Mortalis

the delicacy of the situation.

'Where was Andacanavar, then, to be missin' such a fight as this?' Liam O'Blythe put in. He added, 'Does well by Bruinhelde to see him puttin' together such a massacre.'

'Business in the north,' the ranger answered, and he looked even more intently at the Prince of Vanguard and went on, 'arrangements to be made.'

Midalis glanced back at Liam and saw the look of concern on the man's face-for he had told Liam of Andacanavar's pending 'arrangements.' Ironically, it was that expression of doubt, of fear even, that bolstered Midalis in his resolve that this alliance with Bruinhelde's people would not be a passing thing. He turned back to Andacanavar, his face grim, and nodded. ' Inform Bruinhelde that I will meet him at the mead hall tomorrow night,' he said, 'that we might discuss our plans.'

The ranger looked back down at the valley, where the last of the goblins were scrambling wildly, only to be run down, skewered by arrows or blasted by Alpinadoran hammers.

'And a fine mead hall celebration it will be,' the ranger remarked. He patted Midalis' horse on the neck and trotted back the way he had come, as Midalis and Liam silently watched him go.

When Midalis finally looked away from the ranger, toward his companion, he saw that the distress had not left Liam's expression.

'He moves with the grace of a much smaller man,' Midalis remarked, more to break the tension than anything else.

'And quick on his feet, if he went all the way to the mountains and back,' Liam agreed, his sharp tone and his reference to the mountains-the expected locale of the ominous arrangements for the blood-brothering Andacanavar had indicated to Midalis-telling the Prince in no uncertain terms that Liam's fears were strongly founded.

'Your concern truly touches me,' he said with a chuckle.

Liam didn't smile. 'I'm not thrilled with losin' me Prince,' he said. 'Andacanavar would not have arranged this trial if he believed I could not survive it,' Midalis replied, 'nor have I even agreed to partake.'

'Oh, ye'U go,' Liam continued, nodding his head. 'I know ye too well to think ye'd refuse any dare.'

That brought another chuckle to Midalis, with the recollections of so many chances he and Liam had taken together as younger men in the wild Vanguard woods. Liam even managed a slight smile of his own then, unable to resist the delicious memories.

'But ye were younger then,' Liam said after a moment, 'and we was both seein' less to lose.'

'I have not agreed,' Midalis repeated, bluntly and firmly, and there was truth in his words. He truly had not decided upon the wisdom of accepting the blood-brothering, as Andacanavar had called it. On the surface, it seemed like a wonderful way to strengthen the bond between the Vanguardsmen and the Alpinadorans-Bruinhelde was no minor chieftain among the northern clans! If Midalis and Bruinhelde both survived the blood-brothering trials, they would be bound forever as siblings.

But Midalis knew that by agreeing to such a binding trial, a ritual that would bind not only him but also those who served him, he was in effect signing a treaty with Alpinador-or at least with Bruinhelde's substantial clan. And did he have the right to enter into such a treaty without the knowledge and blessings of his brother, the King? What would happen if Bruinhelde called upon their alliance at some future date, forcing the Prince of Vanguard to send half his troops to the frigid northern reaches of desolate Alpinador to battle some new enemy, a great dragon, perhaps, or invading powries?

On the other hand, Prince Midalis could not deny that Bruinhelde and his clansmen had saved him and his army, had saved St. Belfour, despite their animosity toward the Abellican Church. Could the honorable Midalis ignore the ranger's request for such a binding?

'Haven't ye then?' Liam remarked after a long and uncomfortable silence. 'Haven't ye come to see the barbarians as allies? Even as friends, mayhap? '

Midalis stared at him hard, but didn't deny the words. 'Haven't ye figured that we'd be packin' for the roads north, to see if any goblins're needin' chasin' out in Bruinhelde's land?' 'Do you not believe that we owe that much, at least? ' Midalis replied. 'Aye,' Liam said resignedly and without hesitation. 'We're owin' them barbarians too much, by me own figurin'. But I'll be with ye, don't ye doubt.'

