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. As a rear defense. Emelasuntha looked at her with raised eyebrows. My dear, once in a while you still manage tosurprise me. Sobrathi smiled radiantly.Another man made hisway to the two women. My lady Mistress, please.Mistress, the queen said,exasperated. Mistress, Rondalch has returned. Yes, and? Why isn't he here himself. He is wounded, mistress.Very badly.He won't make it through the night. What happened? He was leading the group that followed the BlackShields that apparently made for the Easternprovinces.At some point they lost sight of them.They tried to narrow the distance between them andthe Shields.They fell into an ambush.There was aspot where the road goes through a small wood.Ittook no more than ten minutes. What are you saying, man, speak up, Emelasuntha barked. They're dead.All of them.They thought Rondalchwas too.He waited till they had left and checkedeverybody for signs of life.Nothing.It's a miracle hecould get hold of a horse and mount it, seeing inwhat condition he is, the man said in a sorrowfultone.The women looked at each other. Very well, the queen finally said. First see to itthat Rondalch gets the best care this place has tooffer.Spare no expense.Then send word to theChapter House to get the bodies.Let themassemble a new group of forty men.They're to followus at a distance of ten miles.And, in the name of allthe Goddesses, let them be careful.We suspect thata patrol of Black Shields will be following us as well. She concentrated, her head bowed to the ground. You, she said, looking up to the first man, youand your group will travel between the Caravan andthe Black Shield vanguard. She looked at the menand then at Sobrathi. Let's get going, people.We'vegot much to do and little time to do it in.Tomorrow atthe crack of dawn the Caravan gets underway.We'llgrieve for our men on the road. I must send for Jerruth.He is young, butcapable.His youth could make him as good asinvisible for the Black Shields.I'm not taking anyrisks.I'm sending a back up letter. As Rahendo came out of the tower he saw a boy,about his own age come out of the building wherethe records were kept.The guy was lookingdoubtfully at a parchment.He walked over to him.After all, he lived with thetwo head pages and that made him, well, sort of anassistant head page, he figured. Can I help you? he inquired.He looked at the boy as if he was sure that,notwithstanding his offer, he was beyond any humansuccor. Rahendo of Eldorn, he presented himself.The young man looked up.Rahendo felt two lively,mischievously mocking eyes check him out all over.They were set above a sharp nose and a matchingface that was crowned with an abundance of unrulycurls.Both boys were exactly of a height.Theirmouths were at the same level, and so were theireyes. Ryhunzo of Uberon.I want to see you without clothes on. Yes. I want to look at your private parts.From veryclose by. Yes. I will touch you.Them. Yes. All over. Yes. I may be tempted to use my mouth.I'm not goodwith temptation. Yes. Do you want to see me naked? Yes. And look at my private parts? Yes.From close by, please. And touch me? Yes. All over? Yes. Use your mouth, perhaps? Oh, yes. Splendid, just splendid.Do you have a big dick? Yes.Very big. Even more splendid.I haven't, but I know somenifty tricks I can do with the one I have.We should make this happen as soon as possible. Yes.Not here though. No.We would draw attention to ourselves. Our very naked selves. Yes.This document says I must report to a certainbarrack.Do you know where it is? Rahendo took the parchment, read it and lookedat Ryhunzo with eyes that spoke of impending doomand disaster, the end of all joy and merriment. This is no good, he whispered ominously. Thisbarrack is a nest of bullies. We hate bullies. Yes, we do.You must come with me, to mybarrack.I have a big room there.And a big bed.Nobullies.Only Obie. What's an Obie? I'll explain later.He's harmless.Leave him to me. Splendid, just splendid. You would have to sleep with me though. I was counting on it. I know.I sleep naked. Even more splendid.Have I told you already thatyou are gorgeous? No, not yet. You are gorgeous. Yes.You are beautiful. Splendid, just splendid. About seven miles north of Troncton stood a smallinn, The Black Swan, where Rullio had decided tomake a brief stop for a quick drink.It took him barely ten minutes, and right afterfinishing his weak beer he went to the back of thebarn where he had tied up his horse.When heemerged again, leading it by the reins, he saw agroup of knights, clad in black, on the road, riding insouthern direction. Damydas.So the king was right.This can't be acoincidence.Black Shields riding in the direction ofTroncton just when a caravan is being formedthere.I should be in the Northern Marches at leastthree day before him.Finding out where the princeis can't be too difficult.Time to begin thinking of agood story of how I came by the information I will begiving him. Ffindall Dram hadn't yet received the news that tenTribesmen had fallen by the swords of the BlackShields.He was working his way through a stack ofreports.After glancing at them he put each of themon one of three stacks.One stack was to go directly to the archives.ForFfindall that was the equivalent of throwing it away.Except he threw nothing away.The other stack hewould classify in a room adjacent to the one he used,for later reference.The third, and by far smalleststack, he would take action on as soon as possible.He didn't hesitate a moment when he read whatmust have been one of the most concise reports thatpassed through his hands yet. Damydas's grandchildren have resumedtheir fishing trips in the company of two old servants. He put the little parchment on the smallest stack.Anaxantis was having the time of his life.Fivedays in the Renuvian Plains had flown by as if theyhad been but mere hours.That morning, when he came out of his tent, hetook a deep breath of the cool morning air, shiveredand wrapped himself in his mantle.He went over to afire where Iftang was having breakfast with a few ofhis officers. Morning, my lord, Iftang greeted him formally, asthere were others present. Morning, general, gentlemen, he respondedamiably. Do you know were I could findHemarchidas? The general pointed in the direction of some lowhills. Ha
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