persivan. "You need to practice standing up for your rights, whether he likes them or not."

Persivan shook his head. "That's easy to say with Loy still detained in Tharea. But just as you accuse me of not understanding everything that goes on in your life there, you don't really understand everything that goes on here in Karenth."

"You could still stand up for yourself once in a while."

Persivan's expression grew a little harder. "Don't you think I won't, Fichiku. But in my own way." He motioned for Fichiku to precede him into the barracks. "You don't have much time before that Missar fellow is going to be on his way out of Karenth."

Fichiku nodded and, in a business-like stride, walked into the barracks to the alarm-bell. Taking up the huge mallet in his left hand, he struck the plate of metal three sharp blows that set up the alarm for assembly. Beyond, in the deeper dimness of the dormitories, he could hear the scrambling and scraping of soldiers jumping into their armour and the clanking of weapons being hurriedly taken up or buckled on.

When he was sure he was hearing the slap of sandalled feet against the packed dirt floor of the barracks, he turned over the mallet to one of the Karemu guards and took himself to the courtyard. There, in readiness, stood his men - all seventy-seven of them - and his burri ready to begin the trek into the mountains. Fichiku took his time mounting, then turned his animal so that he faced the double line of soldiers.

"You all by now know where we are headed and what we are to attempt to do. Our Royal Highness, King Chlin, has ordered us to do our best to establish a center of operations within the Halidem Mountains themselves from which we can strike against the rebels. All of you have been chosen by virtue of your abilities in the field to take part in this venture; your being here is a great honor." Fichiku stifled a smile as he finished the sentence; best the men not know that he had taken any and all the troops he could convince or coerce the local commanders to give over into his command.

"I therefore expect nothing less than your absolute loyalty and best efforts from this day onward. His Majesty King Chlin expects nothing less. The commanders you left behind expect nothing less. But I not only expect the best from all of you, but I know I will receive the best. We are the chosen point-men in His Majesty's revenge on those traitors who cower in the mountains behind the cliffs and gorges. Cowards they must be, or why else hide?

"So, onward, men. We've a long journey ahead before the time will be right for battle. Company, to the right, HO!"

Fichiku kneed his burri into a sedate walk and motioned for the scout to go on ahead and find the last signs of the Halidu tradesman and caravan. Behind him, he heard the rhythmic slap of sandals hitting the road in strict cadence. Persivan, who had stood at the gate of the headquarters listening to the speech, saluted Fichiku stiffly as he rode past him and out into the city, a salute that Fichiku returned in like fashion.

x

For three days, staying out of the sight of the caravan-leader on the short distance of the Karemu plains determined how far back Fichiku and his company of men stayed. For the scout, staying hidden but watchful was, of course, much easier; especially after the caravan entered the lightly-forested foothills, and the road became more twisting and curved.

Those three days were an education for each and every man in the Tharu company, for they went from the warmth and pleasant days and evenings of the plains in late-summer to the coolness of the days and chill of the nights of the foothills. Fichiku took to wearing his cloak day and night the further and higher they traveled, and he no longer puzzled over the reason the Halidu he had known before the rebellion had insisted on wearing those tremendously warm furred cloaks. Persivan's warning had not been for nought.

Fichiku quickly became grateful that his party had a Halidu leading them through the confusing maze of foothill trails, which branched and forked constantly. Each intersection, when encountered, looked equally traveled and important. Without a capable guide - albeit that guide was an unknowing one - it would have been impossible to pick the main trail from the less important ones. As the trees began hiding the caravan from view of the invading company, the wily scout marked the trail using stacked stones on the side of the road which signaled which of the trails should be followed.

For his part, Missar seemed far more intent on getting back into the mountains than wondering if he were being followed; and his lack of attention to what was coming up behind him was the reason that the Tharu forces were able to move along roughly apace with the burdened burris of the caravan. For Missar, the end of the journey was the real goal; for Lord Sharhl had promised him great rewards for completing the trading successfully and returning before the first breaths of the snow spirits from the High Peaks. For that to happen, he would have to keep his caravan moving fairly steadily up the steep trail between the rising slopes, stopping only when the sunlight became so dim that he could no longer see his way and starting out again with the first peek of light over the western slopes.

At last, six days into the march which was beginning to tell on the heavily-burdened pack animals, Missar saw ahead of him the bridge over Fiarlin Gorge, still intact as Lord Sharhl had promised it would be, extending the first signs of Saranth welcome to its returning trader. Missar kneed his own burri hard in the ribs to get the tired animal to step along a little quicker and used his short stick to poke each of the other animals into a pace that was comparable. Once across the Gorge, Sarans'hyl was less than two days hard traveling; and the closer Missar came to his home, the more he wished he were there already.

Had Fichiku not been warned ahead of time that this bridge still remained intact and traverseable, he would have been greatly surprised indeed. This bridge only barely tolerated a single burri's crossing, creaking and groaning ominously at every step. It was nothing like the bridges to the south that King Chlin had been so upset to discover destroyed over a year ago.

The gorge signaled an end of the foothills, and the beginning of travel in the Halidem themselves. The trail on the mountain side of the gorge narrowed until it was wide enough for only one man or burri to walk along at a time with very little room on either side for missteps. On the one side, the slope of the mountain dropped off dramatically, falling hundreds of paces and meaning certain death to any who stepped off the road to that side. On the other side, the road itself had been carved out of the side of the mountain, and the resulting cliff disappeared in the mists that shrouded the higher peaks.

