by Markus Heitz
“What? Oh no, we just live to a very great age, Sirka. I am seventy cycles now and that makes me a young dwarf still. The oldest of us can live more than six hundred cycles, they say.” He saw the shock in her face. “What’s the matter?”
“That’s a big difference,” she said quietly. “Our people never get past the age of sixty cycles. Most pass away at fifty.”
“Fifty?” This was a surprise. “How old are you, Sirka?”
“I am twenty-one. My descendants are seven, five and three…”
“Your descendants.” He spoke solemnly. “And where are they now?”
“I told you we love and part when it is over. We never force anyone to stay together if feelings have cooled and died. We are a passionate people.” She gave him a kiss. “My children live in Letèfora. They are brought up by the community and I visit them regularly.”
“Do they know you?”
“They call me their mother but it does not mean very much. They are children to all; everyone looks after everyone’s children as if they were their own.” She stroked his chest. “Rest. You have shown such fortitude today.”
She stirred a powder into a small dish of water and handed it to him. “Drink this. It will ease your pain.”
He did as he was bid and soon the throbbing in the eye socket grew fainter and allowed him to sleep. For the first time for ages he was not plagued by nightmares. He saw the Outer Lands in his mind’s eye, full of beauty and new creatures. Sirka was his guide in this new land, one that fascinated and enticed him. Even if there was much he would not understand until he had seen it with his own eye.
The herd of befúns, the mounts that the ubariu had spoken of, were huge. They were like oversized orcs on four legs instead of two, with stumpy little tails. The body was muscular and as broad as that of a horse while the flat head had a snout with numerous protruding teeth. On their hands were three fingers apiece, covered in a hard layer of tough skin, with which they were able to pick up large objects.
To Tungdil the shape of the saddle seemed odd; it had a back support for the rider to rest against, relatively tall and curved like a small baldachin. He asked Sirka about the construction as someone pressed the reins into his hands. Stirrups were nowhere to be seen.
“The animals rear up in battle and help the rider by using their claws. The saddles are designed to stop us being thrown off.” She shook the back rest. “We’ve had them lengthened. You slide into the correct position.”
Rodario was getting to know his befún. “Stinks a bit, doesn’t it?” He sniffed at its light gray skin. “Stinks quite a lot, in fact.”
“It’s from their glands. They secrete a substance to toughen the skin. They’re safe against arrows and even a sword cut isn’t a problem.” Sirka showed him a damp shiny patch on the head. “A liquid also comes out there from time to time. Whatever you do, don’t touch it.”
“Is it acid?”
“No, it’s a sex gland, so if you don’t want to be jumped on by another befún for a bit of how’s your father I suggest you leave it well alone.”
“Aha!” Rodario slid right back in the saddle. “I enjoy making love but preferably not with this enchanting species. I probably wouldn’t survive its attentions.”
“Indeed. You wouldn’t.” Sirka vaulted up into the saddle and signaled to the troops behind her. She called out in a language her companions couldn’t understand; it sounded elegant and was reminiscent of elvish.
Flagur rode at her side, if you could call it riding; the befúns’ gait was nothing like that of a horse—more a series of rhythmical jumps, quite hard on the back and stomach if you were in the saddle. But they were swift and agile. Once equipped with an armored ubariu on its back, a befún would not be something Tungdil would want to face in battle. “Let’s move on!” Flagur announced. “If the distance they told us is correct we’ll be there in five orbits.
“That’s very fast,” said Tungdil. “That would be more than two hundred miles a day!”
Flagur grinned. “I keep forgetting things are different in Girdlegard. The befúns will run from sunup to sundown and they don’t need any more rest than that, or to stop and feed. They’re ideal for conditions back home.” He clicked his tongue and made a strange noise that the befún responded to. They set off at a trot.
“It’s amazing! I can hardly wait to escort the diamond back to your homeland,” Tungdil said to Sirka.
“And I can’t wait to show you around.” She touched his hand gently and followed Flagur.
