Slungandi comes to Valkamet: chapter 17 of The Talyoran

 

Ingos laboured in the fields of the Valkari for several weeks. None there knew that he was Ingos, Father of the Hyûvandri. He won the confidence of some of the other labourers, and learnt that their lot was hard. They worked long days out of doors and they were not free to fare away. Those that had children could scarcely feed them. He learnt that they were the servants of the Valkari, those who wore the fine robes. The labourers were in truth not Valkari, but another people that Ingos remembered to have brought into Thrâyeldim long before. Then they had called themselves the Laukonardi, the Beloved of the Moon; but they had been taught to forget that name. They were called just Velgri, servants, or Velgrath Valkari, servants of the Valkari. Their dwellings were not among those of the true Valkari, but at a distance, against the earth wall surrounding the settlement. He asked them if they remembered Father Ingos; and the reply was: 

‘Our fathers and mothers spoke of him; we ourselves have never seen him, and it is better for us that we forget his name too.’

Then Ingos perceived that Melyúnas was working evil among his people, the Hyúvandri. While he was still pondering this, and considering what might come of it, there befell another strange thing. This time, Ingos was at work in a field overlooking the village, when he heard a sound as of a company of riders on horseback coming through the woods that lay close to the walls. Suddenly, from an opening between the trees that he had not noticed before, what seemed to be a herd of animals streamed out, great beasts with huge branching horns. They were loathsome to look on, the shapes of the bones of their bodies and their skulls showing through the dark skin. But upon them sat riders, scarcely less hideous than they, like dwarfish men with the features of hawks. As they rode towards the village, the labourers all ran for their cottages and huts, crying, 

‘Trankarellna! Kúmi Netári! The hawkheaded ones on their skulldeer!’

Ingos knew the skulldeer of the north, but had never seen them ridden; and of the Falakkazri he had heard only the name, for the Melainë, half-kin to the Falakkazri, were Ingos’s friends. He wondered if these creatures meant to attack the village, and stood watching to see what would happen. Then they slowed their pace and gathered into a circle near the walls, and he saw that the rider on the leading skulldeer was of different appearance from the others. He was somewhat greater in stature than they, with long arms, dark skin, and curly hair; in him Ingos could sense power, and he guessed that he must be one of the Entellári. Why he was leading this wild-looking rout Ingos could not at first tell.

Then he saw that every skulldeer was loaded with great paniers, evidently full up with wares. Dismounting, the riders unstrapped the paniers and began to take out the contents. They were of metal, iron, steel, copper, bronze, silver, and even gold. There were tools of every craft, utensils for cooking, household implements, knives, spoons, pots, pans, cauldrons. And some weapons. Such things were made nowhere but by the Kabadri of Hlund in the far distant North.

As he watched, a party of his fellow labourers came out from the village. They were going hunched and stumblingly, and guardians of the Valkari were goading them on with staves. It was evident that the Hawkheaded Ones filled the Velgri with fear. They came in pairs, carrying great baskets, which they set down as far from the Falakkazri as possible. Into these baskets they swiftly loaded the metalwares. Then they bore the baskets away; Ingos could not see where.

Almost at once, they returned with other baskets, and these were full of herbs, worts, and fruit. Ingos recognized them as the baskets into which he and his fellows were commanded to place the worts which they harvested from the earth: yes, some of the very ûrtirumna that they had been digging up in the past week. Then, under the direction of the Valka overseer, they laboriously filled the paniers of the Hawkheaded Ones. The latter stood idly by, just near enough to the paniers to cause the labourers to tremble and cower, and they laughed at them. When this was done, the Falakkazri sprang into action and hoisted the paniers back on the sides of their skulldeer. The labourers hurried out of sight.

Ingos now understood that the village was a trading post, that the Falakkazri were the carriers, and that the unique metalware made by the Kabadri of Hlund was here traded for provisions that would be taken back north, either to Hlund or elsewhere in the Northlands. But he was surprised by what happened next. He noticed that the Entelláka chief of the riders was not with them; while Ingos had been watching the loading and unloading, he must have gone away. He expected that he would shortly return and lead the other riders away. But it was not so. 

