A murmur swirled among the staff, some nodding, others wiping away tears, yet all seemed to agree that an appearance by Lady Skuld could not be ignored.
Liaze cleared her throat, and a hush fell once again. “Do any of you know of a black mountain, or of one who howls, or can any shed light upon any part of Skuld’s rede? If so, speak now.”
Men and women looked at one another and shrugged or shook their heads. Finally Liaze said, “If you think of ought, then find me.”
After the members of the staff returned to their duties, and the searchers to their task, Liaze read the message from the Summerwood. Tears welled in the princess’s eyes, for the tissue-thin note was full of joy, Alain and Camille congratulating Liaze and Luc on their betrothal.
“Zacharie.”
“Yes, my lady?”
“Send messages to each of the manors and to my pere and mere, and tell them what has passed.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Throughout the day, Eugene, Zacharie, Remy, and Liaze decided what to take on a long journey. They were interrupted several times by members of the staff, each one bringing some speculation or other to the princess’s attention. But they shed no more light upon Skuld’s words.
And as the sun slipped across the sky, messenger falcons arrived bearing congratulations: from Celeste in the Springwood; from Arnot, steward of the Winterwood; and from King Valeray and Queen Saissa. In addition to Valeray and Saissa’s felicitations, they added that they knew nothing of a child abandoned in the woods, nor of a foundling raised by an armsmaster named Leon.
With each of these received messages, tears ran down Liaze’s face, while those with her looked the other way and waited.
During the day as well, the manor remained silent, people yet creeping about, desolation on their faces, for two men were dead, and Luc was gone, and the princess was going away. Only Martine seemed unaffected by the loss of Luc, and she came unto Liaze and said, “We make our own fate, Princess-not some Skuld person. There is no need to leave the manor on a perilous quest simply because of the word of this-this Lady Wyrd. Besides, for you to go off alone to search for nought but a common hedge knight is foolish in the extreme.”
Rage flared in Liaze’s eyes and she snapped, “Tutrice, one more such statement and I will banish you forever from the Forests of the Seasons.”
Martine quailed and fell to her knees. “Oh, my lady, forgive me. Forgive me.”
Liaze stood rigid with anger, and Martine rose to her feet and dipped a humble curtsey and meekly crept away.
Dusk found Liaze and Zacharie and Remy and Eugene in the stable, having just finished the planning for her trek: Liaze would need four packhorses in addition to her own mount and Luc’s. And as they looked over the animals, Didier came running in. “My lady,” he called, and bobbed a short bow, and said, “in the search Patrice and I found a Goblin campsite, well used, though we could only see a single set of footprints, as if a lone Goblin occupied it. Patrice is yet there, warding the place. The campsite has a crow cote, we think for messenger crows, and but one is left. Shall we kill it?”
Even as Remy started to nod, Liaze cried, “No!”
“No?” said Zacharie.
“No,” affirmed Liaze. “A bird shall point the way.”
“The riddle, the rede, Lady Skuld’s words!” exclaimed Remy.
“Indeed,” said Liaze. “Surely the Goblin sent messages to the witch. He must have informed her that Luc had escaped the Troll and Goblin party, and this Goblin kept watch on him.”
“Oh, my,” said Eugene, “perhaps it was that same Goblin that caused the horses, especially Nightshade, to raise a ruckus that first night Luc came.” Eugene looked at Zacharie. “You recall, Steward, it was just before we searched Luc’s goods to see who he might be.” Eugene frowned and added, “And they were disturbed again last night, when the shadow came. Probably the Goblin again.”
“Perhaps it was the same one we slew climbing the wall,” said Zacharie.
Remy turned to Didier. “Find Claude and see if he can tell if more than one Goblin occupied that camp you and Patrice found.”
“Didier,” said Liaze, “find Jean, too, and have him care for the crow and feed it well, for it will point the way to the witch’s abode, and perhaps to Luc.”
As Didier raced away, Eugene growled, “Goblins.”
Remy looked at Liaze and said, “I told you there were more out there.”
“Indeed you did,” said Liaze. “Still, it will not stop me from hewing to Lady Skuld’s words.”
She paused a moment, then said, “Remy, I would have you and your warband search throughout the entirety of the Autumnwood. Mayhap there are other Goblin dens in the demesne, Troll holes too.”
“A difficult task, that, my lady,” said Remy, a pensive look on his face, “for the Autumnwood is wide, and Goblins could be anywhere within.” He took a deep breath and let it out. “Nevertheless, where there is one Goblin, there is likely to be more. We will find a way.”
Liaze wrinkled her brow in thought and then said, “The wee ones can aid you in this. Go to Lord Chaun of the Lynx Riders. Have him and his folk ask the Sprites and other Fey throughout the Wood to bring word of any Redcaps or Ogres or Trolls within the realm. Tell him it is my wish.”
Remy’s face brightened. “Yes, my lady.”
Liaze looked at Eugene and said, “Tomorrow at dawn, saddle Nightshade and lade Luc’s errantry gear thereon. Saddle Pied Agile as well, and lade on my gear. And fit the packhorses with the supplies we discussed. When all is ready, we will release the crow, and I will ride the direction it flies.-Oh, and Zacharie, make certain that the message capsule the crow bears is open and empty, as if whatever message it might have held has been lost.”
“My lady?” said Zacharie.
“Zacharie, we do not want the witch to know that someone is on the way, perhaps following her crow. Instead let her believe that one of her minions elsewhere sent the bird, or that this one simply escaped.”
“Princess,” said Remy, “how can you follow a messenger bird-crow or otherwise? I mean, once they take flight, they are gone, and no horse can keep pace with them.”
“Lady Skuld only promised that a bird would point the way, Armsmaster. I merely intend to ride in the direction of its flight.”
“You will not be able to hew to its exact course, my lady,” said Zacharie.
“If I stray to one side or the other of its line, well, I can only trust in Lady Skuld’s words and fare more or less on the bearing the bird takes.”
“My lady,” said Eugene, “are you certain you want to do this thing-riding out alone on a quest and into the teeth of who knows what perils?”
“Eugene, as I said before, I would not argue with Fate.”
Remy started to say something, then shut his mouth with a click! of teeth.
The next morning, just after dawn, Liaze sat upon Pied Agile, with Nightshade tethered behind, and four gelding packhorses tethered after. Most of the staff was on hand, and many wept, especially Zoe, and even Martine shed tears. Remy and the warband stood at attention nearby, a pained look upon the armsmaster’s face. And Zacharie and the houseguard stood in ranks opposite, the steward with tears in his eyes.
Liaze looked down at Jean; the crow from the lone Goblin’s campsite sat hooded on the falconer’s wrist, an upside-down uncapped message capsule upon the bird’s left leg, as if a missive had been lost along with the absent cap.
“Remember, Jean, Zacharie,” said Liaze, “let not the falcons fly until the crow is long gone.”
“Oui, my lady,” replied Jean.
The princess’s gaze swept across the assembly, and with a confidence she did not feel, she said, “My friends, keep well and do not weep, for just as I place my trust in the words of Lady Skuld, so should you. Luc and I shall soon return.”
A feeble cheer rose from the staff, yet not enough to override the weeping.