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river flowed through a complex network of irrigation canals to water the
fields that fed Vilesh. For many miles around the yellow-brown walls of the
city, the land was green and lush. The red-tiled roofs of solid whitewashed
cottages stood out in vivid contrast in the sparkling clear air.
The city itself sprawled across five hills. Its walls rose and fell for miles
as they made their way up and down the slopes. Beyond the high walls, the
towers of palaces and temples rose, some of them gilded, others shining in a
dozen different colors. All of them were flying banners, and tall plumes of
yellow smoke rose from the tops of some of them.
"They seem to be expecting us," Blade said to Guroth.
"They are indeed, Pendarnoth," said the captain. He had apparently forgiven
Blade for his sharpness in Lio. "I sent one of my men on ahead last night with
the news that the Pendarnoth has come. There will be a festival such as there
has never been in the whole history of Vilesh. If any work gets done today, it
will be a miracle."
He looked at Blade. "You said you have been a soldier. Have you ever been a
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general, and returned to a great city after winning a great victory?"
"More or less," said Blade. "I take it that today it will be much like that in
Vilesh."
"Indeed. The people will be half-mad with joy. The Pendarnoth has come, a
thousand years of prophecy fulfilled, and their safety ensured. I wish by all
the gods that I could bring myself to such a simple faith. But I cannot.
Klerus and the Lanyri are too formidable to be met by any Father of the
Pendari, unless he also has the wisdom and warcraft of a great leader. And
whether you have those, I do not know."
"You could not expect to, Guroth," said Blade. "You have not known me long
enough. Know me longer, and I think you will find that I have some of these
talents you speak of."
"I hope so," said Guroth. "With all my heart, I hope so." He broke off
suddenly and pointed toward
Vilesh. Blade looked that way and saw a cloud of yellow dust moving out from
the gate nearest them.
"An escort is coming out to bring us in."
Blade looked back to see how Curana and the other soldiers looked. The
soldiers looked no better than men who had been riding for weeks could
look-dirty, sunburnt even darker than usual, and tired.
But Guroth obviously wasn't worried about their appearance, so there was no
point in Blade's worrying about it either.
Curana was another matter. She had never been on a horse in her life before
they left the village. But by sheer willpower she had managed to stay in the
saddle and keep pace with the rest of the party. What it had cost her in
physical strain was written in the lines carved deep in her thin, dusty face.
And how much it had cost her inside to force herself onward, away from her
native village, enduring the coldness and the taunts of the soldiers, only she
knew. At least Guroth had held his men somewhat in check, and said nothing to
her himself. He hoped the gamble he was taking for the girl's safety would be
a winner.
The dust cloud was approaching rapidly, and Blade began to see glinting metal
and fast-moving dark shapes at its base. There seemed to be at least a hundred
horsemen in the approaching party, all riding hell-for-leather. Pennons
fluttered from lances held rigidly upright. They did not slow down until they
were almost up with Blade's party. Then a horn blared out loud and harsh, and
a hundred gloved hands jerked on a hundred sets of reins. In a tremendous
uproar of hooves, neighings, and jangling harnesses, the escort came to a
stop. Its leader looked behind him to see that his men were in good order,
then rode out toward Blade.
As the man approached, Blade could see that gold must indeed be abundant among
the Pendari. All the metal fittings of the horse's harness shone with the dull
yellow gleam of dust-covered gold. So did the high-crowned helmet on the
officer's head, the chain of rank around his lean neck with its prominent
Adam's apple, the hilt of his sword, and the tip of his lance. Between them
the officer and his horse must have been carrying a small fortune in gold.
Blade had vivid memories of what gold was worth in Home
Dimension these days. He could understand the Lanyri desire to get their hands
on the gold of the
Pendari.
The officer raised his clasped hands and bowed his head. Blade noticed,
however, that his dark eyes never left his face during the bow except when
they shifted quickly to Guroth.
Then the officer raised his head, lowered his hands, and said, "I am Threstar,
High Captain of the
Archers of the Council of Regents. In the name of King Nefus and of the
Council of Regents, I hail you, Pendarnoth, and bid you welcome to Vilesh."
"I am honored by the greetings of the King of Pendar," said Blade smoothly. He
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waited just long enough for Threstar's mouth to harden into a thin line. Then
he added in the same tone, "And the greetings of the Council of Regents."
Threstar's face smoothed out. Blade noted that Guroth had not missed this
little exchange.
Without further words to Blade, Threstar began barking orders. His hundred
horsemen formed up in a double line on either side of Blade. Guroth also
snapped out his share of orders, and the men of the patrol fell back to let
Blade ride in solitary splendor. Then Threstar's hand chopped down like an
axe, the horns blew again, and the whole procession moved out.
They returned to Vilesh at a trot, not at a gallop, but the hundred horses on
either side of him kicked up a cloud of dust that made Blade cough and blink
nonetheless. The dust could not, however, conceal the people lining the road.
Some stood in awe-struck silence, others cheered and waved and shouted, "Hail
to the Pendarnoth!" while still others threw flowers. Some found there was not
enough room along the road itself, so they scrambled up on fences, the roofs
of cottages, even the branches of trees.
It got worse as they approached the walls of the city. Now people clung to
trees by the hundreds, holding banners embroidered in gold and silver out over
the road. Blade had to keep his head low to avoid being hit in the face by the
heavy cloths. The flowers poured down like a hailstorm, until there were
blossoms sticking in Blade's hair and clothing and the horse's mane.
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