There came eight ambassadors from Magéraz Urlan-fên, all of them men, marching two by two, each carrying a staff on his shoulder. They wore helmets fashioned after the helms of the Falakkazri, shaped like the head of a ravening bird of prey. Their garb was all alike, a dark purple. And their feet were shod with heavy nailed shoes. The people of Tídris that lined the streets to watch their coming shrank back in fear at the sight of them.
Vidnî and Arbros, with their faithful friends Lansenet and Thilfri, received them at the stone Kapatingos in the great open space in the heart of Tidris. Their leader removed his helmet, and behold! they recognized him: it was Ketumar, once the headman of Uxul, the town where Vidnî and Arbros were bred up. He, evidently, did not recognize them at that time. He looked them up and down, and gazing around him said:
‘So this is the new town! A large stone, and some wooden huts. And a hall half built by the Kabdath. And its governors are — children!’
Vidnî said,
‘We greet you, Master Ketumar, with, we hope, more courtesy than you have offered us. It is reported to us that the ruler of the great city of Magéraz Urlan-fên desires cordial relations with the realm of Dúmiel, of which we are the appointed guardians. We are ready to hear what message you have brought from your master.’
Remembrance of these two, once disregarded orphans hiding in a well, suddenly dawned in the mind of Ketumar. For a moment or two he was silent with surprise. He recovered himself, but could barely conceal his annoyance and contempt at having to treat with those he thought so much beneath him.
‘Master, you say, child of the well! There is but one Master, the Lord Ungubith, lord of Aumbrus, ruler of the Northlands, and wielder of the invincible Coldsword, he who rises to rule all peoples from his throne in Kapgar Kûm. In his name and with his power, his son, Prince Prámiz, governs the great city of Magéraz Urlan-fên, the Mistress of the East, and City of all peoples.
‘And now Prince Prámiz extends the hand of friendship and peace to the southlands. On certain conditions.’
Arbros said:
‘And what, we pray you, are those conditions?’
Ketumar said:
‘That you open the gates of this place to the servants of Ungubith, the Hawkheaded Ones, so as to receive from them the Yoke of Allegiance, you and all the inhabitants. That every year, you select a tithe of those who have come of age in the southlands, and send them to Magéraz Urlan-fên as guest workers under the direction of Prince Prámiz. That at every Moon-death, you conduct the rites of Ungubith here at this rock. In return, you may remain governors of Tídris and the southlands, having sworn fealty to Prince Prámiz, and having surrendered the emblems of your office, crown and swords, to his servants.’
Now Arbros and Vidnî knew well that no servant or creature of Oigenas Negobith could enter the Berugwanna without their consent, for the Entellári had laid an enchantment upon the Berufarána, the Greenmarch, and gifted its guardianship to the heirs of Ingos.
Then Vidnî said:
‘We are the heirs of Father Ingos, unworthy children though we may be. The southlands, the Berugwanna, hallowed by the blessed Hyilavúna, are our sacred trust. Never will we permit the foul Falakkazri, whom mortals fear, to enter these lands, while we live. Nor will we ever surrender a single Hyûvanka youth to the city of dark toil and torment. And as for the vile rites of Negobith, even as we stand before you, headman Ketumar, we still hear in our minds the loathsome sound of those rites which you permitted to be performed at the sacred stone of Uxul when you delivered our town into the hands of the Falakkazri.’
And Arbros added:
‘Nor shall we ever yield up the hallowed symbols of our office, the harvest crown of the westlands or the peaceful blade of Ingos. Instead the sword of the defence of Dúmiel, the mighty Daganarth, shall be unsheathed against his counterpart, Gantzor the Coldsword, and shall defy Negobith the Angantyîr in his very teeth!’
And with that he swept Daganarth from his side and held it up before the emissaries of Prámiz, then plunged it deep into one of the great rocks upon which the Kapatingos stood.
The seven companions of Ketumar moved back in disarray. They had not expected resistence. But Ketumar was not daunted. He stepped forward with a threatening look on his face, and pointed his staff at the Kwéni.
‘If you children had any notion of whom you presume to defy, you would be grovelling in the dust with fear. The Great Prince can bring you and all your misguided friends before the throne of Ungubith the mighty to receive a stroke from the Coldsword which will freeze you in firungamlas for ever.’
But Arbros said:
‘So you say, Master Ketumar! But was it not I, Arbros of Dúmiel, who smote Groiznath, brother of Prámiz, with Gantzor, and did we not bury him at the direction of Lord Slungandi on the shore at the Bay of Golden Death?’
This caused no little stir among the followers of Ketumar, who murmured among themselves; but their leader remained impassive. He retorted:
‘Grand words, young champion! But if you persist in rejecting our generous offer of friendship, you shall experience the full force of Magéraz Urlan-fên and the power of the Yoke of Ungubith. However, Prince Prámiz is a patient lord. In one year and one day, at Moon-death, we shall return to receive your submission to the Yoke and to the Prince.’
With that, Ketumar turned away, preparing to leave with no courteous words of parting. But Vidnî, taking in one hand Sporni, the shard of the Talyoran, that hung close to her breast, said in a loud voice:
‘You may return to us, perhaps, Master Ketumar, and four with you. But that which is hidden has spoken to me, and declares that three are ready to renounce the Yoke in the presence of us all.’
Then three of the men took courage and stood forth. They broke their staves upon their knees and stepped up to the Kapatingos with hands raised. Ketumar and his four remaining henchmen rushed upon them crying out, and sought to lay rough hands on them. But Arbros drew the Sword Daganarth from the stone, which he alone could do, and strode into the fray, crying:
‘There shall be no violence or bloodshed in Tídris while Kapatingos stands. Get you gone, you slaves of the Kúmi Netári. And you may speak all our words of defiance in the face of Prince Prámiz and of his loathed sire Oigenas the vile!’
Then, in fear of Daganarth, Ketumar and his four companions turned and hastened with little dignity from the place of assembly.
But the three penitent Yokeslaves knelt before Queen Vidnî. She took Sporni and traced a hidden sign upon their shoulders, and behold, the purple mark began to fade.
‘Arise, Rógat, Thánrad, and Níbar, men of courage. We declare you reclaimed, hlabu-san ta Émarul Sápha!’
And they cried:
‘Mercy, Lord and Lady. For our wives and children are also Yokeservants of Negobith. If in any way you can, we beg you to set them free!’
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