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me forward。
〃Wele to freedom。 Your Excellency；〃 said Brice of Trurill。 He handed Loris out of the boat and bowed over his gloved hand。 〃I hope your journey was not exceptionally tiring。〃
Loris staggered a little on the wet sand as he found his land legs； but Brice steadied him with a hand under his elbow as together they trudged up the steep incline of the beach。 His panion assisted Gorony from the boat。 As soon as both men were ashore； the seamen began pushing the craft back into the breakers。 Offshore； the waiting ship briefly showed a light。
〃My thanks for your assistance； my son；〃 Loris murmured； puffing a little from the exertion of the climb。 〃Your service shall not go unrewarded。 Is everything in order？〃
〃All in order。 Excellency。 We've purposely kept your escort small； to avoid arousing undue attention； but Gendon managed to locate several of your former guards from Valoret。 All of us are sworn to your service。〃
He gestured toward his rades； waiting dark and faceless by the fidgeting greathorses； and as one； they bowed their heads in homage。 With a satisfied nod； Loris raised his right hand in benediction and murmured the words of a blessing。 Brice and Gendon also bowed their heads to receive it。 When he had done； one of the men brought a pair of horses forward。 Brice； after donning a helm with a baron's coronet embossed around its crown； himself held the renegade archbishop's stirrup so he could mount。
〃What is our destination？〃 Loris asked； as he swung up and gathered the reins in gloved hands。
Baron Brice of Trurill smiled as he mounted his own steed。
〃We ride to Ratharkin； Excellency； where more of your allies await us。〃
Loris' answering chuckle of grim pleasure was the only response he allowed himself as the rest of the party mounted up。 As the men one by one hurled their torches into the surf； their dark forms blended with the rising fog once more。 Jingling harnesses made but faint counterpoint to the waves as they quit the beach and headed south。 Beyond the breakers； the ship lingered a moment longer； riding the long swells like a ghostly seabird； then was gone in the mist。 Soon； the only sign of the predawn meeting was a scattering of burnt…out torch stubs drifting out to sea on the tide。
Their passage had not gone unmarked； however。 The pair of bearded scouts observing from their bellies on a cliff above the cove had tracked the black…clad warband since just before midnight。 The presence of any group of armed men on Transha soil would have been cause for suspicion； these seemed deliberately arrayed to disguise their identities and were certainly there without the leave of the MacArdry chief。 The arrival of the ship had only increased the watchers' suspicions。 One of them studied the landing party through a long spyglass； hissing in breath through his teeth as he watched the taller of the newers raise his hand in blessing。
〃I dinnae know who he is； but I like not th' feel o' this；〃 he whispered； handing off the spyglass to his panion。 〃Wha' d'ye think they're about？〃
The other grunted and put the spyglass to his own eye； watching silently for several seconds before replying。
〃Nae guid； an' that's for certain。 We must tell th' laird。〃
〃Aye。〃
They continued to watch until their quarry had mounted up and left； noting number； direction； and whatever other detail might be gained from such a vantage point。 Soon they； too； had melted into the morning mist； settling quickly into a brisk； ground…eating pace as they headed back toward Castle Transha。
〃I dinnae think they wore livery or badges； sair； but a band that well armed an' wi'out standard or banner smacks of treachery t' me；〃 the stouter of the men reported an hour later； in the hall where the chief of the MacArdry and his heir broke their fast with a few other of their clansmen。 〃I'm wagerin' 'tis Mearan mischief。〃
〃Mischief； aye。 I'll grant ye that；〃 old Caulay muttered。 〃But why Mearan mischief； Alexander？ Have ye proof？〃
Alexander shook his head。 〃Nae proof。 A feelin' is all。 There's sommat else； tho'： At least one o' the men who landed was a priest。 He blessed th' escort before they rode out。 Now； why would a priest be makin' secret rendezvous with rogue knights？〃
Blearily Dhugal MacArdry rubbed sleep from his eyes and glanced at his father。 The old man had had a bad night。 Any physical leadership on the part of the ailing chief had been out of the question for some time； this morning； Caulay was barely even able to follow the conversation … and knew it。 As an almost imperceptible nod passed between father and son； Dhugal stood； tossing off tile last of his morning ale。
〃I think we'd best find out why；〃 he said； wiping the back of a linen…clad forearm across his mouth。 〃You say they're headed toward Carcashale？〃
〃Aye … unless they turn east at Colblaine； which I doubt。〃
〃'Tis Carcashale for us as well； then。 Caball； how many men can we muster in time to head them off？〃
〃Mayhap a dozen；〃 his father's castellan replied。 〃I wish I could give ye more； but two patrols are out already … an' many hae headed to their ain hames for th' winter。 It's a bad time o' year； lad。〃
〃Aye； but there's no help for that。 We must ride wi' what we have。〃 Dhugal sighed。 〃Tomais and Alexander； I'll ask that ye join us … an' Ciard as well。 Will ye see to it； Caball？〃
〃Aye； Dhugal。〃
As the men left to do his bidding； leaving only the clan piper and Kinkellyan the bard in the hall with the old chief and his heir； Dhugal turned back to his father。 The old man's eyes were troubled beyond his physical pain as he reached out a hand to clasp Dhugal's。
〃This does n？？ sound guid； lad。 I dinnae like it。 Th' priests an' bishops hae been at Culdi all th' past month。 What cause has another priest tae e in secret this way？ An' tae e by sea this time o' year … 〃
Tight…lipped； Dhugal nodded； stripping off linen and kilts to don riding leathers and light armor which his gillie brought。
〃Aye； I dinnae like it either。 Da。 An' the king would've told me if he'd known of it。 This smacks of treachery。 But we've no choice but to investigate。〃
〃Aye； ye have not。 But … be careful； lad。 Th' clan needs its chief。〃
