Brin and Diver and I all shouted together.

"A No!"

Diver stepped up and took the apparatus from Vel Ragan. "Ablo, this is Garl Brinroyan calling from the Fourth Mark."

"Excellence, I hear you wonderfully clearly," said Ablo, "but you had no need to check. The escort is doing a fine job of protecting our winnings!"

"Good Ablo, you have served us well," said Diver, "and now you must render the greatest service of all. You must save my Family from peril!"

We heard anything .

"Then leave the senior member of the Pentroy escort in charge and take the next in rank with you to the tent of Murno Pentroy. Tell the Highness himself or Fer Utovan- gan that my Family is imprisoned in their tent near the cloth market by a Gulgarvor who seek my own capture.

Tell them that the one who has ordered this deed is the same who lost a silver ship. And as proof of my good faith say all this in the name of the Maker of Engines."

Diver said more, giving the location of the tent and schooled Ablo in the message, which he seized quickly.

"Go then," said Diver, "our prayers go with you. We will not wait Blacklock's coming but make shift to free those who are trapped by ourselves, if we can."

Then Diver returned the cups to Vel Ragan, who broke the link and left us forlorn and still helpless in the stuffy tent. Diver was filled with energy, like a twisted thread or a metal spring. He led us, very fast, to a place behind the patch of nettles. We were much closer to our tent and in a desolate corner of the fairground where no one came.

"What weapon have you?" asked the scribe. Diver brought out his stun-gun; Vel Ragan whistled in admira- tion and produced a wooden box from his sleeve.Ablo gasp. "Excellence, anything,( 153 ).

"This fires a dart - . ." he said. A metal tube with a wooden grip lay in the box.

"The tent has a blind side," said Diver. "I think the brutes are watching the door and the eastern wall."

"Correct. Narneen, the ancient, and the baby lie on that blind side," said Vel Ragan.

"Then Mamor and the Harper are tied to the tree,"

guessed Diver.

"You see it well.11 "What is your plan?" asked Brin.

"The stun-gun?" I whispered, "Dangerous in a confined s.p.a.ce," said Diver. "They must be lured out."

"You will not budge them," said Vel Ragan. "They will not stir until they can take you, trussed, to their cruel liege.

Their own lives depend upon it. Surprise is their main weapon."

"Then they have lost the game already," said Brin, "for they cannot surprise us. Diver ... I have a plan if the scribe Vel will cooperate."

She told the plan, which seemed good, and then I went with her, back to Onnar under the tree. "Narneen asks if you are coming," said Onnar, "and I have told her not yet.

But I cannot lie to this Witness ... I can barely shut her out."

"Do it, I pray," said Brin. "The less she knows the better."

She outlined the plan to Onnar, then we moved on. We went to the northern edge of the field, dropped into one of the ditches circling the ground and made our way crawling through nettles and dead leaves to come up on the tent's blind side. It took less time than we expected. The tent loomed ahead, and we crawled again, from one clump of bushes to another. Brin took her amulet on its chain and caught the suns' light, flashing towards the field and the( 154 ).

a e tinoreplace where Diver waited with Vel Ragan. She handed me Diver's knife and drew out her own, pressing a hand to her mouth for silence.

There was an empty time of waiting; then we saw two figures approaching the tent, pa.s.sing among the trees and the other tents as they came. Diver, still in his gray silk cloak, stumbled along oddly, pushed and urged by Vel Ragan. They came on until they stood before our tent's closed flap door. Then Vel Ragan shouted in a harsh ringing voice, "Gulgarvor ... I have your prize!"

He wrenched back Diver's cloak, to show his blue suit, and shoved him to the ground, on his knees. Diver's hands appeared to be bound. "Here is the devil for you!" cried Vel Ragan. "Here is your release!"

The scene already attracted attention from the few weavers and idlers who were not at the fair. They stood peering around trees, poking heads from flap doors. Vel Ragan was a frightening figure; his scarred face was revealed, and he held a long knife in one hand.

"Bargain for your devil, Gulgarvor! Pay ransom or the devil will die!" He flashed the knife high in the air and made as if to stab Diver, who cried out piteously in hi's own language.

