the great men together in the high hall in Galing, so as it was a
heaven to see. I was one of their cupbearers, ’cause I’d killed the
standard-bearer of the Witches, in that same battle below Galing.
Methought ’twas no great thing I did; till after the battle, look
you, my Lord’s self standing beside me; and saith he, ‘Arnod’ (ay, by
my name, father), ‘Arnod,’ a saith, ‘thou’st done down the pennon o’
Witchland that ’gainst our freedom streamed so proud. ’Tis thy like
shall best stead Demonland i’ these dog-days,’ saith he. ‘Bear my cup
to-night, for thine honour.’ I would, lass, thou’dst seen his eyes that
tide. ’Tis a lord to put marrow in the sword-arm, our Lord.
“They had forth the great map o’ the world, of this Demonland, to
study their business. I was by, pouring the wine, and I heard their
disputations. ’Tis a wondrous map wrought in crystal and bronze, most
artificial, with waters a-glistering and mountains standing substantial
to the touch. My Lord points with’s sword. ‘Here,’ a saith, ‘standeth
Corinius, by all sure tellings, and budgeth not from Krothering. And,
by the Gods,’ a saith, ‘’tis a wise disposition. For, mark, if we
go by Gashterndale, as go we must to come at him, he striketh down
on us as hammer on anvil. And if we will pass by toward the head of
Thunderfirth,’ and here a pointeth it out with’s sword, ‘Down a cometh
on our flank; and every-gate the land’s slope serveth his turn and
fighteth against us.’
“I mind me o’ those words,” said the young man, “’cause my Lord
Brandoch Daha laughed and said, ‘Are we grown so strange by our
travels, our own land fighteth o’ the opposite party? Let me study it
again.’
“I filled his cup. Dear Gods, but I’d fill him a bowl of mine own
heart’s blood if he required it of me, after our times together,
father. But more o’ that anon. The stoutest gentleman and captain
without peer.
“But Lord Spitfire, that was this while vaunting up and down the
chamber, cried out and said, ‘’Twere folly to travel his road prepared
us. Take him o’ that side he looketh least to see us: south through the
mountains, and upon him in his rear up from Mardardale.’
“‘Ah,’ saith my Lord, ‘and be pressed back into Murkdale Hags if
we miss of our first spring. ’Tis too perilous. ’Tis worse than
Gashterndale.’
“So went it: a nay for every yea, and nought to please ’em. Till i’
the end my Lord Brandoch Daha, that had been long time busy with the
map, said: ‘Now that y’ have threshed the whole stack and found not the
needle, I will show you my rede, ’cause ye shall not say I counselled
you rashly.’
“So they bade him say his rede. And he said unto my Lord, ‘Thou and
our main power shall go by Switchwater Way. And let the whole land’s
face blaze your coming before you. Ye shall lie to-morrow night in
some good fighting-stead whither it shall not be to his vantage to
move against you: haply in the old shielings above Wrenthwaite, or at
any likely spot afore the road dippeth south into Gashterndale. But
at point of day strike camp and go by Gashterndale and so up on to
the Side to do battle with him. So shall all fall out even as his own
hopes and expectations do desire it. But I,’ saith my Lord Brandoch
Daha, ‘with seven hundred chosen horse, will have fared by then clean
along the mountain ridge from Transdale even to Erngate End; so as when
he turneth all his battle northward down the Side to whelm you, there
shall hang above the security of his flank and rear that which he ne’er
dreamed on. If he support my charging of his flank at unawares, with
you in front to cope him, and he with so small an advantage upon us in
strength of men: if he stand that, why then, good-night! the Witches
are our masters in arms, and we may off cap to ’em and strive no more
to right us.’
“So said my Lord Brandoch Daha. But all called him daft to think on’t.
Carry an army a-horseback in so small time ’cross such curst ground?
It might not be. ‘Well,’ quoth he, ‘sith you count it not possible,
so much the more shall he. Cautious counsels never will serve us this
tide. Give me but my pick of man and horse to the number of seven
hundred, and I’ll so set this masque you shall not desire a better
master of the revels.’
“So i’ the end he had his way. And past midnight they were at it, I
wis, planning and studying.
“At dawn was the whole army marshalled in the meadows below Moonmere,
and my Lord spake among them and told us he was minded to march into
the west country and exterminate the Witches out of Demonland; and he
bade any man that deemed he had now his fill of furious war and deemed
it a sweeter thing to go home to his own place, say forth his mind
without fear, and he would let him go, yea, and give him good gifts
thereto, seeing that all had done manful service; but he would have
no man in this enterprise who went not to it with his whole heart and
mind.”
