The Sword and the Stallion - 06 Read Free

young giant's cheerful, booming voice replied:
    "Enter, Corum. You are welcome."
    Corum pushed aside the tent-flap. The only light within was the sunlight itself, piercing the silk, and giving the impression of a blue and watery cavern, not unlike part of Ilbrec's own domain beneath the waves. Ilbrec sat upon a great chest, his huge sword Retaliator across his knees. In his other hand was a whetstone with which he had been honing the sword. Ilbrec's golden hair hung in loose braids to his chest and today his beard was also plaited. He wore a simple green smock and sandals laced to his knees. In one corner of his tent lay his armor, his breastplate of bronze with its reliefs showing a great, stylized sun whose circle was filled with pictures of ships and of fish; his shield, which bore only the symbol of the sun; and his helmet, which had a similar motif. His lightly tanned arms had several heavy bracelets, both above and below the elbows; they were of gold and also matched the design of the breastplate. Ilbrec, son of the greatest of the Sidhi heroes, was a full sixteen feet high and perfectly proportioned.
    Ilbrec grinned at Corum and began, again, to hone his sword.
    "You look gloomy, friend."
    Corum crossed the floor of the tent and stood beside Ilbrec's helmet, running his fleshly hand over the beautifully worked bronze. "Perhaps a premonition of my doom," he said.
    "But you are immortal, are you not, Prince Corum?"
    Corum turned at this new voice which was even younger in timbre than Ilbrec's.
    A youth of no more than fourteen summers had entered the tent. Corum recognized him as King Fiachadh's youngest son, called Young Fean by all. Young Fean resembled his father in looks, but his body was lithe where King Fiachadh's was burly and his features were delicate where his father's were heavy. His hair was as red as Fiachadh's and he had something of the same humor almost constantly in his eyes. He smiled at Corum, and Corum, as he always did, thought there was no creature in the world more charming than this young warrior who had already proved himself one of the cleverest and most proficient knights in all the company gathered here.
    Corum laughed.' 'Possibly, Young Fean, aye. But somehow that thought does not console me."
    Young Fean was sober for a moment, pushing back his light cloak of orange samite and removing his plain, steel helmet. He was sweating and had evidently just come from weapons practice. "I can understand that, Prince Corum." He made a slight bow in the direction of Ilbrec, who was plainly glad to see him. "Greetings to you, Lord Sidhi."
    "Greetings, Young Fean. Is there some service I can do you?" Ilbrec continued to hone Retaliator with long, sweeping movements.
    "None, I thank you. I merely came to talk." Young Fean hesitated, then replaced his helmet on his head. "But I see that I intrude."
    "Not at all," said Corum. "How, in your opinion, do our men show."
    "They are all good fighters. There is not one who is poor. But they are few, I think," said Young Fean.
    "I agree with both your judgements,'' said Ilbrec. "I was considering the problem as I sat here."
    "I have also discussed it," said Corum.
    There was a long pause.
    ' 'But there is nowhere we can recruit more soldiers," said Young Fean, looking at Corum as if he hoped Corum would deny this statement.
    "Nowhere at all," said Corum.
    He noticed that Ilbrec said nothing and that the Sidhi giant was frowning.
    "There is one place I heard of," said Ilbrec. "Long ago, when I was younger than Young Fean. A place where allies of the Sidhi might be found. But I heard, too, that it is a dangerous place, even for the Sidhi, and that the allies are fickle. I will consult with Goffanon later and ask him if he recalls more."
    "Allies?" Young Fean laughed. "Supernatural allies? We have need of any allies, no matter how fickle."
    "I will talk with Goffanon," said Ilbrec, and he returned to the honing of his sword.
    Young Fean made to leave. "I will say