Drenai Series 03 - Waylander

Drenai Series 03 - Waylander by David Gemmell Page A

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Authors: David Gemmell
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away.
    'It's horrible,' said Miriel.
    One of the men sitting nearby came to the table.
    'What's wrong with it, princess?'
    'It's sour,' she said.
    'You have some sugar hidden in your hair. Why don't you sweeten it?'
    'I haven't any sugar,' she said. The man leaned forward, ruffled her hair and then opened his hand to show a tiny leather sack sitting on his palm. He unfastened it and poured some sugar on the oats.
    'Is there sugar in my hair?' asked Krylla eagerly.
    'No, princess, but I'm sure your sister would not mind you sharing hers.' He added the rest of his small store to Krylla's plate and the sisters began to eat.
    'Thank you,' said Danyal.
    'A pleasure, my lady. I am Vanek.'
    'You are a kind man.'
    'I like children,' he said, then moved back to his table. Danyal noticed that he walked with a slight limp.
    'A horse fell on him about two years ago,' said Sarvaj. 'Crushed his foot. He's a good man.'
    'Do you have spare weapons here?' asked Dardalion.
    'We captured some Vagrian supplies. There are swords, bows and breastplates.'
    'Must you fight, Dardalion?' asked Danyal.
    Reading the concern in her voice, Sarvaj switched his gaze to the young man. He looked strong enough, though his face was gentle - more of a scholar than a warrior, thought Sarvaj; he reached out and took Danyal's hand, saying nothing.
    'You don't have to fight, sir,' said Sarvaj. 'It's not obligatory.'
    'Thank you, but I have chosen my path. Would you help me choose a weapon? I am not skilled in such matters.'
    'Of course. Tell me about your friend.'
    'What would you like to hear?' asked Dardalion.
    Sarvaj grinned. 'He seems more of a loner,' he said lamely. 'Not someone I would expect to see in the company of a woman and children.'
    'He saved our lives,' said Dardalion, 'and that speaks more highly of him than his looks.'
    'Indeed it does,' admitted Sarvaj. 'What is his name?'
    'Dakeyras,' said Dardalion swiftly. Sarvaj caught the look on Danyal's face and did not press the matter; there were far more important issues at stake than a change of name. It was likely that Dakeyras was an outlaw, which six months ago would have meant something. Now it was immaterial.
    'He spoke of Vagrian outriders. Did you see them?'
    'There are just under five hundred soldiers,' said Dardalion. 'They were camped in a gully to the north-east.'
    'Were?'
    'They moved out an hour before dawn, seeking sign of your wagons.'
    'You know a great deal about their movements.'
    'I am a mystic, once a priest of the Source.'
    'And you want weapons?'
    'I have experienced a change of perspective, Sarvaj.'
    'Can you see where the Vagrians are now?'
    Dardalion closed his eyes, resting his head on his elbows. Seconds later he opened them again.
    "They have found the tracks where you cut to the west. Now they are moving this way.'
    'What regiment are they?'
    'I have no idea.'
    'Describe their armour.'
    'Blue cloaks, black breastplates and helms that cover their faces.'
    'Are the visors clear or embossed?'
    'On the forehead is an image of a snarling wolf.'
    'Thank you, Dardalion. Excuse me.' Sarvaj rose from the table and returned to the battlements, where Gellan was supervising the distribution of arrows to the men: quivers of fifty shafts allocated to each archer.
    Sarvaj removed his helm and ran his fingers through his thinning hair.
    'You trust this man?' asked Gellan, after Sarvaj had given him the news.
    'I would say that he is honest. I could be wrong.'
    'We will know within the hour.'
    'Yes. But if he's right we are up against the Hounds.'
    'They are men, Sarvaj; there's nothing supernatural about them.'
    'It is not the supernatural that worries me,' said the soldier. 'It is the fact that they always win.'
*
    Waylander unsaddled his horse, stowing his saddlebags inside the Keep. Then he took his weapons to the decaying battlements of the western wall. Six throwing knives and two quivers of bolts for his crossbow he left leaning against the ramparts. Then he saw Dardalion and Sarvaj

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