the Landover Road east and west to the margins of Darda Erynian and look for aught untoward. Vail, Tipperton, ye shall ride west unto the Rimmen Road Ford; with Tipper-ton's light weight, I deem four horses in all should suffice. Elon, Lyra, run east to the Landover Gape at the Rimmen Ring; thy goal lies more distant, yet we will ride that way when the remainder of the Baeron arrive, hence we will meet ye along the way; even so, I ask that ye twain take three remounts each should ye need a swift return ere then. All of ye, take care as ye approach these ends, for they are each just beyond the bounds of the darda, hence not subject to the protection of the Hidden Ones. -Be there aught ye would ask?'
Vail looked at Tipperton and he shook his head, and both Elon and Lyra merely shrugged, and so they moved toward the herd of spare mounts to choose the horses they would take.
'Is there enough time for me to find Beau?' asked Tip, trotting at Vail's side.
'A candlemark or so.'
Tip scanned about. 'I think I saw him at one of the wagons, somewhere over there.'
'Go then. I'll meet thee at the road.'
Tipperton turned on his heel and hurried toward the parked wains. Yet there were a hundred or so of the vehicles, and though Tip swiftly ranged among the rows he didn't see Beau. Yet just as he was about to give up- 'Hiyo, Tip,' came a call.
Beau stood in the back of one of the covered wagons, this a hospital wain, Melor at his side.
'Isn't it grand, Tip?' said Beau, gesturing toward the interior of the wagon. 'They've herbs and simples and all, and medicks I've never seen.'
As Tip trotted to the wagon, he reached for the thong about his neck. 'Beau, I'm off to the west, scouting, and I'd feel better if you'd keep the coin… just in case.'
Beau took a deep breath and blew it out, then reached down for the token. As Tip handed it over, Beau said, 'Listen, bucco, I really don't think the coin any safer with me than with you. In fact, I'd feel better if you kept it 'round your own neck, for with it reminding you there's a mission to do, well, I think it more likely you'll be less rash.'
'Oh, Beau-'
'Don't give me that 'Oh, Beau' look. I'll keep it this time, but once we're underway from this place and toward Mineholt North, it's yours and yours alone to give over to Agron, and that's that.'
Tip turned up both hands, then said, 'Thanks, Beau.' And without another word trotted off toward the road.
Fretting, Beau watched him go, then turned to Melon 'D'y' suppose he'll be more likely to take care of himself if he thinks he's the one who has to deliver the coin?'
Just as Tip reached the road, so too came the three Elven scouts, and within moments they set forth, Elon and Lyra riding east, Vail and Tipperton running west, she upon her own light and easy-gaited horse, the buccan upon one of the three remounts tethered behind.
In midafternoon Vail and Tip reached the edge of Darda Erynian some forty-three miles away, and here the Dara stopped to change mounts once again. As both she and the buccan took a moment to stretch their legs, Vail said, 'For the next six leagues we must be wary, for now we leave the protection of Darda Erynian.'
'What about the ford itself?' asked Tip. 'I've heard it might be held by the Rupt.'
Vail turned up a hand. 'Not likely, Tipperton. -Oh, they did try, yet the Baeron drove them from it.' Vail pointed westward. ' 'Tis Crestan Pass the Foul Folk command.'
Tip peered across the open land lying ahead. Far to the west and rearing up beyond the horizon he could see the snowcapped tips of the distant Grimwall Mountains, the chain reaching away to north and south. The Rimmen Road itself ran westerly toward this range. 'That's where Crestan Pass is,' said the buccan, his eye seeking but failing to find the place where road and mountain met, his words a statement rather than a query, for he had studied the war maps long and hard. Tip sighed. 'To think: it's but a ride of a day or three from Arden Vale up the Crossland Road to the peak of the col where the Landover Road begins… up there at the top of Crestan Pass.' Again Tip sighed. 'Oh, my, but I've come so far to reach a place so close to where I started.'
Vail shrugged.
Tip laughed bitterly and, at Vail's raised eyebrow, said, 'Is it often the case that much of life is spent running in great large circles?'
Vail smiled in empathy and said, 'At times, Tipperton. At times.'
They stood and peered westward a long moment more, and then mounted up and rode out into the open wold.
In late afternoon the trees bordering the Argon River came into view, and the Landover Road fell down a long and gentle slope toward the unseen flow ahead.
Vail slowed the horses and turned to Tipperton. 'Be wary, my friend, and keep a sharp eye.' As Tip set an arrow to string, Vail urged her horse onward, drawing the other three behind.
The sun was just sinking beyond the distant Grimwall as they neared the band of riverside trees, and Tip's heart leapt as a huge figure stepped out into the road… but then Tip calmed when Vail called out a greeting-'Is bred an la e!'-and the buccan saw that it was another of these tall Baeron men.
'It is at that!' he called, and Vail kicked the horses into a trot.
As they sat on the east bank of the Argon, nigh where the road crossed the ford, Bren gestured toward the Grim-walls and said in his deep rumble, 'We fight to free Crestan: Baeron on this side, the Elves of Arden Vale opposite, the Spawn trapped in between. Yet the winning goes slowly: they are deeply entrenched and have hurled us back several times.'
'I hear the Foul Folk tried to hold this ford too,' said Tipperton.
Bren's hand dropped to the mace at his side. 'They did at that, but we hammered them free. 'Twas a shame to pollute the waters with their dark blood, though not a shame to kill Wrg.'
A grim look came into Tipperton's eye. 'I pity them not.'
Vail looked long at the buccan, her expression unfathomable, and Tipperton became uncomfortable under her intense scrutiny. Finally she turned to Bren. 'Hast thou aught word I should bear to my Coron?'
The big man took a deep breath. 'Just this: from the tidings you bring and from what I know, I deem we fight this war in too many places. Modru controls all the choke points: Crestan Pass, the Black Hole, Gunarring Gap, even the Straits of Kis-'
'I say,' interrupted Tip, 'where's this, um, Black Hole?'
' 'Tis Drimmen-deeve he speaks of, Tipperton.'
'Oh.'
'Drimmen-deeve to Elves,' rumbled Bren, 'and Kraggen-cor to the Dwarves, but to the Baeron and other men it is the Black Hole.'
'I see,' said the buccan. 'But I interrupted.'
Bren shrugged. 'There's not that much to say. Just that those of us who can should come together and choose which of Modru's forces to crush, for he too is spread thin. And by fighting in one place at a time we could break through Crestan, or lift the siege on the Black Hole, or some such… allowing more and more of the allies of the High King to unite, and then when we've enough, we can go cast down Modru himself in Gron.'
Vail nodded. ' 'Tis a splendid strategy thou hast proposed, Bren, and when we leave on morrow morn I will indeed bear thy words unto my Coron.'
Bren grunted in acknowledgement, and in that moment one of the Baeron called; stew and bread and tea were ready.
There was no moon in the night, yet Tipperton sat by a river with stars glimmering in its depths, and he watched the water flow by, ever there, ever new, ever the same, the buccan remembering… remembering… as tears spilled down and down.
Chapter 31
It was late afternoon when Vail and Tipperton returned to the host, and together they sought out Alor Eilor and reported in, and together they bore the news to Coron Ruar.