The little troop set off for Weyurn—a journey that would take them through the dry northlands of Sangpûr and forest margins of Rân Rîbastur: about a thousand miles all told. On the first orbit they crossed Idoslane. A more direct route would have led them through the burning desert heart of Sangpûr, but that was not a risk Tungdil wanted to take. Sandstorms and drought can be as deadly as any älfar.
Of them all it was Lot-Ionan who was finding it most difficult to adapt to the mounts. “I was a good rider once,” he said, “and could always keep my seat. But these befúns are quite a challenge!” Like the others he was constantly being jolted forwards and backwards and from side to side. To be on the safe side he had tucked the end of his beard under one of the straps securing the luggage, so that it wouldn’t blow in his face.
Tungdil was certainly feeling all the bones in his body. Often he would bite his tongue or his own cheek. No, if you weren’t used to it, these animals made for uncomfortable riding. Sirka and Flagur and the rest of the troop were managing to look good in the saddle, thus earning respect in the eyes of the humans they passed on the road.
The strange picture they made not only aroused interest, but also instilled fear into some, who sought to defend themselves. They knew all too much about orcs from the old stories and these looked much more dangerous than the old versions. Only the royal banners of Mallen and Bruron kept the group immune from attack.
Flagur did not arrange any rest periods until after sunset, when almost immediately the befúns spontaneously came to a halt and lay down like dogs to rest; the saddles stayed on their backs.
Rodario jumped off rather than dismounting. “Why, by all the gods, do they do that?”
“They can’t see very well in the dark and even at dusk their sight is bad. To stop themselves crashing into a tree or bumping into a rock they just lie down and wait for the sun to come up.” Sirka took a net out of her saddlebag and went off to the stream. “Will one of you come with me to help catch their feed?”
“Fish?” Tungdil went with her. “These funny creatures eat fish? They look more like predator carnivores to me.”
“You’re right. They eat everything,” she said, giving the word such emphasis that he preferred not to put further questions. “So it’s vital they don’t get hungry. If they set off to hunt on their own account the whole area could be devastated.”
“I see.” He waded into the water. “Throw me one end. We’ll make a barrier,” he suggested. “We can let the fish and the current do all the work rather than wear ourselves out continually tossing the net in.” She agreed and together they set about collecting sticks and branches to secure the net as a kind of funnel.
Tungdil’s empty eye socket was hurting badly, so Sirka gave him some more powder which he took with a handful of water from the stream.
The strangest insects were chirping away; soon the birds joined in with a twilight song. Tungdil realized it was one of very few evenings they had been spared any nasty surprises. “No älfar, no orcs,” he sighed with relief, sinking down on the grassy bank.
“Like in Letèfora,” said Sirka, propping herself up on one elbow so she could keep an eye on the net. “May Ubar help keep it that way. Too many sacrifices have been made; it would be awful if we don’t succeed.” She looked at him. “Balyndis. Is that her name?”
He nodded. “Yes, but I don’t want to talk about her.”
Sirka watched his solemn face. “I am so happy we’ve found each o
ther. It doesn’t matter how long it lasts.” She kissed him on the mouth.
He stroked the nape of her neck, pulling her close.
Laying her head on his shoulder she listened to the sound of his heart. “Sounds normal to me,” she said after a while.
“What did you think it would sound like?”
“A heart that’s going to beat for many hundred cycles should sound different. But it doesn’t. It’s not even any slower.”
He sat up and pushed her gently to the ground, then placed his ear on her breast. The scent that rose in his nostrils was arousing, and he felt the warmth of her brown skin on his cheek.
“And what can you hear?”
“Same as with all dwarves,” he said and kissed her throat. A sudden stabbing pain shot through his eye socket and he fell back. Any trace of desire abruptly disappeared. “Damn those atár,” he cursed, clutching at the side of his face, but it only made it worse. “I feel like wishing Ginsgar success with his campaign.”
