Mary Herbert: Dark Horse

“Perhaps it’s time we did,” a voice called from the palace. The crowd stirred and muttered among themselves, for everyone recognized the rich voice of Cantrell.

The blind bard walked out of the palace doors accompanied by Piers. Cantrell’s step was firm and unhesitating as he came to stand beside Koshyn. “We have tried to ignore magic for two hundred years, and look where our fears took us. The clans were nearly destroyed by a man who abused the arts of sorcery. If our people had learned from their mistakes and regulated sorcery instead of turning their backs on it, this war with Medb would not have happened.”

“But magic is a perversion!” a priest shouted from the crowd. He was supported by yells of agreement.

“That is what our ancestors wanted to believe, and they stuffed their lies down our throats in every tale, prayer, and law. But I tell you,” Cantrell said as he rose to his full height and spread his hands out to include every person there, “magic is as natural as the air we breathe. It is only as dangerous as the person who wields it. If Medb had not had magic at his use, he would have simply used other weapons to conquer us.” The bard pointed to Nara. “Look at the Hunnuli. We all believe in the inherent goodness of such horses. They were gifts to us from Valorian. A Hunnuli nearly killed Medb, yet another stands here beside Gabria. If magic were evil as we have been taught, would the Hunnuli stay with the girl?”

The large crowd began talking and arguing amongst themselves. They had never heard or seen anything like this.

Lord Jol stood up. The old chief was shaken by Cantrell’s words, but he did not like change and stubbornly clung to the safety of the laws. “This girl broke clan law!” he shouted, “She impersonated a warrior, joined a werod, attended a council meeting, and claimed herself chieftain. For those crimes alone she should be put to death.”

Athlone came to his feet, his face dark with anger. “Those crimes occurred while Gabria was with my clan. As her chieftain, it is my responsibility to deal with her punishment. This council need only concern itself with her use of sorcery.”

Koshyn nodded in agreement and held up his hands to calm the two men. “Today we only need to decide what to do about Gabria’s sorcery. We have to remember,” he said with an ironic twist of his mouth, “if we have her put to death, we are killing the last of the Corin. Another great dishonor for our clans.”

The lords were quiet for a time, some of them looking at Gabria, others looking anywhere else but at the girl. The onlookers continued debating loudly with each other. Gabria remained still, her stomach twisted in knots. She was terrified of this meeting, but she had known from the moment she broke the Woman of the Marsh’s magic that she would have to face the council.

Cantrell took a deep breath and walked with Piers to the edge of the steps. “My lords,” the bard said, his voice ringing through the courtyard, “if you kill the girl, Gabria, for using magic, then you shall have to put me to death, too, for I, also, have the talent to use magic.”

The noise around the palace abruptly stopped as every person stared at the venerable bard in shock.

Cantrell cocked his head at the silence. “I try not to use my talent, but it inadvertently comes out in my riddles.”

Piers looked at the stunned faces around him and said, “My lords, you will have to kill me as well. I, too, have used magic. I do not have the talent to wield it, but I have a stone of healing that works by a magic spell and has healed several people in my clan.”

Athlone shook his head. He should have known Piers was mixed up somehow with Gabria and the sorcery. He glanced at the other lords. Lord Jol was slack-jawed and Malech of the Reidhar was looking distressed; Koshyn had a faint smile on his face. Sha Umar simply looked fascinated.

Slowly, Athlone stood up and his movement drew everyone’s attention. He motioned toward Cantrell and Piers. “I seem to have a talent to wield magic, too. I have only known for a few days, but in that time I have learned a great deal.” He went down a step and held out his hand to Gabria. Proudly she walked up to stand beside him.

“I believe it is time to change the laws,” Athlone continued. “Not only to save Gabria, but to save ourselves. Even if we kill her and wash our hands of this incident, another person with the talent will come forward, perhaps to destroy us. For our own survival, we need to learn the ways of magic again and to regulate it. I beg you, lords, change the laws. I do not wish to die, but I will stand with Gabria.”

The other six chieftains stared from Piers and Cantrell to Athlone and Gabria. Before they had time to really think, Koshyn drew the lords together and began talking heatedly to them. Lord Jol continually shook his head, and Lord Caucus looked doubtful, but at last they seemed to reach some son of agreement.

Lord Koshyn stepped forward. He said to Gabria, “I suppose it is too much to demand that you never use your sorcery again.” Gabria held tightly to Athlone’s arm, her heart pounding.

“My lord, I cannot promise that,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “There may come a time when I will need my power. Lord Branth is still missing and the Book of Matrah with him. But I will promise this, I will never use magic in any way that will harm the clans. I swear on the honor of the Corin.”

The Dangari chief glanced back at the other lords. They merely nodded.

“Then listen to our decision. The council frees you, Gabria, from the punishment of death in gratitude for your courageous rescue of our clans. But the law forbidding magic must stand until such time as the council can decide what to do about this issue. Lord Athlone, you are to be held personally responsible for your actions as well as those of Gabria, Piers, and Cantrell. If at any time they break the laws that are decided upon, they and you will be put to death. Is that acceptable?”

The watching crowd broke out in an uproar of mixed relief and anger. They had no choice but to accept the chieftains’ decision, but many of the clanspeople, especially those who had not been involved in the battles with Medb, were not pleased.

But at that moment, Gabria did not care. Athlone swept her up in a joyous embrace and Tungoli ran to embrace them both.

Athlone went up the steps with Gabria and faced Koshyn. The younger chief grinned broadly at them both.

“We accept your decision,” Athlone called to all the chiefs. To Koshyn, he said quietly, “Thank you, my friend.”

Koshyn’s blue eyes twinkled. “Just don’t make me regret it.” He turned to watch Gabria as she went to embrace Piers and Cantrell. “I can see now the laws must be changed, but it will take a great deal of time and persuasion.”

“Thanks to you, we have the time.”

“How will you handle Gabria’s punishment with the Khulinin?” Koshyn asked curiously.

Athlone grinned. “I will make her marry me.”

Koshyn burst out laughing. He clasped Athlone’s arm, and the two men went to join the other lords.

The evening light lingered softly in the sky as Athlone and Gabria walked alone by the Isin River. They followed the grassy banks past the encampments to a place where a burial mound had been built on a small hill overlooking the fortress and the valley.

There had been many dead to mourn after the battle with Medb’s army. The bodies of the exiles and mercenaries had been burned and buried without ceremony. Medb’s body was burned and dumped in the river. The dead of the clans were buried in a large mound near the fortress. Savaric, though, had been sent to the Hall of the Dead with every honor. His body rested now in the large mound crowned with a ring of spears.