Harfax, so, too, did Lykos.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Ho,” said Trachinos, pointing, “is that not the Crag of Kleinias?”
We had come to a high point in the trail, which, with the edge of the mountains, the slopes, and valleys, had numerous ascents and descents.
From here one could see for several pasangs about.
“I have heard it described,” said Astrinax, “described variously,” joining Trachinos, at the front of the column. Shortly thereafter, he was joined by the other men, followed by the Lady Bina, and the slaves.
“Might that not be the Crag of Kleinias?” asked Trachinos.
“What think you?” Astrinax asked Desmond of Harfax.
“Perhaps,” said Desmond. “I do not know the Voltai.”
“I see no higher mountain about,” said Lykos.
The mountain, whichever it might be, was very beautiful. Much snow lay sparkling about its heights. As it was early in the month of En’var, there were darknesses about the lower slopes of the mountain, where snow was melting. The higher elevations, as with many mountains in the Voltai, might be bright with snow all the year. Here and there tiny rivulets of water had cut channels in the trail. Some days ago we had evaded a mud slide which might have been released, given the melting of an ice ridge or wall.
The Crag of Kleinias, I had heard, was one of the higher elevations in the Voltai. Supposedly few but prospectors and hunters penetrated this far into the Voltai.
“Is it not like a ship,” asked Trachinos, “sailing through the snow? Can you not see sails, the jutting prow?”
“I would see the head of a tarn,” said Lykos, “with the wings spread behind it.”
“I wager,” said Desmond, “one of Teletus might see it as a ship, and perhaps one familiar with the rage, the size, the terror of tarns, see it as one of those formidable monsters.”
Both Trachinos and Lykos were then silent.
“And what would you see it as?” inquired Astrinax of Desmond of Harfax.
“I do not know,” said Desmond. “If I had heard it described as a ship, I suppose I would see it as a ship; if I had heard it called the Tarn of the Voltai, or such, I would probably see it as a tarn.”
“It is clear, at least,” said Astrinax, “why it might be called the Crag of Kleinias. It clearly involves a mighty crag, and, one supposes, it might have been named after some fellow named Kleinias, perhaps he who first saw it, or, at least, saw fit to speak of it, to call attention to it, or such.”
“I think,” said Desmond of Harfax, “we are near the end of our journey.”
“How so?” asked Trachinos.
“Is that mountain not both prominent and unusually shaped?” asked Desmond.
“Assuredly,” said Astrinax.
“Presumably there are few such mountains in the Voltai.”
“One would suppose so,” said Astrinax.
“It may be the only mountain of its configuration for hundreds of pasangs,” said Desmond.
“Quite possibly,” said Astrinax.
“And much of the Voltai is utter wilderness, much of it trackless,” said Desmond.
“True,” said Astrinax.
“Did Pausanias seem to you a skilled navigator, one who might read charts, lay out courses, determine positions by the stars?”
“I would think not,” said Astrinax.
“His directions, then,” said Desmond, “would be relatively simple. He would require little more than a set of distances, a guiding needle, and a goal, or marker, one which might be difficult to miss.”
“It would be difficult to miss the Crag of Kleinias,” said Astrinax.
“Precisely,” said Desmond of Harfax.
“If you are correct,” said Astrinax, “we may soon turn back to Ar.”
“How so?” asked Desmond.
“I have gathered from my informant,” said Astrinax, “we have been engaged in a mission of honor, or mercy, to return a lost beast to its fellows. Once that is done, our work is finished.”
“I have further interests here,” said Desmond of Harfax.
“I do not,” said Astrinax.
“I have further interests here, as well,” said the Lady Bina.
“I do not understand,” said Astrinax.
“They have to do with politics, and power,” she said.
“You did not speak to me of such things,” said Astrinax.
“One seldom speaks of everything to everyone,” said the Lady Bina.
“My informant did not speak to me of such things,” said Astrinax.
“Your informant is not fully informed,” said the Lady Bina.
“Is he not first in this party?” asked Astrinax.
“He will do as I wish,” said the Lady Bina.
“Is there wealth ahead, Lady?” inquired Trachinos.
“Yes,” she said. “Great wealth.”
“Let us proceed,” said Trachinos. Then he turned to Desmond of Harfax. “I wronged you,” he said, “you are not the fool I thought.”
“I may be a bigger fool than you thought,” said Desmond of Harfax.
“How so?” asked Trachinos.
“I am not interested in wealth,” he said.
“Then you are a fool,” said Trachinos. “What are you interested in?”
“The fate of a world,” he said, “perhaps two.”
“You have been very helpful to me, Desmond,” said the Lady Bina, “I am thinking of giving Allison to you.”
“Lady?” said Desmond of Harfax.
“One often gives female slaves as gifts, does one not?”
“It is done frequently,” said Desmond of Harfax. “They make lovely gifts.”
“Lykos,” asked the Lady Bina, “would you like Eve?”
Eve gasped, and put her hands to her mouth.
“I would find her acceptable,” said Lykos.
Eve knelt and put her head to his thigh.
“And, my dear Astrinax,” said the Lady Bina, “I am thinking of Jane for you. Do you think you would like her?”
“I would think so,” he said.
“You may, of course, sell her,” said the Lady Bina.
“Of course,” said Astrinax.
“This is no time to think of slave girls,” said Desmond of Harfax.
“True,” said the Lady Bina. “They are unimportant.”
“What of Trachinos, and Akesinos?” asked Trachinos.
“With sufficient wealth,” said the Lady Bina, “you may buy several such women.”
“Good,” said Trachinos.
“I gather we are to proceed,” said Astrinax.
“Yes,” said the Lady Bina.
“To the Crag of Kleinias?” said Astrinax.
“Yes,” said the Lady Bina.