For the first time there was movement from our tent and the sound of voices.

"Hold . . ." A single figure stepped out; one of the intruders, heavily built, blinking in the sunlight. I thought I recognized the face of a va.s.sal from the convoy, one who had gone back for the Galtroy litter.

"Not so fast, friend," said the creature, thumbs in its red belt. "Perhaps you have something there we need." Anoth- er stranger came out of the tent, by the back flap, and sidled towards Vel Ragan in a circle.

"No closer, or the devil dies and takes his secrets with him."( 155 ).

"Who are you to tangle with devils, friend?" asked Red-Belt, taking a step closer.

"A poor adventurer," said Vel Ragan smoothly.

Diver, groveling, cried out again, as if in fear of his life and suddenly the members of the Gulgarvor all burst from the tent together and rushed upon Vel Ragan. I saw Diver and Vel begin to run, drawing them away, then I was inside the tent with Brin, on the blind side.

They were all there, just as we had been told; Narneen sat up screaming and Mamor and the Harper were straining at their bonds. I hacked at their ropes while Brin closed and weighted the back flap and stood to the door, speaking to comfort Old Gwin and Tomar as best she could. Mamor wrenched out his gag and did the same for the Harper, as I freed their feet.

"What was that, for the fire's sake?" roared Mamor.

"A game to draw them off . . ." I said.

"Help Diver!" said Brin. "Mamor ... Roy ... can you fight?" I rushed to the door, but Mamor held me back.

"Stay here. Is that the scribe helping us?" He plunged out into the daylight, followed by the Harper, and at last I was able to get a look at the struggle.

Diver had his stun-gun out and had already felled one va.s.sal as he drew away with Vel Ragan to the open ground at the end of the camping place. But the bond of Gulgarvor made them heedless of any danger, and Vel Ragan, un steady on his lame leg, stumbled and fell in their path.

They were swarming onto him; Diver rushed back, stun ning two more, and dragged the scribe to his feet again.

Diver, speaking plainly in Moruian, warned them to keep back, but they did not heed him. Then Mamor and the Harper joined the fray, each seizing a va.s.sal from behind and wrestling. Diver had used his stun-gun with measured force; already those that he felled had bounced up again, and as he altered the setting two of the lar est brutes leaped 9 1.( 156 ).

upon him. Vel Ragan, behind a tree now, fired his weapon, and I saw Red-Belt, the leader, clutch a wounded arm, pierced by a dart. Diver had one of his a.s.sailants down with a chopping blow, but the other was pressing him dange- rously. A crowd was gathering now, to watch this strange, long battle.

Narneen crawled to my side and said, "There is a flying machine . . ."

Blacklock flew in low, with the big wind-blade churning the air and tossing the treetops. The crowd scattered and crouched, but the members of the Gulgarvor still fought on as if possessed. I saw the machine land on open ground then a present danger made me cry out for Brin. Red-Belt and another va.s.sal, who had an arrow skin-sewn in blue on its upper arm, were racing upon us, determined to regain the shelter of the tent or seek hostages. Brin sprang to the door again, pushing me aside; she carried a loom board as a weapon and I heard Red-Belt grunt as she used it.

She held it out of the tent, prodding and parrying the a.s.saults of Red-Belt and Arrow.

"Devils!" panted Red-Belt. "Nest of devils!"

"Keep back!" cried Brin. "I charge you in the winds'

name!"

"Repent!" growled Arrow. "Make clean, mountain weaver! Give up your bond with the Foreigner!"

"Keep back from my Family, my children and my home tent that you have defiled!" said Brin, in a voice that made me shudder. "Or I swear by Eenath I will strike you down!"

Then she struck at them again, more fiercely still, and I felt Old Gwin come closer, placing the whimpering Tomar in my arms. She drew back the flap until she stood at Brin's side and in a sharp chanting voice she cried out, "Keep back, for the fire of Eenath has consumed your souls! We know you all, and you are all accursed! You will go downep e d d( 157 ).I.

into fire and have Gulgarvor enough, for your very bones will be consumed to ashes . . ."