“It’s the best thing for broka,” nodded Sirka earnestly. “Nobody is going to shed a tear for them. And there’s more harmony among the peoples of Letèfora than ever now. No one there thinks they’re above the rest. Just friends or enemies. But no more false friends.” She stood up and went to check on their catch. “Come on, Tungdil. Let’s take the befúns their feed before they start on Rodario.”
They dragged the first load of fish over to their campsite in sacks, leaving the net in place in the stream to catch more. Later, when the befúns were fully fed, the two of them slipped under a blanket by the fire and fell asleep in each other’s arms.
“Ah, love’s young dream,” said Rodario with a yawn. “I wonder what my own darling is up to?”
Flagur looked at him. “You’ve got a girl?”
“Yes.”
“And how many children do you have with her?”
“With her? None, as far as I know.” He gave a dirty grin. “But there may be a few boys and girls in Girdlegard that will do well on the stage.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I am a friend to all women and women all love me. I am incredibly irresistible.”
“And what does your girl have to say about that?”
“Have fun, she says; she’s just the same as me,” he laughed.
“Well, we seem to have more in common with humans than with dwarves,” chuckled the ubariu.
“Don’t jump to the wrong conclusion, my dear Flagur. Most people in Girdlegard are very keen on convention and like to live as married couples.” Rodario smiled. “I make sure that the young wives don’t find life too tedious, and I help prepare the daughters for love.” He took a fish and grilled it over the fire on the end of a stick. “It’s a shame there won’t be much of an opportunity to learn more about your homeland. It would be illuminating to hear a couple of stories.” He blinked. “But I’m far too sleepy to take notes.”
“Why don’t you come along with the diamond’s escort? Then you can see my country,” suggested Flagur.
“Do your people like theater? My repertoire of tales of heroes and their great deeds is enormous. I have the best range of props…” His voice tailed away. “No, I used to have the best props possible. Magister Furgas made them all for me.” He stared into the fire. “My friend is dead. I can’t believe it. Can you? I spend five cycles searching for him; I free him from the clutches of his captors and then he melts away to nothing in a sea of red-hot iron. Killed by the treachery of thirdlings.”
Flagur had been listening intently. “But not forgotten.”
“No, I haven’t forgotten him and I never will.” He pulled the cooked fish off the bones and ate thoughtfully. Occasionally he looked over at Lot-Ionan, who was sitting on the grass some distance away from the fire talking to the ubariu rune master. “I wonder what they’re discussing?”
“I expect they’re talking about the different ways they each use magic.” Flagur retrieved his fish from the fire, strewed some powder on it from a little bag, and started to eat his supper with evident relish.
“Can I try some?” asked Rodario, indicating the yellow spice.
“Of course.”
The actor drizzled a little cautiously onto his fish, sniffed, and tasted it carefully. His expression moved from skeptical to delighted. “I think I should market this stuff,” he enthused. “This mixture is… unique! I’ve never tasted anything like it.”
“I’m glad you like it. We used to wage war for it in the old days.”
“Entirely reasonable,” said Rodario. “And what agreement was reached?”
“We eradicated the other side.” Flagur handed him the little bag. “It’s made from a particular stone, milled and ground, rinsed three times in salt water and then rubbed to a fine powder.”
“You killed off a whole people for the spice?” He could not believe it.
“They were only phottòr. They have no brains. Not worth worrying about,” the ubari reassured him. “But they were sitting on the biggest natural source of the spice, so we killed two birds with one stone: We had the meat and the spice.”
Rodario lowered his fish. “You don’t mean to say you ate the orcs?”
“Of course. They taste delicious, but the ones you had in Girdlegard were even better. I tried one who got lost and came over to our realm. It was the best ever taste.” He closed his eyes. “Mmm; it’s coming back to me now.”
Suddenly the conversation was taking a frightening turn. There were not many occasions when orcs had managed to get out of Girdlegard through to the Outer Lands. “When was that? Where did you come across him?” Rodario enquired.
