up from his joint of beef to nod Hotvig back out the door； then returned his attention to his meal； leaving Josua to stand and wait。 They were not alone。 The man standing beside Fikolmij was half a head taller than Josua and only slightly less muscled than the broad March…thane himself。 His face； clean…shaven but for long mustaches； was covered with scars too regular to be accidental。 He returned the prince's stare with undisguised contempt。 One hand； clatteringly laden with bracelets； dropped to caress the hilt of his long curved sword。
Josua held this one's narrowed eyes for a moment； then casually allowed his glance to slide away； taking in the vast array of harnesses and saddles hanging from the wagon's walls and ceiling； their myriad silver buckles glittering in the firelight。
〃You have discovered some of the virtues of fort； Fikolmij；〃 Josua said； eyeing the rugs and stitched cushions scattered over the floor boards。
The March…thane looked up； then spat into the fire…trough。 〃Pfah。 I sleep beneath stars； as I always have。 But I need someplace safe from listening ears。〃 He bit at the joint and chewed vigorously。 〃I am no stone…dweller； who wears a shell like a soft…skinned snail。〃 A piece of clanking bone rattled into the trough。
〃It has been some time since I have slept behind walls or in a bed myself； Fikolmij。 You can see that。 Did you bring me here to call me soft？ If so； have done and let me go back to my people。 Or did you bring me here to kill me？ The fellow beside you has somewhat the look of a head…chopper。〃
Fikolmij dropped the denuded bone into the fire and grinned hugely； his eyes red as a boar's。 〃You don't know him？ He knows you。 Don't you； Utvart？〃
〃I know him。〃 He had a deep voice。
The March…thane now leaned forward； peering at the prince intently。 〃By the Four…Footed；〃 he laughed； 〃Prince Josua has more gray hairs than old Fikolmij！ Living in your stone houses makes a man old fast。〃
Josua smiled thinly。 〃I have had a difficult spring。〃
〃You have！ You have！〃 Fikolmij was enjoying himself immensely。 He picked up a bowl and tilted it to his mouth。
〃What do you want of me； Fikolmij？〃
〃It is not me that wants； Josua； despite your sin against me。 It is Utvart here。〃 He nodded at his glowering panion。 〃We spoke of age。 Utvart has only a few years less than you； but he does not wear a man's beard。 Do you know why？〃
Utvart stirred； rubbing his fingers on his pommel。 〃I have no wife；〃 he rumbled。
Josua looked from man to man； but said nothing。
〃You are a clever man； Prince Josua；〃 Fikolmij said slowly； then took another long draught。 〃You see the problem。 Utvart's bride was stolen。 He has sworn never to marry until the one who stole her is dead。〃
〃Dead；〃 Utvart echoed。
Josua's lip curled。 〃I stole no one's bride。 Vorzheva came to me after I had left your camp。 She begged to go away with me。〃
Fikolmij slammed the bowl down； splashing dark beer into the fire trough； which hissed as if startled。 〃Curse you； did your father have no male children！？ What true man hides behind a woman； or allows one to have her way？ Her bride…price was set！ All was agreed！〃
〃Vorzheva had not agreed。〃
The March…thane rose from his stool； staring at Josua as though the prince were a poisonous serpent。 Fikolmij's corded arms trembled。 〃You stone…dwellers are a pestilence。 One day the men of the Free Thrithings will drive you into the sea and burn away your rotting cities with clean fire。〃
Josua eyed him evenly。 〃The men of the Thrithings have tried that before。 It is how we met； you and I。 Or have you forgotten the unfortable fact of our alliance…an alliance against your own people？〃
Fikolmij spat again； and this time did not bother to aim for the trough。 〃It was a chance to increase my strength。 It worked。 I stand today unquestioned lord of the High Thrithings。〃 He stared at Josua as if daring him to argue。 〃Besides； that treaty was with your father。 For a stone… dweller； he was a mighty man。 You are a thin shadow of him。〃
Josua's face was empty。 〃I am tired of talking。 Kill me if you wish； but do not bore me。〃
