High Magic's Aid by Gerald B. Gardner

Author:Gerald B. Gardner [Gardner, Gerald B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780956618207
Google: zN3ubwAACAAJ
Amazon: B0B3TRKM8G
Barnesnoble: B0B3TRKM8G
Goodreads: 62046406
Published: 2022-06-10T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter XII

SPURN HEATH

The sun was breaking through a dense haze as Thur, Morven, Jan and Olaf rode out of the town next morning. After their experience of the night before, the two Bonders were a little distrait and Morven could hardly stifle her gapes, so tired was she. So much power had she put into her strange musical interlude that it had left her in a state of exhaustion. After releasing the captives they had sat talking until late, then had ransacked the pantry for food and stored it in their saddle bags. Thur rode with them to see them safely through the gates, and seemed to be the only unscathed member of the group. Before them laboured the two heavy waggons which had brought corn to sell the previous day.

Thur said: “Well, my merry men all, were I you, I should seek a good clump of bushes and sleep my fill, ‚twill do you good, and you can catch up with the carts easily. Morven, be prudent I beg! I shall meet you at the stricken elm, by the Stour, at the fourth hour to-morrow; an you not be there by night, at high noon on the morrow again. Farewell, and God be wi’ ye-“

“I would the leech were twenty years younger,” said Olaf with a gusty sigh, as they watched him gallop away.

“Wherefore?” Jan demanded, yawning widely and crossing himself lest a devil should pop down his throat, as was popularly believed at the time.

“So we should have more of him. Death will steal him from us and where shall we be then?”

“The Gods be with us; what talk is this? Truly do we need sleep,” yawned Morven.“Why sits your mind in that quarter?”

“Because, had I my way, I would be always with him.”

“H’m,“ grunted Jan.“Would you be a leech then?”

“Nay, I would be a great magus,” was the modest reply.“I would probe into all hidden mysteries, and popes and kings would wait breathless at my nod.”

“More like to nod the breath out of thee,” jeered the other.“There is no more sense in thy head than a cracked pot… Better awaits you; you shall be captain of all my men when I come into my own and you shall marry Morven here.“

For some reason this annoyed Olaf.“A soldier, I, never! I like not the shedding of blood without reason, but I will fight to reinstate you. As for marrying Morven, that is for you, the elder, I lack three years of her age. No, ‚tis for you.”

“Between you, I shall not get a husband easily, as neither will have me,” said Morven dryly.

Yet, for all her sharp words, she could not stay her eyes from wandering inquiringly to Jan’s face.

Jan looked at his brother, then at Morven, and frowned. Here was a cherished scheme frustrated at the outset. A suitable reward for Morven’s services and Olaf honoured for his loyalty.“Nay, marriage is not for me yet… when the time comes I must seek a powerful alliance.”

“You would wed an heiress?” Morven asked with a dry mouth.

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