“It was ages ago. On the other side of the mountain you call the Gray Range. He was trying to persuade us to take arms against the ubariu… I mean, you dwarves.” He laughed. “He was a stubborn fellow. He kept going on about immortality—something he’d drunk out of a little bottle.”
Rodario put two and two together. It must have been one of the creatures subject to Ushnotz, the orc lord; part of a unit that had got cut off from the others and got through to the empty realm of the fifthlings at the stone gateway. In the early days it had not been guarded.
By Palandiell! The black water, he thought. Worried now, he watched Flagur and measured him up. Ushnotz’s warriors had partaken of the black water and were immortal. What would happen if you ate the orc flesh? If the flesh was evil, would it pull you that way too? Was Flagur only pretending to be a friend? Perhaps he really wanted the diamond for his own rune master. Was he perhaps planning to take over Girdlegard with his hundred-thousand-strong army as soon as he had the stone?
The ubari watched him. “What’s is the matter, Rodario? Why’ve you gone quiet?”
“I’m… tired.” He avoided the question. “I’m sorry if I’m not good company. It always happens when… I eat fish.” Quickly he wolfed down his meal and said goodnight. As if purely by chance he lay down next to Tungdil and tried to wake him gently.
“What is it, Fabuloso?” the dwarf asked, drunk with sleep.
“You’ll never believe this but—”
“Then don’t tell me,” he interrupted, turning over. “I’m in pain.”
“Our friend and ally has a secret. He’s eaten an orc that had drunk from the black water,” he whispered emphatically.
Now Tungdil was fully awake. “What are you talking about? Why would he do that?”
“Because they taste good. Apparently.” Rodario shuddered.
Tungdil digested the news and considered the possibilities. “Even if it were true, Ushnotz and his orc folk are long dead.”
“But before that Flagur ate one of them. He was from the Gray Range, he said.” The actor was insistent and agitated.
Tungdil could just about work out what might have happened. Back then he and Ireheart had attacked a few orc scouts at the Stone Gateway and pursued three of them into the Outer Lands. One of these had escaped and must have run straight into Flagur’s arms. “They eat orcs?”
It was not too far-fetched
. He remembered that Djern met his nutritional needs from all sorts of Tion’s creatures. The acronta and ubariu had a few characteristics in common.
He cast a look at Sirka’s sleeping countenance and wondered whether the undergroundlings enjoyed certain dishes that might be based on less than conventional meat sources. If they worshipped the same god…
He found the idea revolting. Admittedly his own folk enjoyed eating insect larvae—something the humans found hard to understand. But there was still a difference between eating maggots and eating orcs. And the difference was not merely to do with the taste.
Rodario sighed. “What shall we do, Tungdil? Can we afford to trust Flagur or does he carry the seed of evil in him? Perhaps without being aware of it?”
The dwarf lifted his head a little to look at the ubari. He was sitting with his back to them in front of the flames of the campfire, his silhouette broad and impressive. “To be honest with you, I don’t know,” he answered the actor. “Keep an eye on him and tell me immediately if you get the idea he’s not behaving like an ally.” He cradled his head back on his arm. “But I shall trust him until we have evidence to the contrary.” He smiled. “Leave a few things in the hands of the gods, Fabuloso. Give them something to do and don’t leave it all to the mortals.”
“If you say so, Hero of Girdlegard,” sighed Rodario, closing his eyes. “Let us hope the gods see everything.” Then he had a thought. “No, they don’t have to see absolutely everything. Otherwise my soul is never going to get to the garden of the Creator Goddess.”
“Why? Did she forbid humans to behave the way you do?” asked Tungdil, his one eye firmly shut.
Rodario laughed softly. “It depends how you interpret it. But she doesn’t agree with making love to women who really belong in the arms of another.”
And there it was yet again: the thought of Balyndis.
Now he was free of her Tungdil found himself thinking of her more often than when they had been a couple. Guilty feelings nagged. He knew she would feel she had been deceived. He knew how cowardly his conduct had been. One letter. No more than that.