Hero's Song

  Collun cried out, his voice shrill. "What is it? What is happening to me, to my family?"

  Crann shook his head. "I made an oath to your mother and can say no more of her. Not now. But there are other things I can tell you, and, indeed, it has become vital that you know them. But first, I want to hear more of your journey since leaving Inkberrow. You spoke of scald-crows and of a morg?"

  Collun related all that had befallen them during the past weeks as Crann listened closely.

  "Urlacan. I have heard the name before." He shook his head, a grim expression on his face. "There is deep trouble in the land, Collun. Not just for you, but for all of Eirren."

  "What's all this about trouble?" A yawning Talisen joined them at the fire. Crann poured him some of the sweetened chicory. Brie and Silien were awake as well, and after passing around more of the wheat-and-blueberry bars, Crann began to speak.

  "Medb, the queen of Scath, grows restless with the peace forged fifteen years ago between Eirren and Scath. It is my belief she never planned to abide by the treaty. She agreed to it merely to give herself time. There is a hunger that drives the Queen of Ghosts. Like her ancestor Cruachan, she craves power—power over men and over nature herself."

  Crann paused and rubbed his eyelids wearily. "As I said before, it seems that Medb has found a way to unseal the Cave of Cruachan. She waits now for the right moment, but with the power of the cave and its creatures behind her, she will surely destroy Eirren." The old wizard's voice was heavy with dread. "And Tir a Ceol as well," Crann added, his eyes on Silien. They all felt a chill and instinctively drew closer together.

  "Surely there is something we can do?" demanded Talisen. "What of our champions? Our army?"

  Crann shook his head. "For some time now Medb has been acting to remove that threat. I do not know if the news has reached Inkberrow, but in the past year many of Eirren's heroes have been murdered by faceless attackers. Or they have simply disappeared."

  Collun felt Brie's body stiffen.

  "We have heard of the disappearance of Cuillean," offered Talisen.

  "Yes." The wizard's face was troubled. "Cuillean has not been seen in over a year. At first it was thought he had merely grown restless during peacetime and had taken to wandering, looking for adventure. But the time has grown long. It may be that he is dead. As are Laery and Conall and many others. I believe Medb and those that serve her are responsible for their murders."

  Collun grew impatient. "But what has this to do with Nessa?"

  "The scald-crows that follow you are from the Cave of Cruachan and, if I am right, they serve Medb. As does the morg."

  "Of what interest is my journey to the queen of Scath?"

  "You wear a blade on your belt. May I see it?" The wizard's voice was soft.

  Collun silently handed him the dagger that had been a trine. The old man examined it, running his fingers lightly over the lucky stone. He handed it back, saying, "The blacksmith did good work."

  Then his eyes shifted and he gazed abstractedly for several moments into the fire. Finally he spoke.

  "Your mother gave you the stone in the handle." Though it had not been framed as a question, Collun nodded.

  "Medb wants that stone."

  Silien drew in his breath. The Ellyl's eyes were on Collun's dagger, and they glittered slightly.

  "The Cailceadon Lir," he said softly. "Moccus's sow ... I should have guessed."

  Bewildered, Collun looked between wizard and Ellyl.

  "The stone that lies in the handle of your dagger, Collun," said Crann, "is the third shard of the Cailceadon Lir. Do you know of the Cailceadon Lir?"

  Collun nodded slowly. "It is an ancient talisman. A chalcedony. Talisen knows a song about it."

  "Yes. Amergin used it to save Eirren from Cruachan and his creatures," Talisen spoke up. "But that is all we know of it."

  "The earliest history of the chalcedony, or cailceadon in the old tongue, is not known," began Crann, "but it begins for us when an Ellyl named Lir found it lying on the shore of the great Lake Erris. The stone was large then, as large as his palm. When Lir found the stone and lifted it, he felt a tingling in his hand and arms.

