Hero's Song (12 page)

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.

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 when 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.

As Quince ushered him through a set of carved doors leading into the queen's rooms, Collun had a sudden longing to be back in Inkberrow, kneeling in his garden with dirt under his fingernails and the sun on his neck. He did not know how to speak to a queen.

They entered a large, bright room with brilliant and unusual cloth hangings covering most of the walls. A tall woman holding a muddy boot rose from a chair to greet Collun. She had green eyes and long red-brown hair that sprung wildly from her head. There were smudges of dirt on the pale skin of her cheeks.

"You are Nessa's brother. Collun, is it? Welcome to Temair." With a warm smile she made a move to grasp his hand, but then realized her hand was as muddy as the boot she held. "Forgive me. I have been riding, and I must have been thrown into the mud a dozen times. Please sit." She gestured toward a chair. She sat across from him, setting down the boot and wiping her hands on a cloth.

"I am deeply concerned about your sister, Collun. I am fond of Nessa, and I think she was happy here. We did everything in our power to find her, but we turned up nothing."

"I thank you for all you did, Your Majesty," said Collun awkwardly.

The queen gave a smile. "Please, call me Aine. So, you have come all the way from Carrick, on the southern coast? It must have been a long journey."

Collun did not speak for a moment. To speak the
truth would mean breaking his promise to Emer. Finally he simply nodded. After all, it
had
been a long journey.

"Nessa did not go back there, back to her family?"

Collun shook his head, feeling foolish and tongue-tied. Though her manner was warm, Collun could not forget he spoke to the queen of Eirren. It made him uncomfortable to be dishonest with her.

"It was such a blow to everyone here. And there have been so many troubles of late." The queen's green eyes wore a worried look. "And Fial? She is no better, I understand."

Collun shook his head again.

"I am glad you have come. She has no kin, you know. Her husband, Lud, died in the Eamh War."

Collun's hands shook slightly as he asked, keeping his voice carefully neutral, "Had Lud no family?"

"He did once, but they are all dead as well. He had a lovely sister. Emer, she was called. She and I were great friends. She died long ago. I still miss her." The queen's face was sad. Collun's heart beat faster, and he was about to speak when a young man came sweeping through the door.

The newcomer was strong-limbed and handsome, with a natural grace and air of authority that had the immediate effect of making Collun feel clumsy.

"Mother, Lord Bricriu has just arrived in Temair," he announced to the queen before his eyes fell on Collun.

Aine looked surprised but not displeased. "Gwynedd, I want you to meet Collun. He is brother to Nessa. Collun, my youngest son, Gwynedd."

The youth took Collun's hand in a muscular grip. "Welcome, Collun. Your sister is sorely missed. We must
have uncovered every stone between here and Bricriu's dun in our search for her, but to no avail." The young man looked fierce, as though he took their failure personally.