Fires of Azeroth

And Roh? The question flickered briefly into the eyes of the arrhendim, and there remained dread after. They seemed then to realize, and there was silence.

"We had better go," Morgaine said. From her neck she lifted the chain, and the gold medallion, and gave it back into Merir's hands. "It was a great gift, lord Merir."

"It was borne by one we shall not forget."

"We do not ask your forgiveness, lord Merir, but some things we much regret."

"You do not need it, lady. It will be sung why these things were done; you and your khemeis will be honored in our songs as long as there are arrhendim to sing them."

"And that is itself a great gift, my lord."

Merir inclined his head, and set his hand then on Vanye's shoulder. "Khemeis, when you prepare, take the white horse for your own. None of ours can keep up with the gray, but only she."

"Lord," he said, dismayed and touched at once. "She is yours."

"She is great-granddaughter to one who was mine, khemeis; I treasure her, and therefore I give her to you, to one who will love her well. The saddle and bridle are hers; Arrhan is her name. May she bear you safely and long. And this more." Merir pressed into his hand the small case of an arrha's jewel. "All these will die in this land as the Fires die. If your lady permits, I give you this… no weapon, but a protection, and a means to find your way, should you ever be parted."

He looked at Morgaine, and she nodded, well-pleased.

"Lord," he said, and would have knelt to thank him, but the old lord prevented him.

"No. We honor you. Khemeis, I shall not live so much longer. But even when our children are dust, you and your lady and my small gift to you… will be yet upon your journey, perhaps not even across the simple step you will take this evening. Far, far travelling. I shall think of that when I die. And it will please me to be remembered."

"We shall do that, lord."

Merir nodded, and turned away, bidding the arrhendim break camp.

They armed with care for this ride, in armor partly familiar and partly arrhendim, and each of them had a good arrhendim bow and a full quiver of brown-fletched arrows besides. Only Roh went unarmed; Morgaine bound his bow, unstrung, upon her saddle, and his sword was on Vanye's.

Roh seemed not at all surprised when told that they required him to ride with them.

He bowed them, and mounted the bay horse which the arrhend had provided him. He yet moved painfully, and used his right hand more than his left, even in rising to the saddle.

Vanye mounted up on white Arrhan, and turned her gently to Morgaine's side.

"Goodbye," said Merir.

"Goodbye," they said together.

"Farewell," Lellin offered them, and he and Sezar were first to turn away, Merir after; but Sharrn lingered.

"Farewell," Sharrn said to them, and looked last on Roh. "Chya Roh-"

"For your kindness," Roh said, almost the first words he had spoken in days, "I thank you, Sharrn Thiallin."

Then Sharrn left, and the rest of the arrhendim, riding quickly across the plain toward the north.

Morgaine started Siptah moving south, in no great haste, for the Fires would not die until the night, and they had the day before them with no far distance to ride.

Roh looked back from time to time, and Vanye did, until the distance and the sunlight swallowed up the arrhendim, until even the dust had vanished.

And no word had any of them spoken.

"You are not taking me with you," said Roh, "through the Gate."

"No," said Morgaine.

Roh nodded slowly.

"I am waiting for you," said Morgaine, "to say something in the matter."

Roh shrugged, and for a time he made no answer, but the sweat beaded on his face, calm as it remained.

"We are old enemies, Morgaine kri Chya. Why this is, I have never understood… until late, until Nehmin. At least-I know your purpose. I find some peace with that. I only wonder why you have insisted on my survival this far. Can you not make up your mind? I do not believe at all that you have changed your intentions."

"I told you. I have a distaste for murder."

Roh laughed outright, then flung his head back, eyes shut against the sun. He smiled, smiled still when he looked at them. "I thank you," he said hoarsely. "It is up to me, is it not? You are waiting for me to decide; of course. You bade Vanye carry that Honor-blade of mine, long since hoping. If you will give it back to me, I think that-outside the sight of the Gate-I shall have the strength to use that gift. Only– there –I could not say what I would do, if you bring me close to that place. There are things I do not want to remember."

Morgaine reined to a halt. There was nothing but grass about them, no sight yet of the Gate, nor of the forest, nor anything living. Roh's face was very pale. She handed across to him the bone-hilted Honor-blade, his own. He took it, kissed the hilt, sheathed it. She gave him then his bow, and the one arrow that was his; and nodded to Vanye. "Give him his sword back."

Vanye did so, and was relieved to see that at the moment the stranger was gone and only Roh was with them; there was on Roh's face only a sober look, a strangely mild regret.

"I will not speak to him directly," Morgaine said at Roh's back. "My face stirs up other memories, I think, and perhaps it is best he look on it as little as possible under these circumstances. He has avoided me zealously. But do you know him, Vanye?"

"Yes, liyo. He is in command of himself… has been, I think, more than you have believed."

"Only with you… in Shathan. And with difficulty… now. I am the worst possible company for him; I am the only enemy Roh and Liell share. He ca

He shook his head. "No. I much doubt that I could."

'Truth, Chya Roh?"

"The truth is that I do not know. There is a remote chance."

"Then I give you choice, Chya Roh. That you have the means with you and the strength to leave this life: choose that, if you think that safest for you and for Shathan; but if you choose… if you can for the rest of your years be strong enough… choose Shathan."

He backed his horse and looked at her, shaken for the first time, terror on his face. "I do not believe you could offer that."

"Vanye and I can make the Gate from here; we will wait here until we see you over the horizon, and then we will ride like the wind itself and reach it before you could. There we will wait until we know that you ca

For a long time Roh said nothing, his head bowed, his hands clenched upon the sword and the Chya longbow which lay across his saddle.

"Suppose that I am strong enough?" he asked.

Then Sharrn will be glad to find you coming after him," said Morgaine. "And Vanye and I would envy you this exile."

A light came to Roh's face, and with a sudden move he reined about and rode-but he stopped then, and came back to them as they watched, bowed in the saddle to Morgaine, and then rode close to Vanye, leaned across and embraced him.

There were tears in his eyes. It was Roh, utterly. Vanye himself wept; a man might, at such a time.

Roh's hand pressed the back of his neck, bared now by the warrior's knot "Chya braid," Roh said. "You have gotten back your honor, Nhi Vanye i Chya; I am glad of that. And you have given me mine. Your road I do not truly envy. I thank you, cousin, for many things."

"It will not be easy for you."

"I swear to you," said Roh, "and I will keep that oath."

Then he rode away, and the distance and the sunlight came between.

Siptah eased up next Arrhan, quiet moving of horse and harness.

"I thank you," Vanye said.

"I am frightened," Morgaine said in a still voice. "It is the most conscienceless thing I have ever done."

"He will not harm Shathan."

"And I have set an oath on the arrha, that should he stay in this land, they would guard Nehmin still."

He looked at her, dismayed that she had borne this intention secret from him.

"Even my mercies," she said, "are not without calculation. You know this of me."

"I know," he said.

Roh passed out of sight over the horizon.

"Come," she said then, turning Siptah about. He reined Arrhan around and touched heel to her as Siptah sprang forward into a run. The golden grass flew under their hooves.

Soon the Gate itself was in sight, opal fire in the daylight.