(eng) Leigh Brackett by The Sword of Rhiannon

Author:The Sword of Rhiannon [Rhiannon, The Sword of]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XI

Dread Accusation

That night torches lighted the banquet hall with a smoky glare. Fires burned on round hearths between the pillars, which were hung with shields and the ensigns of many ships. The whole vast room was hollowed out of the living rock with galleries that gave upon the sea.

Long tables were set out. Servants ran among them with flagons of wine and smoking joints fresh from the fires. Carse had nobly followed the lead of Ironbeard all afternoon and to his somewhat unsteady sight it seemed that all of Khondor was feasting there to the wild music of harps and the singing of the skalds.

He sat with the Sea Kings and the leaders of the Swimmers and the Sky Folk on the raised dais at the north end of the hall. Ywain was there also. They had made her stand and she had remained motionless for hours, giving no sign of weakness, her head still high. Carse admired her. He liked it in her that she was still the proud Ywain.

Around the curving wall had been set the figureheads of ships taken in war so that Carse felt surrounded by shadowy looming monsters that quivered on the brink of life, with the torchlight picking glints from a jeweled eye or a gilded talon, momentarily lighting a carven face half ripped away by a ram.

Emer was nowhere in the hall.

Carse’s head rang with the wine and the talking and there was a mounting excitement in him. He fondled the hilt of the sword of Rhiannon where it lay between his knees. Presently, presently, it would be time.

Rold set his drinking horn down with a bang.

“Now,” he said, “let’s get to business.” He was a trifle thick-tongued, as they all were, but fully in command of himself. “And the business, my lords? Why, a very pleasant one.” He laughed. “One we’ve thought on for a long time, all of us—the death of Ywain of Sark!”

Carse stiffened. He had been expecting that. “Wait! She’s my captive.”

They all cheered him at that and drank his health again, all except Thorn of Tarak, the man with the useless arm and the twisted cheek, who had sat silent all evening, drinking steadily but not getting drunk.

“Of course,” said Rold. “Therefore the choice is yours.” He turned to look at Ywain with pleasant speculation. “How shall she die?”

“Die?” Carse got to his feet. “What is this talk of Ywain dying?”

They stared at him rather stupidly, too astonished for the moment to believe that they had heard him right. Ywain smiled grimly.

“But why else did you bring her here?” demanded Iron-beard. “The sword is too clean a death or you would have slain her on the galley. Surely you gave her to us for our vengeance?”

“I have not given her to anyone!” Carse shouted. “I say she is mine and I say she is not to be killed!”

There was a stunned pause. Ywain’s eyes met the Earth-man’s, bright with mockery. Then Thorn of Tarak said one word,

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