The Kingless Land - Ed Greenwood [61]
One of the straying wizards burst into view over a mound of creeping greenery, sprinting hard. He promptly slipped, fell on his face with a cry of despair, slid a few stones down, rolled over frantically, and clawed his way on down the slippery green slope. Behind him loped a huge bear, yellowed teeth bared. It caught sight of the scattered band of men, roared a challenge, and came charging down the hill, clawing its way right over the shrieking wizard without stopping.
"Let it get into our midst," Rivryn called, "and surround it. If it comes at you, fade to one side. Watch your feet first, and the bear second!"
As the armaragor's shout ended, one of the other warriors could quite clearly be heard to say wearily, "Stupid, stupid mages…"
"Oh, by the Dark One!" said the wizard Huldaerus disgustedly. "Stop all this brave shouting, and stand aside!"
He took something from his belt, held it up, and wove a swift spell. Whatever was in his hand slumped into black powder and trickled away from between his fingers, to be lost in the faint breeze-and from his other hand streaked a dark bolt of force that sped into the chest of the bear. Black flames and a horrible screaming arose together, and the bear staggered a few strides, convulsed, and crashed to the ground, flames soaring up from its blackening body.
The warriors took a good look at it and then formed a watchful circle facing outward. The wizard who'd first fled from the bear shouted in triumph, as if he'd slain it himself. Clambering back up the mound he'd so recently sobbed his way down, to get a better look at the burning corpse, he adjusted his amber-hued robe with a flourish, repairing the damages of his fall.
Huldaerus and Nynter of the Nine Daggers exchanged sour glances. "Adventure, it seems," the bear slayer grunted, "is rather less glamorous than fireside bards have it."
Nynter opened his mouth to reply-and there came another roaring from the mound. They looked in that direction, in time to see the bear's mate tearing the head of the amber-robed mage clean off. Or rather, not so cleanly off.
Nynter plucked something from his belt, blew on it, snarled a word, and threw the tiny item at the bear. It dwindled to nothing, and he turned back to Huldaerus.
"Glamorous, no," Nynter said, acquiring the ghost of a smile, as his hastily hurled fire spell exploded inside the second bear, hurling it all over the surrounding trees in wet spatters, "but every bit as exciting."
"Bear stew, anyone?" Huldaerus grunted-and one of the nearby warriors bent forward and noisily began to be sick.
Silent servants conducted Markoun Yarynd into a room in the castle that he'd never seen before. A stately paneled chamber stretched out a long way before him, with sideboards ranged along its wall, surrounding a large, gleaming feasting table that seemed almost larger than the room could comfortably hold.
Yet the room also held Baron Silvertree, sitting at the head of the table with a glass in his hand. Steaming platters of food sat before him, a forest of slender bottles lay in an ice trench within easy reach, and an empty trencher was laid at the baron's right hand.
"Welcome!" the Baron said jovially. "Sit and eat, most able mage!"
Markoun knew better than to hesitate or look uncertain. "My thanks, Lord," he said, smiling broadly, and swept to the place set for him.
Faerod Silvertree passed him a platter the moment he was seated, and for a time they dined in easy silence, until the Baron sat back, glass in hand, and said, "I'm pleased with your plan, and I wonder if you have any other thoughts on… this matter of my daughter."
To cover the fact that his only thoughts on that matter thus far had been to keep this man from flying into a fury and ordering all their deaths, Markoun took a sip from his glass, sat back in turn, and said, "Wizards all too often fall into favorite tactics, Lord, and act accordingly. To use the old saying, 'To a horse tamer, all beasts are horses.' I dare not make any plans until I know more. Who are these men who came to our isle and left