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d propped on the ground before him； 〃…to the lowlanders； who he says can use it to frighten away the winter。
〃We shall send with them a party of hunters； led by our daughter Sisqinanamook； who shall be their escort until they leave the lands of the Qanuc。 The hunters will then go to the spring city by Blue Mud Lake and prepare for the ing of the rest of our clans。〃 Uammannaq made a gesture and one of the other trolls stepped forward with a skin bag that had been covered nearly pletely in delicate tracings of colored embroidery。 〃We have gifts we wish to give you。〃
Binabik brought his friends forward。 The Huntress presented Simon with a sheath of supple hide； the leather subtly tooled and studded with stone beads the color of a spring moon。 The Herder then gave him a knife to put in it； a beautiful pale blade made from a single piece of bone。 The handle was wrought with smoothed carvings of birds。
〃A magical lowlander sword is very good for fighting snow…worms；〃 Nunuuika told him； 〃but a humble Qanuc knife is easier to hide and easier to use in close quarters。〃
Simon thanked them politely and stepped aside。 Haestan was given a capacious drinking skin decorated with ribbons and stitchery； filled to the stopper with Qanuc liquor。 The guardsman； who had drunk enough of the sour stuff during the previous evening to finally develop a bit of taste for it； bowed； mumbled some words of gratitude； then withdrew。
Sludig； who had e to Yiqanuc as a prisoner but was now leaving more or less as a guest； received a spear with a viciously sharp head hewn from shiny black stone。 The haft was uncarved； since it had been hurriedly constructed…the trolls did not use spears of a length that would have been appropriate…but it was nicely balanced and could double as a walking stave。
〃We hope you also appreciate the gift of your life；〃 Uammannaq said； 〃and will remember that the justice of the Qanuc is stern but not cruel。〃
Sludig amazed them by dropping quickly to a knee。 〃I will remember；〃 was all he said。
〃Binbinaqegabenik；〃 Nunuuika began； 〃you have already received the greatest gift it is in our capacity to bestow。 If she will still have you； we renew our permission for you to marry our youngest daughter。 When the Rite of Quickening can be performed next year； you will； be joined。〃
Binabik and Sisqi clasped hands and bowed on the step before the Herder and Huntress as words of blessing were said。 The ram…faced Spirit Caller came forward。 He chanted and sang as he daubed their foreheads with oil； but with what Simon thought was a very dissatisfied air。 When Qangolik finished and stalked grumpily back down the steps of the Ice House； the betrothal had been reinstated。
The Huntress and Herder said a brief personal farewell to the pany； Binabik interpreting。 Though she smiled and touched his hand with her small； strong fingers； Nunuiika still seemed cold and hard as stone to Simon； sharp and dangerous as her own spearhead。 He had to force himself to smile back and retreat slowly when she had finished。
Qantaqa was waiting for them； curled in a nest of snow outside of Chidsik ub Lingit。 The noon sun had disappeared behind a spreading fog； the wind set Simon's teeth to chattering。
〃Down the mountain we must now go； friend；〃 Binabik said to him。 〃I am wishing you and Haestan and Sludig were not so large； but there are no rams strong enough for your riding。 It will make our going slower than I would wish。〃
〃But where are we going？〃 Simon asked。 〃Where is this Stone of Farewell？〃
〃All things in their season；〃 the troll replied。 〃I will look at my scrolls when we stop tonight； but we should leave now as soon as we can。 The mountain passes will be treacherous。 I smell more snow upon the wind。〃
〃More snow；〃 Simon repeated； shouldering his pack。 More snow。
6
The Nameless Dead
〃 。。。 So Drukhi found her；〃 Maegwin sang；
〃Beloved Nenais'u； wind…footed dancer；
Stretched on the green grass； as silent as stone
Her dark eys sky…watching；
Only her shining blood gave him answer；
Her head lay uncradled； her black hair undone。〃
Maegwin drew her hand over her eyes； shielding them from the stinging wind； then leaned forward to rearrange the flowers on her father's cairn。 Already the wind had scattered the violets across the stones； only a few dried petals remained on Gwythinn's grave nearby。 Where had the treacherous summer gone？ And when would the flowers bloom again； so she could tend her loved ones' resting places as they deserved？
As the wind rattled the skeletal birch trees； she sang again。
〃Lone time he held her；
Through gray…shadowed evening； beneath shamefaced night；
Matching the hours she had lain there alone。
His bright eyes unblinking；
Drukhi sang songs of the East's timeless light。
He whispered to her they would wait for the sun。
〃Dawn； golden…handed；
Caressed but could not warm the nightingale's child
Nenais'u's swift spirit had fled unhomed
Close Drukhi clutched her；
His voice echoed out through woods and through wild
Where two hearts had sounded now beat only one。
She broke off； wondering absently if she had once known the rest of the words。 She remembered her nurse singing it to her when she was young； a sad song about the Sithi…folk…〃The Peaceful Ones；〃 as her ancestors had named them。 Maegwin did not know the legend behind it。 She doubted her old nurse had known； either。 It was only that； a sad song from happier times； from her childhood in the Taig 。 。 。 before her father and brother died。
She stood； brushing the dirt from the knees of her black skirt； and scattered a few last withered flowers among the slender spears of grass pushing up from Gwythinn's cairn。 As she turned back up the path； clasping her cloak tight against the gnawing wind； she wondered once more why she should not join her brother and father Lluth here in peace on the mountainside。 What did life hold for her？
She knew what Eolair would say。 The Count of Nad Mullach would tell her that her people had no one else but Maegwin to inspire and guide them。 〃Hope；〃 Eolair often said； in that quiet but fox…clever way of his； 〃is like the belly…strap on a king's saddle…a slender thing； but if it snaps the world turns topside…down。〃
Thinking of the count； she felt a rare flash of anger。 What could he know…what could anyone know about death who was as alive as Eolair； to whom life seemed a gift from the gods？ How could he understand the dreadful weight of waking up each day； knowing that the ones she loved most were gone； that her people were uprooted and friendless； doomed to a slow； humiliating extinction？ What gift of the gods was worth the gray burden of pain； the unceasing rut of bleak thoughts？
Eolair of Nad Mullach came to her often these days； speaking to her as he would to a child。 Once； long ago； Maegwin had fallen in love with him； but she had never been so foolish as to believe he might feel for her in turn。 Tall as a man； clumsy and blunt in her words； far more like a farmer's daughter than a princess…who could ever love Maegwin？ But now th