Pegs, and I bisn’t comin’ back till I’ve vound ’un, and wass more . . .’ and here the burly farmer thumped his fist into the palm of his hand as he looked directly at the astonished Maglin, ‘I’ll punch the head of arn o’ one who tries to stop I, be ’un carryin’ a bow or no!’
The assembled tribes of the Various, who had been simmering uneasily up until this point, now fairly boiled over. Two hundred voices were raised in approval or disapproval of Phemra’s speech, and the darkening woods rang with the sound of angry tongues. There was a lot of pushing and shoving as the tribes began to mingle. Ba-betts stood up in her Gondla, shouting and waving the Touchstone around, as the three Elders tried to calm her.
Maglin waded into the crowd, grabbed hold of Isak and pulled him out into the arena towards where Phemra still stood, astonished at the seeming effect of his words. Having collared the two tribe leaders, Maglin faced them both.
‘Calm your tribespeople, now!’ he said, ‘before they get hurt. I shall do the same.’ And he strode immediately back into the throng where Aken and Scurl were already close to blows.
‘Aken!’ he shouted. ‘Find Tadgemole and help him to quieten the cave-dwellers. Scurl! Gather your archers and line ’em up. Don’t argue. Do it.’ Maglin paced around the edge of the clearing, pulling the woodlanders apart, and giving them strict warning to
stay
apart. Gradually the situation was brought under control, and the Ickri General was then able to devote some attention to the Queen, who was now seated in the Gondla once more, with Doolie fanning her face.
‘Your permission, my Lady, to address the tribes on your behalf,’ said Maglin.
‘You have the Queen’s permission,’ gasped Ba-betts, ‘to
roast
the tribes on my behalf for all I care. Doolie! Get me back to the Royal Pod. I’ll have no more of this. The Queen is not a well Queen.’
‘I believe you should bide a little, Lady,’ said Maglin. ‘What I have to say’ll not take long.’ Ba-betts did not reply, and Maglin took up his position at the Whipping Stone once more. He raised his arm until the crowd was once again silent, and then brought his hand slowly down to rest on the top of the ancient stone post, still warm from the heat of the day.
‘ ’Tis many seasons,’ he said grimly, ‘since this stone were used for its purpose. Shall this be the day, I wonder, when ‘tis brought back into play? I’ve no qualms in the matter, and none shall find themselves exempt, if I deem it so.’ He looked pointedly at Phemra, then at Aken and Scurl. ‘None. Are there any here who’d doubt me? So. Let us bring this Muster to an end.’ He turned to look at the Counsel Elders. ‘We shall vote upon the matter.’ The Elders nodded their consent – what else could they do?
‘Raise hands,’ said Maglin, ‘all those who reckon on letting matters lie – of trusting that, whatever may’ve befallen Pegs, no good would come of sending more of our number from the forest.’ About a third of the crowd raised their hands.
‘Very well,’ said Maglin. ‘Now raise hands all those who reckon on sending out a party to seek for Pegs.’ Well over half the crowd raised their hands at this – a few had refrained from voting either way.’
‘So I take it that we be in favour of seeking out the horse,’ said Maglin. He signalled for them to bring their arms down. Then he said quietly, ‘And now, raise hands all those who be willing to go themselves.’
The crowd had not been expecting this, and whilst there were a few hands that were raised immediately, the majority hesitated. Some hands went up, after a few moments of thought, and were then lowered again, after more thought. Of those that had gone up immediately, some were lowered, only to be raised again. Maglin waited.
A stillness settled on the tribes as Maglin looked from face to face of those with their hands finally and firmly raised. That Scurl
The assembled tribes of the Various, who had been simmering uneasily up until this point, now fairly boiled over. Two hundred voices were raised in approval or disapproval of Phemra’s speech, and the darkening woods rang with the sound of angry tongues. There was a lot of pushing and shoving as the tribes began to mingle. Ba-betts stood up in her Gondla, shouting and waving the Touchstone around, as the three Elders tried to calm her.
Maglin waded into the crowd, grabbed hold of Isak and pulled him out into the arena towards where Phemra still stood, astonished at the seeming effect of his words. Having collared the two tribe leaders, Maglin faced them both.
‘Calm your tribespeople, now!’ he said, ‘before they get hurt. I shall do the same.’ And he strode immediately back into the throng where Aken and Scurl were already close to blows.
‘Aken!’ he shouted. ‘Find Tadgemole and help him to quieten the cave-dwellers. Scurl! Gather your archers and line ’em up. Don’t argue. Do it.’ Maglin paced around the edge of the clearing, pulling the woodlanders apart, and giving them strict warning to
stay
apart. Gradually the situation was brought under control, and the Ickri General was then able to devote some attention to the Queen, who was now seated in the Gondla once more, with Doolie fanning her face.
‘Your permission, my Lady, to address the tribes on your behalf,’ said Maglin.
‘You have the Queen’s permission,’ gasped Ba-betts, ‘to
roast
the tribes on my behalf for all I care. Doolie! Get me back to the Royal Pod. I’ll have no more of this. The Queen is not a well Queen.’
‘I believe you should bide a little, Lady,’ said Maglin. ‘What I have to say’ll not take long.’ Ba-betts did not reply, and Maglin took up his position at the Whipping Stone once more. He raised his arm until the crowd was once again silent, and then brought his hand slowly down to rest on the top of the ancient stone post, still warm from the heat of the day.
‘ ’Tis many seasons,’ he said grimly, ‘since this stone were used for its purpose. Shall this be the day, I wonder, when ‘tis brought back into play? I’ve no qualms in the matter, and none shall find themselves exempt, if I deem it so.’ He looked pointedly at Phemra, then at Aken and Scurl. ‘None. Are there any here who’d doubt me? So. Let us bring this Muster to an end.’ He turned to look at the Counsel Elders. ‘We shall vote upon the matter.’ The Elders nodded their consent – what else could they do?
‘Raise hands,’ said Maglin, ‘all those who reckon on letting matters lie – of trusting that, whatever may’ve befallen Pegs, no good would come of sending more of our number from the forest.’ About a third of the crowd raised their hands.
‘Very well,’ said Maglin. ‘Now raise hands all those who reckon on sending out a party to seek for Pegs.’ Well over half the crowd raised their hands at this – a few had refrained from voting either way.’
‘So I take it that we be in favour of seeking out the horse,’ said Maglin. He signalled for them to bring their arms down. Then he said quietly, ‘And now, raise hands all those who be willing to go themselves.’
The crowd had not been expecting this, and whilst there were a few hands that were raised immediately, the majority hesitated. Some hands went up, after a few moments of thought, and were then lowered again, after more thought. Of those that had gone up immediately, some were lowered, only to be raised again. Maglin waited.
A stillness settled on the tribes as Maglin looked from face to face of those with their hands finally and firmly raised. That Scurl
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