"Why then are you here?" I asked. "I am of the Warriors," said Callimachus. "I see," I said. "Why are you here?" he asked. "I do not know," I said.
"You are here, " he said, "because you, too, are of the Warriors." "I am not of the Warriors," I said. "Not everyone who is of the Warriors knows that he is of theWarriors," said Callimachus. "I do not understand," I said. "I have seen it," said Callimachus, "in your eyes, that you are of the Warriors." "You are mad," I said.
"Ten thousand years ago," he said, "in the mixing of bloods, and in the rapings of conquered maids, the caste has chosen you." "You are mad," I told him.
"We shall see short," said he. He drew his sword. "Why are you drawing your sword?" I asked. "Surely you can hear?" he asked. "What?" I said, "What?"
"I was wrong," he said. "I thought there might be no battle." "I do not understand," I said.
"Yet," said Callimachus, "if the Tamira were truly the scout ship ofRagnar Voskjard, and if she crossed the chain westward four days ago, and a rendezvous was made in the river, in the vicinity of the holding of Ragnar Voskjard, the times involved are not inappropriate."
"What are you talking about?" I asked. "Can you not hear it?" he asked. "I hear nothing," I cried. "You are mad!" I heard only the water at the strakes, the creaking of the chain, the sound of oars restless in the thole ports, the far-off cries of occasional Vosk gulls."There is nothing," I whispered.
Suddenly the hair on the back of my neck lifted and froze. "See?" asked Callimachus, lifting his sword, and poining out into the fog. "No," I said. I coul dnot see anything in the fog. But, now, clearly, I could hear it.
Then, suddenly, through a rift in the fog I saw, not more than a hundred yards away, across the chain, what seemed a countless number of ships.
"It is the fleet of Ragnar Voskjard," he said. There was an elation which I found incomprehensible in his voice.
I stood, for the moment unable to move, on the deck at the bow below the stem castle of the galley.
"Your sword is in your hand," smiled Callimachus. I could not remember unsheathing it.
"Sound the battle horns!" called Callimachus to the men on the ship. "Sound the battle horns."