Why is it, Maecenas, that no man living is content with
the lot that either his choice has given him or that chance
has thrown to him, but each has praise for those who follow other paths?—Horace
Andy-Andy and Tennetty standing at his side, Karl said goodbye to Walter and Ahira at the keep's gates.
Their mounts and their packhorses were champing at their bits, possibly because of the way that Ellegon was eyeing them interestedly.
"You sure you don't want an escort?" Karl asked. "If you'll just wait a couple of weeks, I can send Ranella with you—and I could send a company with you as far as Biemestren right now."
*Karl, since when does putting something off make it not happen?*
I don't know. But how can I say goodbye to either of these two?
*Briefly and matter-of-factly, if you don't want to nauseate a recovering dragon.*
Sitting uncomfortably in his pony's saddle, Ahira shook his head. "'Tis best done quickly, eh?"
Adjusting a rifle in its saddle boot, Slovotsky shrugged. "Seems that way to me, too. Hey, who knows? Endell might turn out to be a real drag; I may get so bored in a year or so that I'll need to get back into harness. Hell, we might even still be Home when you and Ellegon show up to pick up the kids."
"I'd like that."
"Karl." The dwarf looked down at him. "I have to say this again: If you ever need either of us . . . you'll know where to find us, Karl. Come if you can; send word if you can't. This isn't goodbye—just so long."
I need you two now, he thought. But he couldn't say that. Not in front of everyone.
Damn. He reached up and shook hands first with Ahira, then with Walter. "I'll miss you, both of you."
Slovotsky snorted. "Tell me about it." He clasped hands briefly with Tennetty, then vaulted from the saddle to kiss Andy-Andy thoroughly, whispering softly in her ear as he held her close.
*You're supposed to be jealous.*
Shut up, Karl explained.
Walter's all-is-well-with-a-universe-whose-center-holds-Walter-Slovotsky smile seemed a bit forced as he climbed back up to the fore-and-aft-peaked saddle, making sure that the packhorse's leads were still tightly bound to it.
Andy-Andy walked over to Ahira, threw her arm around his waist, and buried her face against his thigh, not saying anything, while the dwarf ran gentle fingers through her hair. She turned away, her face wet.
"Watch your butt, Karl. Or Andy's; it's much prettier," Walter Slovotsky said as he and the dwarf turned their horses around and rode them slowly through the open gate, the three packhorses trailing behind. "And remember Slovotsky's Law Number Twenty-nine: 'It ain't over 'til it's over, and maybe not then, either.' "
Karl watched them for a long time, until they had vanished around the bend.
Finally, he turned to Tennetty. "Once we hit the slavers on Aershtyn, you want to hitch a ride Home with Ellegon and take over our raider team?"
"No." Idly, she fumbled in her pouch, pulling out her glass eye, holding it up with thumb and forefinger, considering it in the daylight. "We're going to have to rush this Aershtyn raid, so that you and Ellegon can take off soon enough to get back to the valley before Gwellin leaves."
"Oh? Why is that?"
"You're going to see if you can persuade Daherrin to take over the team, instead of going back to Endell. Gwellin wouldn't go for it, but I think Daherrin might."
"So, you want Aveneer's team instead?"
"Frandred's team, now," she said firmly. "Granted, he'll give every order twice, but that won't hurt anything."
"So what are you going to do?"
She tossed the glass eye high into the air, then let it thunk into the palm of her hand. Tucking it back in her pouch, she adjusted her eyepatch and smiled up at him. "I'm going to watch your back. Somebody's got to make sure it doesn't sprout knives."
*How about me—*
"You?" Tennetty spat. "You who can't even dodge a quartet of clumsy crossbowmen? You're going to watch out for Karl? Who's going to watch out for you?"
Ellegon didn't answer; he just lowered his massive head to his crossed forelegs and closed his eyes.
Andy-Andy smiled her approval.
Karl turned away from all of them for a moment, forcing his shoulders not to sag, though even his cap of maintenance seemed heavy.
But it wasn't really the cloth cap or this absurd title that weighed on him. Karl had long ago taken on a task vastly more important, far more difficult, than governing a two-bit principality, and neither a manipulating wizard nor a crippled slaver was going to stand in his way. There were going to be some changes made, no matter what.
*Karl.* All the playfulness was now gone from Ellegon's mental voice; it was gentle but serious. *Do you think that Walter and Ahira don't know that? Do you think that they aren't committed to it? Taking a vacation isn't the abandonment of a vocation, Karl.*
I know that.
*And so do Walter, Ahira, Lou, Andrea, Tennetty, and all the rest. They're every bit as committed as you and I are, my friend.* Gentle fingers stroked his mind. *The phrase is: "and we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." And we shall keep the flame burning.* Ellegon sent a gout of fire roaring into the sky. *In more ways than one.*
"Fine by me." Karl Cullinane straightened his shoulders, then wiped his eyes before he turned back to the others. "We've got a lot to do. Let's get started."