"Once. But they were a war party, mounted and well supplied."
Stark looked out across the stones. "We will cross it," he said.
Berild raised her head. "Somehow I believe you." She rose slowly and
put her hands on his breast, over the strong beating of his heart.
"Give me your strength, wild man," she whispered. "I shall need it."
He drew her to him and kissed her, and it was a strange and painful
kiss, for their lips were cracked and bleeding from their terrible
thirst. Then they went down together into the place called the Belly of
Stones.