Ingos waited a long while, not even pretending to go on with his digging; the field was still deserted. At last the chief rider returned. With him was Murnag, the Lady of the Valkari. They were talking earnestly, but they were too far away to hear. She was gesturing towards the Falakkazri, smiling and nodding vigorously. Then she was beckoning. Then came into view  the eight runewives; they were making music and dancing. They had tinkling bells in their hands and they circled around the gathered Falakkazri and their skulldeer. The Hawkheaded Ones took notice and watched the runewives attentively. They began clapping rhythmically and stamping their feet. They offered their hands to the runewives, and these took hold of them readily. The dance stopped. Words were exchanged. Then each Falakkázi took hold of his partner and lifted her on to the back of his skulldeer, jumped up behind her, and set his heels to the side of the beast. Immediately the whole pack began to trot towards the forest.

Their chief, meanwhile, bowed low to the Lady of the Valkari,  mounted his own skulldeer, and rode off on the trail of his troop. Soon they were out of sight among the trees. But at that moment, Ingos felt himself grasped firmly from either side by powerful hands. Two gatewardens were there. They dragged him across the field.

‘What were you watching for, old man,’ they cried. ‘You are no longer welcome in our land. Get you gone.’

And with that, they threw him into the track leading away from Valkamet. But Ingos picked himself up and began to walk back towards the Giants’ Road. Now he understood the strange gestures made by Melyúnas at the banquet. He had incited Murnag to get the Falakkazri to take the runewives away with them. Why? Surely, Melyúnas intended that the deep arts that he had instilled among the Valkari should be carried back to the land from which the Falakkazri came.

Ingos visits the Valkari: chapter 16 of The Talyoran

Now Melyúnas had won the loyalty of the Valkari, whose settlement, Valkamet, lay in the most north-easterly region of the Berugwanna, at a great distance from the other communities of Hyûvandri. And he passed to and fro, from Ombros to Valkamet, whenever the conditions of war permitted. If he encountered any Entellári of the guard on the Greenmarch — and he made sure to avoid them if he could — they suspected no ill, for he was the wisest of the Doitherúna and known to all for his constant enquiry into the nature of the world. His actual purpose was to visit his two sons, Groiznath and Prámiz, to see how they were growing and to judge when they should be ready for instruction in the Deep Arts.

Meanwhile Ingos wandered the whole of the Southlands, visiting and cheering the Hyúvandri. He came to the east, and in particular the north-east, less often than the west, where he loved to roam in the green woods and river valleys. Therefore some of the settlements of the Hyûvandri saw Ingos less often than they should have. Here and there a whole generation passed by without seeing him at all. But it chanced one season that Ingos determined to make a thorough circuit of the communities in the east of Thrâyeldim, not overlooking a single one, and for this he knew he would need conveyance, so he decided to call on the help of the Lost Tribe. 

By this time the Lost Tribe had divided into three branches, the Eskenári, who chiefly wandered in the east, the Esperári, who preferred the west, and the Estelári, roamers in the south. Ingos went to where the Eskenári were presently encamped, on the great plains of Arkallumis. Here they often resorted in hopes of spending time among the Thendâ, whom they greatly loved. Ingos called upon one of their chieftains whom he knew well.

‘Are there any of your brothers and sisters who are reckoning shortly to make a circuit of the Hyûvanka settlements in the east of Thrâyeldim? For I would gladly go with them and see how all the people are, more especially on account of the lamentable wars of the Giants in the northlands.’

‘Yes, O Father Ingos, there are such. Kovalke and Haigul will fare with you, wheresoever you wish to go. Save one village that they care not to visit.’

Ingos was glad of this, but a little troubled when he heard these last words, and wondered much where it might be.

And so he journeyed with Kovalke and Haigul the Eskenári throughout the east of Thrâyeldim. They went even to the far southern shores where the dark woods crowd the golden beaches, and to the great yellow rivers that flow into the eastern sea. And they visited the fisherfolk, the farmers, the herdsfolk, and all who wrought the things of use and built houses for the people. At length they turned northwards to those who lived in the hill country north of the Berusilwa river. 

