Midnight Falcon

'I don't understand,' muttered the red-bearded warrior.

'He's not coming back,' said Iswain. She moved in to stand before Bane. 'Why are you doing this?'

He shrugged. 'I have a need to wander, Iswain.'

'It is more than that,' she said.

'If it is, then I choose not to talk about it. You said you and Gryffe were dreaming of a place of your own. Somewhere to raise children, to watch sunsets as you grow older. This is a good place, and I think you will be happy here.'

'We are happy here,' said Iswain. 'And we would both like to see you happy.'

He drew her into an embrace and kissed her plump cheek. 'When I come back we will have a feast, and I shall regale you with my adventures.' He turned to Gryffe and thrust out his hand. Gryffe ignored it and stepped in, drawing Bane into a bear hug.

'I shall hold half of all profits for you, man,' he said. 'And when you want to come home this farm will be waiting for you.' Releasing him, Gryffe smiled. 'We'll have taken your bedroom, mind. It's bigger than ours, with a better view.' The smile faded. 'You take care, Bane. Hear me?'

'I hear you, big man.' Gathering up his saddlebags Bane walked from the house. Settling the bags into place he stepped into the saddle and rode away without a backward glance.

It was a bright morning and he rode steadily east, crossing the hills and valleys until he reined in, some four hours later, on the hilltop overlooking Three Streams. It seemed so peaceful now in the spring sunshine, no hint, at first, of the bloodshed and valour, no echo of clashing swords and screaming men. Bright yellow flowers had bloomed along the slopes. Bane looked around the scene. A cast-off shoe lay in the grass close by, surrounded by flowers, and beyond it a broken sword blade, already pitted with rust.

From the woods came three boys, ru

'Across the water.'

'For what purpose?'

Bane shrugged. 'Perhaps it is to find a purpose,' he said.

Na

They will or they won't,' said Bane, seating himself beside his grandfather. 'It doesn't matter to me.'

Na

'Long ago and far away,' said Bane. 'Forget it.'

'Easy to say. I loved my Arian. She was a good girl – until her sister died. They were children, sharing a bed. Little Baria was five years old. She had a fever, and her heart gave out in the night. Arian awoke and found her dead beside her. She was never the same after that. Terrified of the dark and of being alone. When Co

'We don't need to talk about this,' said Bane. 'Mother is dead. Nothing can change that.'

'I'm talking about the living,' said Na

'I don't need to hear it.'

'Maybe you don't, maybe you do. But I need to say it, so humour me, Grandson. I know that you have always believed Co

'When you were born, and Casta saw your eyes, he knew Arian had been unfaithful and cast her out. She came home to me. I went to see Co

'Why are you telling me this, Grandfather?'

The old man shrugged. 'You are a good boy, with a good heart. But I know you came to hate Co

Bane leaned over and kissed his grandfather's cheek, then he rose. 'I must say farewell to Vorna,' he said.

Na

'Who knows? I may be back within a year.'

Na

The younger man climbed to the saddle and rode off across the settlement. He saw Meria with a young child, sitting on a porch seat before her house. She looked up. Her hand flickered as if she would wave, but then she looked away.

Vorna was not at home. Bane waited for an hour, then mounted up and set off towards the Wishing Tree woods.

The king had slept badly, the night haunted by dreams. Not all of them were bad, but even these filled him with sorrow. When young he had believed himself as immortal as the mountains. He had looked upon older people as being from a different species. Now, in his fortieth year, he found himself looking back on that young man with a sense of bewilderment. It was not as if he had not known he would one day grow old and then die. Yet despite the knowledge there was some deep instinct in him that denied its truth. He had been young, the future stretching out eternally before him. He remembered when he and Wing had last travelled with Ruathain to sell cattle in the south. Men had talked of an earth maiden who dwelt in the town, a woman of enormous beauty and great skill in love-making. When the boys saw her they had been shocked beyond belief. She was old. Older than their mother, and she was well past thirty. Co

Co