The soldiers, who had up until the foothills wished that the armour they wore were less heavy and stifling, now found that same armour more than welcome. The days were no longer the welcome warm that they all were used to; the rarefied air and cold boulders all about made even what should have been a warm day less than comfortable. The nights were as cold as deep winter nights on the plains, and there wasn't even the first signs of snow on the ground yet. What was more, the further into the mountains they went, and the higher they climbed, the more out of breath the soldiers grew, making Fichiku have to call many more rest-halts than before and slowing the progress down considerably. Were the scout not ahead of them and keeping track of the caravan, the Tharu forces would have lost their way within the first few hours in the mountains proper.

x

Missar could tell by the shouts echoing across the mountain valleys that his approach would soon be known in the very halls of Sarans'hyl, and the thought of his warm hut and the humor of his young wife made the trader kick his burri yet again. Even now, as he rounded one of the final twists in the road, he could see the facade of the hyl high on the slope of the opposite mountain. Below, sparse herds of verilan chivas grazed on what little summer grasses might be left below the hyl proper; the season being far too late for them to be left to their own care on the high slopes as they were in the spring and early summer. Even as the trader- caravan-leader watched, the lone chivaherder caught sight of him, stood up on the top of the highest boulder around and gave a shout of his own.

Sarans'hyl was carved from the side of the mountain halfway between the summit and the gorge below, and stretched across the face of the slope like a wall. All of the windows in the hyl faced out over the deep valley like sleepy eyes, some of which were shattered and covered with leather to keep the weather out. Near the middle of the facade, a narrow construction of rocks signaled where the kitchens heated the food deep within the ryhl, and it was the only chimney the hall boasted. Around the lower level of windows and hiding them, the walls that protected Sarans'hyl from the rest of the world had once stood thick and solid, built in a time long before memory of rock and mortar. Now, however, there were places where the aging mortar had given way and allowed the boulders of the wall to tumble in a heap. To the right of the ever-open double gates rose the message tower, in which Missar could discern the figure of the man on duty.

As if finally smelling the comfort of their home stables, the burris stumbled into an uncomfortable trot down the final slope and across the short bridge that spanned the gorge between the main road and the hall. Within, Missar could see Saranth clansmen gathering from every corner of the hyl to find out for themselves the extent of wealth their efforts that year had brought them.

Missar pulled hard on the reins of his burri to bring it to a stop before it could trot straight into the stable. He found himself searching the numerous faces around him. He had expected to see Lord Sharhl, of course; as well as Rowan lurking close behind his master. What did surprise him, however, was that young Lord Syran had not yet made his appearance. Missar had seen the flash-message announcing the new Lord's impending arrival even as he had left the hall; he assumed that Lord Sharhl had told his son of the trading journey. And where was Narrol, one of Missar's favorite people?

x

"Commander, the scout Lamvek has returned," Sergeant Mortishil announced to Fichiku as the latter sat in front of his tent-headquarters enjoying the last of his carefully-packed skin of mimosia. The lieutenant-now-field commander looked up sharply. Lamvek had been under orders to stay close to the hyl and keep watch for anyone leaving who might come upon them in the night, and Lamvek was far too good a soldier, according to his former commander, to ignore an order lightly.

"Have him brought here to my tent." Fichiku kept the worry and pique from his voice and waited until the sergeant had turned on his heel and strode away before he closed off the neck of the skin and tucked it once more into the corner of his saddlebag.

The scout followed the sergeant with a lively step, as if very excited about something. Fichiku let his curiosity show on his face to a certain extent, while leaving traces of his displeasure at the breach of orders. "You have something of weight to report, Scout?"

"Ho, Commander." Lamvek was a short, sinewy and strong soldier who had considerable experience in the field under Persivan; and Fichiku had had enough examples of the man's good judgment to drop the displeasure as the report progressed. "As I waited behind a boulder, watching the hall as I was ordered, I saw a party of two come up the southern approach. Sir, I believe that the woman in that party was none other than the Princess Karinna - King Chlin's former wife!"

Fichiku jumped to his feet and grabbed the young scout by the shoulder painfully. "Are you sure of this? Are you sure it was the former Princess?"

Lamvek stood stiffly and proudly, but didn't let the questions offend him. Were he the Commander, he would want to make sure of the identification as well. "Ho, Commander. I trained in the Palace Academy under the Lord-General Gyrl, and the Princess Karinna was called to Heal me the one time I failed my Test of Arms."

"Thank you, Corporal. You may be dismissed to take a meal with the rest, but I want you back behind that boulder before it gets too dark to see where you are going."

"Ho, Commander." Lamvek saluted Fichiku tiredly and walked away to his meal. Fichiku watched his scout mix with the other soldiers. This was a development that had not been expected. All that had been known in Tharea was that the Princess Karinna had gone into forced exile in the Halidem, but nothing had ever been said about where in the Halidem Mountains she was staying with her supposedly royal babies or what she was doing there.

Fichiku frowned as he scratched where his leather jerkin continued to irritate the skin under his arm and then reached for the saddlebag and its skin of mimosia again. What was Princess Karinna doing coming to the hyl at this time? What was he going to do with her once they captured the hyl - kill her there, or send her back to Tharea to face Chlin?

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