Come with us, Tristen said gently. We shall take you to the King.
I will go there soon, Erion said faintly and bent his head against the boyʼs, with nothing more to say.
Tristen lingered, wishing there were magic to work, a miracle he dared do; but there was none: the boy was dead and he would not.
He rode on with Uwen. He saw the Heron banner of Lanfarnesse and the Amefin Eagle planted on the nearer hill, the White Horse and the Wheel on the slope of the farther. They rode to the tattered red banner of the Marhanen Dragon, and the knot of weary men gathered about it.
They rode up among the Guelenfolk. He saw the faces of those about Cefwyn turn toward him. He saw hands laid on weapons. He thought that they did not know him, and lifted his free hand to show it emptyhe saw Cefwynʼs face, that was likewise stricken with fear.
Cefwyn, he said, and dismounted.
Idrys was there, and caught at Cefwynʼs arm when Cefwyn moved toward him, but Cefwyn shook him off and came and took his hand as if he feared he would break.
I lost my shield, Tristen said, only then feeling his heart come back to him. And my helm. I donʼt know where, my lord.
Gods. Cefwyn embraced him with a grate of metal. He shuddered and held to Cefwynʼs arms when he let go. You fool, Cefwyn said gently. You great fool heʼs gone. Asyneddin is dead, his whole damned army has fled the field, or surrendered under mʼladyʼs banner! Come. Come. The rest of us are coming in. Pelumer is foundlost himself in the woods, to his great disgust
It is no fault of his.
Holy gods, Wizards. No, I knew it. Ninvrisʼs had word of Sovrag; his cousin was wiped out, lost, and Sovrag couldnʼt pass upriver. A blackness hung over the river, and the boats lost themselves while it lastedeven so, theyʼve taken down the Emwy bridge. The rebels that did escape us wonʼt cross. Gods, are you all right, Tristen?
He flexed his hand, wiped at his eyes. Iʼm very well.
He walked away then. Uwen led Dys and Cass behind him.
He had no idea where to go, now. He thought he would sleep a while. True sleep had been very long absent from him.
Emuin, he said, but he had no answer a sense of presence, but nothing close. Possibly Emuin was asleep himself.
Where are ye goinʼ, mʼlord? Uwen asked. Sounds as if theyʼll be bringinʼ the wagons in, if ye please. Weʼll have canvas ʼtwixt us and the weather. Sheʼs clouded up, looking like rain tonight.
He looked at the sky, at common, gray-bottomed clouds. He looked about him at the woods. Owl had gone, Shadow that he was, into the trees, where he was more comfortable. But he knew where Owl was. Owl had gone to the river, where the small creatures had not been startled into hiding. Owl would wait for night. That was the kind of creature Owl was, as kings were kings and lords were lords and the likes of Uwen Lewenʼs-son would always stay faithful.
He saw no shadow in the sky. None on the horizon. He did not know how to answer Uwenʼs question, but he thought that he would sit down on the rocks near the road, and wait, and see what the world of Men was about to be.
LEXICON
Concordance for the Fortress Books
Aswydd Household
HERYN ASWYDD Duke of Amefel, the aetheling
His twin sisters:
ORIEN ASWYDD Duchess of Amefel;
TARIEN ASWYDD Secondborn
THEWYDD Heryn Aswyddʼs man
Tristenʼs Household
TRISTEN Marshal of Althalen, Lord Warden of Ynefel
UWEN Lewenʼs-son, Tristenʼs man, sergeant of Cefwynʼs Dragon Guard, captain of Tristenʼs guard
Tristenʼs Guard
LUSIN Captain of Tristenʼs bodyguard
SYLLAN one of Tristenʼs guards
ARAN one of Tristenʼs guards
TAWWYS one of Tristenʼs guards
ASWYS groom
CASSAM, CASS Uwenʼs warhorse, bow-nosed, blue roan gelding
DYS, DYSARYS Tristenʼs warhose, black, full brother toAryny and Kanwy
GERY Tristenʼs light horse, red mare
GIA Uwenʼs light horse, bay mare
LISS Uwenʼs horse, chestnut mare
PETELLY Tristenʼs cross-country horse, a bay of no breeding
Amefin Earls and Their Households
EDWYLL ADIRAN earl of Meiden, remotely related to Aswydds; banner: gold sun
CRISSAND ADIRAN son of and successor to Edwyll
AZANT lord of Dor Elen province, which borders the ver orchard district A daughter: widowed twice, once when married only seven days
BRESTANDIN Amefin earl
CEDRIG elderly Amefin earl living in retirement, owner of room Tristen lodges in, then where Ninvris lodges in Henasʼsamef
CIVAS Amefin earl
CUTHAN earl of Bryn, distant relative of Aswydds
DRUMMAN lord of Baradden, youngest of earls except forCrissand; his elder sister is Edwyllʼs wife, Crissandʼs mother
DRUSALLYN elderly lord, married local gentry in Amefel
DRUSENAN earl of Bryn, successor to Cuthan; wife: Ynesyne, an Elwynim
DURELL Amefin earl
EDRACHT Amefin earl
ESRYDD Amefin earl
LUND Amefin earl
MARMASCHEN Amefin earl
MORIDEDD Amefin earl
MURRAS Amefin earl
PRUSHAN Amefin earl
PURELL Amefin earl
TARAS earl of Bru Marden
ZERESHADD Amefin earl
Clergy / Clerics
CADELL Bryaltine abbot in Henasʼamef
FAISETH Bryaltine nun
EMUIN UDAMAN wizard/tutor/priest, Teranthine, tutored Cefwyn and Efanor
DELʼREZAN Bryaltine nun
PACHYLL priest, Teranthine patriarch in Henasʼsamef
Military
COSSUN armorer
ENNYN Guelen Guard second in Command
GEDD sergeant in Tristenʼs guard
AMAN gate-guard
NEDRAS gate-guard
NESS gate-guard
SELMWY cousin of Ness at town gate
WYNEDD Guelen Guard commander
Minor Officials
TASSAND started as Cefwunʼs servant, now Tristenʼs chief of household
HAMAN stablemaster at Henasʼsamef
Local Gentry
ARDWYS thane of Sagany, leader of the peasant contingent from Sagany and Pacewys
Miscellaneous
AULD SYES witch, in Emwyn village, near Althalen
PAISI street urchin
SEDDIWY Shadow, Auld Syesʼs child
WYDNIN former junior archivist
Places, Titles, et cetera
AETHELING, ATHELING title, used instead of king in Amefel; royal in their province
ALTHALEN old Sihh capita, where last of Sihh died, now Tristenʼs in ruins, banner is silver Star and Tower on black
AMEFIN of Amefel province
ANAS MALLORN Amefin village, on riverside
ARDENBROOK brook after Maudbrook on way to Henasʼamef