The damosel said, “I wis there was not a man would take that offer.”
“There went up,” said the soldier, “such a shout, with such a stamping,
and such a clashing together of weapons, the land shook with’t, and
the echoes rolled in the high corries of the Scarf like thunder, of
them shouting ‘Krothering!’ ‘Juss!’ ‘Brandoch Daha!’ ‘Lead us to
Krothering!’ Without more ado was the stuff packed up, and ere noon
was the whole army gotten over the Stile. While we halted for daymeal
hard by Blackwood in Amadardale, came my Lord Brandoch Daha a-riding
among the ranks for to take his pick of seven hundred of our ablest
horse. Nor a would not commit this to his officer, but himself called
on each lad by name whenso he saw a likely one, and speered would a
ride with him. I trow he gat never a nay to that speering. My heart
was a-cold lest he’d o’erlook me, watching him ride by as jaunty as a
king. But a reined in’s horse and saith, ‘Arnod, ’tis a bonny horse
thou ridest. Could he carry thee to a swine-hunt down from Erngate End
i’ the morning?’ I saluted him and said, ‘Not so far only, Lord, but to
burning Hell so thou but lead us.’ ‘Come on,’ saith he. ‘’Tis a better
gate I shall lead thee: to Krothering hall ere eventide.’
“So now was our strength sundered, and the main army made ready to
march westward down Switchwater Way; with the Lord Zigg to lead the
horse, and the Lord Volle and my Lord’s self and his brother the
Lord Spitfire faring in the midst amongst ’em all. And with them
yonder outland traitor, Lord Gro; but I do think him more a stick of
sugar-paste than a man of war. And many gentlemen of worth went with
them: Gismor Gleam of Justdale, Astar of Rettray, and Bremery of Shaws,
and many more men of mark. But there abode with my Lord Brandoch Daha,
Arnund of By, and Tharmrod of Kenarvey, Kamerar of Stropardon, Emeron
Galt, Hesper Golthring of Elmerstead, Styrkmir of Blackwood, Melchar
of Strufey, Quazz’s three sons from Dalney, and Stypmar of Failze:
fierce and choleric young gentlemen, after his own heart, methinks;
great horsemen, not very forecasting of future things afar off but
entertainers of fortune by the day; too rash to govern an army, but
best of all to obey and follow him in so glorious an enterprise.
“Ere we parted, came my Lord to speak with my Lord Brandoch Daha. And
my Lord looked into the lift that was all dark cloud and wind; and
quoth he, ‘Fail not at the tryst, cousin. ’Tis thy word, that thou and
I be finger and thumb; and never more surely than to-morrow shall this
be seen.’
“‘O friend of my heart, content thee,’ answereth my Lord Brandoch Daha.
‘Didst ever know me neglect my guests? And have I not bidden you to
breakfast with me to-morrow morn in Krothering meads?’
“Now we of the seven hundred turned leftward at the watersmeet up
Transdale into the mountains. And now came ill weather upon us,
the worst that ever I knew. ’Tis soft enow and little road enow in
Transdale, as thou knowest, father, and weary work it was with every
deer-track turned a water-course and underfoot all slush and mire, and
nought for a man to see save white mist and rain above and about him,
and soppy bent and water under’s horse-hooves. Little there was to tell
us we were won at last to the top of the pass, and ’twere not the cloud
blew thicker and the wind wilder about us. Every man was wet to the
breech, and bare a pint o’ water in’s two shoes.
“Whiles we were halted on the Saddle my Lord Brandoch Daha rested not
at all, but gave his horse to his man to hold and himself fared back
and forth among us. And for every man he had a jest or a merry look,
so as ’twas meat and drink but to hear or to behold him. But a little
while only would he suffer us to halt; then right we turned, up along
the ridge, where the way was yet worse than in the dale had been, with
rocks and pits hidden in the heather, and slithery slabs of granite.
By my faith, I think no horse that was not born and bred to’t might
cross such country, wet or fine; he should be foundered or should
break his legs and his rider’s neck ere he should be gotten two hours’
journey along those ridges; but we that rode with my Lord Brandoch
Daha to Krothering Side were ten hours riding so, besides our halts to
water our horses and longer halts to feed ’em, and the last part o’
the way through murk night, and all the way i’ the wind’s teeth with
rain blown on the wind like spray, and hail at whiles. And when the
rain was done, the wind veered to the north-west and blew the ridges
dry. And then the little bits of rotten granite blew in our faces like
hailstones on the wind. There was no shelter, not o’ the lee side of
the rocks, but everywhere the storm-wind baffled and buffeted us, and
clapped his wings among the crags like thunder. Dear Heaven, weary we
were and like to drop, cold to the marrow, nigh blinded man and horse,
yet with a dreadful industry pressed on. And my Lord Brandoch Daha was
now in the van now in the rear-guard, cheering men’s hearts who marked
with what blithe countenance himself did suffer the same hardships
as his meanest trooper: like to one riding at ease to some great
wedding-feast; crying, ‘What, lads, merrily on! These fen-toads of the
Druima shall learn too late what way our mountain ponies do go like
stags upon the mountain.’