Then said Kovalke and Haigul, 

‘There is a folk who live to the north of this country, on the edge of the dark forest of Nanôr, and they are called the Valkari. We are not welcome in their land, nor are we content in our hearts when we approach their borders.’

‘That disturbs me, my friends,’ said Ingos. ‘And I excuse you from spending any more time in their land than it takes for me to get there. Nevertheless, my task is to go among all the Hyûvandri, and I cannot neglect the Valkari. So, I beg you to convey me to the border of their land, and then you may depart.’

And so, turning from the Giants’ Road, they took a rough track into the deepest parts of the hill country and came at last near to the eaves of Nanôr. That forest was part of the marchland, the Berufarána, separating the Southlands from the northern lands where the Giants’ War was in progress. It was a wild, dark place.

As they came near to Valkamet, the settlement of the Valkari, the horses who drew the wain of Kovalke and Haigul became troubled. They slowed their pace, tossed their heads, and at last reared up, neighing.

‘They will go no closer, Father Ingos,’ said Haigul. ‘There is a power in this land that affrights them.’

Ingos climbed down from the wain, taking his pack with him. 

‘Then, my friends, I bid you farewell, thanking you for your company and sustenance through our long journey together.’

Kovalke and Haigul quickly turned their horses and wain around and departed. Ingos advanced towards Valkamet. The track became a narrow well-paved path between high banks, overshadowed by the boughs of dark trees. At the end, a great timber archway stood. It was decorated with clusters of strange white flowers of great breadth and many intertwined strands of some woven substance in many colours, as if to welcome a person of importance whose arrival was anticipated. Just before this archway, a little alley turned aside to the right of the path, and on an impulse, Ingos entered this alley and followed it along the side of the settlement until he reached another gateway. This had a strong door set into the bank that surrounded the village. Ingos knocked with his staff at this door.

The doorkeeper opened it abruptly.

‘Who are you, and what is your business?’

‘They call me old Father Wanderer, Vadu Paityága. I travel the world seeking labour. I can work hard for my keep.’

‘Hmm. There is a strange air about you, Vadu Paityága. But you look harmless enough. Get you into the gardens yonder and cleanse the ûrtirumna beds of weeds. At sundown in the high house there is to be held a great feast for all the clan. Eat while you can. Labourers sit at the lowest table, mind.’

Ingos joined a group of labourers, already bent over their work, too weary to speak or ask his name. From his place he could see in the distance an open space that must have lain behind the arched gateway. To one side of it a huge yew tree spread its gloomy branches. After he had weeded for an hour or two, he looked up and saw that within this space now stood a crowd of men, women, and children, all in long robes of differing colours, mostly dark blue, dark green, or dark brown. They began a slow chant. The words of this chant were in a tongue unknown to Ingos. 

A tall black-robed figure was approaching them from the direction of the archway. A party of women, eight in all, came out and began to dance, first circling the yew tree, then swaying as they faced the tall figure from a distance.  From somewhere behind them a drum was slowly beaten in time to the dance. Then stood forth a tall woman with long raven-dark hair. She approached the black-robed figure with a great show of reverence, bowing low, and speaking words of welcome that Ingos could not hear.

And thereupon she led him into the village, and out of sight of Ingos.

When the time of the evening meal came, Ingos followed the other labourers to the high house. It was very plain that this settlement, unlike most of the communities of the People of Ingos, was not poor. The hall was well appointed, with dais and embroidered hangings, trestles and boards and benches, and a great fireplace in the midst. It was lit by a multitude of candles, so as to be almost as bright as in the daytime. 

Once he was seated at the rough trestle board nearest the doors, Ingos looked up at the principal table on the dais. There sat the dark-haired woman in the central seat, and others clad in similar robes all along the board. And there in the seat of honour next to her was the black-robed figure. His face was lit by the clusters of candles on the table, and Ingos recognized him as Melyúnas, whom he had not seen for many years, not since the Year of Incoming, when he had bestowed the Talyoran on the high mountain top under the watchful eye of Astagant.

