Tedric to the and got a of raw, gold. He took it to his shop and to work it into the thin, he so clearly.
And tried—and tried—and tried.
And failed—and failed—and failed.
He was still trying—and still failing—three later. Time was short; the hours that had like days now like minutes. His had done their best to help; Bendon, his foreman, was still by. The king was looking on and advice. So were Rhoann and Trycie. Sciro and Schillan and other more or less were also trying to be of use.
Tedric, and tense, was at a of his latest production. It was a thing—lumpy in spots, and rough, with where had met through its substance. The smith's left hand at the instant, just as the struck. The into three pieces.
Completely frustrated, Tedric backward, fulminantly, and the with all his toward the nearest wall. And in that there appeared, in the now familiar cage-like of shimmering, bars, the of that was Llosir the god. High in the air directly over the the hung, and silent, and stared.
Everyone Tedric gave to the god, but he from the Devossian he had been using to more Lomarrian.
"Is it possible, Lord Sir, for any being to do anything with this foul, slimy, salvy, perverse, treacherous, and generally-bedamned stuff?"
"It is. Definitely. Not only possible, but easy and simple, if the proper tools, apparatus, and are employed," Llosir's bell-toned-organ pseudo-voice replied. "Ordinarily, in your lifetime, you would come to know nothing of gold leaf—although thin gold is not here—nor of gold-beater's skins and and how to use them, of the to be and the of them. The necessary and materials are, or can very be made, available to you; you can now the and knowledge.
"For this of out gold leaf, your and are wrong. Listen and remember. For the first, down, you take ..."[A]
Lomarr's army set out at dawn. First the wide-ranging scouts: lean, hard, fine-trained runners, to and and only a light and a apiece. Then the hunters. They, too, and naked: but the hundred-pound and the savagely-tearing of their trade.
Then the Heavy Horse, in number, but of the old blood all, by Tedric and Sciro and Phagon and his standard-bearers. It took a of to a full-armored of the Old Blood, but the horse-farmers of the Middle Marches for size and and stamina.
Next came century after century of light horse—mounted and and javelineers—followed by more centuries of foot-slogging infantry.
Last of all came the big-wheeled, wagons: loaded, not only with the and of war, but also with thousands of of bread—hard, flat, from ling, the corn-like which was the of the region.
"Bread, sire?" Tedric had asked, wonderingly, when Phagon had the idea. Men on the on meat—a straight, diet of meat for and months on end—and all too not of that to maintain weight and strength. They nothing else; an occasional fist-sized of was luxury. "Bread! A whole each man a day?"
"Aye," Phagon had in reply. "All along the way will have my of ling, and Schillan will at need more. To each man a each day, and all the meat he can eat. 'Tis why we go up the Midvale, where all dogs to their 'gainst of game. Such will be abroad. Canst think of a device to Taggad's ill-fed to our standards?"
Tedric couldn't.
There is no need to in detail upon the army's long, slow march. Leaving the city of Lompoar, it moved up the Lotar River, through the of the Coast Range, and into the Middle Valley; that and region which, the Low Umpasseurs on the east and the Coast Range on the west, a third of Lomarr's area. Into and through the of Bonoy, at the of the Midvale River with the Lotar. Then north, through the and of the Midvale's west bank.
Game was, as Phagon had said, plentiful; out-numbering by thousands to one animals and men. Buffalo-like lippita, moose-like rolatoes, pig-like accides—the largest and among the of Lomarr's game animals—were so that one good kill in an hour to a century for a day. Hence most of the hunters' time was in their traveling dryers, meat against a day of need.
On, up the Lake Midvale, a full day's long and that in width. Past the Chain Lakes, on the river like on a string. Past Lake Ardo, and on toward Lake Middlemarch and the Middlemarch Castle which was to be Tedric's official henceforth.
As the main passed the of the lake, a of in a with news.
"Thank Sarpedion, sire, I had not to to Lompoar to you!" he cried, to his knees. "Middlemarch Castle is besieged! Hurlo of the Marches is slain!" and he on to tell a of and slaughter.
"And the iron," Phagon remarked, when the was done. "Sarlonian iron, no doubt?"
"Aye, sire, but how ..."
"No matter. Take him to the rear. Feed him."
"You this raid, sire," Tedric said, than asked, after and had disappeared.
"Aye. 'Twas no raid, but the of a war. No fool, Taggad of Sarlon; Issian of Devoss, though he is. They what loomed, and first. The only was Hurlo's death ... he had my direct orders not to do 'gainst any force, slight-seeming, but to into the castle, which was to be to a of months ... this me from him in oil for stupidity, incompetence, and disloyalty."
Phagon in thought, then on: "Were there that appeared not...? Surely not—Taggad would not his at all seriously: 'tis but to me ... or they are mostly despite the Sarlonian iron ... to and is no their aim, but for Lomarr's good not one of them should escape. Knowst the Upper Midvale, Tedric, above the lake?"