“When it began to be morning we came to our last halt, and there was
our seven hundred horse hid in the corrie under the tall cliffs of
Erngate End. I warrant you we went carefully about it, so as no prying
swine of Witchland looking up from below should aspy a glimpse of man
or horse o’ the sky-line. His highness first set his sentinels and let
call the muster, and saw that every man had his morning meal and every
horse his feed. Then he took his stand behind a crag of rock whence he
could overlook the land below. He had me by him to do his errands. In
the first light we looked down westward over the mountain’s edge and
saw Krothering and the arms of the sea, not so dark but we might behold
their fleet at anchor in Aurwath roads, and their camp like a batch of
beehives so as a man might think to cast a stone into’t below us. That
was the first time I’d e’er gone to the wars with him. Faith, he’s a
pretty man to see: leaned forward there on the heather with’s chin on
his folded arms, his helm laid aside so they should not see it glint
from below; quiet like a cat: half asleep you’d say; but his eyes were
awake, looking down on Krothering. ’Twas well seen even from so far
away how vilely they had used it.
“The great red sun leaped out o’ the eastern cloudbanks. A stir began
in their camp below: standards set up, men gathering thereto, ranks
forming, bugles sounding; then a score of horse galloping up the
road from Gashterndale into the camp. His highness, without turning
his head, beckoned with’s hand to me to call his captains. I ran and
fetched ’em. He gave ’em swift commands, pointing down where the
Witchland swine rolled out their battle; thieves and pirates who robbed
his highness’ subjects within his streams; with standard and pennons
and glistering naked spears, moving northward from the tents. Then
in the quiet came a sound made a man’s heart leap within him: faint
out of the far hollows of Gashterndale, the trumpet of my Lord Juss’s
battle-call.
“My Lord Brandoch Daha paused a minute, looking down. Then a turned him
about with face that shone like the morning. ‘Fair lords,’ a saith,
‘now lightly on horseback, for Juss fighteth against his enemies.’ I
think he was well content. I think he was sure he would that day get
his heart’s syth of every one that had wronged him.
“That was a long ride down from Erngate End. With all our hearts’ blood
drumming us to haste, we must yet go warily, picking our way i’ that
tricky ground, steep as a roof-slope, uneven and with no sure foothold,
with sikes in wet moss and rocks outcropping and shifting screes. There
was nought but leave it to the horses, and bravely they brought us down
the steeps. We were not half way down ere we heard and saw how battle
was joined. So intent were the Witchlanders on my Lord’s main army, I
think we were off the steep ground and forming for the charge ere they
were ware of us. Our trumpeters sounded his battle challenge, _Who
meddles wi’ Brandoch Daha?_ and we came down on to Krothering Side
like a rock-fall.
“I scarce know what way the battle went, father. ’Twas like a meeting
of streams in spate. I think they opened to us right and left to ease
the shock. They that were before us went down like standing corn under
a hailstorm. We wheeled both ways, some ’gainst their right that was
thrown back toward the camp, the more part with my Lord Brandoch Daha
to our own right. I was with these in the main battle. His highness
rode a hot stirring horse very fierce and dogged; knee to knee with him
went Styrkmir of Blackwood o’ the one side and Tharmrod o’ the other.
Neither man nor horse might stand up before ’em, and they faring as in
a maze now this way now that, amid the thrumbling and thrasting o’ the
footmen, heads and arms smitten off, men hewn in sunder from crown to
belly, ay, to the saddle, riderless horses maddened, blood splashed up
from the ground like the slush from a marsh.
[Illustration: SOLDIERS OF DEMONLAND.]
“So for a time, till we had spent the vantage of our onset and felt
for the first time the weight of their strength. For Corinius, as it
appeareth, was now himself ridden from the vanward where he had beat
back for a time our main army, and set on against my Lord Brandoch Daha
with horsemen and spearmen; and commanded his sling-casters besides to
let freely at us and drive us toward the camp.
