goatherd. "But weren't you afraid of the Razan?"
The big woman scoffed. "They knew I was a fugitive from the law. Their menfolk didn't
bother me, but several of the Razan women tried to intimidate me. Hah! I sent them on their
way nursing bruises and broken limbs, I can tell you. Especially the ones who tried to steal
my goats. The Razan tend to leave me alone these days, and that's the way I like it!"
Picking the baby goat up tenderly, Arnela laid it gently on a stack of dried grass. "I think I'll
call that one Morpheus, he's done little else but sleep since he was born. Dominic, you
mentioned Adamo before. Let me tell you, I know him."
Ben was immediately curious. "Tell us about him, please." The big woman nodded her head
and sighed. "Several times over the years I saw the boy, always being hauled back to the
Razan caves after trying to escape. My heart warmed to him at first sight, because he was big
like me, and strong, too. You only had to look at him and you knew even from behind that it
was Adamo, a mountain of a young man!
"Anyhow, let me tell you. One night, about a month ago, it began to storm and rain. So, I
went out to the cliffs to gather my goats in here, out of the weather. That was when I saw him
—he was hiding in the rocks like a hunted animal, hungry and soaked to the skin. I brought
him into this very cave, dried him and gave him food. At first I thought he was a mute
because he sat by my fire half the night without saying a single word, just gazing at me with
those beautiful brown eyes of his. But gradually I got him to talk. Adamo did not know who
his mother or father were, but he could remember a big house where he thought he may once
have lived or stayed. He could recall a kindly old gentleman and a nice old lady, but that was
all. One thing he was sure of, though, he didn't belong with the Razan—their mountain caves
were a prison to him. The old one, Maguda Razan, kept telling Adamo that she was his
grandmother and the only kin he had living in the world. Poor Adamo, he begged her to let
him go free, but Maguda refused. His hatred of being made to live in the company of robbers
and murderers drove him to try to escape. He never got far—Razan men hunted him down and
brought him back to the caves. Adamo was normally a quiet, lonely boy, but after he was first
recaptured he refused to speak with any Razan, particularly Maguda. Many times as he grew
he tried to escape and break away over the years. Each time he was brought back. Maguda
threatened him with all manner of horrible things, but this did not stop Adamo.
"He told me all this that night I hid him in my cave. Came the dawn, I awoke to find he had
gone. Soon after, a band of Razan came here and searched the area. Ligran Razan was their
leader. He's worse than all his brothers put together, that one. A big mastiff dog he brought
with him picked up Adamo's scent, and away they went, a pack of wild animals led by a wild
animal! I haven't seen Adamo since, pray heaven and all the saints that the poor boy escaped
this time. I haven't seem them dragging him back either, so at least that's something to keep
my hopes up. Though you can never tell with the Razan—maybe they captured him and took
him back by another route."
Ben felt enormous sympathy for Arnela. "Don't worry, marm, when we get to their hideout
we'll find him, if he's there. If not, we'll scour all of France and Spain until we can return
Adamo to his uncle in Veron."
Dominic presented her with his finished picture. "Thanks for your help, Arnela. I hope you
like this, I did it for you in thanks for your help and hospitality."
The facemaker had portrayed Arnela in profile, sitting with the baby goat on her lap by the
fire. Beauty and simplicity of heart radiated from the parchment. Every line and weather mark
on the big goatherd's ruddy features caught her kindliness and strength of humanity.
Her voice was husky with reverence for the artist's skill. "Dominic, I have never seen anything
like this, 'tis a wondrous thing. I will keep it on my driest wall. It will always remind me of
you, my good friends. Now, is there anything I can do to help you? Just ask. Anything?"
Ned leaned his chin on Arnela's knee and gazed up at her. "This wonderful person would
come with us, I know she would. But the goats are her children—what would become of them
if she left the herd to go off adventuring with us?"
Ben caught Ned's thought and spoke his answer aloud. "Oh, don't trouble yourself, marm,
we'll be alright. Though I'd like you to keep watch for us on our return. We may need to get
out of these mountains pretty fast."
Arnela stroked behind Ned's ears. "I'll watch night and day for a sign of you. Now you must
rest, it's safer to travel by night if you want to avoid discovery. Lie down now, children."
They lay warm and cosy on the dried grass, Ned with his eyes half closed, watching Arnela
mending their torn cloaks with goat-hair twine and a large bone needle.
Just before the Labrador dropped off, he heard her gathering grass and murmuring to the goats
who had strayed inside. "Hush now, Ajax, and you too, Pantyro, let the young 'uns sleep.
They've got enough to contend with, or they will have soon. Come on, now, outside, all of
you, have dinner out in the fresh air. Clovis, can't you do something about that kid of yours,
I've never seen such bad manners. Out with you!"
Lulled by the safety of the cave and its flickering firelit shadows, Ned sent Ben a message. "I
wouldn't mind being one of Arnela's goats, they certainly get the best of treatment and care
from her. Hmm, maybe not, though. Goats are a pretty thick lot, I'd never be able to put up
with all that maaahing and baaaing, would you, mate?"
But his thoughts fell on deaf ears. Ben, Dominic and Karay were already soundly slumbering.
Ben had the feeling that it was evening outside when Arnela wakened them. She had bowls of
vegetable soup and some bread and honey prepared for them.
"Eat plenty now, young 'uns, it might be some time before you get another good meal. Here,
I've fixed up your cloaks as best as I could—needlework was never my strong point. I've
packed a little food for you, and I've thrown in one of my extra ropes and an ice axe, you'll
need them."
Having eaten, the four companions went outside to take their farewells of their newfound
friend. It was cold. Frost glittered on the rocks, and the sky above was a vault of dark velvet,
pierced by a million pinpoints of bright starlight and a pale lemon-rind slice of moon.
Arnela's formidable arms encircled their shoulders. "Go now, and take all my fondest wishes
with you. Stay to the right winding paths—avoid the left ones, or you'll finish up stranded on
some ledge. Lead them off, Ned, you good dog. Go on, don't look back, and tread carefully."
They trudged away with Arnela's voice fading behind them. "Come out of that water, Theseus,
d'you want your hair to freeze? Narcissus, stop looking at yourself in the pool. Clovis, don't
act silly, I've got your kid here with me. Come on, all inside now, that means you, too,
Pantyro!"
22
NIGHT IN THE high mountains was like being stranded on some strange planet. Silence
reigned. In the clear air, every sound was magnified and echoed. The travellers walked
gingerly onward, keeping their voices to hushed whispers lest they betray their position to