〃All the same；〃 Deornoth suddenly said； 〃the duke can certainly make a ruckus when he is displeased！ I remember when he first found out that Skali was ing to King John's funeral。 He threw a chair through Bishop Domitis' screen and broke it to bits！ Ouch！ Damn me！〃 Laughing； Deornoth tripped on a hummock in the darkness。 Tonight's misted moon was stinting with her light。 〃Hold the torch closer； Isorn。 Why are we walking and leading our horses； in any case？〃
〃Because if you break a leg； you can ride；〃 the prince said dryly。 〃If your new mount Vildalix breaks his； will you carry him？〃
Deornoth granted the point grudgingly。
Talking quietly of Isorn's father and his legendary temper…the expression of which was almost always followed； as soon as the duke calmed down； by horrified apologies…they made their way down the grassy slope and toward the lights of the nearest fires。 The rest of their party had built camp at the valley's edge； the fire Duchess Gutrun tended was a shrinking beacon on the high ground behind them。
A gang of shivering； starveling dogs barked and scattered as the threesome approached the settlement。 A few shadowy figures looked up from their fires or stood cross…armed m the door…flaps of shabby huts； watching the strangers pass； but if there was any sense that Josua and his rades did not belong； no one challenged them。 From the snippets of speech they picked up as they passed； it was clear that these settlers were indeed mostly Erkynlanders； speaking both the old country speech and Westerlmg。 Here and there a Hernystiri burr could be heard as well。
A woman stood in the open space between two houses； talking to her neighbor about the rabbit her son had brought home and how they had steamed it with sourgrass for Hiafmansa。 It was odd； Deornoth thought； to hear people speaking of such mundane things here in the mist of the empty grassland； as if there might be a church hidden behind a rock where they would go for the morning prayer； or an ostler's shop under a leaf where they could buy beer to drink with their rabbit stew。
The woman； of middle years； red…faced and raw…boned； turned at their approach and surveyed them with a look of mixed apprehension and interest。 Deornoth and Isorn stepped to one side to pass around her； but Josua halted。
〃We wish you a pleasant evening； goodwife；〃 the prince said； inclining his head in a sort of bow。 〃Do you know where we could get a bit of food？ We are travelers and have good money to pay。 Has someone got something to sell？〃
The woman looked him over carefully； then turned an eye on his panions。 〃There are no taverns and no inns here；〃 she said grimly。 〃Everyone keeps what they have。〃
Josua nodded slowly； as if sifting particles of purest golden wisdom from her discourse。 〃And what is the name of this place？〃 he asked。 〃It is not on any map。〃
〃Shouldn't think so；〃 she snorted； 〃wasn't here two summers ago。 It doesn't have a name； not truly； but some call it Gadrinsett。〃
〃Gadrinsett；〃 Josua repeated。 〃Gathering…place。〃
〃Not that anyone's gathering anything。〃 She made a face。 〃Just can't go any farther。〃
〃And why is that？〃 Josua asked。
The woman ignored this last question； looking the prince up and down once more in a calculating manner。 〃Here；〃 she said at last； 〃if you want food and you'll pay for it； I might be able to do something for you。 Show me your money first。〃
Josua showed her a handful of cintis and quints…pieces that he had brought in his purse out of Naglimund。 The woman shook her head。
〃Can't take the bronze。 Some folk farther along the river might trade for the silver； so I'll take a chance on one o' them。 D'you have aught else to trade？ Leather straps from broken saddle？ Buckles？ Extra clothes？〃 She looked at Josua's outfit and smirked。 〃No； I doubt you've got extra clothes。 e on then； I'll give you some soup and you can tell me any news。〃 She waved to her friend…who had remained at a safe distance； watching the whole exchange open…mouthed…then led them back through the cluster of huts。
The woman's name was Ielda； and although she mentioned several times that her man might return at any moment； Deornoth guessed that this was mostly to forestall any thoughts of robbery that three strangers might have； he saw no sign of any living husband around her camp； which centered around an outdoor fire and small； rickety cottage。 She did have several children； their genders somewhat blurred by dirt and evening darkness。 These came out to watch the prince and his friends with the same wide…eyed attention they might have given to a snake swallowing a frog。
After receiving a quinis…piece； which immediately vanished into her dress； Ielda poured them each a bowl of thin soup； then procured from somewhere a jar of beer that she said her man had brought with him from Falshire where they had previously lived。 Seeing that jar hardened in Deornoth's mind the notion that her husband was dead： what man could live in this Godforsaken hole； yet leave beer so long undrunk？
Josua thanked her gravely。 The three of them passed the jar around several times before thinking to ask Ielda if she would like some herself。 She accepted with a gracious nod and took several healthy swallows。 Her children discussed this among themselves in a strange pidgin language consisting mostly of grunts； a few recognizable words； and repeated cuffings to the head and shoulders。
The pleasures of pany and conversation soon began to work on Ielda。 Reserved at first； before long she was holding forth quite knowl… edgeably on everything there was to know about Gadrinsett and her fellow squatters。 Untutored； she nevertheless had a sly wit； and although the travelers were chiefly interested in finding the way to their destination… Geloe's instructions had not been very precise…they found themselves enjoying Ielda's imitations other various neighbors。
Like many of Gadrinsett's other inhabitants； Ielda and her family had fled Falshire when Fengbald and the Erkynguard had burned down the city's wool district…a punishment for the resistance of the wool mer… chants' guild to one of Elias' less popular proclamations。 Ielda also ex… plained that Gadrinsett was even larger than Josua's folk had first guessed； it continued for a way down the valley； she said； but the hills loomed high enough that the camp fires at the far end were blocked from view。
The reason it was the stopping place for so many； Ielda said； was that the land beyond the spot where the Stefflod and Ymstrecca joined was ill…omened and dangerous。
〃Full of fairy…rings it is；〃 she said earnestly； 〃and there are mounds where spirits dance at night。 That's why those folk that live in the Thrithings leave us in peace…they wouldn't live here anyway。〃 Her voice dropped and her eyes grew large。 〃One great hill there is where witches meet； full of terrible warlock…stones…worse even than Thisterborg by Erchester； if you've heard tell of that evil place。 Not far from it is a city where devils once lived； an unholy； unnatural city。 Terrible magicks is what that land across the river's full of…some women here have had children stolen away。 One had a changeling left in return； pointed ears and all！〃
〃That warlock…hill sounds a fearsome place indeed；〃 Josua said； an expression of great seriousness on his long face。 When the woman looked down at her lap； where she was mixing flour and water in a bowl； he caught Deornoth's gaze and winked。 〃Where is it？〃
Ielda pointed into the darkness。 〃Straight that way； up the Stefflod。 You're wise to avoid it。〃 She stopped； frowning。 〃And where are you going； sirs？〃
Deornoth chimed in before Josua could speak。 〃Actually； we are traveling knights who hope to lend our swords to a grand task。 We have heard that Prince Josua； the younger son of High King John the Presbyter； has e here into the eastern lands； where he plots the overthrow of his wicked brother； King Elias。〃 Trying not to smile； Deornoth ignored Josua's irritated gestures。 〃We have e to join that noble cause。〃
Ielda； who had stopped kneading the dough for a moment to stare； made a snorting noise and resumed her labor。 〃Prince Josua？ Here on the grasslands？