'Take your time,' Bradan said. 'The longer you take, the more time the Siddhars have to get to their mountain and the more chance of Melcorka becoming herself again.'
The Thiruzhas clustered at the riverbank, some looking downstream and others poking at the ford. One man pointed to Bradan, who sat on his rock, waiting.
'Here they come.' Bradan stood up, sword in hand. 'May God and all his saints look after you, Melcorka. I have done the best I can.'
The Thiruzha mustered on the far bank. Two men stepped into the water, checking the depth. Bradan lifted a rock from the bed of the river, tested it for weight and threw it. The leading Thiruzha jerked aside; the rock flew wide, to land with a splash a yard away. The white bird looked up, spread its wings and returned to its fishing.
A Thiruzha threw a spear that thrummed into the riverbed, and then two men rushed toward Bradan.
'Here we go,' Bradan said. He threw another rock, felt momentary satisfaction when it cracked against the face of the leading warrior, and prepared to defend himself when the second Thiruzha pushed forward. He was shorter than Bradan, with the water reaching his upper thighs.
'Stand aside, Bradan.' It was Kosala's voice. 'You're no warrior.'
Blocking the Thiruzha's lunge with ease, Kosala thrust his blade upward into the man's groin, ripping into his belly. The man screamed shrilly and toppled into the rapids, which swept him away. The second Thiruzha warrior, bleeding where Bradan's stone had caught him, hesitated and withdrew.
Bradan stopped Kosala from charging forward. 'No, Kosala. We are here to delay them, not to make our names as heroes.'
'You are right, Bradan,' Kosala agreed. 'You have some wisdom for a foreigner.'
Such was the nature of the ford that the Thiruzha could only advance on a narrow front. The next man moved more warily, throwing a spear to unsettle Kosala before splashing forward with a swinging sword. Kosala parried the blow and tried the groin stroke again, only for the Thiruzha to block in turn and thrust for Kosala's throat.
'You are a warrior,' Kosala said, as he ducked the thrust and hacked downward, taking the Thiruzha in the thigh. The Thiruzha gasped and retaliated with a wicked thrust to the stomach that forced Kosala to sidestep. The Thiruzha's blade nicked Kosala's ribs; he winced, and for a moment tottered on the edge of the rapids. Seeing his advantage, the Thiruzha thrust at Kosala's throat. Kosala blocked, turned the Thiruzha's blade and pushed him. When the Thiruzha slipped, Kosala stabbed him in the throat before shoving him into the seething white water below the ford.
'They're getting better.' Kosala was gasping with effort. He had to shout above the roar of the rapids.
'You're wounded.' Bradan pointed to Kosala's blood coiling in the river. 'Let me take over for a while.'
'No time.' Kosala readied himself for another fight as two Thiruzha warriors advanced at once.
Lifting the spear the Thiruzha had thrown, Bradan leant his staff against a rock and stepped behind Kosala. 'Here they come again.'
As the Thiruzhas charged forward, their colleagues on the bank unleashed a volley of spears. Bradan parried one with a desperate swing that jarred his arms and then both Thiruzhas were pressing on Kosala.
The Thiruzhas attacked at once, forcing Kosala to withdraw step by step. 'I can't hold them!' he panted.
Another group of Thiruzhas advanced into the ford, shouting as they thrust past their colleagues with long spears and shorter swords.
Swearing, Bradan pushed with his spear, felt a quick surge of satisfaction as he pricked a Thiruzha chest, then gasped as a spear-point scraped along his left arm. Kosala withdrew another step, forcing Bradan to edge further toward the bank. Once they were there, the Thiruzhas would flood past them, and the fight would be over.
Hold them! Gain time for the Siddhars. Gain time for Melcorka.
Kosala grunted as he stabbed his immediate opponent in the throat, and then took another backward step as a fresh Thiruzha warrior opposed him.
'There are too many,' Kosala said. He slipped on a round stone, nearly fell and winced when a Thiruzha slashed his face with the point of a sword. Kosala withdrew another step, forcing Bradan to do the same.
'You fight well, Kosala!' Bradan felt the ground solid behind him. One more step and he would be on the bank of the river. 'Do you want to break off and escape, Kosala? I'll hold them as long as I can.'
'No!' Bleeding from his face and his side, Kosala shook his head. 'We fight for as long as we can.' He gave a lopsided grin. 'We will be remembered as heroes, Bradan. This fight at the ford will be told and retold in stories, legends and lies.'
'Mostly lies.' Bradan forced a smile.
The Thiruzhas withdrew a few paces, regrouped and came again, yelling their war cries as they powered forward, knowing that Kosala was weakening and victory was virtually assured.
Kosala took a deep breath. 'It's nearly time, brother,' he said. 'We will die together.'
'Not yet, I think.' The voice came from behind them.
Bradan turned around. 'Melcorka! What are you doing here? Get back where it's safe!'
Melcorka stood at the edge of the pass. She was so thin that her clothes hung from her gaunt frame. Her grin made her face appear like a skull. 'You two have had your fun. It's my turn now.' The hilt of Defender thrust from behind her left shoulder.
'Mel? Mel, are you back? Are you yourself again?'
Kosala spoke before Melcorka could reply. 'This is no place for you, woman. This is a warrior's work. Go back to Chaturi and stay safe.'
Sliding past Kosala and Bradan, Melcorka strode into the ford, smiling. 'I am Melcorka nic Bearnas of the Cenel Bearnas.' Standing with the water surging up to her thighs, Melcorka raised her voice to a shout that sounded even above the roar of the waterfall.
'I am Melcorka of Alba! I am Melcorka