  "I am not sure if I can explain this part so you will understand, but there is something that happens in nature that is rare and unpredictable. It has to do with convergence, with several things coming together in a certain place over a period of time, and the effect is that of concentration. The thing affected becomes more than it was, denser and more powerful. This stone was such a thing. I do not know where the chalcedony originally lay—perhaps at the confluence of four rivers, or at the center of the overlapping root systems of four trees. But there was power in the stone. Wizards recognize and seek such objects. We use them to focus and deepen the power we already possess. My staff is such an object.

  "Lir was not a wizard; not all Ellylon have the gift of draoicht, or magic, as you call it. But Lir sensed something in the stone and believed it would bring him luck. It did, and the cailceadon became a family treasure, to be passed down to his firstborn, and every firstborn after that.

  "In the time of Amergin's rule it came into the hands of Lir's great-grandson, a man named Aed. And Aed had a close friend who was called Cruachan. Like Aed, Cruachan was Ellyl, and yet he had eyes that were not Ellyl. Instead of being all silver, there was a ring of brown around the iris.

  "Cruachan was not at that time known to be a wizard, though he knew it himself. He was handsome and possessed great charm, but his charm masked an evil heart within. Aed showed his friend the cailceadon handed down by his ancestor Lir. Cruachan immediately sensed the great power in the smoky blue stone. He said nothing and did nothing, but he waited for his moment.

  "Aed eventually wed an Eirrenian woman, which was not uncommon during that time. She bore him two sons. Cruachan was a frequent visitor and trusted friend and was even named athair, second father, to their firstborn son.

  "But on the eve of the day on which Aed had planned to pass on the Cailceadon Lir to his eldest son, Cruachan came in the night and murdered Aed. He stole the stone and fled to a fortress he had secretly built for himself, high up in the Mountains of Mourne in North Eirren.

  "There Cruachan was able to tap into the power of the Cailceadon Lir. He twisted the stone to his own evil ends. You already know the rest—how Cruachan used his power to forge the kingdom of Scath and to create his creatures. But Amergin was able to steal back the cailceadon.

  "He and Mannan and Dil used the stone's power to call the creatures back to their cave and to seal them inside—forever, they thought.

  "But the power unleashed in the sealing was so intense that the stone shattered. Into three shards.

  "One shard was lost when it fell into the river that ran below Cruachan's cave. The two remaining shards were taken back to Eirren. One remains in a well-guarded spot known only to the king and queen of Eirren. It is one of the country's greatest treasures, though most Eirrenians do not even know of its existence.

  "As to the second shard, Amergin took it with him on one of his voyages, where he foolishly lost it to a lady with more beauty than goodness. I believe that is the stone lying in the handle of your dagger, Collun."

  Collun looked down at it in wonder. "But that all happened hundreds of years ago. How did my mother come to have the stone?"

  Crann was silent.

  "You cannot tell me."

  "I must honor my vow to your mother."

  "But how has Medb unsealed Cruachan's cave?" Talisen broke in.

  Crann nodded grimly. "The lost shard of the Cailceadon Lir, the one that fell into the river—I believe Medb has found it."

  "I still don't understand," said Collun. "What does the Cailceadon Lir have to do with Nessa? Where is she?"

  "I do not know, but I think Medb has her."

  Collun closed his eyes, tensing his body against the fear that coursed through him. "Where?"

  "I do not know," the wizard repeated. "I have sought her, but as yet I
can find no trace. It is you who must find her, Collun. Come. I cannot stay with you much longer." He kicked dirt on the campfire, dousing it, then began once more to walk.

  They traveled at a brisk pace most of the day. Collun felt better—the buzzing in his ears was now completely gone, and his leg throbbed less. They made camp that night in a small glade of oak and hazel trees. Crann passed around more of his blueberry blocks.

  "There is a path just over the next rise. It will take you to the road leading into Temair. It shouldn't take more than a few days to get to the city," said Crann.

  "Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that on my journey toward the Forest of Eld, I chanced upon a band of Scathians with a morg leading them, a morg who sounds very much like your Mister Urlacan. They were traveling along the edge of the wood, looking for a path, I believe. But it happened that after I passed them, they were beset by bad weather." The wizard smiled. "A fog descended on them. It was so dense I am sure they could not see a hand's length before them. Not surprisingly, it caused a fair amount of confusion and fright among them, and the last I saw, they were headed east. By now they must be halfway to the Eastern Sea." Collun and Brie exchanged a look of wonder and relief, while Talisen laughed out loud.

