Roger Taylor - The Return of the Sword

‘You’ll be his mate, I imagine. I must say, you’re…’

‘I am not!’ Marna interrupted indignantly. She flicked a thumb towards the smirking Goraidin. ‘I came with them.’ The thumb moved to Farnor. ‘He… just followed, later.’

Gavor flapped his wings and hopped back nervously in the face of this powerful denial. ‘Sincerest apologies, dear girl,’ he said. ‘But an understandable error on my part. I was about to remark how attractive you are and how fortunate he was to have won the charms of someone so lovely.’ Marna’s jaw dropped, prompting Gavor to add with weary confidentiality, ‘When your mouth’s not hanging open, that is, dear girl. Do take care, it really doesn’t do you justice.’

Yengar intervened protectively. ‘You’re a long way from home, Gavor.’

‘Just giving the old wings a stretch as it were. Didn’t realize how far I’d come. Out for a little solitude. Anderras Darion’s rather crowded these days. It seems the whole world’s being drawn to it. It’s getting to be positively raucous.’

‘I’m sure Memsa Gulda will bring some semblance of order to things,’ Yrain said. ‘How long has she been there?’

‘Well, you know how it is with the Memsa. Disappears for years on end – gone forever, as far as we knew – gone to take her place in legend. Then she’s back and picking up the last conversation she was having with you as if she’d never been away. And she is, as you quite rightly surmise, bringing order to things. Which is one of the other reasons I thought I’d pop out for a while.’

His desolate tone prompted some laughter.

‘And how are you, sky prince?’ Yrain asked. ‘Have you missed us?’

With an alarming flurry, Gavor took off and propelled himself from the parapet to land on her shoulder. ‘Unceasingly, dear girl. How could I not, with such radiance gone from the castle? You’ve been constantly in my mind. Both of you,’ he added with a hasty glance at Jenna.

‘Gavor, how you’ve avoided the pot for so long defeats me,’ Yrain said, trying unsuccessfully to remove him.

‘Charm, patience, wit, stalwart fidelity, to name but a few of my many sterling qualities. And I’m an excellent listener, as you know. Do be still, dear girl, you’re making me quite giddy.’ He jumped up on to her head and addressed the whole group. ‘Now, tell me everything you’ve been doing. Don’t miss a thing. I desperately need to be able to tell the Memsa something she doesn’t already know.’

‘No,’ Yengar said unequivocally. ‘We’ll be at Anderras Darion soon enough and we don’t want to be telling everything twice.’

‘Dear boy,’ Gavor purred coaxingly. ‘Just a little. Just enough to enable me to look skyward and say “I know” when she tells me something.’

Yengar pursed his lips and shook his head. ‘Our Oath as Goraidin specifically forbids us from becoming involved in disputes between formidable old ladies and birds – of any ilk. It’s in the part about self-preservation.’

Gavor’s wooden leg began tapping an impatient tattoo on Yrain’s head.

‘Very droll. But I have to tell you it’s probably in your best interests to have a quick run through your Accounting, Goraidin. Just to get it clear in your mind. You’ll certainly have to go through it more than a few times when you get to Anderras Darion.’

Yengar eyed him suspiciously. ‘Why?’

‘I told you. The place is alive with people asking questions.’

‘It was when we left, if you recall. We haven’t been gone that long. What can you expect with so many people travelling abroad these days? Besides, the Memsa needs only one telling, you know that. She’s a joy to account to.’ He signalled to Farnor and Marna. ‘Come on, you two. Mount up. Let’s be on our way. If we keep up a good pace, we can be there before midday tomorrow.’

‘Andawyr’s there as well,’ Gavor announced, extending his wings to steady himself as they set off, much to Yrain’s annoyance.

Yengar looked surprised but did not yield. ‘Excellent, that means we won’t have to trail up to the Cadwanen as well and we’ll all be able to get home much sooner – something I’m looking forward to after all that’s happened.’

‘Which was?’

‘Ah.’

‘Gavor, will you get off my damned head?’ Yrain ended the exchange. ‘You’re heavy.’

Gavor let out a conspicuous sigh as he jumped to avoid her flailing hand.

‘And don’t sit on mine,’ Jenna said fiercely. ‘Not after what you did last time.’

‘I did apologize, dear girl. It was the merest slip. These things happen when one’s engrossed. No personal criticism was intended. And it really doesn’t become you to be so unforgiving.’ Jenna’s expression, however, remained unremittingly baleful. Olvric held out his hand. Gavor bounced on to it, then up on to his head. As his broad wings spread out, it seemed to Farnor that Olvric was wearing an ancient battle helm. The sight made him catch his breath.

‘Can you still Hear the trees – and talk to them?’

Gavor was talking to him. Taken by surprise, Farnor had managed only a few inarticulate sounds before the raven was complaining to Yengar that he was, ‘Gaping again. It’s really most disconcerting.’

‘Yes, I can,’ Farnor finally said. ‘Though only faintly. We’re a long way from the Great Forest.’

‘The Great Forest is everywhere, really,’ Gavor said, leaning forward and staring at him. ‘Still, it’s remarkable. A rare gift indeed. Even amongst the Valderen. And yours is exceptional even by their standards, the Memsa tells me.’

‘So I believe. You know about the Valderen, the Great Forest?’

Gavor did not answer. ‘The will of the Great Forest goes back beyond any knowing,’ he said.

‘I wouldn’t know,’ Farnor retorted. ‘They were difficult to understand sometimes – most of the time actually. Very difficult. And it disorientated me badly when they touched on ancient things. It’s as if they remembered everything they ever knew, all the time. Almost as if time didn’t exist and everything was happening at once.’

‘Remarkable indeed,’ Gavor said softly, as if to himself. ‘You must keep them with you – touch them often. Don’t let their voice be drowned by the clamour that your own kind makes.’ They were off the bridge now and Gavor nodded significantly towards the clusters of trees that dotted the Orthlundyn landscape.

‘I will,’ Farnor promised, unexpectedly moved by the raven’s manner.

‘What’s Andawyr down for?’ Yengar asked with a casualness that did not prevent Gavor from gloating.

‘Oh, this and that,’ he replied, equally casually. ‘I’m sure he’ll tell you if he can find a moment.’ Suddenly the banter was gone from his voice. ‘Actually, he only arrived yesterday, so I don’t really know. Yatsu and Jaldaric are with him, too. And now you’re coming back, with this remarkable young man. It seems the whole world’s converging on Anderras Darion. As if the old mother were drawing her children together.’

‘They’re well, Yatsu and Jaldaric?’ Yengar interrupted his musing.

‘Yes, well enough. A little travel-weary, like yourselves, but in good heart.’

‘Did they find the men they were looking for?’

‘They did, I believe. Quite the uplifting tale, actually, though I haven’t got all of it yet. It seems whatever folly they committed in serving Oklar, they apparently atoned for it and more with loyal service to a good lord. And did you find yours?’

‘Oh yes, eventually. But there’s nothing uplifting about their fate. Those who aren’t dead are in captivity until we can arrange for them to be brought back to give a full Accounting.’

‘One would have expected little else, given who they were. But, as I recall, you were just supposed to find out where they’d gone, not start a war with them.’