Forge of Darkness

Scara nodded agreement. ‘And under dark skies we shall fall, side by side.’



‘In companionship alone, I welcome such an end.’



‘And I, friend. But name yourself my salvation here, if you can, and I’ll know eternal gratitude.’



‘Careful, Scara. Eternity has teeth.’ He crossed his arms and leaned against one of the pillars forming the colonnade surrounding the keeper’s yard. ‘But I have for you a delicious solution, in which I hear echoes of old pranks and cruel jests from our days on the march and our nights before battle.’ He smiled when he saw his friend’s eyes alight in understanding, and then he nodded and continued, ‘It is said his familial estate is vast in expanse, feral upon the edges as befits its remote position, and given his pending marriage to a woman too beautiful and too young, why, I imagine dear Kagamandra Tulas will thrill to the challenge of taming these infernal whelps.’



Scara Bandaris smiled, and then he said, ‘Lacking his own, why, no better gift could we give him to celebrate his marriage! I happily yield to your genius, Silchas. Why, we’ll envigour the old man yet!’



‘Well, let us hope his new bride serves that purpose.’



‘And here I pondered long on what gift to give our old friend on his wedding day,’ said Scara, ‘and had thought of a settee to suit naps and the like, of which no doubt he’ll need many in the course of his amorous first week or so.’



Silchas laughed. ‘Generous in counting weeks, not days, friend.’



‘As his friend, could I be less generous?’



‘No less indeed. Now I regret the dismissal of the settee.’



‘It would fail in surviving a score of pups gnawing upon the legs, and so I could not give him a gift so easily destroyed. I would dread causing him guilt and grief. Why, then he might begin assiduously avoiding me, and that I would not enjoy, much.’



Silchas nodded. ‘We do miss his bright disposition, Scara.’



‘Speaking of brightness,’ Scara said, eyeing the man before him, ‘I see your skin still resisting the caress of Mother Dark.’



‘I have no answer for that, friend. I knelt alongside my brothers and so pledged my service.’



‘And you are without doubt?’



Shrugging, Silchas glanced away.



There was a moment of silence, and then Scara said, ‘I am told Kagamandra now rides for Kharkanas.’



‘So I have heard. In the company of Sharenas.’



‘A wager that he has not once availed himself of her charms, Silchas?’



‘If you need coin you need only ask for it, sir. You dissemble and so risk our friendship.’



‘Then I withdraw the gamble at once.’



‘Tell me,’ said Silchas with a nod to the Jheleck hostages, ‘have you seen them veer yet?’



‘I have, to smart the eyes with foul vapours. These will be formidable beasts in their maturity, and do not imagine them not clever-’



‘I would not, as I can see how they regard us even now.’



‘Think you Kagamandra can tame them?’



Silchas nodded. ‘But amusing as it is for us to contemplate Tulas’s expression upon the receipt, I admit to having given your dilemma much thought, and I believe that Kagamandra alone could heel these hounds, and indeed, that he alone would take great pride in doing so.’



‘May he return to us enlivened then and so double the miracle.’



‘A gift in kind would indeed bless this gesture,’ Silchas said, nodding. He straightened from the pillar. ‘Now, I must re-join my brothers. And you, Scara?’



‘As it is, now that we have a solution here, I can leave my soldiers to oversee the pups until Kagamandra’s arrival. Once I have penned a worthy note to him, I shall ride north to those of my company I left in the forest. From there, we shall return to our garrison.’



Silchas studied his friend for a moment. ‘You have heard of the other companies stirring about?’



The query elicited a scowl. ‘I even argued with Hunn Raal, before he departed here. Silchas, I tell you this: I want none of this. I see how this persecution of the Deniers is but an excuse to recall Urusander’s Legion. The cause is unworthy.’



‘The Deniers are not the cause being sought, Scara.’



‘I well know that, friend. And I will not lie in saying to you that there are rightful grievances at work here. But such matters cannot be addressed by the sword, and I believe that Lord Urusander agrees with me.’



‘Be most cautious, then,’ Silchas said, his hand once more upon Scara’s back. ‘I fear Urusander is like a blind man led upon an unknown path, and the one who leads has ill ambition in his heart.’