  "I hope they fall in," he said happily.

  Before going to sleep, Crann inspected Collun's leg again. He removed the bandage carefully and traced the stitches with his long, dry fingers. As Collun watched, the translucent threads melted away. Crann then took stalks of something resembling purple nettles from inside the folds of his green cloak and rubbed them over the wound. Though it stung for a few moments, Collun felt an easing, as if a deep splinter were being pulled out.

  Collun slept deeply that night. He dreamed that Crann sat beside him in the moonlight and said, "Be well, spriosan."

  When they awoke the next morning, Crann was gone. He had left behind a small pile of the food blocks on a bed of leaves.

  They easily found the path the wizard had spoken of and had a pleasant three-day journey, with the sun shining and a cool breeze at their backs.

  As the sun sank on the second day, they came upon the road to Temair. The battlements of the city stood out against the darkening sky. They stopped for a moment and stared at it. Then Talisen let out a whoop of laughter.

  "We made it," he said, clapping Collun enthusiastically on the back. "We made it to Temair!"

  Collun smiled back at his friend but could not share his excitement. Nessa was not in Temair, and he did not know where to find her.

  They made camp soon after, and the next morning embarked upon the road to the city. They encountered many travelers on the road as they passed through two villages that lay nestled in Temair's protective shadow.

  Then they came to the gates of Temair. The city was surrounded by a massive wall of white stone. As they entered the gates, the noise inside overwhelmed them. It was the noise of voices raised, cart wheels clattering along the cobblestone pavement, and the squeals, honks, brays, and barks of the many animals that roamed the streets.

  They made their way through jostling bodies. Everywhere they looked they saw something new. The buildings were mostly two-storied and constructed of the same thick white stone as the surrounding wall. They were hung with signboards advertising the services of candlemakers, weavers, furnituremakers, bakers. The small band of travelers passed a smithy, and though the sounds and smells were familiar to Collun, it was four times the size of Goban's.

  Talisen stopped in front of the doorway of a harp-maker. He gazed transfixed at the signboard, which depicted an exquisite harp with a pillar carved in the shape of a salmon.

  Silien seemed fascinated by this city built by men. His golden head swung from side to side as he took it all in. Collun noticed that the Ellyl and the faol received many openmouthed stares.

  As widow of a slain champion, Collun's aunt Fial had been given living quarters in the royal dun, under the protection of the king and queen. Brie, who had been to Temair before, led the way. Then they rounded a corner and got their first sight of the dun. It was also crafted of white stone and was built on a steep outcrop of rock, rising high above the other buildings of Temair. A tall, castellated outer rampart encircled the dun itself, and entrance was provided through a massive set of iron doors. Three slender turrets of different heights surrounded one wide central turret. Collun was awed by the dun's vastness, and he steeled himself to approach one of the men who guarded the entrance.

  Though he eyed their scorched and ragged clothing with curiosity, the guard cordially ushered them inside the gates when Collun mentioned the widow Fial. Staring at the silver-eyed Ellyl, he bade them wait. He returned soon after with Quince, the wiry, heavy-browed servingman whom Fial had sent to pick up Nessa in Inkberrow.

  Quince recognized Collun. A shadow passed over his face, but he gave a terse nod of welcome and asked them to follow him. The guard reluctantly watched them go. He could hardly wait for his meal break to tell the other guards that an Ellyl and his faol had come to the royal dun.

  TEN

  Temair

  Collun looked about him with interest as they passed through a serene grass-covered courtyard and then entered the dun itself. He had expected the inside to be dark, but it was full of light emanating from a number of windows cut high in the white stone walls. The ceilings were also high and covered with painted designs. They seemed to be the sort of pictures that told a story. Collun wished he could stop and look at them, but Quince was leading them on at a rapid pace.