"But little, sire; a miles only. I was there but once."
"'Tis enough. Take the Royal Guard and a century of bowmen. Cross the Midvale at the three miles above us here. Go up and around the lake. The Upper Midvale is almost at this season, so away from the that none see you. Cross it, in a wide circle toward the on which Middlemarch Castle, and in three days...?"
"Three days will be ample, sire."
"Three days from tomorrow's dawn, as the top of the sun the meadow, make your out of the forest, with your spread to off all who to flee. I will be on this of the peninsula; us they'll be ground like ling. None shall away!"
Phagon's assumptions, however, were in error. When Tedric's charged, at the of the dawn, they did not tear through a of half-armored, half-trained barbarians. Instead, they two full centuries of Sarlon's armor! And Phagon the King worse. At of that a solid of as though by magic and it at full gallop!
Phagon fought, of course; as his had always fought. At on horse, with his terrible sword, under the of which after died. His dropped, slaughtered; his was away; but, afoot, the war-axe to his by of super-steel was still his. He and and again; again and again; and with each an enemy to live; but weight of metal was too much. Finally, still his weapon, Phagon of Lomarr on the ground.
At the on their king, Tedric with his and Sciro with his had gone berserk. Sciro was nearer, but Tedric was and and had the horse.
"Dreegor!" he yelled, his steed's with his and high in his stirrups. Nostrils flaring, the and Tedric as he had before. Eight times that came down, and eight men and eight died. Then, suddenly—Tedric did know how it happened, since Dreegor was later uninjured—he himself afoot. No place for sword, this, but to order for axe. Hence, as as though a of iron were him, he his way toward his sovereign.
Thus he was near at hand when Phagon down. So was Sciro; and by the time the Sarlonians had learned that cut or that gold-seeming was upon them. Tedric his king's head, Sciro his feet; and, to back, two of Lomarr's of through which it was suicide to attempt to pass. Thus until the last was down.
"Art hurt, sire?" Tedric asked as he and Sciro Phagon to his feet.
"Nay, my masters-at-arms," the gasped, still for breath. "Bruised merely, and winded." He opened his to let more air in; then, as he control, he off the supporting hands and under his own power. "I me, Tedric, that you and that of mine were in some right. Methinks I may be—Oh, the trifle!—out of condition. But the is almost over. Did any escape?"
None had.
"'Tis well. Tedric, I know not how to honor...."
"Honor me no farther, sire, I beg. Hast me already more than I deserved, or will.... Or, at least, at the moment ... there may be later, ... that is, a thing ..." he silent.
"A thing?" Phagon broadly. "I know not Rhoann will be pleased at being called so, but 'twill be in mind nonetheless. Now you, Sciro; Lord Sciro now and henceforth, and all your line. Lord of what I will not now say; but when we have taken Sarlo you and all others shall know."
"My thanks, sire, and my obeisance," said Sciro.
"Schillan, with me to my pavilion. I am and sore, and would rest."
As the two Lords of the Realm, so commoners, away to do what had to be done:
"Neither of us any than ever, I know," Sciro said, "but in one way 'tis well—very well indeed."
"The Lady Trycie, eh? The wind set so, then, as I thought."
"Aye. For long and long. It me often, your choice of the Lady Rhoann over her. Howbeit, 'twill be a thing to be your brother-in-law as well as in arms."
Tedric companionably, but he reply they had to and go to work.
The king did not long; the called Tedric in his job was done.
"What you, Tedric, should be next?" Phagon asked.
"First Devoss, sire!" Tedric snarled. "Back-track them—storm High Pass if defended—raze the with and torch—drive them the full length of their country and into Northern Sound!"
"Interesting, my youngblade, but not at all practical," Phagon countered. "Hast the of time—the of set up and to those narrow paths—what Taggad would be doing while we through the wastelands?"
Tedric almost instantaneously. "Nay, sire," he sheepishly. "I not of any such."
"'Tis the trouble with you—you know not how to think." Phagon was now. "'Tis a hard thing to learn; for many; but learn it you must if you end not as Hurlo ended. Also, take heed: my orders but once, as Hurlo did, and you in from the of your own Castle Middlemarch until your and into the lake."
His monarch's threat—or rather, promise—left Tedric unmoved. "'Tis what I would deserve, sire, or less; but no of that. Stupid I may be, but disloyal? Nay, sire. Your word always has been and always will be my law."
"Not stupid, Tedric, but in judgment, which is not as bad; since the condition is, if you to make it so, remediable. You must enough, Tedric. You must learn, and quickly; for much more than your own life is at hazard."
The man and the king on: "My life, the of my family, and the of all Lomarr," he said quietly.
"In that case, sire, learn, and quickly," Tedric declared; and, as days and by, he did.
