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Elysia！ she thought； that's all I need…to have the last of my girls frightened out of the castle。
〃Too much talking；〃 she said aloud。 〃The boy needs rest。 He's so worn and beaten he has the vapors。 Let him sleep。〃
Jeremias shook his head weakly。 〃I'm telling the truth；〃 he said。 〃Don't let them have me！〃
〃We won't；〃 Rachel said。 〃Go to sleep。 If we can't hide you； we'll think of some way to get you out of the Hayholt。 You can go to your kin； wherever they may be。 We'll keep you away from that one…eyed devil Inch。〃
〃。。。And Pryrates；〃 Jeremias said slurredly； succumbing to drowsi… ness。 〃He 。。。 talks 。。。 to the Voices。。。〃
A moment later the boy was slumbering。 A little of the fear seemed to lift from his hunger…thinned features。 Rachel looked down at him and felt her heart grown hard as a stone in her breast。 That devil…priest； Pryrates！ That murderer！ What kind of plague had he brought down on their house； what foulness to her beloved Hayholt？
And what had he done to her Simon？
She turned to look sternly at her wide…eyed maids。 〃You had all better get what sleep you can；〃 she growled。 〃A little excitement doesn't mean the floors won't need scrubbing when the sun is up。〃
As they crawled into their beds； Rachel snuffed the candle； then lay down with her cold thoughts。 Outside； the wind was still searching for a way in。
The morning sun rose above the gray blanket of clouds。 It brought a diffuse light to the rolling grasslands of the High Thrithings； but could not lift the damp from the endless leagues of prairie grass and heather。 Deornoth was soaked to the thighs and tired of marching。
The Thrithings…men did not stop for a meal； instead eating dried meat and fruits from their saddlebags as they rode。 The prisoners were not offered any food； and were only allowed to pause for a short rest at mid…morning； during which time Deornoth and Josua quietly questioned the rest of their party about Vorzheva's whereabouts。 No one had seen her leave； although Geloe said she had awakened Vorzheva at the first sound of the approaching riders。
〃She was born on this land；〃 the witch woman told the prince。 〃I would not worry for her too much。〃 Geloe's own face； however； showed more than a trace of concern。
Hotvig and his men roused Josua's band after a too…short rest and the march began anew。 A wind sprang up from the northwest； soft at first； then blowing stronger； until the ribbons on the Thrithings…men's saddles whipped like tournament pennants and the long grasses bent double。 The prisoners labored on； shivering in their wet clothing。
Soon they began to see signs of habitation： small herds of cattle grazing on the low hills； watched over by solitary horsemen。 As the sun rose closer to its noon apogee； the cattle herds they passed grew larger and closer together； until at last the prisoners found themselves following the snaking course of one of the Ymstrecca's tributaries through the very midst of an immense throng of animals。 The vast herd seemed to run from horizon to horizon and contained mostly cattle of the ordinary sort； but shaggy bison and bulls with long； curving horns also grazed among them； lifting their heads to stare bleakly at the passing prisoners； mouths sol…emnly chewing。
〃It is obvious that these folk do not follow Geloe's advice on vegetable…eating；〃 Deornoth said。 〃There is enough meat on the hoof here to feed all Osten Ard。〃 He looked hopefully to his prince； but Josua's smile was a weary one。
〃Many of them are sickly；〃 Gutrun pronounced。 In her husband's frequent absences； she ran the duke's household at Elvritshalla with a firm hand； and rightly considered herself a good judge of livestock。 〃See； and there are not many calves for such a huge herd。〃
One of the riders who had been listening made a noise of disgust； as if to show his disdain for the opinions of prisoners； but one of his mounted panions nodded his head and said： 〃It is a bad year。 Many cows die birthing。 Others eat but do not grow fat。〃 The Thrithings…man's beard fluttered in the wind。 〃It is a bad year；〃 he repeated。
Here and there among the great herd were circles of wagons； each circle surrounded with fences of hastily…driven posts。 The wagons themselves were all wooden； with large； high wheels； but otherwise were quite different from each other。 Some were tall as two or three men； wheeled cottages with wooden roofs and shuttered windows。 Others were little more than a wagon…bed topped with a cloth…covered shelter； the fabric rippling and snapping in the stiff breeze。 Children played in many of the enclosures or darted in and out among the milling； amiable cattle。 Horses grazed in some of the paddlocks…and not just dray horses and wagon…pullers。 Many were slender…limbed and wild…maned； with something light and strong as forged steel to be seen in their step even from a distance。
〃Ah； God； if only we had a few beasts like those；〃 Deornoth said wistfully。 〃But we have nothing to trade。 I am mightily tired of walking。 〃
Josua looked at him with a trace of sour humor。 〃We will be lucky if we walk away from here with our lives； Deornoth； and you are hoping for a brace of battle steeds？ I would rather I had your optimism than their horses。〃
As the prisoners and their captors continued south； the sprawl of separate wagon…camps began to e together； clumped like mushrooms after an autumn rain。 Other groups of mounted men rode in and out among the settlements； Josua's escorts exchanged shouted remarks with some of them。 Soon the wagons stood so near each other that it began to seem that the prisoners traversed a city without roads。
At last they reached a large stockade； its fence posts hung with ornaments of bright metal and polished wood that clattered in the wind。 Most of the riders sheared off； but Hotvig the leader and six or seven others ushered the prince's party through a swinging gate。 There were several pounds within the stockade； one of them containing a score of fine horses； another a half…dozen fat and glossy heifers。 In an enclosure by himself stood a huge stallion； his shaggy mane twined with red and gold ribbons。 The great horse nosed the ground as they passed and did not look up…he was a monarch more used to being stared at than staring。 The men escorting Josua's party touched their hands to their eyes reverently as they passed。
〃It is their clan beast；〃 Geloe said to no one m particular。
At the far end of the encampment stood a great wagon with wide； heavy…spoked wheels and a banner bearing a golden horse billowing from the roof…peak。 Before it were two figures； a large man and a young girl。 The girl was knotting the man's long beard into two thick braids that hung down onto his chest。 Despite his age…he looked to have passed some sixty summers on the grasslands…his black hair was only faintly striped with silver and his wide frame was still knotted with muscle。 He held a bowl upon his lap in his huge beringed and braceleted hands。 The riders stopped and dismounted。 Hotvig strode forward to stand before him。
〃We have captured several trespassers who walked the Feluwelt without your leave； March…thane： six men； two women