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The old woman turned and poked out a bony finger. "Now ye list and learn,
Thurton! If there's one thing this young lord of ours does, it's keep his
word! When my man, Undlejack, was still alive, he won a hand of card's off
Mourngrym, playin' the night away at the Old Skull, and the lord asked him his
price. ... A new roof, my man says, as bold as anything 'cuz that's what we
needed, in truth an' the next day, gods be blowed if the lord doesn't show up
with half a dozen guards, n' do the roof right then! The lord himself, up on
our cottage, sweatin' along with the rest of 'em! And when he's done, he asks
if we want the fence set straight, seein' as
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they're here . . . an' up comes a cart, after, when we're talkin' and out of
it he serves us a feast, an' the neighbors what come to watch, too! Tells us
it's no more'n we deserve!"
She turned and marched out of the forecourt, then pivoted back to face the
astonished Thurton. "Ye find me another lord anywhere as does that for me an'
others what ain't high and mighty, an' can't do him anything great in return!
Ye'll be lookin' from the Sword Coast to the weird lands past Thay, an' not be
findin' one, neither!"
Another two dalefolk strode out, one of them weeping, and the other walking
awkwardly beside her. "Now, Nan he can't raise to life someone he can't find!
He did say he'd walk you around those laid out in the temple for burial, to
see if we can find him. No one could do more."
The next person to come to the door was Mourngrym, his face pinched with
sorrow. Shaerl leapt up and threw her arms around him. "My love," she said in
a low, tender voice as their arms tightened around each other. He kissed her
gently, as if they were alone in the room, before lifting his head and saying,
"Shaerl, ask Thurbal to pass the word. No one's seen Aglyn's grandsire since
the battle, and Nan's beside herself not knowing. If anyone . .."
Mourngrym's gaze fell upon the priest of Tyr, waiting patiently to be
introduced, and his face lit up. "Most Holy Arbeth! Be welcome, please, in
Shadowdale! I'm sorry I didn't see you at once! Have you eaten?"
"If we could talk for just a few breaths, Lord Mourngrym, I'd be delighted to
dine with you and your beautiful lady. I'd hoped also to meet the Lady Storm,
but I hear she's . . . not to be found."
"That is so, I fear," Mourngrym said, "but come in, and we'll talk, the three
of us oh, yes: my lady and I rule as one." The priest's eyebrows were still
raised as the doors of the audience chamber swung shut behind
the three of them.
"He's a good ruler," Amdramnar said grudgingly.
"All the better for us, then," Argast said. "Let him manage our cattle until
we're ready to rule here."
"Our foes the three bold rangers seem to have just departed on patrol... do we
chase after them?"
"No, let them go. They'll return to us and then we'll feed."
"Eat them?"
"Yes I mean to eat them alive, limb by limb, slowly, while they plead. Well
use our everfire wand to seal the joints and keep them living. They may last
several days."
"And then?"
Then we'll reveal ourselves, and start on the rest of these cattle."
They had just time to fall silent and look as if they'd been that way for some
time when a tall, silver-haired figure strode through the front doors,
exchanged a salute, a wink, and a blown kiss that left old Guthtar blushing,
turned into the forecourt, and strode to the audience chamber doors.
Argast turned. "Ah, my La "
"Hist!" Amdramnar and Guthtar said together, reaching to silence him. Storm
turned, gave them all a cheery wave, and flung the doors wide.
That's Lady Storm!" Guthtar snarled in a whisper. "Never stop her going
anywhere!" By common accord, the three guards had moved hurriedly to look
through the closing doors in time to see Storm, with a joyous laugh, sweep the
justicar of Tyr up into the air as if he was a boy, then bring him down to her
lips.
"Ye gods," Argast said, for Guthtar's benefit. "Guarding folk around here's
going to be a lot more interesting than I'd dared hope!"
"A lot more fun, too," Guthtar whispered hoarsely, and trotted back to his
post.
The two Malaugrym exchanged glances. These folk of
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Faerun seemed to care for each other a lot more than any of the blood of
Malaug ever had . . . and laughed a lot more, too. . . .
'f- his tentacles as she fought for calm.
The Malaugrym smiled softly. "Not yet, so long as you are obedient, Lady . . .
not yet."
Tower of Mortoth, Sembia, Flamerule 29
Cold fire flickered, and Irendue was free of the endless nothingness and
blinking away tears to stare into the darkly handsome face of one of the cruel
shapeshifters ... a human face whose eyes were two dark flames.
Irendue swallowed as he took her hand and lowered her gently to the privy
chamber floor. The air was cool on her bare skin. She shivered as the monster
smiled at her.
"You won't hurt me?" she pleaded, voice quavering despite herself. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]