The pair of them, Red-Belt and Arrow, halted for a moment at the ancient's curse; then they came on, and Old Gwin dipped into a leather sack on her wrist and flung a handful of dust in their faces.

"Narneen," she shrieked, "call the names of the Gulgar- vor for all the world to know!"

" VARADON!" cried Narneen, kneeling by me in the darkness, and I echoed her cry and so did Brin. The leader gave a cry of pain and surprise, for Old Gwin was throwing the dust of the fireweed.

it MEETAL!" cried Narneen'. The va.s.sal marked with the arrow reeled back, and its eyes were stung with the dust.

it ARTHO!" cried Narneen. The two, backing away from the tent, half-blind, fell over another va.s.sal coming to their aid. Brin, holding the loom board and Gwin with her sack of pepper, edged after them. I stood up, holding Tomar, and took Narneen's hand and we stepped out into the sunlight.

"TRANJE!" cried Narneen.

"Tranie!" echoed Brin and Gwin and myself at the tops of our voices. A va.s.sal, wrestling with the Harper stood back amazed.

44 TROY!" cried Narneen.

"Troy!" The shout rose up even louder, for now the Harper and Mamor had joined in the naming of the Gulgarvor. The wretched Troy broke loose from fighting with Diver. Mamor's opponent, still not named, rushed at Narneen, and Gwin threw another handful of dust.

44 ALLOO!" cried Narneen.

"Alloo!" The cry went up on all sides.

At last the Gulgarvor faltered, and all rushed for open ground. They slammed full-tilt into Blacklock and Fer and two st.u.r.dy members of the black and white escort who had, somehow crowded into the flying machine Dabkan. They( 158 ).

V.were flung down and herded into a ring, wild-eyed, panting sweat-streaked creatures, some unarmed, some clutching weapons ... they looked like devils indeed, it BANO!" Narneen cried out the last name, and it was repeated. Then we saw that one member of the Gulgarvor Jay still on the ground, apart from its companions.

Blacklock clapped Diver on the back and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "At your call, Garl Brinroyan. But with the power of Brin's Five, I see you have flown past this net. "

"Let us make all secure!" said Fer. He gestured to the members of the escort, who carried ropes.

"What will you do?" asked Diver suddenly.

"Bind up these creatures," said Blacklock. "What, did you think I meant to string them up? My nickname is not Gargan, like my uncle's, I promise you."

With the help of Mamor and the Harper, the six living members of the Gulgarvor were bound all together and sat on the gra.s.s in the sunlight of the New Year, with their fallen comrade. Fer walked about and bade the members of the crowd go about their business and refrain from watch- ing a private quarrel.

I sat on the gra.s.s too, at a safe distance, with Tomar, Narneen and Old Gwin, still shivering and muttering from the ordeal. Vel Ragan came slowly out from behind his tree and waved; the Witness Onnar came running to his side.

They approached our group hesitantly, then Onnar held out her hands and Narneen ran to her. It was a moment, in all the terrible violence and confusion, that I was often to see in my thoughts. I felt as if some piece of weaving was complete; the last shuttle had gone through a certain panel and the pattern was ready to be seen. Brin came to join us and took Tomar in her arms.

"Let it be known that Vel Ragan and Onnar have saved this Family!" she said. She clasped hands with each of them in turn.( 159 ).

"It was the power of Narneen that made it possible," said Vel Ragan. He was a strange, shy person, made harsh, I guessed, by what life had brought him, including his disfigurement. His mind was the keenest of any Moruian I have ever known, for all the ways of city living and politics and the relations between one person and another. In this he surpa.s.sed even Nantgeeb, who was before everything a scholar and a ruling spirit, who could see only one way at a time.

Now, on the fairground at Otolor, Old Gwin took the edge off the day by squinting crossly up at Vel Ragan. "I forgive you the sleep-spying, young scribe," she said, "and wish you a Happy New Year."

