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are followed； why put innocents in danger by giving them knowledge of our names and destination？ No； as you said； when we have a stronghold we will make ourselves known。 They can then e to us if they wish； and not because we have swept down on them with swords and horses。〃
Deornoth kept his expression carefully neutral； but inside he was disappointed。 They were in dire need of allies。 Why did Josua insist on being so damnably careful and correct？ Some things about his prince； it was obvious； would never change。
As the riders continued across the brooding steppe； the weather grew steadily worse； as though they were abroad at the turning of winter instead of the earliest days of Anitul…month in what should be high summer。 Flurries of snow came riding on the back of the north wind； and the impossibly broad sky had gone a perpetual gray； dreary as fireplace ash。
Even as the landscape on either side grew more dismal and uninviting； the travelers began to encounter larger settlements along the Ymstrecca's banks； settlements that seemed not to have grown so much as accumulated。 As the river carried brambles and sticks and silt before sloughing them off at convenient sandbars； so the very substance of these settlements； both people and materials； seemed to have arrived in this strange and only slightly hospitable place by chance； lodging as in some narrow spot while the force that had carried them so far swept on without them。
Josua's people rode silently past these tiny； ramshackle hamlets； embryonic towns almost as forbidding as the land itself； each made up of perhaps a dozen crude shelters。 Few living things could be seen outside the flimsy walls； but wisps of smoke from their cooking fires twined on the wind。
A second； third； and fourth night beneath the cloud…hidden stars took the prince's exiles to the edge of the Stefflod river…valley。 The evening of the fifth day brought more snow and bitter cold； but the darkness also gleamed with lights torches and campfires； hundreds of fires that filled the neck of the valley like a bowl of gems。 The travelers had found the largest settlement yet； a near…city of flimsy shelters nestled in the trough of the shallow valley where the Ymstrecca and the Stefllod came together。 After a long journey across the empty plain； it was a heartening sight。
〃Still we go like thieves； Prince Josua；〃 Deornoth whispered crossly。 〃You are the son of Prester John； my lord。 Why must we skulk into this crofter's clutter acting…and looking…like footpads？〃
Josua smiled。 He had not changed his travel…stained Thrithings clothes； although one of the things he had bartered for had been extra garments。 〃You are no longer begging my pardon for your forwardness as once as you once did； Deornoth。 No； do not apologize。 We have been through too much together for me to disapprove。 You are right； we are not ing down into this place as a prince and his court…we make a sorry court； in any case。 We shall instead find out what we can and not put our women and young Leieth and the rest in any unnecessary danger。〃 He turned to Isorn； who was the third and to this point quietest member of the trio。 〃If anything； we will want to allay suspicion that we are anything but ordinary travelers。 You； Isorn； look especially well…fed； your size alone might make some of these poor folk afraid。〃 He chuckled and poked the brawny young Rimmersman m the side。 Isorn； taken unawares by the prince's sudden lightheartedness； stumbled and almost fell。
〃I cannot make myself small； Josua；〃 he grunted。 〃Be thankful I am not as big as my father； or your poor folk might run screaming into the night at the sight of me。〃
〃Ah； how I miss Isgrimnur；〃 Josua said。 〃May the Aedon indeed look after your father； that good man； and bring him back to us safely。〃
〃My mother misses him very much and fears for him；〃 Isorn said quietly； 〃but she does not say so。〃 His good…natured face was solemn。
Josua looked at him keenly。 〃Yes； your family is not one for breast…beating。〃
〃All the same；〃 Deornoth suddenly said； 〃the duke can certainly make a ruckus when he is displeased！ I remember when he first found out that Skali was ing to King John's funeral。 He threw a chair through Bishop Domitis' screen and broke it to bits！ Ouch！ Damn me！〃 Laughing； Deornoth tripped on a hummock in the darkness。 Tonight's misted moon was stinting with her light。 〃Hold the torch closer； Isorn。 Why are we walking and leading our horses； in any case？〃
〃Because if you break a leg； you can ride；〃 the prince said dryly。 〃If your new mount Vildalix breaks his； will you carry him？〃
Deornoth granted the point grudgingly。
Talking quietly of Isorn's father and his legendary temper…the expression of which was almost always followed； as soon as the duke calmed down； by horrified apologies…they made their way down the grassy slope and toward the lights of the nearest fires。 The rest of their party had built camp at the valley's edge； the fire Duchess Gutrun tended was a shrinking beacon on the high ground behind them。
A gang of shivering； starveling dogs barked and scattered as the threesome approached the settlement。 A few shadowy figures looked up from their fires or stood cross…armed m the door…flaps of shabby huts； watching the strangers pass； but if there was any sense that Josua and his rades did not belong； no one challenged them。 From the snippets of speech they picked up as they passed； it was clear that these settlers were indeed mostly Erkynlanders； speaking both the old country speech and Westerlmg。 Here and there a Hernystiri burr could be heard as well。
A woman stood in the open space between two houses； talking to her neighbor about the rabbit her son had brought home and how they had steamed it with sourgrass for Hiafmansa。 It was odd； Deornoth thought； to hear people speaking of such mundane things here in the mist of the empty grassland； as if there might be a church hidden behind a rock where they would go for the morning prayer； or an ostler's shop under a leaf where they could buy beer to drink with their rabbit stew。
The woman； of middle years； red…faced and raw…boned； turned at their approach and surveyed them with a look of mixed apprehension and interest。 Deornoth and Isorn stepped to one side to pass around her； but Josua halted。
〃We wish you a pleasant evening； goodwife；〃 the prince said； inclining his head in a sort of bow。 〃Do you know where we could get a bit of food？ We are travelers and have good money to pay。 Has someone got something to sell？〃
The woman looked him over carefully； then turned an eye on his panions。 〃There are no taverns and no inns here；〃 she said grimly。 〃Everyone keeps what they have。〃
Josua nodded slowly； as if sifting particles of purest golden wisdom from her discourse。 〃And what is the name of this place？〃 he asked。 〃It is not on any map。〃
〃Shouldn't think so；〃 she snorted； 〃wasn't here two summers ago。 It doesn't have a name； not truly； but some call it Gadrinsett。〃
〃Gadrinsett；〃 Josua repeated。 〃Gathering…place。〃
〃Not that anyone's gathering anything。〃 She made a face。 〃Just can't go any farther。〃
〃And why is that？〃 J