Fikolmij leaped forward。 His broad fist crashed against the side of Josua's head and the prince crumpled to his knees。 〃Proud talk； worm！ I should kill you with my own hands！〃 The March…thane stood over Josua； his barrel chest heaving。 〃Where is my daughter！？〃
〃I don't know。〃
Fikolmij grabbed Joshua's tattered shirt and pulled the prince onto his feet。 Watching； Utvart swayed gently from side to side； his eyes dreamy。 〃And you don't care； either； do you？ By the Grass Thunderer； I have dreamed of smashing you…dreamed of it！ Tell me of my Vorzheva； child…stealer。 Did you at least marry her？ 〃
A bleeding welt showed at Josua's temple。 He stared back 〃We did not wish to marry。 〃
Another blow rocked the prince's head。 Blood started from his upper lip and nose。 〃How you laughed at old Fikolmij when you sat in your stone house； eh？〃 the March…thane hissed。 〃Stole his daughter and made her your whore； then did not have to pay a single horse for her！ You laughed； didn't you？〃 He slapped hard at the prince's face； pearls of blood flew through the air。 〃You thought you could cut off my stones and run away。〃 The March…thane struck again； but though fresh blood seeped from Josua's nose； this blow was softer； dealt with a kind of savage affection。 〃You are clever； Lackhand。 Clever。 But Fikolmij is no gelding。〃
〃Vorzheva is no whore。〃
Fikolmij propelled him back against the wagon's door。 The prince left his arms dangling； making no attempt to defend himself as he was struck twice more。 〃You stole what was mine；〃 Fikolmij snarled； his face so close to Josua's that his braided beard rubbed on the prince's bloody shirtfront。 〃What would you call her； then？ What did you use her for？〃
Josua's red…smeared face； despite his injuries； had been full of a terrible calmness。 Now； it seemed to break apart； dissolving into grief。 〃I used her badly。。。〃 He hung his head。
Utvart strode forward drawing his sword from its tooled and beaded scabbard。 The tip clicked against a ceiling beam。 〃Let me kill him；〃 he breathed 〃Slow。 〃
Fikolmij looked up； eyes squinting fiercely。 Sweat dripped from his face as he looked from Utvart to Josua； then lifted his thick…knuckled fist over the prince's head。 〃Let me；'〃 Utvart pleaded。
The March…thane hammered three times against the wall。 The harnesses swayed； tinkling。 〃Hotvig'〃 he roared。
The wagon door opened。 Hotvig entered pushing a slender figure before him The pair stopped just within the doorway。
〃You heard all！〃 Fikolmij bellowed。 〃You betrayed your clan and me for this！〃 He gave Josua's shoulder a push。 The prince fell back against the wall and slid to the floor。
Vorzheva burst into tears。 Hotvig's restraining hand held her back as she leaned forward to touch the prince。 Josua slowly lifted his head； staring at her distractedly from eyes that were beginning to swell shut。 〃You are alive；〃 was all he said。
She tried to pull away from her captor； but Hotvig grasped her close； ignoring the nails that raked at his arm； leaning his head away when she tried to reach his eyes。
〃Randwarders caught her in the outer grazing march；〃 Fikolmij growled。 He slapped at her lightly； angered by her struggling。 〃Be still； you faithless bitch！ I should have drowned you in the Umstrejha at birth。 You are worse than your mother； and she was the evilest cow I have ever known。 Why do you waste your tears on this piece of dung？〃 He prodded Josua with his foot。
The prince's absorbed look had returned。 He regarded the March…chane with dispassionate interest for a moment before turning to Vorzheva。 〃I am glad you are safe。〃
〃Safe！〃 Vorzheva laughed shrilly。 〃I love a man who does not want me。 The man who does want me would use me like a brood mare and beat me if I ever left my knees！〃 She struggled in Hotvig's grasp； turning to face Utvart； who had lowered his sword to the floor。 〃Oh； I remember you； Utvart！ Why did I run away； except to get away from you； you raper of children…and of young sheep when you cannot get a child！ You； who love your scars more