Dhugal forced a grin as he squeezed the old man's hand。
〃We'll hear no more o' that。 Da。 The clan has its chief； an' will for many a year； the Lord willing。 Besides； I've n？？ finished my apprenticeship with ye。〃
The old man nodded and smiled as Dhugal pulled away to let Ciard finish arming him； but both of them knew it was a charade。 Dhugal pretended to adjust a strap on his brigandine while Ciard looped a sword baldric over his head and brooched a heavy； furlined cloak at his throat。
Then Dhugal was drawing on gauntlets and striding out of the hall； raising a hand in final farewell as he went。 Minutes later； the Transha warband rode out the castle gates toward Carcashale。
Two hours later； Dhugal and his men sat their shaggy border ponies stirrup to stirrup across the mouth of Carcashale pass … a position which would bring the approaching foreigners within a dozen yards of the Transha line before they were even aware they were not alone。 Dhugal held the center of the line； Ciard at his left with his personal standard and Caball far to the right with the Transha banner。 The silks were almost gaudy against the grey December sky。
From the point above； the signal came。 As Dhugal drew his sword and。raised it； steel slithered from a dozen other scabbards in answer。 He shifted the leather…faced targe on his right arm and collected his pony's reins。 As the first of the black…clad intruders rounded the curve and faltered at the unexpected array awaiting them； Dhugal kneed his mount a few steps forward。
〃Stand； in the name of the king； and state your business！〃 he said； letting his sword rest lightly against his left shoulder。 〃You trespass on the Earl of Transha's lands。〃
But the men ahead were not inclined to parley。 Even as Dhugal realized that； wheeling his pony in strategic retreat； they were spurring their larger mounts from trot to gallop； bunching around the two unarmored men in their midst and drawing weapons as they came。
Dhugal signalled his men to scatter as he fled； trusting that the quickness of their border ponies and intimate knowledge of the terrain would at least enable them to escape。 The charging men did not fan out in general pursuit； however。 To Dhugal's astonishment and horror； the men at the head of the band made directly for him； the outriders brushing off his more lightly mounted and armed men with devastating results while the leaders drove straight toward him。
〃MacArdry； to me！〃 he cried。
His men tried to rally。 Ciard got separated from him by a man on a particularly large and nasty bay which kicked and tried to bite； and Tomais darted desperately behind to take his place and shield him。 But the strangers cut down the scout with hardly a wasted effort and then crashed their mounts into Dhugal's； bowling it off its feet。 Dhugal fell hard。 He lost his helmet； but somehow he still had his sword in his hand as he scrambled to his feet。 He glanced around wildly to find himself totally surrounded by the enemy。
He threw away his targe。 Catching at the reins of one of his attackers with his free hand； he jerked and forced the animal to its knees； spilling its rider even as he blocked another man's sword blow。
But his astonishment at the Trurill badge on the surcoat beneath the fallen man's mantle threw him off stride； and before he could collect his wits； the steel…shod hoof of another man's horse caught him in the thigh with near bone…crushing force。 Even as he gasped with the pain of it； trying not to fall under yet another horse's hooves； another rider kneed him in the chest； knocking the wind out of him and cracking ribs。 Dimly he recognized his attacker as the Trurill sergeant with whom he had ridden only a fortnight before。
〃Gendon！〃 he gasped； stunned。
Wheezing desperately for air； and feeling horribly betrayed； he staggered to his feet and managed to deliver a bloody but shallow cut to the arm of another attacker； but already injured； he was too slow to avoid the hooves of another horse which tumbled him to the ground … or the sword hilt which struck his temple with a solid； sickening thump as the Baron of Trurill himself grabbed him by the neck of his brigandine and yanked him up across the saddle。 He tried to struggle through the fog of pain which shrank his vision to a narrow tunnel； but his fingers uncurled from his sword hilt and let it fall as the pain pounded with every heartbeat。
〃Pull back； or I kill the boy！〃 his captor bellowed； jerking him up straighter in the saddle before him and laying the flat of his sword against Dhugal's throat。 〃Will your chief thank you for a dead heir？ I swear； I'll kill him！〃
Dhugal's eyes would no longer focus； and he could feel the bitter bile burning in his throat as waves of nausea pulsated with the pain。 Even drawing breath sent jagged fire lancing through his chest； and his slightest attempt to struggle only made his captor's arm clamp tighter over his broken ribs； adding to the agony。 Dimly he was aware of the sounds of battle ceasing； and then Caball's voice； breathless and desperate。
〃Yield yer prisoner； sir； in th' name of King Kelson of Gwynedd！ Ye have attacked th' king's just representative wi'out cause。〃
〃A heretic king！〃 an irate voice behind Dhugal shouted。 〃And the heretic king has forfeited his rights by making heretics his allies。 Stand aside and let us pass； or the boy dies！〃
Weakly； Dhugal tried again to struggle despite the pain it cost him。 He could not think clearly； but instinctively he sensed that to allow these men to escape was a thing which must be prevented at all cost； even his life。
〃No！〃 he managed to cry out。 〃Don't let them … 〃
But the sword hilt crashed into his head again before he could finish； and he felt his world going dark around him； his body totally refusing to obey him any longer。 He knew more pain as his captor pulled him higher across the saddle to thrust a gauntleted hand through the back of his belt； and he heard Clan MacArdry's warcry as they tried to answer his mand。
But then consciousness was slipping away even as his captor charged into the fray again； and he knew no more。
Caball MacArdry and the remnants o