When dinner was over, the party of runewives entered, and danced before the great ones seated on the dais. When the dance ended, Melyúnas rose from his seat, smiling and calling to the runewives in words that could not be heard, but were no doubt flattering, for the dancers bowed low to him. And then Ingos saw Melyúnas turn to the Lady, pointing back at the runewives and gesturing. He made a strange motion of his hands before his face, like a bird’s bill opening and shutting, and then put them to his head with the fingers spread, like the antlers of a deer. And the Lady nodded and laughed. Then servants bore great horns of ale and cups of wine to those seated, and they pledged one another with loud mirth. 

After some time two youths came from another part of the hall, and approached the principal table, and stood before the Lady and Melyúnas. A labourer seated next to Ingos, who had been slumped with exhaustion on the table, lifted his head and whispered to him: 

‘Those fair youths are the sons of the Lady Murnag, you know. They are named Groiznath and Prámiz, and not alike at all, twins though they be. And they do say that he — that great Entelláwa there, that none durst go near — he is their father. But tell no one I said so!’

Then Ingos knew that Melyúnas had won the Valkari to himself and mixed the blood of the Doitherúna, the long-lived ones, with the blood of the Hyûvandri. As he watched, he perceived that Melyúnas was preparing to depart, though the evening was far gone; and he saw that the youths were to accompany him, for packs and bags were brought, and they saluted the Lady Murnag, and at once all three strode from the hall, with more chanting and drumming. 

The travels of Slungandi: chapter 15 of The Talyoran

 

Slungandi never took part in battle. Instead, he spent much time wandering the Round Halls of Kapgar Kûm with the Talyoran in his hand. No one knew the many passages and chambers better than he. There were secret ways between distant chambers of Kapgar, and even between Kapgar and Kabadkabâ. He learnt, too, that there were other doors in and out of the stronghold than the two great gates: doors made by the Gangri that the Kabadri knew not — and doors made by the Kabadri but unknown to the Gangri. They were hidden doors; and some of them opened beyond the encampments of the besiegers.

Slungandi made his way out of Kapgar secretly and journeyed to the strongholds of Figrû Vomaddi and Kalípo Kalhondrim, to obtain supplies for the garrison. For some years this continued, but soon the Kabadri found that they had not enough surplus food, for their numbers had been swelled by fugitives from many parts of the Northlands. And they feared that the regular passage of travellers to their lands might attract the hostile attention of the Fellgiants.

So then Slungandi began to journey in secret south to the lands of the Hyûvandri. He went by way of another opening he had found in the slopes of the mountain, some way from the encampments of the Fellgiants. He took with him a small party of the Falakkazri who were not engaged in the defence of Kapgar Kûm. There was a way through the Greenmarch that was not much watched by the Entellári, passing by way of the Forest of Nanôr and the hill country where the Haldossilu river ran. At the southern end of this region Slungandi met with traders from the Southlands who supplied them with foodstuffs and other necessaries.  He kept the Falakkazri out of sight, lest they terrify the Hyûvanka traders by their alarming appearance. 

Then they conveyed these provisions north into the region of Hlund, for the Kabadri of Hlund were cut off by the hosts of the Fellgiants and in danger of starvation. In Hlund Slungandi chaffered some part of these goods for the smith-wrought tools and metalware of the Hlundika Kabdath. Then he and the Falakkazri returned to Kapgar Kûm with the remaining supplies by way of the same hidden door. After this they returned to the south with the manufactures purchased in Hlund to exchange for another load of provisions from the Hyûvanka traders. 

This arduous three-part journey Slungandi and his helpers made uncountable times; sometimes with poor success, on occasions when they were scattered and plundered by parties of marauding Fellgiants, or when floods ran high on the rivers and prevented their crossing. But the supplies never failed. Despite the closeness of the siege, and to the wonderment of the besiegers, the garrison never ran short.