We returned to our tent and purified it, and I had the joy of seeing Blacklock, the hero himself, together with Fer, that legendary flier, under our roof branches, sitting among us. But the New Year was not a happy one and all the soothing talk ringing in my head made the hurt and confusion I felt worse instead of better. I stumbled out of the tent and saw the members of the Gulgarvor sitting under a tree, dazed as twirlers, and I felt a stab of hopeless pity for the creatures. Brin and Blacklock had been at pains to tell Diver of the threat that they presented; they would never cease to threaten him with capture until death took every one of them.

Their naming, the death of their comrade, the offers that had been made to them secretly by Blacklock, a member of clan Pentroy, for pardon and release . . . nothing could sever them from the bond of Gulgarvor. They could not return to Tiath Avran Pentroy with the task incomplete; they were outcasts.... Varadon, Meetal, Artho, Tranje, Troy, Alloo and Bano. Even the dead member, Bano, was not released from the seven-fold cord, and indeed the spirit of this member weighed upon all of us. Bano, an omor like Meetal, Artho, and Alloo, had died at Diver's hands, not from stun-gun or dart or cudgel but from the single( 160 ).

chopping blow with which Diver had felled her to the ground. The killing lay on him like a shadow; he had a special aversion to killing a female, even a strong, fierce omor, seeking his capture.

As I sat on the gra.s.s by myself, looking as dazed as the prisoners, Blacklock, Fer and Brin came out of the tent with Diver. They were talking about boats and plans, but it seemed like so much of the grown-up chatter I had heard so often that it went literally over my head.

"Dorn . . ." it was Brin standing over me.

"Dorn Brinroyan," said Fer. "The escort will stay here so we have vacant places. Would you like to fly with me back to the field?"

To fly ... in Blacklock's machine! Part of me was ready to jump up, but instead I found myself coming up from the ground wearily and unsteadily.

"Thank you," I stammered, "but I would rather stay on the ground this time."

He smiled, green eyes twinkling, and exchanged one of those grown-up glances with Brin. "It has been too much for him," she said.

I was ashamed and sad and felt tears stinging my eyes as I stood looking at the gra.s.s. There was too much I could not bear thinking about, from Jebbal to the Gulgarvor. I turned my back on the whole of the New Year and went into the tent. I lay down on top of a sleeping bag beside Narneen, and the last thing I heard was my sib, the Witness, cracking nuts with her teeth.Isle Oi heavily but not long enough, and I seemed to hear the New Year Shout in the depths of my sleep. I woke with Diver gripping my arm . . . the Great Sun had gone down, and the people had shouted to see the Far Sun rise up beside it at least two hours before. Now the fair was in a sleepy stage of rejoicing.

"Come, put on your gray cloak again, and we will walk( 161 ).

through the fair to the river," said Diver. I looked abou and hardly recognized my own tent for it had been strippe and packed while I slept. There were strange faces there three weavers had been hired to help with the packin under the sharp eyes of Gwin and the Harper.

"Blacklock has hired us a boat," explained Diver.

I went to the water bag, luckily still unemptied and dre out water for my face. "Wait!" I said. "What will become o the Ulgan's barge? Has Gordo Beethan come to the fair as i was promised?"

Diver shook his head. "He has not been seen. Mamo arranged for a Family to take the barge back to Cullin."

"I hope no evil has come to him."

They were calling outside the tent now, "Dorn!" an "Diver!" so we went out. Blacklock and Fer and the escor had gone; the Gulgarvor were no longer beneath the tree Only Brin's Five stood there in Esder light beside a wheele handcart, which showed that this Family had come up i the world. Once the tent was down and folded, the hire helpers set off on the paved ring-road, and we turned t( walk through the fair.

We went into the cloth market and halted before a lace stall while Old Gwin examined the lace and collected credits from the stall keeper for some of her own lace that had been sold. I saw the Family, tired after their ordeal, with Tomar sleeping on Brin's back, for he would not ride with the others now that she had returned. There stood Harper Roy, tuning the good harp over his shoulder and Diver m.u.f.fled up, with his head bent to hide his eyes, and Narneen leaning sleepily into the folds of his cloak.

J stood at the back with Mamor, and I saw us, side side, making part of the Family.

"What has become of the Gulgarvor?" I asked.