  Collun was surprised to see how clean and bright everything was, unlike their cottage in Inkberrow with its small windows and dirt floors. For the first time Collun thought about the choice Emer had made to leave Temair and marry Goban. Why would she wish to leave this world of light and color?

  After climbing a long flight of stone steps, they entered a large room. It was simply furnished with the exception of an exquisite tapestry that covered one entire wall. Worked in threads of silver, red, and green, it depicted Ana, the creator of Eirren, pulling the waters of her rivers up out of the Well of Connla. Silien immediately walked up to it, his eyes shining in appreciation.

  As soon as he had closed the door behind him, the servingman turned and spoke to Collun. His face was unreadable.

  "My mistress is very ill."

  "I'm sorry," Collun replied with concern. "What is her illness?"

  "It was the shock of the girl's disappearance that brought it on. She weakened then and has been wasting since."

  "Who cares for her?"

  "Myself. And the dun healers. But there is little enough to be done."

  "May I see her?"

  "Aye. But she will not know you. Why have you come?"

  "I have come to look for my sister."

  "She is gone."

  "But where? Do you know?"

  "Nay. Nobody does. She just disappeared." He paused, then said briskly, "I will set up pallets for you in the next room. There is a fire burning, as well as water for washing." Quince ushered them into the adjoining room, but Collun stayed behind.

  "I would speak further with you," he said. The servingman nodded, and after making sure the others had all they needed, he returned to the main room.

  "The queen will wish to see you. Fond of the girl, she was," Quince said. "Can I get you something to drink or eat?"

  "No," answered Collun. "But you can tell me about my sister. About what happened when she came here."

  "Very well," responded Quince. "Neither the queen, nor anyone else, knew where the girl came from or who her people were. My mistress told them she was the daughter of an old friend with too many children, who lived in a small town on the southern coast. I was the only one who knew the truth, because I was the one sent to fetch your sister from Inkberrow. My mistress swore me to silence, and she told the girl when she came that she must never mention Inkberrow or her people while she was here."

  "Do you know why?" Collun asked, remembering the words Emer had spoken whe
n he himself left Inkberrow.

  "Nay. But my mistress held her tongue, even when the girl disappeared. She pretended to send a messenger to the town Carrick on the southern coast, but secretly sent one to Inkberrow instead. She blamed herself for what happened to the girl." The man's face was drawn with worry. Collun could see he was devoted to Fial.

  "Take me to her."

  In his aunt's sickroom, Collun looked down at a pale face with purple rings under the eyes and lank gray hair trailing over the pillows. Fial's eyes were shut and her breathing shallow. Her mouth was thin, and her fingers lying on top of the bedclothes twitched occasionally. Collun barely recognized the plump, self-satisfied woman who had visited them in Inkberrow less than a year ago. "I know some herb lore," said Collun. "Perhaps...?"

  "The dun healers have tried every remedy known in Temair."

  "I understand," Collun replied. "Still, there is an herb called golden wood avens; I have been told it grows only in the southern reaches, below the Haw River. I have it with me."

  Quince was silent a moment, then said, "Try your herb lore."

  Collun quickly set to work and soon was pouring a posset of golden wood avens into his aunt's mouth. Quince watched him closely.

  For some hours Collun kept a vigil by Fial's bedside, but she showed no change. Finally, at Quince's urging, he left the darkened room. He joined his companions, who were all fast asleep on the pallets Quince had set up for them. Fara was nestled at Silien's head.

  Collun did not stop even to wash his face and hands, which still bore traces of soot from the fire in Eld. He took off his outer jersey and unlatched the dagger from his belt, stowing it carefully in his pack. Then he slid under a soft coverlet, his mind numbed by exhaustion.

  They all slept late and woke to the smell of hot gran-nach, which Quince had brought for their morning meal. Fial's condition was little better that day, although after several more doses of Collun's posset, Quince claimed her breathing was easier and deeper.

  Midway through the afternoon, Quince told Collun that the queen had been informed of his arrival, and as the servingman had predicted, she wished to meet Nessa's brother. The king had recently departed with a small army for the border between Eirren and Scath to investigate the rumors of trouble there. His two eldest sons had accompanied him.