Falen sobered and frowned and then looked at the buc-can. "Didst thou say that Eio Wa Suk are nigh?"
Tipperton nodded. "No more than five leagues hence."
Falen nodded. "I have heard there is an aggregate nigh Bircehyll, where dwell the Dylvana."
"Yes," confirmed Tip, "there is."
"Ah, but would that we could send a message there, for-"
"But you can," interjected Tip. "The Pysks-"
"Thou dost know some Pysks?"
"Indeed. They are our allies." Tip looked about, but still he did not see Kell nor Rudd.
Falen glanced at the other Lian. " 'Twould save time," said Ellidar.
Falen nodded. "Sir Tipperton, wouldst thou send word unto the Dylvana court that the High King calls for all who can aid to come unto Pellar, unto Caer Pendwyr, and help beat back the foe?"
"Gladly," replied Tip. "Not only to the Dylvana, but I am told there is another aggregate well beyond Bircehyll, in the far north of Darda Erynian; we can call the north Greenhall Baeron as well. And since Crestan Pass is now freed, many will answer the call."
"Hai!" said Landor. "An auspicious Autumnday, indeed."
Falen turned to the others. "With the help of Sir Tipper-ton and the Pysks, and with the Eio Wa Suk sending word throughout Darda Erynian, it means we can now ride straight unto Mineholt North."
Tip grinned. "To summon Lord Bekki, aye?"
"Aye."
"What about Darda Galion and Arden Vale and Jord and-"
Falen pressed a palm out. "Other heralds ride to those realms, Sir Tipperton. We are to raise Darda Stor and Darda Erynian and Riamon and Mineholt North."
"Has the Greatwood yet been roused? If not, we can send messengers south."
Checking his cinch strap once again, Falen said, "No need, Sir Tipperton, for we came through The Clearing. Even now the Baeron who remained in Darda Stor are sending word unto their outposts to prepare for the long march."
"Well then, the Pysks and I will see that the message gets sent to Bircehyll and to the Baeron in the Great Greenhall beyond."
"Done and done, Sir Tipperton," said Falen as he swung into his saddle. "Tell them as well what I have told thee: the High King is hale; the siege at Gunarring Gap is broken; the foe is on the run; and to Caer Pendwyr all who can aid are summoned."
"Wait," called Tip, as the others mounted as well.
Falen looked down at him.
"The Rucks and such," said Tip, gesturing northerly, "the ones warding this wold, they disappeared a month or so back, yet they may be out there stilclass="underline" on the flats or in the Rimmens above. If you ride into trouble, hie for Darda Erynian, for Modru's lackeys are feared to come within."
Falen and the others grinned, and Dara Lynna said, "Ye have made it so, thou and the Fey?"
"And the Warrows and Dylvana and Baeron," added Tip.
"Hai!" called Lynna, and she flashed her sword on high.
Hai! called the others, likewise flourishing steel.
And then with cries of farewell and good fortune, the Elves galloped away, remounts trailing, morning mist swirling in their wake.
"Fair fortune to you as well," called Tipperton after, and then more quietly said, "fair fortune to us all."
"To Caer Pendwyr?" Rynna frowned at the map.
"Yes, love, to Caer Pendwyr," said Tip, sweeping his hand down across the chart, "some thousand miles away."
"A long journey," said Beau. "It will take much in the way of supplies."
"I've asked Kell to send a request for us to travel with the Dylvana," said Tip. "If so, we can lade our goods on their wagons."
"Regardless as to how we bear our goods, are we to leave Darda Erynian undefended?" asked Linnet.
"With the Hidden Ones staying fast, it will not be undefended," said Nix.
Linnet grudgingly nodded, but said, "Aye, 'tis true. But Nix, it's just that, well, what with the Springwater holding and all…"
"I don't like leaving them behind any more so than you," said Rynna, "but Nix is right. They'll be safe."
"Oh my. Are you going to leave Lark?" asked Farly.
"Not before I say good-bye," replied Rynna, and then she burst into tears
Instead of celebrating Autumnday, they rode back in but a single day to the Springwater holding to report the news. When they told of the summons, buccan and dammen alike clamored to go, each trying to outshout the other in order to be heard.
Notwithstanding the heated debate among the whole of the Springwater Warrows, of the seventy or so surviving Wee Folk only eight altogether would answer the High King's calclass="underline" Tip, Rynna, Beau, Linnet, Nix, and Farly, along with two who had just come into their young-buccen years-Alver Bruk, brother of Winkton, who had been slain on the banks of the Argon, and Dinly Rill, whose entire family had been killed as they had fled from the Horde down the Rissanin. The remaining buccen and dam-men were simply unsuited to take up the mantle of war: some were too young, others too old, some were ailing, others had injuries which got in the way, and some were needed to grow and harvest crops and gather firewood and bear water and forage for edibles and watch over the youngsters and oldsters and look after the few animals and other such responsibilities.
With the debate settled as to just who would stay and who would go, the next week in the holding was one of furious activity, and it was all aimed at supplying the eight who would be marching off to Pellar:
Hundreds of arrows were crafted-shafts were inspected for trueness and cut to length and fletched and nocked and fitted with kiln-fired glaze-hardened clay points, for there was no iron to spare. Too, the tiny kilns were used to fire and glaze clay bullets for slings. Blades were sharpened- daggers and long-knives, one of each for each of the eight- to act as a desperate last line of defense should any need them, for untrained Warrows were at great disadvantage blade on blade with a larger foe. Supplies were gathered: grain for ponies; food for Warrows; clothing, ropes, precious mirrors and carved wooden whistles for signalling, foraged medicks to add to Beau's supply, and other such necessary goods.
In this same week, the ground groaned with a message from the Eio Wa Suk, and a day later Picyn came riding to Rynna. [The Dylvana are pleased to include the Waer-linga within their ranks. They ask that you rendezvous with their force and the northern Baeron at Eryn Ford a fortnight hence.]
[That's just after the first-quarter moon,] said Linnet.
But Rynna said, [Fourteen days, only fourteen.] And she glanced at Tip, then down at Lark, and tears brimmed in her eyes.
Tip took Rynna's hand and said in Twyll, [Love, you can always-]
[No, Tip. We've already settled this argument.] With her free hand Rynna brushed her cheeks. [No less than you, I too must answer the call of the High King. Lark will be safe with Melli and Prym.]
Tipperton nodded and turned to Picyn. [I would ask the Fey to keep special guard over this holding, for we answer the beck of the High King.]
Picyn nodded. [So shall it be, Sir Tipperton, for in serving the High King you and yours will act to protect Mithgar and all its kind, including the Fey.]
Tip grinned. [Well and good.]
They sat in silence for a moment, and then Farly asked, [What of the Foul Folk: are they back?]
[Neither in the Rimmens nor on the wold, the Spaunen, they've not returned,] said Picyn.
Tip shook his head in puzzlement. [Well, I don't know whether to be worried that they've disappeared… or glad that they've gone.]
[I choose glad,] said Dinly, laughing, the amber-eyed buc-can sitting in council with the others.
[Still, it's a mystery,] said Alver, attending the council as well. [I mean, where could they have gone?]
[Perhaps we will find out when Aylissa and Jinnarin and Farrix return,] said Picyn.
[Only if the Spawn followed the others through the Rimmens,] said Farly.