the Warward became silent again； he said thickly into the stillness； 〃My friends； I'm proud of you all。〃
Then he turned and almost ran from the hill。
Lord Mhoram followed him as he sprang onto Mehryl's back。 Acpanied by Ruel； Terrel； and eight other Bloodguard； the two men galloped away from the Warward。 Troy set a hard pace until his army was out of sight in the hills behind him。 Then he eased Mehryl back to a gait which would cover the distance to Mithil Stonedown and the base of Kevin's Watch in three days。 With Mhoram at his side； he cantered eastward over the rumpled Plains。
After a time； the Lord said quietly； 〃Warmark Troy； you have moved them。〃
〃You've got it backward；〃 replied Troy in a voice gruff with emotion。 〃They did it to me。〃
〃No； my friend。 They have bee very loyal to you。〃
〃They're loyal people。 They…all right； yes； I know what you mean。 They're loyal to me。 If I ever let them down…if I even make any normal human mistakes they're going to feel betrayed。 I know。 I've focused too much of their courage and hope on myself； on my plans。 But if it gets them to Doom's Retreat in time； the risk'll be worth it。〃
Lord Mhoram assented with a nod。 After a pause； he said； 〃But you have done your part。 My friend； I must tell you this。 When I first understood your intention to march toward Doom's Retreat at such a pace； I felt the task to be impossible。〃
〃Then why did you let me do it？〃 flared Troy。 〃Why wait until now to say anything？〃
〃Ah； Warmark；〃 returned the Lord； 〃everything that passes unattempted is impossible。〃
At this； Troy turned on Mhoram。 But when he met the Lord's probing gaze； he realized that Mhoram would not have raised such a question gratuitously。 Forcing himself to relax； he said； 〃You don't actually expect me to be satisfied with an answer like that。〃
〃No；〃 the Lord replied simply。 〃I speak only to express my appreciation for what you have done。 I trust you。 I will follow your lead in this war into any peril。〃
Abruptly； a rush of gratitude filled Troy's throat； and he had to clench his teeth to keep from grinning foolishly。 To meet Mhoram's trust； he whispered； 〃I won't let you down。〃
But later； when his emotion had receded； he was disconcerted to remember how many such promises he had made。 They seemed to expand with every new development in the march。 His speech to the Warward was only one in a series of assertions。 Now he felt that he had given his personal guarantee of success to practically the entire Land。 He had maneuvered him
self into a corner…a place where defeat and betrayal became the same thing。
The simple thought of failure made his pulse labor vertiginously in his head。
If this was the kind of thinking that inspired Covenant's Unbelief； then Troy could see that it made a certain kind of sense。 But he had a savage name for it； he called it cowardice。 He forced the thought down； and turned his attention to the South Plains。
Away from the mountains； the terrain leveled somewhat； and opened into broad stretches of sharp； hardy grass mottled with swaths of gray bracken and heather turning purple in the autumn。 It was not a generous land…Troy had been told that there were only five Stonedowns in all the South Plains…but its unprofligate health was vital and strong； like the squat； muscular people who lived with it。 Something in its austerity appealed to him； as if the ground itself were appropriate for war。 He rode it steadily； keeping a brisk pace while conserving Mehryl's strength for the hard run from Kevin's Watch to Doom's Retreat。
But the second night； his confidence suffered a setback。 Soon after moonrise； Lord Mhoram sprang suddenly awake； screaming so vehemently that Troy's blood ran cold。 Troy groped toward him through the darkness； but he struck the Warmark down with his staff； and started firing fierce blasts of power into the invulnerable heavens as if they were attacking him。 A madness gripped him。 He did not stop until Terrel caught his arms； shouted into his face； 〃Lord！ Corruption will see you！〃
With an immense effort； Mhoram mastered himself； silenced his power。
Then Troy could see nothing。 He had to wait in blind suspense until at last he heard Mhoram breathe； 〃It is past。 I thank you； Terrel。〃 The Lord sounded utterly weary。
Troy thronged with questions； but Mhoram either would not or could not answer them。 The force of his vision left him dumb and quivering。 He could barely pel his lips to form the few words he spoke to reassure Troy。
The Warmark was not convinced。 He demanded a light。 But when Ruel built up the campfire； Troy saw the garish heat of torment and danger in Mhoram's eyes。 It stilled him； denied his offer of support or consolation。 He was forced to leave the Lord alone in his cruel； oracular pain。
For the rest of the night； Troy lay awake； waiting anxiously。 But when dawn came and his sight returned； he perceived that Mhoram had weathered the crisis。 The fever in his gaze had been replaced by a hard gleam like a warning that it was perilous to challenge him…a gleam that reminded Troy of that picture in the Hall of Gifts entitled 〃Lord Mhoram's Victory。〃
The Lord offered no explanation。 In silence they rode away into the third day。
On the horizon ahead； Troy could make out the thin； black finger of Kevin's Watch； though the valley of Mithil Stonedown was still twenty…two leagues distant。 After the strain of the night； he was under even more pressure than before to climb the Watch and see Lord Foul's army。 In that sight he would find the fate of his battle plan。 But he did not drive the Ranyhyn beyond their best traveling gait。 So the valley was already full of evening shadows when he and Mhoram reached the Mithil River； and followed it upstream into the Southron Range。
Through his personal haze； he caught only one glimpse of Mithil Stonedown。 From the top of a heavy stone bridge across the river； he looked southward along the east bank； and dimly made out a dark； round cluster of stone huts。 Then the last penetration of his sight faded； and he had to ride into the village on trust。
When Troy and his panions had dismounted within the round； open center of the Stonedown； Lord Mhoram spoke quietly to the people who came out to greet him。 Soon the Stonedownors were joined by a group of five； bearing with them a wide bowl of graveling。 They placed it on a dais in the center of the circle； where its warm glow and fresh loamy smell
spread all around them。 The light enabled Troy to see dimly。
The group of five included three women and two men。 Four of them were white…haired； aged； and dignified； but one man appeared just past middle age。 His thick dark hair was streaked with gray； and over his short； powerful frame he wore a traditional brown Stonedownor tunic； with a curious pattern resembling crossed lightning on his shoulders。 He had a permanently twisted bitter expression； as if something had broken in him early in life； turning all the tastes of his experience sour。 But despite his bitterness and his relative youth； his panions deferred to him。 He spoke first。
〃Hail； Mhoram son of Variol； Lord of the Council of Revelstone。 Hail； Warmark Hile Troy。 Be wele in Mithil Stonedown。 I am Triock son of Thuler；… first among the Circle of elders of Mithil Stonedown。 It is not our custom to question our guests before hospitality has cleansed the weariness of their way。 But these are perilous times。 A Bloodguard brought us tidings of war。 What need calls you here？〃
〃Triock； your wele honors us；〃 replied Lord Mhoram。 〃And we are honored that you know us。 We have not met。〃
〃That is true； Lord。 But I studied for a time in the Loresraat。 The Lords； and the friends of the Lords〃 …he nodded to Troy…〃were made known to me。〃
〃Then； Triock； elders and people of Mithil Stonedown； I must tell you that there is indeed war upon the Land。 The army of the Gray Slayer marches in the South Plains； to do battle with the Warward of Revelstone at Doom's Retreat。 We have e so that Warmark Troy。 may climb Kevin's Watch； and study the movements of the foe。〃
〃He must have brave sight； if he can see so far though it is said that High Lord Kevin viewed all the Land from his Watch。 But that is not our concer