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Authors: B. V. Larson
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doubted he could ever fully remove the stain. “A daughter of Oberon. I cradled her severed head in my hands.”
“Ah,” said Myrrdin. He nodded in understanding. “It is a wicked feeling, is it not?”
“Yes, wicked,” said Brand. He eyed Myrrdin, and the other looked to him like an ancient man, crooked and bent with years and hard times. Brand knew he thought of the farmer’s daughter he had danced to death, or perhaps of worse things that he had known over his long life. “I also slew the redcap that guards this place,” Brand added.
Myrrdin bounded up from the bench. He stood over Brand. “You have slain the redcap of Rabing Castle?” he demanded.
“Yes,” said Brand, not looking up from his hands.
Myrrdin set to pacing then. He tugged at his beard ferociously as he circled the fire. “This event is three things at once,” he said, “amazing, good for the future, and terrible in the present.”
“What do you mean, wizard?” asked Gudrin. Brand noticed for the first time that Gudrin had been scribbling notes of this entire conversation. He snorted softly, wondering if he would be the subject of a story in the Teret some centuries from now.
“Amazing because the redcap is not easily overcome,” explained Myrrdin. “It is the vengeful spirit of this place, made here long ago by great butchery and empowered by the rage of all the victims of that butchery. Good in the long run, because all this area shall return more quickly to purity and usefulness with the absence of such a creature. Terrible in the present, because I believe the redcap’s presence kept alive the charm of warding upon this place.”
“So,” said Gudrin, “with the redcap dead, Herla should soon be able to cross the fallen walls. This siege may soon become a battle.”
“Exactly,” said Myrrdin, “we have little time left now, I should think.”
Brand thought about Myrrdin’s words, and soon came to better understand Oberon’s choice of contest. He had caused Brand to slay the redcap, which would allow Herla to pass the walls. There would be a battle now for certain. Perhaps Oberon thought he might do better than to gain just one of the Jewels. Now there were many in play and there would be many chances for a wise player to snatch them up.
“I have some small good news,” Brand said. He told them briefly of the armory he had found guarded by the redcap. They quickly agreed they should set out at first light to investigate the find and arm themselves for the coming conflict.
“Too bad we have no army to supply with these arms,” said Modi regretfully.
Brand blinked as a pail of steaming water was placed before him. He looked up to see Telyn there, smiling at him worriedly. He nodded in gratitude and she touched his brow with her lips before going to gather more wood. Brand began to carefully wash his hands. The spot where she had kissed him still tingled and it warmed him somehow.
“What about all these green shoots you’ve had us gather for days, Myrrdin?” asked Corbin. “What will you make with these?”
Myrrdin smiled at that. “You’ll see!” he said. “In the first light of morning, you’ll see what!”
They talked for a while longer, but soon decided it was best to bed down again for whatever remained of the night. Modi was already snoring by this time. Corbin’s watch continued on the walls, and even Brand lay down and closed his eyes. Sleep didn’t come easily however, as each time his eyes shut he saw the child-like face of Oberon’s daughter.
His eyes snapped open when the axe tapped his back some time later. He found that Tomkin crouched before him, head cocked to one side. He sat up and the manling hopped backward reflexively, then crouched again.
“What do you want?” hissed Brand. From the sounds the others were making, it was clear that they slept.
“Thy tale was woefully incomplete,” said Tomkin.
Brand was irritated at having been awakened. He rested his head on his hand and
“Ah,” said Myrrdin. He nodded in understanding. “It is a wicked feeling, is it not?”
“Yes, wicked,” said Brand. He eyed Myrrdin, and the other looked to him like an ancient man, crooked and bent with years and hard times. Brand knew he thought of the farmer’s daughter he had danced to death, or perhaps of worse things that he had known over his long life. “I also slew the redcap that guards this place,” Brand added.
Myrrdin bounded up from the bench. He stood over Brand. “You have slain the redcap of Rabing Castle?” he demanded.
“Yes,” said Brand, not looking up from his hands.
Myrrdin set to pacing then. He tugged at his beard ferociously as he circled the fire. “This event is three things at once,” he said, “amazing, good for the future, and terrible in the present.”
“What do you mean, wizard?” asked Gudrin. Brand noticed for the first time that Gudrin had been scribbling notes of this entire conversation. He snorted softly, wondering if he would be the subject of a story in the Teret some centuries from now.
“Amazing because the redcap is not easily overcome,” explained Myrrdin. “It is the vengeful spirit of this place, made here long ago by great butchery and empowered by the rage of all the victims of that butchery. Good in the long run, because all this area shall return more quickly to purity and usefulness with the absence of such a creature. Terrible in the present, because I believe the redcap’s presence kept alive the charm of warding upon this place.”
“So,” said Gudrin, “with the redcap dead, Herla should soon be able to cross the fallen walls. This siege may soon become a battle.”
“Exactly,” said Myrrdin, “we have little time left now, I should think.”
Brand thought about Myrrdin’s words, and soon came to better understand Oberon’s choice of contest. He had caused Brand to slay the redcap, which would allow Herla to pass the walls. There would be a battle now for certain. Perhaps Oberon thought he might do better than to gain just one of the Jewels. Now there were many in play and there would be many chances for a wise player to snatch them up.
“I have some small good news,” Brand said. He told them briefly of the armory he had found guarded by the redcap. They quickly agreed they should set out at first light to investigate the find and arm themselves for the coming conflict.
“Too bad we have no army to supply with these arms,” said Modi regretfully.
Brand blinked as a pail of steaming water was placed before him. He looked up to see Telyn there, smiling at him worriedly. He nodded in gratitude and she touched his brow with her lips before going to gather more wood. Brand began to carefully wash his hands. The spot where she had kissed him still tingled and it warmed him somehow.
“What about all these green shoots you’ve had us gather for days, Myrrdin?” asked Corbin. “What will you make with these?”
Myrrdin smiled at that. “You’ll see!” he said. “In the first light of morning, you’ll see what!”
They talked for a while longer, but soon decided it was best to bed down again for whatever remained of the night. Modi was already snoring by this time. Corbin’s watch continued on the walls, and even Brand lay down and closed his eyes. Sleep didn’t come easily however, as each time his eyes shut he saw the child-like face of Oberon’s daughter.
His eyes snapped open when the axe tapped his back some time later. He found that Tomkin crouched before him, head cocked to one side. He sat up and the manling hopped backward reflexively, then crouched again.
“What do you want?” hissed Brand. From the sounds the others were making, it was clear that they slept.
“Thy tale was woefully incomplete,” said Tomkin.
Brand was irritated at having been awakened. He rested his head on his hand and
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