“And now in the great swing of the battle were we carried back to the
camp again; and there was a sweet devils’ holiday: horses and men
tripping over tent-ropes, tents torn down, crashes of broken crockery,
and King Laxus come thither with sailors from the fleet, hamstringing
our horses while Corinius charged us from the north and east. That
Corinius beareth him in battle more like a devil from Hell than a
mortal man. I’ the first two strokes of’s sword he overthrew two of our
best captains, Romenard of Dalney and Emeron Galt. Styrkmir, that stood
in’s way to stop him, a flung down with’s spear, horse and man. They
say he met twice with my Lord Brandoch Daha that day, but each time
were they parted in the press ere they might rightly square together.
“I have stood in some goodly battles, father, as well thou knowest:
first following my Lord and my Lord Goldry Bluszco in foreign parts,
and last year in the great rout at Crossby Outsikes, and again with
my Lord Spitfire when he smote the Witches on Brima Rapes, and in the
murthering great battle under Thremnir’s Heugh. But never was I in
fight like to this of yesterday.
“Never saw I such feats of arms. As witness Kamerar of Stropardon,
who with a great two-handed sword hewed off his enemy’s leg close to
the hip, so huge a blow the blade sheared through leg and saddle and
horse and all. And Styrkmir of Blackwood, rising like a devil out of
a heap of slain men, and though’s helm was lossen and a was bleeding
from three or four great wounds a held off a dozen o’ the Witches
with’s deadly thrusts and sword-strokes, till they had enough and
gave back before him: twelve before one, and he given over for dead
a while before. But all great deeds seemed trash beside the deeds of
my Lord Brandoch Daha. In one short while had he three times a horse
slain stark dead under him, yet gat never a wound himself, which was
a marvel. For without care he rode through and about, smiting down
their champions. I mind me of him once, with’s horse ripped and killed
under him, and one of those Witchland lords that tilted at him on the
ground as he leaped to’s feet again; how a caught the spear with’s two
hands and by main strength yerked his enemy out o’ the saddle. Prince
Cargo it was, youngest of Corund’s sons. Long may the Witchland ladies
strain their dear eyes, they’ll ne’er see yon hendy lad come sailing
home again. His highness swapt him such a swipe o’ the neck-bone as he
pitched to earth, the head of him flew i’ the air like a tennis ball.
And i’ the twinkling of an eye was my Lord Brandoch Daha horsed again
on’s enemy’s horse, and turned to charge ’em anew. You’d say his arm
must fail at last for weariness, of a man so lithe and jimp to look
on. Yet I think his last stroke i’ that battle was not lighter than
the first. And stones and spears and sword-strokes seemed to come upon
him with no more impression than blows with a straw would give to an
adamant.
“I know not how long was that fight among the tents. Only ’twas the
best fight I ever was at, and the bloodiest. And by all tellings ’twas
as great work o’ the other part, where my Lord and his folk fought
their way up on to the Side. But of that we knew nothing. Yet certain
it is we had all been dead men had my Lord not there prevailed, as
certain ’tis he had never so prevailed but for our charging of their
flank when they first advanced against him. But in that last hour all
we that fought among the tents thought each man only of this, how he
might slay yet one more Witch, and yet again one more, afore he should
die. For Corinius in that hour put forth his might to crush us; and
for every enemy there felled to earth two more seemed to be raised up
against us. And our own folk fell fast, and the tents that were so
white were one gore of blood.
“When I was a little tiny boy, father, we had a sport, swimming in
the deep pools of Tivarandarwater, that one boy would catch ’tother
and hold him under till he could no more for want of breath. Methinks
there’s no longing i’ the world so sore as the longing for air when he
that is stronger than thou grippeth thee still under the water, nor no
gladness i’ the world like the bonny sweet air i’ thy lungs again when
a letteth thee shoot up to the free daylight. ’Twas right so with us,
who had now said adieu to hope and saw all lost save life itself, and
that not like to tarry long; when we heard suddenly the thunder of my
Lord’s trumpet sounding to the charge. And ere our startled wits might
rightly think what that portended, was the whole surging battle whipped
and scattered like the water of a lake caught up in a white squall;
and that massed strength of the enemy which had invested us round with
so great a stream of shot and steel reeled first forward then backward
then forward again upon us, confounded in a vast confusion. I trow new
strength came to our arms; I trow our swords opened their mouths. For
northward we beheld the ensign of Galing streaming like a blazing star;
and my Lord’s self in a moment, high advanced above the rout, and Zigg,
and Astar, and hundreds of our horse, hewing their way toward us whiles
we hewed towards them. And now was reaping time for us, and time of
payment for all those weary bloody hours we had held on to life with
our teeth among the tents on Krothering Side, while they o’ the other
part, my Lord and his, had with all the odds of the ground against them
painfully and yard by yard fought out the fight to victory. And now,
ere we well wist of it, the day was won, and the victory ours, and the
enemy broken and put to so great a rout as hath not been seen by living
man.
