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ock before a snow…buried front door； an upright broom sticking out of the roadside drifts like a flag or the tail of a frozen animal…but most of the dwellings were as empty and desolate as skulls。
〃Where do we stop？〃 Sludig called。 〃I think we may not find a roof after all。〃
〃We may not； so let us be looking for good walls；〃 Binabik replied。 He was about to say more when Simon tugged at his arm。
〃Look！ It is a troll！ Sludig was right！〃 Simon pointed off to the side of the road； where a short figure stood motionless but for its wind…flung cloak。 The last rays of sunlight had found a thin spot m the forest fringe behind Grinsaby； throwing the stranger into relief。
〃Be looking yourself；〃 Binabik said grumpily； but his eyes were fixed warily on the stranger。 〃It is no troll。〃 The figure beside the road was very small； wearing a thin hooded cloak。 Bare； bluish skin showed where the breeches…legs failed to meet the top of his boots。
〃It's a little boy。〃 After amending his earlier identification； Simon steered Homefinder toward the edge of the road。 His two panions followed。 〃He must be freezing to death！〃
As they rode toward him； the child looked up； snow flecking his dark brows and lashes。 He stared at the approaching trio； then turned and began to run。
〃Stop；〃 Simon called； 〃we won't hurt you！〃
〃Hatad； kunde！〃 Sludig shouted。 The retreating form stopped and turned； staring。 Sludig rode a few ells closer； then climbed down from his horse and walked forward slowly。 〃Vjer sommen marroven； kunde；〃 he said； extending a hand。 The boy stared at him suspiciously； but made no further move toward flight。 The child seemed to be no more than seven or eight years old and thin as the handle of a butter churn； judging by the bits of him showing。 His hands were full of acorns。
〃I'm cold；〃 the boy said in fair Westerling。
Sludig looked surprised； but smiled and nodded。 〃e on； then； lad。〃 He gently took the acorns and poured them into his cloak pocket； then gathered up the unresisting child in his strong arms。 〃It's all right； then。 We'll help you。〃 The Rimmersman placed the dark…haired stranger on the front of his saddle； wrapping his cloak around him so that the boy's head seemed to grow from Sludig's now…broad belly。 〃Can we find a place to make camp now； troll？〃 he growled。
Binabik nodded。 〃Of course。〃
He urged Qantaqa ahead。 The boy watched the wolf with wide but unworried eyes as Simon and Sludig spurred after。 Snow was rapidly filling in the hollow where the boy had stood。
As they rode on through the empty town； Sludig brought out his skin of kangkang and let the newer have a short drink。 The boy coughed； but otherwise seemed unsurprised by the bitter Qanuc liquor。 Simon decided he might be older than first appearance made him seem： there was a precision to his movements that made him seem less like a child。 Some of his apparent youth； Simon guessed； might be due to his large eyes and slender frame。
〃What's your name； lad？〃 Sludig asked at last。
The boy looked him over calmly。 〃Vren；〃 he said at last； the word fluidly and oddly accented。 He tugged at the drinking skin； but Sludig shook his head and put it back in his saddle bag。
〃 'Friend？〃 Simon asked； puzzled。
〃 'Vren；' I am thinking he said；〃 Binabik replied。 〃It is a Hyrkanian name； and I am thinking he might be a Hyrka。〃
〃Look at that black hair；〃 Sludig said。 〃The color of his skin； too。 He is a Hyrka； or I am no Rimmersman。 But what is he doing alone in the snow？〃
The Hyrkas； Simon knew； were a footloose people accounted good with horses and skilled in games at which other people lost money。 He had seen many at the great market in Erchester。 〃Do the Hyrkas live out here； in the White Waste？〃
Sludig frowned。 〃I've never heard of such…but I have seen many things of late I would have never believed in Elvritshalla。 I thought they lived mainly in the cities and on the grasslands with the Thrithings…folk。〃
Binabik reached up and patted the boy with a small hand。 〃So have I been taught； although there are some who also are living beyond the Waste； in the empty steppe…lands to the east。〃
After they had ridden farther； Sludig dismounted again to search for signs of habitation。 He returned； shaking his head； and went to Vren。 The child's brown eyes gazed unflinchingly back at him。 〃Where do you live？〃 the Rimmersman asked。
〃With Skodi；〃 was the reply。
〃Is that near？〃 Binabik asked。 The boy shrugged。 〃Where are your parents？〃 The gesture was repeated。
The troll turned to his panions。 〃Perhaps Skodi is the name of his mother。 Or it might be a name of some other town name near to Grinsaby…village。 It is also being possible he has strayed from a caravan of wagons…although these roads； I have sureness； are not much used at the best of times。 How could he survive long in fearful winter days like these。。。〃 He shrugged a movement oddly similar to the child's。
〃Will he stay with us？' Simon asked。 Sludig made an exasperated noise but said nothing。 Simon turned on the Rimmersman angrily。 〃We can't leave him here to die！〃
Binabik waved a placating finger。 〃No； do not fear that we would。 In any case； I suspect that there must be more people than Vren who are living here。〃
Sludig stood up。 〃The troll is right： there must be folk here。 Anyway； the idea of taking a child with us is foolish。〃
〃That is what some were saying of Simon；〃 Binabik responded quietly。 〃But I am having agreement with your first statement。 Let us find his home。 〃
〃He can ride with me for a while；〃 Simon said。 The Rimmersman made a wry face； but handed over the unresisting child。 Simon wrapped the boy in his cloak as Sludig had done。
〃Sleep now； Vren；〃 he whispered。 The wind moaned through the ruined houses。 〃You're with friends； now。 We'll take you home。 〃
The boy stared back at him； solemn as a petty cleric at a public ceremony。 A small hand snaked out from beneath the jacket to pat Homefmder's back。 With Vren's slender form resting against his chest； Simon took his reins in one hand so he could drape an arm around the boy's midsection。 He felt very old and very responsible。
Will I ever be a father？ he wondered as they cramped on through the gathering dark。 Have sons？ He thought about it for a moment。 Daughters？
All the people he knew； it seemed； had lost their fathers…Binabik's in a snowslide； Prince Josua's to old age。 Jeremias the chandler's boy； Simon remembered； had lost his to the chest…fever。 Princess Miriamele's sire might as well be dead。 He thought about his own father； drowned before he was born。 Were fathers just that way； like cats and dogs； making children and then going away？
〃Siudig！〃 he called； 〃do you have a father？〃
The Rimmersman turned； an irritated expression on his face。 〃What do you mean by that； boy？〃
〃I mean is he alive？〃
〃For all I know；〃 the Rimmersman snorted。 〃And little I care； either。 The old devil could be in Hell and it would not bother me。〃 He turned back to the snow…shrouded road。
I will not be a father tike that； Simon decided clutching the child a little closer。 Vren moved uneasily beneath Simon's cloak。 〃I'l