King Morgant, cloaked heavily in black, halted at Taran's side. 'It would have done me honor to count you among my men,' he said. 'Gwydion has told me a little of you, and I have seen you for myself. I am a warrior and recognize good mettle.'
This was the first time Morgant had ever spoken directly to him, and Taran was so taken aback with surprise and pleasure that he could not even stammer out an answer before the war leader strode away to his horse.
Taran caught sight of Gwydion astride Melyngar and ran to him. 'Let me go with you,' he pleaded again. 'If I was man enough to sit with you in council and to come this far, I am man enough to ride with your warriors.'
'Do you love danger so much?' asked Gwydion. 'Before you are a man,' he added gently, 'you will learn to hate it. Yes, and fear it, too, even as I do.' He reached down and clasped Taran's hand. 'Keep a bold heart. Your courage will be tested enough.'
Disappointed, Taran turned away. The riders vanished beyond the trees and the grove seemed empty and desolate. Melynlas, tethered among the other steeds, whinnied plaintively.
'This night will be long,' Adaon said, looking intently past the shadows at the brooding heights of Dark Gate. 'You, Taran, shall stand first watch; Ellidyr second, until the moon is down.'
'So you shall have more time for dreaming,' Ellidyr said with a scornful laugh.
'You will find no quarrel with my dreams tonight,' replied Adaon good-naturedly, 'for I will share the watch with both of you. Sleep, Ellidyr,' he added, 'or if you will not sleep, at least keep silent.'
Ellidyr angrily wrapped himself in his cloak and threw himself on the ground near Islimach. The roan whickered and bent her neck, nuzzling her master.
The night was chill. Frost had begun to sparkle on the dry sedge and a cloud trailed across the moon. Adaon drew his sword and stepped to the edge of the trees. The white light caught his eyes, turning them brilliant as starshine. He was silent, head raised, alert as a wild creature of the forest.
'Do you think they've gone into Annuvin yet?' Taran whispered.
'They should soon be there,' Adaon answered.
'I wish Gwydion had let me go with him,' Taran said with a certain bitterness. 'Or with Morgant.'
'Do not wish that,' Adaon said quickly. His face held a look of concern.
'Why not?' asked Taran, puzzled. 'I would have been proud to follow Morgant. Next to Gwydion, he is the greatest war lord in Prydain.'
'He is a brave and powerful man,' Adaon agreed, 'but I am uneasy for him. In my dream, the night before we left, warriors rode a slow circle around him and Morgant's sword was broken and weeping blood.'
'Perhaps there is no meaning in it,' Taran suggested, as much to reassure himself as Adaon. 'Does it always happen? that your dreams are always true?'
Adaon smiled. 'There is truth in all things, if you understand them well.'
'You never told me what you dreamed of the others,' Taran said. 'Of Coll or good old Doli? or yourself, for the matter of that.'
Adaon did not reply, but turned again and looked toward Dark Gate.
Unsheathing his sword, Taran moved worriedly to the edge of the grove.
Chapter 4
In the Shadow of Dark Gate
THE NIGHT PASSED HEAVILY, and it was nearly time for Ellidyr's turn at guard, when Taran heard a rustling in the shrub. He raised his head abruptly. The sound stopped. He was unsure now that he had really heard it. He held his breath and waited, poised and tense.
Adaon, whose ears were as keen as his eyes, had also noticed it and was at Taran's side in an instant.
There was, it seemed to Taran, a flicker of light. A branch cracked nearby. With a shout, Taran swung up his blade and leaped toward it. A golden beam flashed in his eyes and a squeal of indignation struck his ears.
'Put down that sword!' Eilonwy cried. 'Every time I see you, you're waving it around or pointing it at somebody.'
Taran fell back dumbfounded. As he did, a dark figure bounded past Ellidyr, who sprang to his feet, his blade unsheathed and whistling through the air.
'Help! Help!' howled Gurgi. 'Angry lord will harm Gurgi's poor tender head with slashings and gashings!' He scuttled halfway up a pine tree, and from the safety of his perch shook a fist at the astonished Ellidyr.
Taran pulled Eilonwy into the protection of the grove. Her hair was disheveled, her robe torn and mud-stained. 'What have you done?' he cried. 'Do you want us all killed? Put out that light!' He seized the glowing sphere and fumbled vainly with it.
'Oh, you'll never learn how to use my bauble,' Eilonwy said with impatience. She took back the golden ball, cupped it in her hand, and the light vanished.
Adaon, recognizing the girl, put his hand anxiously on her shoulder. 'Princess, Princess, you should not have followed us.'
'Of course she shouldn't,' Taran put in angrily. 'She must return immediately. She's a foolish, scatterbrained…'
'She is uncalled and unwanted here,' said Ellidyr, striding up. He turned to Adaon. 'For once the pig-boy shows sense. Send the little fool back to her pots.'
Taran spun around. 'Hold your tongue! I have swallowed your insults to me for the sake of our quest, but you will not speak ill of another.'
Ellidyr's sword leaped up. Taran raised his own. Adaon stepped between them and held out his hands. 'Enough, enough,' he ordered. 'Are you so eager to shed blood?'
'Must I hear reproof from a pig-boy?' retorted Ellidyr. 'Must I let a scullery maid cost me my head?'
'Scullery maid!' shrieked Eilonwy. 'Well, I can tell you…'
Gurgi, meantime, had clambered cautiously from the tree and had loped over to stand behind Taran.
'And this!' Ellidyr laughed bitterly, gesturing at Gurgi. 'This? thing! Is this the black beast that so alarmed you, dreamer?'
'No, Ellidyr, it is not,' murmured Adaon, almost sadly.
'This is Gurgi the warrior!' Gurgi boldly cried over Taran's shoulder. 'Yes, yes! Clever, valiant Gurgi, who joins master to keep him from harmful hurtings!'
'Be silent,' Taran ordered. 'You've caused trouble enough.'
'How did you reach us?' Adaon asked. 'You are on foot.'
'Well, not really,' Eilonwy said, 'at least, not all the way. The horses didn't run off until a little while ago.'
'What?' cried Taran. 'You took horses from Caer Dallben and lost them?'
'You know perfectly well they're our own horses,' declared Eilonwy, 'the ones Gwydion gave us last year. And we didn't lose them. It was more as if they lost us. We only stopped to let them drink and the silly things galloped away. Frightened, I suppose. I think they didn't like being so close to Annuvin, though I'll tell you truthfully it doesn't bother me in the least.
'In any case,' she concluded, 'you needn't worry about them. The last we saw, they were heading straight for Caer Dallben.'
'And so shall you be,' Taran said.
'And so shall I not!' cried Eilonwy. 'I thought about it a long time after you left, every bit as long as it took you to cross the fields. And I decided. It doesn't matter what anybody says, fair is fair. If you can be allowed on a quest, so can I. And there it is, as simple as that.'
'And it was clever Gurgi who found the way!' Gurgi put in proudly. 'Yes, yes, with whiffings and sniffings! Gurgi does not let gentle Princess go alone, oh, no! And loyal Gurgi does not leave friends behind,' he added reproachfully to Taran.
'Since you have come this far,' Adaon said, 'you may await Gwydion. Although how he will deal with you two runaways may not be to your liking. Your journey,' he added, smiling at the bedraggled Princess, 'seems to have been more difficult than ours. Rest now and take refreshment.'