“That false king Corinius, after he had tarried to see the end of the
battle, fled with a few of his men out of the great slaughter, and as
it later appeared gat him ashipboard in Aurwath harbour and with three
ships or four escaped to sea. But the most of their fleet was burned
there in the harbour to save it from our hands.
“My Lord gave command to take up the wounded and tend ’em, friend and
foe alike. Among them was King Laxus ta’en up, stunned with a mace-blow
or some such. So they brought him before the lords where they rested a
little way down the Side above the home meads of Krothering.
“He looked ’em all in the eye, most proud and soldier-like. Then
a saith unto my Lord, ‘It may be pain, but no shame to us to be
vanquished after so equal and so great a fight. Herein only do I blame
my ill luck, that it denied me fall in battle. Thou mayst now, O Juss,
strike off my head for the treason I wrought you three years ago. And
since I know thee of a courteous and noble nature, I’ll not scorn to
ask of thee this courtesy, not to tarry but take it now.’
“My Lord stood there like a war-horse after a breather. He took him by
the hand. ‘O Laxus,’ saith he, ‘I give thee not thy head only, but thy
sword;’ and here a gave it him hilt-foremost. ‘For thy dealings with us
in the battle of Kartadza, let time that hath an art to make dust of
all things so do with the memory of these. Since then, thou hast shown
thyself still our noble enemy; and so shall we account thee still.’
“Therewith my Lord commanded bring King Laxus down to the sea, and ship
him aboard of a boat, for Corinius still held off the land with his
ships, waiting no doubt to see if he or any other of his folk could yet
be saved.
“But as King Laxus was upon parting, my Lord Brandoch Daha, speaking
with great show of carelessness as of some trifling matter a had by
chance called to mind, ‘My lord,’ saith he, ‘I ne’er ask favour of any
man. Only in a manner of return of courtesies, methought thou mightest
be willing to bear my salutations to Corinius, sith I’ve no other
messenger.’
“Laxus answereth he would freely do it. Then saith his highness, ‘Say
to him I will not blame him that he abode us not i’ the field after
the battle was lost, for that had been a simple part, flatly ’gainst
all maxims of right soldiership, and but to cast his life away. But
freakish Fortune I blame, that twined us one from the other when we
should have dealt together this day. He hath borne him in my halls, I
am let to know, more i’ the fashion of a swine or a beastly ape than a
man. Pray him come ashore ere you sail home, that I and he, with no man
else to make betwixt us, may cast up our account. We swear him peace
and grith and a safe conduct back to’s ships if he prevail against me
or if I so use him that he cry for mercy. If he’ll not take this offer,
then is he a dastard; and the whole world shall so acclaim him.’
“‘Sir,’ saith Laxus, ‘I’ll punctually discharge thy message.’
“Whether he did so or no, father, I know not. But if he did, it seemeth
it was little to Corinius’s liking. For no sooner had his ship ta’en
Laxus aboard, than she hoised sail and put out into the deep, and so
good-bye.”
• • • • •
The young man ceased, and they were all three silent awhile. A faint
breeze rippled the foliage of the oakwoods of Tivarandardale. The sun
was down behind the stately Thornbacks, and the whole sky from bourne
to bourne was alight with the sunset glory. Dappled clouds, with sky
showing here and there between, covered the heavens, save in the west
where a great archway of clear air opened between clouds and earth: air
of an azure that seemed to burn, so pure it was, so deep, so charged
with warmth: not the harsh blue of noon-day nor the sumptuous deep
eastern blue of approaching night, but a bright heavenly blue bordering
on green, deep, tender, and delicate as the spirit of evening. Athwart
the midst of that window of the west a blade of cloud, hard-edged
and jagged with teeth coloured as of live coals and dead, fiery and
iron-dark in turn, stretched like a battered sword. The clouds above
the arch were pale rose: the zenith like black opal, dark blue and
thunderous grey dappled with fire.
XXVII: THE SECOND EXPEDITION TO IMPLAND
HOW THE LORD JUSS, NOT TO BE PERSUADED FROM HIS SET PURPOSE, FOUND,
WHERE LEAST IT WAS TO BE LOOKED FOR, UPHOLDING IN THAT RESOLVE;
AND OF THE SAILING OF THE ARMAMENT TO MUELVA BY WAY OF THE
STRAITS OF MELIKAPHKHAZ.