Maia

"Tryzatt, these Ortelgan officers have come in peace to talk with Lord Elleroth. Can you please conduct them to him at once?"

She had already turned away by herself when Zen-Kurel overtook her.

"Where are you going, Maia?"

"Across the river," she said, "to join the other women and go to sleep; I'm very tired. Thank you for coming to look for me."

94: MEWS'S LAST ESCAPADE

As the servants removed the Ortelgans' knives and plates and cleared the table Elleroth, who had briefly left them, returned and drew up a bench. With him were Mollo, Tolis and two or three more of his officers, as well as Bayub-Otal and Zen-Kurel.

"I've sent all the food we can spare over to your camp," he said to Ta-Kominion. "I'm afraid it's rather penitential stuff, but perhaps your sybaritic connoisseurs will make allowances. Have you many sick and wounded?"

"Too many," replied Ta-Kominion. "We had our own surgeon with us, but he died in Chalcon, poor fellow. The High Baron's not going to be pleased about that: he was a good doctor-trained on Quiso."

"Well, that's the place, no doubt of it," said Elleroth. "I'm sending Muzarkalleen, one of my officers, to be treated by the Tuginda, if only we can get him there. He got badly cut up at that little affair on the highway."

"So did we, sir," said Dy-Karn. "Lost seventy-six men, though some of them may have been able to get themselves back to Ortelga, I hope."

"I'll send our doctor over to your camp," said Elleroth. "Could you see to it, Tolis, please? But that reminds me, Ta-Kominion; I'd like your advice. We have these slave children to find homes for, you know, and it's not easy. I'm determined they shall go to good homes, not to places where they'll remain slaves in everything but name. I had a notion to send two of the girls to Quiso with Muzarkalleen, as a sort of offering. You never know, they might make priestesses one day. What do you think?"

"Are they clever?" asked Ta-Kominion.

"One of them-Melathys-struck me as a particularly sharp child," answered Elleroth. "That's why I picked her."

"Well," said Ta-Kominion, "I imagine that if they're

clever they'll be welcome. A little non-Ortelgan blood among the priestesses might be all to the good. They'll be well treated, anyway; you can be sure of that."

"Well, it's a small matter," said Elleroth, "but I'm glad to hear you approve. Still, we'd better get down to business, hadn't we? You say Kembri's in a bad way?"

"We all think his position's hopeless: that's why we're here, of course. You see, the army was badly demoralized in Chalcon and the reinforcements from Bekla-well, they've turned out worse than nothing, really. And then on top of that we heard that Randronoth had defected-"

"So it occurred to you to tiptoe away on fairy feet, in darkness and clandestine order, did it?"

"Well, you have to put yourself in Ortelga's position," replied Ta-Kominion. "Bel-ka-Trazet's policy has always been to keep in with Bekla, so that we can count on help against the Deelguy when it's needed."

"Dear me, yes; those dashing, vagabond laddies-"

"This isn't the first time Ortelga's had to choose the right moment to run up a tilting plank to the other end," put in Dy-Karn. "It was the same when the Leopards deposed Senda-na-Say."

"Kembri was very insistent that we should send men to join Elvair-ka-Virrion," said Ta-Kominion. "Bel-ka-Tra-zet didn't really care for the idea, but he couldn't very well get out of it. So he picked on me." He gave a short, sardonic laugh. "Oh, I admit I was keen enough: I reckoned we'd all do very well out of it; but that was more than Bel-ka-Trazet ever thought, if I know anything about him. Why, even at the barrarz in Bekla he was warning me to get out quick if we had to. I didn't think much about it at the time, but after the battle I felt it would be best to bring what was left of the men back as soon as I could."

"Yes, indeed," said Elleroth, "and perhaps a short billet-doux to Santil wouldn't come amiss, either: but that's for you to decide. Well, let us consider the ins and outs of this jolly log-roll, shall we? As a matter of fact, it will be literally that, as Captain Mollo will now explain."

"Got to get up through Purn before the rains, that's it. Need more men-got to get on faster."

"Northward through Purn: one might almost call that a step in the right direction as far as you're concerned, might not one?" asked Elleroth. "Have you a few meaty lads capable of swinging an axe?"

"Yes, but no axes."

"I have some more axes coming up from Sarkid, but swords are good enough for undergrowth and that sort of thing. Well then, when we get out on the other side of Purn I have a fancy to turn east and cut the Bekla-Ikat road behind Kembri. He'll really love that, if he hasn't already fallen back on Bekla. Would you care to join us in a little spree of that nature?"

"Well, if that's your price," replied Ta-Kominion, "we'll have to pay it-"

"Think of the novelty; the wonderful excitement-"