"Apologized?"
"Aye. For killing Lord Tain at H?l's Crucible."
"Bekki slew the surrogate?"
"Split him with a thrown axe."
Rynna sighed and murmured to Tipperton, "I felt sorry for Lord Tain, mad as he was, for he knew nought of his role."
Tipperton nodded in agreement, but then shuddered, the memory of Jolet in his mind. He reached for his lute and said to Rynna, "What say we have a happy tune and drive these phantoms away."
A month and twelve days did they ride through snow and rain and sunny days warm and chill ere coming unto the wreck of Caer Lindor, sitting in ruins on its isle in the flow of the River Rissanin. And here came the parting of ways:
Coron Eiron, Vanidar Silverleaf, Riatha, Talar, Aravan, and other Lian turned west for Darda Galion. West as well rode DelfLord Volki and a cadre of Chakka, all heading for Kraggen-cor in the Grimwalls beyond.
Kings Ranor and Loden, Prince Brandt, and DelfLord Bekki and their retinues turned northeasterly to follow the river through the Greatwood and to the open wold, aiming for Jord and Riamon and Mineholt North. And with them fared Linde, the Warrior Maiden now acknowledged as King Ranor's only daughter, issue of an unsanctioned love. And she rode beside King Loden of Dael, a marriage-sealed alliance between Jord and Riamon perhaps in the offing, though the Warrior Maiden, free to choose, had neither said yea nor nay.
Turning back south to head for The Clearing went Chieftain Urel and a handful of Baeron, for they had guided all through the Greatwood to the Caer Lindor ruins.
Across the Rissanin and into Darda Erynian rode Chieftain Durul and Coron Ruar and Dara Vail and other Dyl-vana, along with Talarin of Arden Vale and Arylin, Aris, Gildor and Vanidor, Elissan, Jaith, and Loric and Phais. And with them rode Tipperton and Rynna and Beau and Linnet, all now heading for the holding of the Springwa-ter Warrows.
But ere they went their own separate ways, DelfLord Bekki spoke softly unto Dara Phais, yet what he said was known only by them.
Crying out good-byes and farewells and wishing good fortunes to all, the small alliance parted, vowing one day to see one another again.
And away to the four winds they rode.
In midmorn of Springday, into the Springwater holding they came, Warrows calling out in gladness as among the withy-woven dwellings they fared.
With Lark in her arms Melli rushed out from her bower. "Oh, you're back, you're back," she joyfully cried. "Linnet, Rynna, Beau, Tipperton, Nix…" Melli frowned and looked among the Dylvana and Baeron and Lian and back down the trail, seeking her beloved son Nix. With dread in her eyes she looked up at Linnet, who broke out in tears, and so too did Melli weep, and Lark, wee Lark, yet in Melli's arms, began crying as well.
In the last week of April and accompanied by Fox Riders, Tipperton, Rynna, Lark, Melli, Beau, and Linnet set forth for Bircehyll, where Loric and Phais and Talar and a small contingent of Arden Vale Lian awaited them, for the Warrows would go onward to Twoforks, and Talar would see them safely there.
As to the Warrows of Springwater, those Wee Folk set out eastward on the very same day to return to their burnt hamlet nigh the headwaters of the Rissanin, vowing to rebuild their village come what may.
In early mid-June, the Warrows and their escort came to the western bound of Darda Erynian at the verge of the Landover Road. There they bade good-bye to Tynvyr and Picyn and Kell and Nia and Phero, the Pysks who had fared north with them. And accompanied by the Elves of Arden Vale, the Warrows rode on, crossing the River Argon at Landover Road Ford and onto the wold beyond.
To the eastern foot of Crestan Pass came Warrows and Lian, and to Beau's and Tipperton's delight, one of the Baeron toll keepers was Lady Bwen. And she heartily greeted the Warrows and fed all a whopping meal, and they talked long into the night of things shared, of hardships and joys and griefs.
They spent the next night at the peak of the pass, cold even though it was June. And the next day and the day after, down the western side they fared. But the following day, under the waterfall they rode and into Arden Vale, where they were greeted at the Lone Eld Tree by Dara Alaria, Captain of the South Ardenward.
It was Summerday when they reached the Elvenholt in Arden Vale, and joy greeted them, and sadness, too, for many would never again celebrate the turn of the seasons.
Long did the Warrows spend in the Hidden Stand, Tip and Beau renewing old acquaintances, Rynna, Linnet, Melli, and Lark making acquaintances new. And Lark was fawned over incessantly, the tot grinning at the notice and babbling away in a polyglot of Sylva and Fey and Common and a tongue none knew but which sounded as a rustle of leaves.
And Tip and Beau spoke to Rael and told her the meaning of the rede she had uttered so long ago.
Yet at last in early autumn they once again set out for Twoforks. And with them rode an armed and armored cavalcade of Lian, for although Tip and Beau had once travelled alone across the breadth of Dhruousdarda, this time they would ride with a formidable escort, through that dangerous and dreadful wood.
Not even Lark took pleasure in the travel through Drear-wood, for it was a tangled place of dark and dismal dread.
It was the dark of the moon when in late October they came unto Twoforks, where they found nought but ruin and old char, the entire village burned, weeds growing in the streets. No one came to greet them but the autumn wind.
"The Horde we saw that night long past, the Horde marching west through Drearwood," said Beau, "they did this. I wonder if any here had warning."
Tip shook his head, not knowing.
Loric came riding back among the wrack, Phais coming after, the other Elves yet searching. "We find no sign of survivors," said the Alor, "though there are scattered remains of those long dead."
"We will see they are given burial," added Phais.
Tip looked about, tears in his eyes. And then he said, "The eld dammen. I wonder…"
But when they came to the mill, it was burned as well.
Only the great buhrstones yet remained, lying among ashes long dead.
Then Tipperton gazed northwesterly toward Beacontor and said, "Here it all began."
Beau shook his head. "No, Tip, for Linnet and Rynna it began in Springwater; for Bekki it began in Dael; for Phais and Loric, in the fringes of Drearwood; for others it began elsewhere. But it really began in a glade on Adonar, in a debate between Gyphon and Adon."
"Perhaps," said Tip, "it began before that, with the very creation itself, either that or with a sneeze in the Boskydells."
Beau laughed and said, "It is all connected, you know."
Rynna took a deep breath and let it out. "What will we do now?"
Tipperton shrugged, but Beau said, "We will go to my place in the Boskydells, that's what."
Tip looked from Beau to Rynna, Lark held in her arms, and he looked at Melli and Linnet, and seeing no objection from any he said, "Lead away, Beau. There's nothing for us here."
Over the next five days west they fared, to the Crossland Road and west. Past Beacontor they went, where the balefire had burned so very long ago. Along the southern flank of the Weiunwood they rode, Lark speaking to the trees now clothed in their autumn foliage, her voice a shssh'mg call. Past Bogland Bottoms and on into Stonehill they went, where the citizens of that town were amazed to see a cavalcade of Elvenfolk escorting, it seemed, six insignificant Warrows.
They stayed that night and the next one as well in the White Unicorn, a large inn in the center of town. And on each of those nights Elves sang, but so, too, did Tipperton and Rynna, he playing his Elven lute, she her pennywhistle, and their songs were greeted with cheer, for the inn was filled to overflowing with folk who had come to listen.