Elric to Rescue Tanelorn - Michael Moorcock [18]
Well before we met Arjavh’s forces, we heard stories of their progress from fleeing villagers. Apparently they were marching doggedly towards Necranal, avoiding any settlements they came to. If I guessed right, the reason for Prince Arjavh being in Necralala was for the purpose of rescuing his sister. I knew little of the Eldren prince save that he was a monster incarnate, a slayer of women and children. I was impatient to meet him in battle. Other stories had told that half his forces were comprised of halflings—things from the Ghost Worlds.
The armies of the Eldren and the forces of the Humanity met on a vast plateau surrounded by distant hills. My marshals and captains were all for rushing upon the Eldren immediately, for their numbers were smaller than ours, but I stood by the Code of War and ordered our herald to the Eldren camp, under a flag of truce. I watched him ride away and then, on an impulse, spurred after him.
He turned in his saddle, hearing the hoof-beats of my horse. “Lord Erekosë?” he said questioningly.
“Ride on, herald—and I’ll ride with you.”
So together we came to the Eldren camp.
We rode through a silent camp until we came to the simple pavilion of Prince Arjavh.
“I bring a challenge from the hosts of Humanity!” cried the herald.
I heard a movement in the tent and from it stepped a lithe figure, dressed in half-armour, a steel breastplate strapped over a loose shirt of green, leather hose beneath leg greaves, also of steel, and sandals on his feet. His long black hair was kept away from his eyes by a band of gold bearing a single great ruby.
And his face—was beautiful. I hesitate to use the word to describe a man, but it is the only one to do his fine features justice. Like Ermizhad he had the tapering skull, the slanting, orbless eyes, but his lips did not curve upwards as did hers. His mouth was grim and there were lines of weariness about it. He passed his hand across his face and looked up at us.
“I am Prince Arjavh of Mernadin,” he said in his liquid voice. “We accept your challenge.”
“Shall we decide the terms of the battle?” I asked softly.
He looked at me, puzzled, then his face cleared. “Greetings, Erekosë,” he said.
“How do you know my name?”
He smiled a smile full of melancholy irony.
“Our scientists are skilful men,” he said. “But why do you come, thus, with your herald?”
“Curiosity,” I said. “I have spoke much with your sister, Ermizhad.”
“How is she?” he asked quickly.
“Well,” I said, “she was placed under my protection.”
“I am relieved,” he said. “We come, of course, to rescue her.”
“That is what I supposed. Now, shall we discuss the terms of the battle?”
“It has been a million years since the Eldren and Humanity agreed on terms—extermination of every warrior is the usual rule, now.”
“Well that rule has been changed,” I said impatiently. “Come, are you prepared?”
“Deliverance of the wounded to their own side,” he said.
“Agreed.”
“No slaying of prisoners taken in battle—the winner releasing his captives.”
“Agreed.”
“Deliverance of Ermizhad from captivity if we shall win.”
“To that I cannot agree. The king holds her. If you win, you must go on to Necranal and lay siege to the city.”
He sighed. “Very well, Sir Champion. We shall be ready at dawn tomorrow.”
I said hurriedly: “We outnumber you, Prince Arjavh—you could go back now, in peace.”
He shook his head. “Let the battle be fought,” he said.
“Until dawn, then, Prince Arjavh.”
He moved his hand tiredly in assent and nodded. “Farewell, Lord Erekosë.”
“Farewell.” I wheeled my horse and rode back to our camp in a sorrowful mood.
As the watery dawn broke, our forces advanced towards each other. Very slowly, it seemed, but implacably.
A flight of swallows flew high above us and glided away towards the far-off hills.
I smelled the stink of sweating men and horses, heard the creak of harness and the clash of metal. Because of the necessity for speed, we had brought no cannon and neither, it appeared, had the Eldren. Perhaps, I thought,