The Riftwar Legacy: The Complete 4-Book Collection. Raymond E. Feist

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       • TWELVE •

       Preparations

      WIND AND RAIN PELTED THE RIDERS.

      Owyn wasn’t sure if this was preferable to the snows he had endured on the north side of the mountain, for while it was warmer, it was far wetter. His heavy fur-lined robe was sodden, weighing on him like lead. But at least, he thought, this time he wasn’t drugged and tied to his horse.

      The escort provided by Obkhar’s clan had seen them safely to a pass controlled by their faction. As they reached the foothills of the mountain, they intercepted a runner carrying warnings of a falling-out near Sar-Sargoth. Delekhan’s forces were surrounded by Narab, who had been removed from Delekhan’s inner council and replaced by Delekhan’s son, Moraeulf. Speculation was that Narab had to move to capture and destroy Delekhan before the Six intervened or else he and his clan would be crushed. Gorath greeted the news with indifference, later mentioning to Owyn that he would be pleased if either of them destroyed the other.

      At the summit of the small pass they had taken, the escort turned back, saying this pass was heavily patrolled by Kingdom forces. As if predicted, later that same day they had been intercepted by a Kingdom patrol of Krondorian regulars. The officer in command, Lieutenant Flynn by name, had been ready to brand them both renegades, but Owyn mentioned Arutha’s name and said they carried a message from Squire James; and more to the point, they knew Arutha was camped in the Dimwood.

      The patrol had handed off Gorath and Owyn to another detachment, who had escorted them to a camp in the Dimwood. For several miles, the bivouacked soldiers’ fires were visible. Gorath had observed that a significant portion of the Kingdom army must be in the woods.

      Arutha sat at a command table, Knight-Marshal Gardan at his side, looking at marks on a large map of the mountains leading to the north. Looking up as Gorath and Owyn were ushered into his presence, he said, ‘You look on the verge of collapse. Sit down.’ He indicated a pair of camp chairs nearby. Owyn didn’t need a second invitation and sat heavily, while Gorath walked to the map and studied it. ‘Here,’ he said, putting his finger on the spot designated Northwarden. ‘This is where Delekhan plans to assault your forces.’

      Arutha was silent for a long while, studying the moredhel. Finally, he said, ‘If you will forgive my caution, where is Squire James?’

      Owyn said, ‘Sire, he sent us to bring you word while he hurried to Northwarden to carry warning to Baron Gabot. He gave us these documents.’ He handed the documents to a soldier who gave them to Knight-Marshal Gardan. Owyn filled them in on how they had uncovered and destroyed the nest of Nighthawks near Cavell Keep. He detailed James’s theory that Delekhan was planning on going by boat and portage from Northwarden to Romney, then straight overland to Sethanon.

      Arutha again was silent as he studied the documents. ‘These are much like those we saw when first you came to Krondor, Gorath. Then they claimed the attacks were in places like Tannerus and Yabon. What are we to believe?’

      Gardan’s dark face was set in an expression of doubt. He said, ‘We hear you speak of leaving James at Cavell Keep, yet we intercept you coming south through the mountains again. You picked a most indirect route to reach us, moredhel.’

      ‘We had little choice, my lord,’ replied Owyn. He explained about the capture and attempted to outline the chaotic conditions among the various clans of the north.

      When he finished, Arutha said, ‘You paint a picture of confusion and rival factions battling for control, yet our patrols and advanced units see only a unified opposition, working in a co-ordinated fashion.’

      ‘You see only those forces loyal to Delekhan south of the Teeth of the World, Prince Arutha,’ said Gorath. ‘Clans who either oppose or resist him are either fleeing to refuges in the ice-bound mountains to the far north or seeking to travel near the Lake of the Sky south past the eledhel and dwarves to the Green Heart.’

      Gardan said, ‘We have had reports from Duke Martin of heavier than usual sightings of bands of moredhel moving past the eastern boundary of Crydee, Highness. Martin says he’s seen women and children, so they’re not war parties.’

      Arutha СКАЧАТЬ