Count Eolair shifted his disconcerted glance from Lluth's daughter back to the dwarrows。 〃Can you tell me of this evil？〃
Yis…fidri looked at him speculatively。 〃No；〃 he said at last。 〃I have not the right to share so much； for all you be noble persons among your kind。 Mayhap when I have had a greater while to think； you will hear more。 Content yourself。〃 He would say nothing further concerning the subject。
Silent now but for the quiet noise of footsteps； the odd procession crept on through the ancient city； lights bobbing like fireflies。
The Pattern Hall was a dome only slightly smaller in circumference than the Site of Witness； set low in the midst of a forest of towers； surrounded by a moat of rock sculpted to resemble the waves of a crashing sea。 The dome itself was fluted like a sea shell； constructed of some fair stone that did not shine like the rose…crystal rods； but nevertheless seemed faintly radiant。
〃The Ocean Indefinite and Eternal；〃 said Yis…fidri with a gesture at the spiky stone waves。 〃Our birth…home was an island in the sea that surrounds all。 We Tinukeda'ya built those craft that took all the Gardenborn across that water。 Ruyan Ve； the greatest of our folk； steered the ships and brought us here to this land； safe out of destruction。〃 A light came to the dwarrow's saucerlike eyes； a note of triumph to his voice。 He wagged his head firmly； as though to emphasize the importance of what he said。 〃Without us； no ships would have been。 All； both masters and servants； would have passed into Unbeing。〃 After a moment he blinked and looked around； the fire abruptly gone。 〃e； Hern…folk；〃 he said。 〃Hie we down to the Banipha…sha…ze…the Pattern Hall。〃
His wife Yis…hadra beckoned； then led Maegwin and the count around the frozen gray ocean to the back of the dome； which sat off…center in the moat like the yoke of an egg。 A ramp curled down into the shadowed depths。
〃This is where my husband and I dwell；〃 Yis…hadra said。 She spoke Hernystiri more haltingly than her husband； 〃We are keepers of this place。〃
The inside of the Pattern Hall was dark； but as Yis…hadra entered before them； she drew her hands along the walls。 Where her long fingers touched； stones began to glow with a pale light； yellower than that given off by the rods。
Maegwin saw Eolair's sharp profile hovering beside her； spectral and dreamlike。 She was beginning to feel the burden of her long； strenuous day； her knees were growing weak； her thoughts furry。 How had Eolair ever let her do such a foolish thing； she wondered？ He should have。。。 have。。。 have what？ Knocked her senseless？ Carried her kicking and screeching back to the surface？ She would have hated him if he had。 Maegwin ran her hands through her matted hair。 If only none of these terrible things had ever happened； if only life at the Taig had gone on its small； foolish way； with her father and Gwythinn alive； with winter in its proper place。。。
〃Maegwin！〃 The count took her elbow。 〃You almost hit your head against the doorway。〃
She shook off his hand and bent to pass through。 〃I saw it。〃
The room beyond slowly revealed itself as Yis…hadra touched more stones into radiant life。 It was circular； the walls peeked every few paces by a low doorway。 The doors themselves were carved of dressed stone and hinged with tarnished bronze。 Their surfaces were covered with runic letters unlike anything Maegwin had seen； different even than the great gates that had led her to Mezutu'a in the first place。
〃Seat yourself； if you please；〃 Yis…fidri said； gesturing to a row of granite stools； solid upcroppings that rose like mushrooms beside a low stone cable。 〃We will prepare food。 Will you dine with us？〃
Eolair looked at her； but Maegwin pretended to be looking in the other direction。 She was desperately tired and confused； full of regret。 The Sithi were not here。 These bent； flawed creatures could be no help against the likes of Skali and King Elias。 There was no earthly help ing。
〃You are very kind； Yis…fidri；〃 the count said。 〃We will be pleased to share your table。〃
A great show was made of lighting a tiny bed of coals in a trough set into the stone floor。 Yis…fidri's anxious care with them suggested that such fuel was hard to find； and used only for very special occasions。
Maegwin could not help noticing the strangely graceful way that the dwarrows moved as they fetched the ingredients of their meal。 Despite their awkward； stiff…limbed gaits； they stepped in and out of the two doors at the room's opposite end and slid around obstacles with an odd； dancing fluidity； and seemed almost to caress each other in passing with their tuneful； pattering speech。 She knew she watched a pair of ancient lovers； both enfeebled； but so accustomed to each other that they had bee two limbs of the same body。 Now that the strangeness of the dwarrows' owl…eyed appearance had worn away； Maegwin observed their quiet interactions and felt certain that they were just what they seemed…a couple who might have seen terror and sorrow； but whose happiness with each other spanned centuries。
〃e now；〃 Yis…fidri said at last； pouring something from a stone ewer into bowls for Maegwin and the count。 〃Drink。〃
〃What is it？〃 Maegwin asked quietly。 She sniffed the liquid； but could discern nothing unusual in its smell。
〃Water； Hern…child；〃 Yis…fidri said； puzzlement plain in his voice。 〃Do your folk no longer drink water？〃
〃We do；〃 Maegwin smiled； lifting the bowl to her lips。 She had forgotten how long it had been since she had last sipped from her water skin； but it must have been hours。 The water ran down her throat in gulps； cold and sweet as iced honey。 It had a taste she could not identify； something stony but clean。 If it were a color； she decided； it would have been the blue of new evening。
〃Wonderful！〃 She let Yis…fidri pour her another bowl。
The dwarrows next produced a dish piled high with pieces of white； faintly luminous fungus； and other bowls with things in them that Maegwin was sinkingly sure were some kind of many…legged bugs。 These had been wrapped in leaves and roasted over the coals。 The spell cast by the draught of delicious water abruptly vanished and Maegwin found herself tottering once more on the edge of a terrible homesickness。
Eolair manfully took a few bites of fungus…it was not by chance that he was deemed the best court envoy in Osten Ard…and ostentatiously chewed and swallowed one of the leggy morsels； then settled down to rearranging his supper in a way that resembled eating。 If Maegwin had needed any additional proof； the expression on his chewing face was enough to keep the contents of her own bowl far from her mouth。
〃So； Yis…fidri； why is your house called the Pattern Hall？〃 the Count of Nad Mullach asked。 He quietly let a few blackened grubs fall from his fingertips and down into the hem of his cloak。
〃We shall show that to you when eating is finished；〃 Yis…hadra said proudly。
〃Then； if it is not impolite； may I ask you of some other things？ Our time here is growing short。〃 Eolair shrugged。 〃I must return this lady to our people in the caverns above。〃
Maegwin bit back a sneering remark。 Return this lady； indeed！
〃Ask； Hern's child。〃
〃You spoke of a mortal； one we know as Josua Lackhand。 And the voice from the stone said something about Great Swords。 What are these swords； and what do they have to do with Josua？〃
Yis…fidri scraped with his spoon…shaped fingers at a fragment of fungus on his chin。 〃I must begin before the beginning； as we say。〃 He looked from Eolair to Maegwin and back。 〃In days agone； our folk made for a king of the northern men a sword。 That king betrayed his bargain。 When the time came to pay； the mortal king instead argued； then slew the leader of our folk。 That king hight Elvrit； first master of Rimmersgard。 The sword dwarrow…forged for him； he named Minneyar。〃
〃I have heard this legend；〃 Eolair said。
Yis…fidri held up a spidery hand。 〃You have not heard all； Count Eolair； if I have recalled your name aright。 Bitter was our curse on that blade； and closely did we watch it； though it was far from us。 Such is dwarrow…work； that nothing we have