'Never did,' Midalis answered, and he urged his horse into motion and turned back down the ridge. He and Liam met the rest of the warriors on the field outside of St. Belfour soon after, the men full of excitement. The monks came out to join in the celebration as well, led by a boisterous Agronguerre bearing barrels of wine and ale and food. They all knew it, without ever hearing it proclaimed officially by Midalis: the goblin threat had been ended this day, and the folk of Vanguard could go about putting their fields, and their lives, back in order.

Midalis took it all in stride, and prepared to let them have this night of rejoicing-or thought he would, at least, until Andacanavar and Bruinhelde arrived. Fortunately, Midalis was among the first to spot them.

The Prince rushed over to the pair and spoke before either of them, particularly grim Bruinhelde, could instigate the conversation about Vanguardsmen going north. 'I have promised to meet you in the mead hall tomorrow night,' he said.

'You do not invite us to participate in your celebration?' Bruinhelde asked. 'Would it have been better for Midalis, then, if we had not fought the goblins this day? '

'Of c-course you are welcome,' Midalis stuttered, only then realizing how ungrateful and unwelcoming he had sounded. 'You and all of your warriors. I only thought… I mean, my friend, you do not wear the face of celebration but one of planning.'

'There will be no mead hall tomorrow night,' Bruinhelde explained, rather gruffly. But since Midalis was certainly used to gruffness from the man, this did not alarm him greatly. 'We leave with the morning light, for the northern trails back to our home.'

Liam O'Blythe walked up beside the Prince then, bearing extra mugs of ale, which he offered to the guests.

'You can understand Bruinhelde's desire to be on the road as soon as possible,' Andacanavar stated. 'He knows not whether any of our fleeing enemies have ventured into his homeland, though we left the passes into the region well guarded.'

'Of course,' Midalis agreed, and he held his mug up in salute to Bruinhelde. The barbarian looked at the Prince for a moment, then responded in kind.

'Tomorrow will be a sad day for the men of Vanguard,' Midalis went on.

'For some,' Bruinhelde replied, and Midalis knew he was talking about the brothers of St. Belfour; for though Agronguerre had done well to secure the alliance, the barbarians had remained suspicious of the monks.

'For all,' Midalis replied. 'Vanguard has not forgotten what you and your warriors have done for us. All in St. Belfour would have perished had not Bruinhelde and his brethren come to the field. We remember.'

'Well enough to follow us north? ' the Alpinadoran leader asked bluntly,

Midalis sighed. 'I had meant to address that issue in detail with my warriors at sunrise,' he explained. 'Thus, I had planned to speak with you at the mead hall tomorrow night.' 'You will come or you will not,' Bruinhelde said.

'You are the leader of the Vanguardsmen,' Andacanavar said. 'Is not your word their law? '

There it was, spoken baldly without any room for evasion. Midalis was indeed the leader, the ruler, was the man who had to make this decision. But Prince Midalis had never been an autocrat, preferring rather to build consensus for his decisions. He almost always sought out the advice of his fellows-Liam, Agronguerre, and others- and always listened carefully to that advice before acting. Now, though, it had been laid squarely upon his shoulders: a great weight, a great decision that could hold grave implications for his beloved fellow Vanguardsmen in the immediate future and for the kingdom of Honce-the-Bear for years to come.

And Midalis had to respond now. Studying the Alpinadorans, he recognized that Bruinhelde had forced this decision as a test more of the man Midalis, than of the Vanguardsmen in general. Given that Bruinhelde and Midalis were about to go through the most intimate of ceremonies, where, according to Andacanavar, they would have to depend fully on each other or perish, the Prince could understand Bruinhelde's desire to see his heart laid bare.

'We shall come,' Midalis answered firmly. Liam gasped, but did well, Midalis thought, in quickly composing himself. 'Of course we shall! What friends, what allies, would you have made, good Bruinhelde, if we accepted your blood to protect our homes but did not offer our own in return? I do not yet know, however, how many I can bring with me. Our farms and homes have been ravaged by the years of battle, and I must make sure that they are ready to supply us for the next winter.'